Adam Frankel
General Counsel · Technology & AI
15+ years as General Counsel to technology, cloud & AI companies
Agreement to Write a Book and to Sell Copyright (India) by OLL
Open Legal LibraryUpdated 19 Oct 2026
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Agreement to Write a Book and to Sell Copyright
Agreement is made at ___________this ___________ day of ________between Mr _____________residing at _______________Hereinafter referred to as 'The Author', of the FIRST PART and Mr. B residing at _______________Hereinafter referred to as "the Publisher" of the OTHER PART.
WHEREAS
1. The Author is a writer and a professor in the subject of Literature and has written a novel in __________language which is in a manuscript form.
2. The Publisher is carrying on business of publishing books on various subjects and has seen the said manuscript and approved it but has requested the Author to make a few changes therein and which the Author has agreed to do.
3. On such changes being made the Publisher has agreed to complete the book as aforesaid and assign the copy right therein to the Publisher in consideration of a lump sum amount of Rs. _______________agreed to be paid by the Publisher to the Author.
NOW IT IS AGREED BETWEEN THE PARTIES HERETO AS FOLLOWS:
1. The Author agrees to complete the manuscript of the said book (novel) within a period of three months from now and the material of which will not exceed about_____________ printed pages.
2. The Author shall deliver the typed or handwritten manuscript of the book to the publisher within the said period of three months from the date hereof.
3. The Publisher shall, within the next ___________months print and publish the said book at his entire cost, unless prevented from doing so by circumstances beyond his control in which case the time will be extended by mutual consent of the parties.
4. The Publisher shall furnish proofs of the printed material to the Author for his reading and for corrections and during such proof reading the Author will be entitled to make any additions or alterations in the original text of the book as he may think proper but without materially altering the story and the form.
5. The Publisher shall pay to the Author a sum of Rs __________in consideration of the assignment of the copy right as hereinafter mentioned and out of which the Publisher has paid to the Author a token sum of Rs. _______as earnest on the execution of this agreement and the balance of Rs ____________will be paid on the delivery of the manuscript of the book to the Publisher.
6. The Author agrees to assign to the Publisher the full copy right of the Author in the said book and shall execute a Deed of Assignment of copyright on the delivery of the manuscript of the book against payment of the said balance of Rs__________
7. The Author shall assign the copyright subject to the following reservations
The author will be entitled to publish translation of the said book in any other language.
He will be entitled to convert the novel into a play.
He will be entitled to make a cinema film out of the story of the novel.
This is a preview. The full template is free on GitLaw.
This template is an agreement between an author and a publisher for the completion of a book and the transfer of its copyright. It outlines the timeline for manuscript delivery, the publisher's obligations regarding printing and costs, and the lump sum payment structure for the assignment of rights.
About this template
What is this template?
This is a fixed-fee copyright assignment agreement for literary works. It is not a royalty-based publishing contract, as the Author receives a single lump sum payment instead of ongoing percentage-based payments from book sales.
When should you use it?
Use this when a publisher is buying out the rights to a book for a one-time fee in India. If the author is to receive ongoing royalties from sales, use a Book Publishing Agreement (Royalty) instead.
What's inside
| Clause | Name | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Completion of Manuscript | The Author must complete the novel within three months, ensuring the material does not exceed a specified number of printed pages. |
| 3 | Publication Timeline | The Publisher is required to print and publish the book within a specified number of months at their own cost. |
| 5 | Payment and Assignment | The Publisher pays a lump sum in Indian Rupees, with a token earnest paid upon execution and the balance due on delivery. |
| 7 | Reserved Rights | The Author retains rights to publish translations, convert the novel into a play, create a cinema film, or develop a television serial. |
| 10 | Warranties and Indemnity | The Author warrants the book contains no defamatory material and agrees to indemnify the Publisher against third-party copyright infringement claims. |
| 12 | Termination for Delay | The Publisher may cancel the agreement with fifteen days' notice if the Author fails to complete the book within the three-month deadline. |
Who it's for
- an Indian author commissioned to finish a novel for a publisher in exchange for a fixed fee
- a publishing house acquiring the full copyright of a literary manuscript while allowing the author to retain adaptation rights
How long it runs and how it's signed
How long
Runs until the work is done
Stated duration
three months for manuscript delivery
Notice to end it
fifteen days
Signed by
Author, Publisher
Witness
Required
Notarisation
Not required
Also needed
executed in duplicate
Categories
Jurisdiction
India
Document info
MS Word. Document created on Fri Jun 26th, 2026. Last updated on Mon Oct 19th, 2026.
This document is public
Licensed under CC BY 4.0 (Attribution).
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