Nuts & Bolts: Author Todd Keisling on Self-Advocacy for Writers

By Tom Joyce

Nobody becomes a writer because they had childhood dreams of negotiating contracts. Like it or not, according to author Todd Keisling, it’s part of the job for authors without an agent. In this month’s edition of Nuts & Bolts, Todd talks about what authors – particularly beginners – should know about self-advocacy.

Q: What do you mean by self-advocacy, where writers are concerned?

A: I mean just that: You have to advocate for yourself. Not every writer has the luxury of an agent to review and negotiate contractual matters. I certainly didn’t, not for many years, and over time I learned from others what to watch out for, what was acceptable, and when to walk away. If a writer has no representation, it’s necessary to be their own advocate and speak up when a publisher isn’t doing what they said they would, or if a contract isn’t worded to your liking. No one else is going to speak up for you, so you have to do it yourself.

Q: What mistakes do beginning writers tend to make in that regard?

A: The biggest mistake I’ve seen (and one that I’ve made myself) is jumping into a contract as soon as it’s offered. Contracts are legally binding agreements, but many young writers are so enamored by an offer of publication that they will sign it without reading it. Another mistake is not taking the time to research the publisher, or to research the market and determine if what said publisher is offering is a standard deal or not. I’m talking about pay rates, percentages, rights, and more.

Q: What are some red flags that writers should look out for?

A: Any legal language that says the writer is financially responsible for any part of the process. That’s a huge red flag. Money flows to the writer, always.

Rights grabs are a big one. If a publisher is seeking all rights — worldwide print rights (regardless of language and region), film, audio, graphic novel — with little or no compensation, that’s a huge red flag. Especially if the publisher has no history of acting on those rights.

Term limits are another — you don’t want a publisher to own the publishing rights in perpetuity. Those terms should be spelled out in the contract. Lack of a rights reversion clause is another one I look for. A reversion clause will spell out how and when your rights revert back to you in the event the publisher files bankruptcy or goes out of business.

Q: What are some things that writers should insist on getting?

A: Keep as many rights as you can. Audio rights, film rights, foreign translation rights — they’re all opportunities for sales down the road to other publishers who specialize in them. Insist on a rights reversion clause. Term limits are a necessity. Something I’ve also requested in recent years is language asserting that no generative AI software be used in the production of the book (e.g. for cover creation).

Q: If writers feel they’ve gotten a bad deal, what options do they have for redress?

A: I think it’s important to communicate with the publisher first. This is good for two reasons: You make it known that you’re unhappy, and it establishes a paper trail. In a good scenario, the publisher will work with you to address your concerns and, hopefully, resolve the matter amicably. In a bad scenario, which I’ve seen play out many times, the publisher is non-communicative, or makes promises but doesn’t follow through. In either case, document everything.

You’ll need it for the next step, if you can’t get anywhere yourself: contact Writer Beware to report the matter. If you’re a member of a writers organization such as the HWA, Author’s Guild, or the SFWA, file a grievance with their grievance committee. These committees are put in place specifically to help writers with issues like this. There’s also the option of hiring an attorney (costly) or taking the matter public on social media (nuclear, ugly, and a last resort).

Q: Can you recommend any resources for writers interested in learning more about self-advocacy?

A: Some of the writers orgs mentioned previously: HWA, SFWA, and the Author’s Guild exist for the purpose of providing resources to writers to navigate the publishing world. Writer Beware also has an extensive library of blog articles and notices about scams, bad publishers, and other predatory practices. They helped me out when Silver Shamrock closed a couple of years back. Victoria Strauss and team are awesome.

Q: Do you have any projects you’d like HWA members to know about?

A: Sure! My latest collection, Cold, Black, & Infinite, was a 2023 Bram Stoker Award® nominee, and is available now from Cemetery Dance. My next novel, The Sundowner’s Dance, will be released in April 2025 from Shortwave publishing, and is available now for pre-order wherever books are sold.

Q: Where can people follow you online? 

A: There’s my website, www.toddkeisling, where folks can sign up for my monthly newsletter, Messages from the Southland.

And on social media:

Twitter (or X): @todd_keisling

Instagram: @toddkeisling

TikTok: @toddkeisling

TODD KEISLING is the two-time Bram Stoker Award®-nominated author of Devil’s Creek, Scanlines, Cold, Black & Infinite, and most recently, The Sundowner’s Dance, among several others. A pair of his earlier works were recipients of the University of Kentucky’s Oswald Research & Creativity Prize for Creative Writing (2002 and 2005), and his second novel, The Liminal Man, was an Indie Book Award finalist in Horror & Suspense (2013). He lives in Pennsylvania with his family.

Tom Joyce writes a monthly series called Nuts & Bolts for the Horror Writers Association’s blog, featuring interviews about the craft and business of writing. Please contact Tom at TomJHWA@gmail.com if you have suggestions for future interviews. For more about what he’s looking for, see here.