How to Sell Foreign Rights to Your Book

If you're an author of a non-fiction book, whether you published it yourself or signed on with a publisher, selling foreign rights to your work. This can be a great way to reach a wider audience, earn more money, and establish yourself as an international author. In this article, we'll go over the steps you need to take to sell foreign rights for your non-fiction book.

Step 1: Research Foreign Rights

Foreign rights are the legal rights to publish and distribute a book in a language other than its original language. If you published your ebook on StreetLib in English, you can sell translation rights, audio rights, and print rights. You can also sell the foreign language ebook rights to a publisher in another country, who will then translate and publish your book in their language.

Step 2: Choose a Foreign Rights Agent

To sell foreign rights, you will need to work with a foreign rights agent. This is a person or agency that specializes in selling the rights to books in other countries. A foreign rights agent will help you find publishers in other countries who are interested in publishing your book. They will also negotiate the terms of the deal and ensure that you receive fair compensation. You can find foreign rights agents in your area, at international book fairs, or via online directories such as Publishers Global or Publishers Marketplace (paid).

Step 3: Prepare Your Book for Foreign Rights Sales

Before selling foreign rights, you must prepare your book for the international market. This may involve revising your book to make it more appealing to readers in other countries. Depending on your genre, you may also need to hire a translator to translate your book into the language of the country where you want to sell the rights. At the very least, you will need a Word document that matches the book's final edited text.

Step 4: Create a List of Potential Publishers

Your foreign rights agent will help you create a list of potential publishers in other countries. This list should include publishers who have published similar books in your genre and publishers who have a strong a powerful presence in the country where you want to sell the rights. A great place to learn about international publishers is also at any of the international rights fairs.

Step 5: Submit Your Book to Potential Publishers

Once you have a list of potential publishers, submit your book to them. Your foreign rights agent will help you prepare a submission package that includes a synopsis of your book, information about your previous publications, and any other relevant information. You may also need to include a sample translation of your book.

Step 6: Negotiate the Deal

If a publisher is interested in your book, your foreign rights agent will negotiate the terms of the deal on your behalf. This may include the amount of money you will receive for the rights, the territories where the book will be published, and the timeline for publication.

Step 7: Sign the Contract

Once the terms of the deal have been negotiated, you will need to sign a contract with the publisher. This contract will outline the terms of the deal, including the amount of money you will receive for the rights and the timeline for publication.

Step 8: Promote Your Book

Once your book has been published in another country, promoting it to readers in that country is important. This may involve working with the publisher to market the book and promoting the book yourself through social media and other channels.

Selling foreign rights can be a great way to expand your audience, earn more money, and establish yourself as an international author. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can successfully sell foreign rights for your non-fiction book. Remember to work with a foreign rights agent and prepare your book for the international market before submitting it to potential publishers.

Let us know if you have questions, or would like more resources on foreign rights sales.