What Is Subsidiary Rights?

Subsidiary rights are like the best friend you never knew you needed. Do you know how you can only sometimes get everything you want? Subsidiary rights are just like that: they're not always available to you when you need them, but it's the best thing ever when they are. Subsidiary rights permit publishers to publish or produce copyrighted media in derivative formats. They can be used to license your book as a movie, an audiobook, a graphic novel, etc., or maybe your song is picked up by another artist! Whatever it may be, subsidiary rights are essential in protecting your creative work so that no one else can steal it. When you buy a book, you don't only buy a physical copy. You also pay for the right to read it in whatever format you choose, including your phone or an electronic device. This is called "subsidiary rights." Subsidiary rights are an extension of copyright law, allowing publishers to negotiate the use of copyrighted material with third parties. When you sign a subsidiary rights agreement with your publisher, you permit them to negotiate those third-party deals with your permission. If someone wants to make an audio version of your book, translate it into another language, and sell it online (or as part of a bundle), your publisher can contact them. The two parties will determine how much money each side will get from this deal, and you'll get some royalties from each sale! It's all about the money. Well, yes, and no. This is a win-win situation for everyone in a world where authors can receive 90% of the profits from their work, and readers can access books at far lower prices than they're used to. What about all those publishers? Can't they keep doing their thing? Well, maybe not. Several authors have already been experimenting with self-publishing platforms and ebook sales, meaning that publishers will need to change their ways if they want to stay relevant in the future.