Your book remains
your work.

Who owns the copyright?

You do. Copyright in your work stays with you and is not assigned to Grand at any point. Publishing a book does not transfer its authorship.

What am I granting Grand?

A licence to publish — that is, permission to produce, distribute and sell the book in agreed formats and territories, for an agreed term. The exact scope, territory and term are stated in your agreement before you sign it.

How long does it last?

For the term set out in the agreement. Ask what that term is, and ask what happens at the end of it, before you commit. This is the clause authors most often wish they had read.

Can I end it?

There is a termination clause and a rights-reversion clause in the agreement. Read both. If you end the agreement under its terms, the rights you licensed come back to you.

Where are the commercial terms written down?

In the written proposal for your title, in figures, and then in the agreement itself. Ask for them in writing before you commit to anything, read them, and take as long as you need over them. A publisher who will only discuss terms on a call is telling you something.

Who holds the ISBN?

Grand. Titles are registered under our own registrant blocks, 978-1-918465 and 978-1-919083, which is what makes the book a published title rather than a printing account. If you would rather own your own ISBNs, that is a legitimate choice and self-publishing supports it.

What happens to my manuscript if we never proceed?

Nothing. Sending work for an editorial read grants us no rights in it whatsoever. Ask us to delete your submission and we will.

This page explains our position in ordinary English. It is not the contract. Where anything here and the author agreement differ, the agreement governs — which is exactly why you should read it, and why we would encourage you to have it looked at independently before you sign.