What is work-for-Hire? Basically it is when a publisher pays you a set fee to write something specific for them. There are no royalties and the publisher owns the complete rights of the work. In my experience, most WFH projects are for books that will be part of a series designed for the educational market.
A WFH contract spells out beforehand exactly what the book's topic will be and the scope of the work. Typically, there is a strict word count, sometimes right down to how many words per spread. And there is almost always a certain reading level you must obtain
Usually there’s a super-tight, non-flexible deadline to be met—first for turning in the outline, then the draft and revision. You work very closely with your editor on these titles, and he or she will ensure your text fits the mold of the series.
I broke into the WFH scene with ORCAS, working with the amazing Stephanie Fitzgerald of Spooky Cheetah Press, who learned about my work from my friend of the pen Moira Donohue. However, you don't need a friend to break you in to the WFH scene. Most publishers are open to receiving samples of work from authors and illustrators. When you see a book series on a school library shelf, check out the publisher's website for submission details.
A WFH contract spells out beforehand exactly what the book's topic will be and the scope of the work. Typically, there is a strict word count, sometimes right down to how many words per spread. And there is almost always a certain reading level you must obtain
Usually there’s a super-tight, non-flexible deadline to be met—first for turning in the outline, then the draft and revision. You work very closely with your editor on these titles, and he or she will ensure your text fits the mold of the series.
I broke into the WFH scene with ORCAS, working with the amazing Stephanie Fitzgerald of Spooky Cheetah Press, who learned about my work from my friend of the pen Moira Donohue. However, you don't need a friend to break you in to the WFH scene. Most publishers are open to receiving samples of work from authors and illustrators. When you see a book series on a school library shelf, check out the publisher's website for submission details.
Learn more about my WFH books and purchase copies on my Amazon Author page HERE.