Agreement to Write a Book and to Sell Copyright (India)

Open Legal LibraryUpdated 7 Jul 2026

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.

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.

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Document info
MS Word. Document created on Fri Jun 26th, 2026. Last updated on Tue Jul 7th, 2026.
This document is public
Licensed under CC BY 4.0 (Attribution).
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