Self-Publishing Contracts – What to Look For Before You Sign

You’ve finished your manuscript, found a self-publishing firm, and you’re ready to go. Then you download the contract. It’s endless, dense, and dry, bristling with clauses full of legalese.

You’re tempted to skim, sign, and move on. Don’t. That paperwork governs the two things you care about most: control and compensation.

Unlike traditional publishing, where contracts are built around an advance and the publisher’s investment, self-publishing contracts are built around your investment of cash and creative assets. Self-publishing contracts can be reasonable and author-friendly, or they can lock up your files, drain your budget via upsells, and make it hard to part ways.

That’s why you must read the contract with a business brain and a storyteller’s protectiveness of your work.

Quick note: I’m a ghostwriter, not an attorney. This article is for education, not legal advice. Always have a publishing attorney review any agreement before you sign it.

What Kind of Agreement Are You Signing?

There’s no single thing called “self-publishing.” Instead, it’s a cluster of business models, each with different cost and control levers. These models include:

• Retailer Platforms such as Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing and Kobo Writing Life – You upload your book, set your price (within platform rules), and the platform pays you a percentage of net sales. It’s usually non-exclusive, unless you enroll in special programs like KDP Select. (Non-exclusive means you can put your book on other platforms as well.)
• Aggregators/Distributors such as Draft2Digital and IngramSpark – You upload your book to sell through multiple stores and libraries. Each will have its own distribution fees and royalty splits. You get great reach, but you must read the pricing and returns policies closely.
• Service Providers/Turnkey Self-Publishers such as BookBaby and AuthorHouse – They offer various programs for editing, design, formatting, ISBNs, distribution, and marketing add-ons. They make much of their money selling their services to authors, so deliverables and ownership of files matter a lot.

Know which model you’re dealing with before you evaluate the contract terms. A reasonable clause in one model can be a red flag in another.

Rights, Ownership, and Creative Control

The heart of your agreement is the rights grant. This specifies what you’re allowing the company to do with your book, and for how long. These rights include:

• Copyright – This is the exclusive legal right to print and sell your book, to produce spinoffs of your book, such as a foreign language edition or a movie, and more. You should retain copyright, period. If you see a transfer of copyright to the company, or language regarding “work-made-for-hire,” show the contract to your attorney.
• License Scope – Most platforms ask for a non-exclusive, worldwide license to reproduce, distribute, and display your book. That’s normal. Watch for hidden exclusivity, which means only they can reproduce, distribute, and display your book. Also look for sublicensing without limits, or language that gives the company rights to “derivative works” or something similar.
• Formats and Territories – Are all possible book formats (ebook, softcover, etc.) covered, or only the formats you actually use? Is the territory worldwide by default? It usually is, but you should confirm it.
• ISBN Number Ownership – This is the International Standard Book Number, usually stamped on the back cover of a book. If the company supplies the ISBN, who is listed as the publisher of record? Using their ISBN can make them the “publisher” in databases, which can affect perception and control of your book. If the book is part of your branding, and portability matters, consider buying your own ISBN number. (You can purchase ISBNs from Bowkers.)
• Source Files – Who owns the production files? These are the editable cover art, the interior layout (produced in a program such as InDesign), and high-res images? If they own them, you may be forced to pay forever when you request changes, however small. And, if you leave the self-publisher who owns the production files, you may have to pay to have your book redesigned. Negotiate ownership of the production files, or at least be guaranteed access for a reasonable fee.

Services and Deliverables – What’s Included—and What Costs Extra?

Many self-publishers offer packages with enticing names, such as the Gold Package, Top Tier Package, and Hollywood Package. These are typically all-inclusive packages that cover editing your manuscript, designing the book’s cover and interior, and promotion. But while the titles seem to promise much, it pays to read the contract carefully. Among other items, look for:

• Editing – What level of editing do they promise to provide (developmental, line, copy, proof)? How many rounds of editing will there be? What’s the acceptance standard? Vague phrases like “editing included” might mean they’ll perform a single, light editing pass rather than the several rounds that are often necessary.
• Design & Formatting – If they’re designing your book cover, how many cover concepts will they show you? How many revision rounds will be allowed? Who picks the final fonts, colors, and imagery? If they use stock images, are the licenses included and transferable to you?
• File Types Delivered – Will you receive print-ready PDFs and other native source files?
• Timelines and Approvals – Are there delivery dates, clearly spelled out? How long do you have to review each item? What happens if either side is slow?
• Change Fees – What’s the cost to correct typos you discover after you’ve approved the book? How much will you have to pay to swap in a new file, or to reformat for a different trim size?
• Distribution Setup – Which retailers/wholesalers are included? Is library distribution included? Are there annual maintenance fees?

Ask for a one-page schedule of deliverables with counts (rounds, concepts), formats, ownership, and due dates. Make this part of the contract, not a sales email.

Pricing, Discounting, and Distribution Control

The price of your book isn’t just a number. It’s a strategy, and the self-publishing company gears the strategy to its profit, not necessarily yours. That’s why you must scrutinize the contract for:

• Who Sets the List Price – You should, within platform constraints (e.g., ebook price floors for certain royalty tiers). Some service providers reserve the right to set or change prices. That undercuts your control.
• Who Determines the Wholesale Discount for Print Books –  A standard wholesale discount might be 40–55%. Lower discounts may reduce bookstore uptake, so it pays to know the trade-off and who sets the discount.
• Returns for Print Books – Are unsold copies of your book returnable? Who pays the cost of returns, and does the company require the stores to destroy the returns or to ship them back? Returns can eat your royalties if not properly managed.
• Promotions – Are temporary price changes and promotions allowed? How quickly can the self-publishing company implement a sale price? Is enrollment in exclusivity programs optional and clearly time-boxed?

Royalties – How Your Money Is Calculated

Here’s where authors either smile or seethe. Read the math as slowly as you do carefully.

• Base – Is your royalty a percentage of list price, which is the price stamped on your book, or on net receipts, which is money received by the company after retailer and print costs? Net receipts can be fair, but make sure it is precisely defined.
• Print Cost Deductions – If your books are printed-on-demand, the per-unit print cost comes off the top. Make sure the print cost formula, trim sizes, and page-count assumptions are transparent.
• Distributor Fees – If an aggregator takes 10% of receipts after the retailer, that’s fine—but make sure it’s clear and consistently applied.
• Payment Thresholds and Timing – Are your royalties given to you monthly or quarterly? What is the minimum payout level? In other words, to what extent must your royalties accumulate before the company cuts you a check? Are there “reserves against returns” for print books? If so, when do those reserves clear?
• Audit Rights – Do you have the right to audit statements if something seems off? Most authors never use this, but the clause keeps everyone honest.

If the contract doesn’t include a worked example of a royalty for various editions, ask for one and keep it with the agreement.

Term, Exclusivity, and How to Exit

Ideally, you’d sell lots of books and be happy with your self-publisher forever. Unfortunately, that’s not always the reality. That’s why every relationship needs a clear, clean exit ramp. Here are some items to look for in the contract:

• Term of the Contract – Indefinite terms are common for self-publishing platforms, with the right to terminate anytime. For service bundles, such as the Gold Program or Bestseller Tier, the term may be tied to deliveries. Beware of long fixed terms unless there’s a clear benefit.
• Exclusivity – Retailer platforms are typically non-exclusive, except for optional programs such as KDP Select. This means you can sell your book through more than one platform at once. Service companies should not demand broad exclusivity for distribution. If they do, ask why.
• Termination – How do you end the relationship? With an email notice? How much notice must you give: thirty days, sixty? What happens to your file, listings, and metadata? Is there a fee to remove your book from distribution? Are outstanding balances owed to you paid promptly?
• Post-Termination Rights – The self-publishing company should stop selling your book quickly, pull your book files everywhere, and confirm they have done so in writing. You should retain ownership of everything you created or paid to create.

Marketing and Publicity Promises vs. Proof

Marketing language is where reality can wobble. Look for items such as:

• Deliverables, Not Dreams – You’ll often see enticing promises like “We will promote to 10,000 media contacts!” Unfortunately, that’s fluff, for they can randomly send emails to media outlets, without follow-up. Ask them to include the actual assets (press release, media list) in the contract, the number of personalized pitches, and reporting.
• Ad Buys and Social Blasts – If you pay for ads or influencer outreach, require spend transparency and a performance report. In other words, ask them to tell you exactly what they will be doing with your money, and how they will report their spending and results to you.
• Bestseller “Campaigns” – Be skeptical of anyone implying they can engineer a list placement. This is a grey issue ethically. Some companies may cross the line, and your name will be soiled.
• Use of Your Name/Likeness – Most firms need permission to showcase your book in their portfolio. That’s reasonable. But limit it to non-disparaging, non-exclusive, non-transferable permission, which ends upon termination of the contract.

Warranties, Indemnities, and Risk Allocation

These clauses look like a bunch of boring boilerplate. But they can become incredibly important if something goes wrong. Look for:

• Your Warranties – You typically warrant that the work is original, doesn’t infringe on anyone’s rights, and doesn’t defame or invade privacy. That’s fair, but ensure they notify you promptly of claims, and allow you to join in the defense.
• Their Warranties – Do they warrant, among other things, that they have the right to perform the services, that the work will be professional, and that they won’t infringe on others in doing so?
• Indemnity – Most agreements require you to indemnify them if someone sues over your content. That’s reasonable, if it’s paired with your warranties. And push for mutual indemnity where they indemnify you for their negligence or bad behavior.
• Liability Caps – Many contracts cap the company’s liability at the amount you paid. That’s industry-standard; just know it’s there.
• Dispute Resolution – How will disagreements between you and the company be handled? In arbitration or court? What will be the governing law, and where will disputes be settled?

Data and Reporting

Publishing has become a data business. Your contract should respect that. Look for items including:

• Sales Reporting – How often will reports be updated? What fields (units, list price, discounts, territories, formats, returns) will appear on the reports?
• Access – Do you have a dashboard where you can view your reports? Are historical reports retained? Can you export the data in a convenient form?

Red Flags That Trigger a Hard Pause

• Transfer of copyright or “work-made-for-hire” language for your manuscript.
• Exclusivity across all formats without a compelling benefit and a short, optional term of exclusivity.
• You don’t own the source files you paid to create, or must pay exorbitant “release” fees.
• Vague marketing promises with big price tags and no list of deliverables.
• Automatic renewals with narrow termination windows.
• Non-disparagement clauses so broad you can’t leave an honest review of your experience with the self-publisher.
• Unbounded sublicensing that lets the company license your book to anyone for any purpose.
• Mandatory bulk purchase requirements to “activate” distribution or reviews.

If you see one of these, or anything else that seems amiss, speak to your attorney.

Real-World Agreements You May Encounter

Here are examples of the types of contracts you’ll see in the marketplace:

• Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing “Publishing Terms and Conditions” – Kindle Direct Publishing
• Aventine Press Author Publishing Agreement– Aventine
• BookBaby Terms of Service– BookBaby
• CheckPoint Press “Simple, Easy-to-Understand, One-Page Agreement for Self-Publishing Services” – Checkpoint
• Draft2Digital Terms of Service – Draft2Digital
• IngramSpark Global Print & Ebook Agreement (PDF) – IngramSpark
• Kobo Writing Life Terms of Service – Kobo
• Wingspan Press Publishing Agreement – Wingspan
• Xlibris “Services and Distribution Agreement” – for download, see Xlibris

These aren’t endorsements or warnings; they’re starting points to help you see how different companies frame rights, royalties, and responsibilities.

How to Read a Contract Without Going Cross-Eyed

Print it, grab a pen, and work through at least three passes:

1. Scope Pass – Highlight every clause about rights, ownership, exclusivity, term, and termination. That’s the spine.
2. Money Pass – Trace the royalty math with a calculator. Pencil in a worked example beside the clause.
3. Reality Pass – Compare the contract to the sales page and emails. Anything promised that isn’t here? Ask to add it as an exhibit.

If they say, “We can’t change our contract,” you can still ask for a clarifying rider or statement of work that sits alongside the boilerplate and governs your project.

Final Thoughts (and a Friendly Nudge)

Most reputable self-publishing contracts are reasonable by industry standards. But “reasonable” for one author may be unacceptable for you. Start with your goals—what you want this book to do in the next 18 months and the next five years. Then choose the model, the partner, and the paperwork that supports those goals.

Study the contract carefully, ask questions, and get legal counsel before you sign. Your book is an asset. Treat it like one.

For broader context, see our “Introduction to Self-Publishing.”

And remember – nothing here is legal advice. I urge you to bring your attorney into the contract-approval process early.