My ebook and anthology contracts were all very short (2 pages or less) and understandable. I felt comfortable with the terms. I didn't hire a lawyer. However, I know that some contracts are extensive. If I had a contract in which I didn't understand certain sections, I would seek advice. If you are a member of SCBWI, their publication's guide contains a sample standard book contract with notes. There are also books that can be of help, including, Negotiating a Book Contract: A Guide for Authors, Agents and Lawyers by Mark Levine. If I didn't find the answers I needed from that, I would turn to more extensively published friends who might be able to shed some light on the gray areas.
I, personally, don't think a literary attorney is necessary to successfully negotiating a fair contract. But, if the option is financially feasible for you, and you don't have the time to tackle it yourself, I say go for it!

 

 

---

From Carol:

 

Good attorney question.
 
 
 
I have not used an attorney or an agent when signing a contract. I worked for 10 years as a paralegal so I'm familiar with contracts and actually even find reading them to be a pleasurable experience! From my logical left-brain point of view. I believe an agent or attorney might be able to negotiate a better contract, but so far I haven't felt the contract portion of my career needed help. But I admit that my legal experience is not the norm for other writers.
 
 
 
I'm also a member of Author's Guild. Although I've never used their services, they do have contract help for their members. I also think the SCBWI and its members are an invaluable help.

 

---

From PJ:

 

I hired a lawyer who specialized in children's book contracts to negotiate for me, but it cost more thanhalf the advance. The publisher wanted me to write  series, and I wanted to be sure the contract was se up properly. But the first book did not meet their sales expectations and they cancelled the series Looking back, I wish I had handled everything myself. There are various books and sites on the subject. One o look at is the Authors' Guild-Improving Your Book Contract: Negotiation Tips for Nine Typical Clauses

 

 

 I have no fear of writing - not logical fear anyway.  
I don't understand what there is to be afraid of?
 
That you won't get the words right? That is what revision is for!
 
Rejection? That's just part of the writing process.
 
Sharing your pitch with real live editor / agent types? They are just people too!
 
I guess my adivce would differ depending on what the fear is related to.

If a writer is afraid of rejection my advice would be to try something even more difficult - take acting classes, audition for plays, go to open calls ... rejection is the lifeblood of the performing arts... it is energizing, motivating even... if that makes sense at all.

So when I get a rejection letter. I remember standing in on a white set ALONE with a crowd of people and the photographer saying... "get me another one, this girl's eyes are crooked." And how it took five or six people to get the photographer to agree to go on with the shoot. Or the casting director for a TV commerical who said, "Out! Get out now!" as soon as I walked in the room. I thought he was joking and tried to at least talk (since I wouldn't be able to read my lines). As soon as I opened my mouth he threw something (toward me but not AT me) "You look like my blankity blank ex-wife." I left - fast!
 
At least when I write I'm safe!!!

Now I have had that "what if I die" feeling that Ann Lamont wrote of in BIRD BY BIRD. You have a first draft. You know it sucks big time. But you're still excited. There is so much more work to do. Every once in awhile I get that feeling "What if I die and I don't get to write it the REAL way, the way the story was intended to be?" Irrational fear.

---

From Carol:

 

I have oodles of fears based on lack of self confidence. But they still annoy the heck outa me!
 
One way I handle fear is to try hard not to write for editors. Although they’re the people making the purchasing decisions, I focus on the children I’m writing for. Children have such a wonderful delight in what they receive. I believe the stories we create are our gifts to the children of the world. So I focus on making the most delightful gift I can for them. Once you get over yourself and think about someone else, the fears become totally small and insignificant.
 

---

 

My fear settles in good and solid while writing the first draft  of the story, whether it’s a picture book, poem or novel. Once the beginning  is done, I loose steam and words. It’s tough, but I push forward by giving  myself permission (and locking the internal editor in the closet) to write  horribly. I like to call it the HFC, Horrid First Draft. Once the draft is  done, I’m frozen in fear, again, not believing I can turn HFD into something  readable. To tackle this I start small, one word at a time, one sentence next.  If I look at the whole thing, I’m like a deer in the headlights. Once I’m back  in the story doing small edits, the next thing I know, I’m working on  character, plot, setting.

 

---

From Kim:

 

Balancing a part-time job, fulltime motherhood and homeschooling, and running my three children to all of their various activities, leaves little time to fear writing. When I get the opportunity to write, I dive in to a story like it's a hot fudge sundae.
 
The fear comes when I'm finished writing the story. What if it's really not that good? Will everyone else think it's as good as I do? As for the first question, it's probably not that good. It is a first draft for goodness sake! That's what revisions and critique groups are for:). As for the second question, no matter how much I polish a story, I have to remember that stories are subjective, and everyone has an opinion. There will always be people who don't like my story. I have to write for my audience, not for those other people. 

---