The Insider’s Guide to Selling Your Book’s Foreign Rights as an Author
Part of the dream of publishing your book probably includes seeing it translated into multiple languages.
Just imagine—a bookshelf full of your creative work, translated and sold in Asia, Europe, or South America!
Just a few of DropCap’s catalog of books, translated into languages all over the world.
However, it doesn’t take long for authors and publishers to discover that entering into contracts with overseas book buyers involves a lot of industry know-how that they just don’t have.
And unfortunately, this means that they just give up on the opportunity altogether.
Foreign rights can provide a significant opportunity for authors alike to expand their readership and reach a broader audience.
Many authors have gained international fame by having their works translated into multiple languages.
By selling foreign rights, authors can potentially earn significant revenue while exposing their work to new markets and demographics.
The truth is, finding the right partner to help navigate the foreign rights world is absolutely essential.
And it’s precisely what we specialize in at DropCap.
Want to learn how to sell more books worldwide? Download our FREE guide now →
The work we do securing foreign rights deals for authors provides a chance to break into the worldwide market, where they may not have the resources or connections to do so on their own.
So if you are new to the foreign rights market, or just want to understand how much there is to gain from listing your book in our exclusive international publishing marketplace, this post is for you.
The World Needs Your F*cking !deas, written by Benjamin Jo VandenWymelenberg, has been translated into four languages, including Portuguese.
What are foreign rights, exactly?
Foreign rights contracts are agreements between the author or their agent and an international publisher, granting them the right to translate and publish the author's work in a language other than the original.
These contracts typically specify the terms and conditions of the agreement, including the payment that the author or their agent will receive for the international rights.
This flowchart shows exactly how the process of foreign rights for your book works from start to finish.
How much money can I actually make as an author selling foreign rights to my book?
The amount of money an author can make from a foreign rights contract depends on several factors.
One of the most significant is the popularity of the author's work and their existing track record of sales.
A well-established author with a large following is more likely to command higher fees for international rights than a first-time author or one with less of a following.
DropCap Author Case Study:
“As a newly self-published author, I had absolutely no idea who to trust or where to start to get my book published internationally. Then I met DropCap, who were some of the most genuine people I’ve met in the industry. I immediately knew they would be my biggest advocates by their love and passion for helping authors. They demystified the world of foreign rights and made the process unbelievably simple for me as an author where I don’t have to worry about anything other than doing more of what I love — writing. I cannot recommend DropCap highly enough for how much they’ve helped me on my journey of authoring.”
Don’t Believe Everything You Think, by DropCap author Joseph Nguyen, translated into Hindi and Spanish. His book has sold in more than 27 languages and counting.
It's worth noting that the fee for foreign rights is typically paid as an advance against royalties, meaning that the author or their agent receives an upfront payment for the rights and then earns additional royalties on sales of the translated work.
The percentage of royalties that the author can expect to receive will vary based on the terms of the contract.
Do domestic book sales really matter?
Strong domestic sales are hugely attractive to international buyers who are using our software to scout out books to license.
However, even if a book hasn’t reached “bestseller” status, if it has the potential to appeal to a large audience in a particular foreign market, buyers might make an offer regardless of the title’s domestic success.
Similarly, if there is significant competition among international publishers for the rights to translate a particular work, this can also drive up the price that we can negotiate.
DropCap Agents Monica Meehan and Allison Olson, open for meetings at the London Book Fair, 2023.
Among the negotiation of fees for foreign rights, our agents at DropCap negotiate other terms of the contract, such as the length of the contract, the territories covered, as well as handling the payment of royalties.
DropCap is always looking for the next great title to take to the international publishing market.
While our ability to secure foreign rights contracts can depend on a variety of factors, the first step is to have a clear understanding of the market and the value of your work.
Watch Now: The Insider’s Guide to Selling Foreign Rights for Your Book
By signing up to have your book listed in DropCap’s exclusive marketplace, you’ll be taking the first and most important step into taking full advantage of the opportunity to take your book to the global market!
We are excited to be part of YOUR book’s worldwide success story.
Keep Reading:
