A joint working group on “Publishing Contracts” of the GAP and DGPhil has developed a detailed and up-to-date fact sheet on “Publishing in Philosophy – Guidelines for Authors on Drafting Publishing Contracts,” which is available as a PDF document here. The last page of the document also contains an extremely helpful “checklist” that clearly summarizes the most important points of the fact sheet. Here is the abstract by authors Geert Keil (Berlin), Erasmus Mayr (Erlangen), and Reinold Schmücker (Münster):
When authors submit a scholarly text to a publisher for publication, they are usually presented with a pre-formulated contract by the publisher for signature, which regulates the mutual rights and obligations. Many authors lack the expertise, time, or inclination to thoroughly review the sometimes very detailed contracts and, if necessary, renegotiate individual clauses. As a result, junior academics, in particular, often enter into publishing contracts that only minimally serve their interests. The boards of the German Society for Philosophy and the Society for Analytical Philosophy have therefore established a working group that has compiled this guide. It aims to assist academic authors in contract drafting by identifying problems and conflicts of interest, suggesting best-practice formulations, and addressing issues arising from the growing importance of electronic publishing. Special considerations regarding the philosophical publishing landscape and publication culture are included.
The first part contains general information on the content of publishing contracts and the possibilities for authors to shape these contracts. The second part provides concrete recommendations for academics who wish to edit an anthology or publish a contribution in an anthology. At the end of the fact sheet, there is a checklist summarizing the most important advice.