User Guide for Authors & Originators
Understanding the Pipeline, Contract Selection, and Your Publishing Journey
Welcome to The Great House Publishing
This guide helps you understand your publishing journey with The Great House Publishing. When you work with us, your project goes through a structured 12-stage pipeline to ensure all legal, editorial, and business requirements are met.
We use the LOCK & KEY system—a comprehensive contract management platform that ensures your agreement matches your project's specific needs while maintaining our institutional standards.
Your Publishing Pipeline: 12 Stages
Every project with us follows this pathway from initial contact through completion:
Recruitment
You're identified or you reach out to us
Our team connects with you about your publishing interests.
Intake
You provide basic project information
We collect information about your project: title, genre, format, target audience, and your vision for the publication.
Qualification
Our team evaluates your project
Publishing professionals review whether your project fits our portfolio and publishing model.
Producer Assignment
Your producer is assigned
If approved, a producer is assigned to guide your project through completion.
Agreement Selection
We select your contract from 90 approved templates
Based on your project type, format, and services needed, our legal team selects the appropriate master agreement. See "Understanding Contract Scalability" below.
Commercial Structuring
We establish the business terms
We finalize services, format options, rights granted to us, territory, compensation structure, and contract duration.
Negotiation
We negotiate terms with you
Our negotiators work with you to reach agreement on all contract terms. Multiple rounds of discussion are normal.
Legal Review
Attorneys review the final agreement
Our legal team conducts final review and provides any necessary revisions or clarifications.
Approval
Internal approvals are obtained
Our management team approves the agreement before we're ready to sign.
Closing
The agreement is signed
Both parties execute the agreement. This is when your publishing relationship officially begins.
Funding
Financial obligations are processed
Any advance payments or financial commitments are processed and recorded.
Contract Administration
Ongoing management of your agreement
Your agreement is now part of our permanent records. Your producer manages delivery schedules, rights administration, and royalty tracking.
Understanding Contract Scalability
Our 90 approved contracts are organized into four scalability tiers. Your project will use the appropriate tier based on complexity and scope:
TIER 1: STARTER / BASIC
Best For
New authors, first-time projects, simple publishing arrangements
Rights Granted
Limited rights in a single territory and format
Complexity
Straightforward terms with standard provisions
Approval Timeline
3-5 business days
TIER 2: PREMIER
Best For
Established authors, multi-format projects, professional arrangements
Rights Granted
Multiple rights across several formats and territories
Complexity
More customizable terms with negotiable provisions
Approval Timeline
5-7 business days
TIER 3: EXECUTIVE
Best For
Established publishers, complex multi-party deals, subsidiary rights included
Rights Granted
Comprehensive rights including international territories and subsidiary rights
Complexity
Extensive customization with detailed schedules and provisions
Approval Timeline
7-10 business days
TIER 4: COMPLEX & COMPREHENSIVE
Best For
Enterprise-level arrangements, multi-division deals, significant financial commitments
Rights Granted
Full intellectual property management across all formats and territories
Complexity
Master agreement system with modular exhibits and extensive customization
Approval Timeline
10-15 business days
Don't Worry About Classification: You won't have to decide which tier is right for your project. Our team uses information from your intake interview to select the appropriate agreement type. As your project evolves, we can move to a different tier if needed.
How We Organize Contracts by Genre
One of our first decisions is matching your project to the right contract category. Here's how we organize by genre:
📖
Fiction
Novels, short stories, genre fiction
📚
Non-Fiction
Academic, professional, narrative, reference
✨
Poetry & Collections
Poetry, short story collections, anthologies
👶
Children's & Young Adult
Picture books, middle grade, YA
🎨
Illustrated & Graphic
Graphic novels, illustrated books, comics
🎓
Educational
Educational materials, academic texts
💻
Digital & Web-Based
Digital-first publications, interactive content
How We Organize Contracts by Service Type
We also organize contracts by the services we'll provide to you:
Publishing
Full publishing services including editing, design, production
Distribution & Sales
Rights to distribute and sell your work
Illustration & Design Services
Illustration, cover design, and layout services
Editorial Services
Developmental editing, copy editing, proofreading
Marketing & Publicity
Promotional campaigns, press releases, author events
Subsidiary & Syndication Rights
Licensing to other publishers or platforms
International & Imprint Operations
Rights through specific imprints or international divisions
What to Expect During Your Journey
Timeline
The pipeline typically takes 4-8 weeks from recruitment to closing, depending on your contract tier and how quickly negotiations proceed.
Communication
Your assigned producer will be your primary contact. They'll keep you informed at each stage and answer questions.
Document Formats
We'll provide your contract in multiple formats (Word for editing, PDF for review and printing, Digital Masters for archival).
Negotiation
Our contracts are templates, not final documents. We negotiate terms to fit your project and our business model.
Legal Review
You may want your own attorney to review the agreement before signing. We welcome author counsel and can often facilitate discussions between legal teams.
Authority Documentation
We track copyright status, ISBN assignment, Canadian and U.S. bibliographic records, and trademarks. This happens automatically as your project moves through the system.
Understanding Rights & Territories
Rights You Might Grant Us
- • Print publishing rights
- • Digital/eBook rights
- • Audio book rights
- • Website display rights
- • Subsidiary rights (translation, adaptation)
- • Distribution rights
Territories Might Include
- • United States only
- • North America (US & Canada)
- • English language territories
- • Worldwide
- • Specific countries
Key Point: You retain ownership of your work. Our agreements define which rights you grant us and which rights you keep. Your author retains ungranted rights.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I hire my own attorney to review the contract?
Absolutely. Many authors have their own counsel review the agreement. We're happy to discuss details with your attorney.
Can we negotiate the contract terms?
Yes. While our templates are based on institutional standards, specific terms are negotiable based on your project, your experience, and market conditions.
How long does the process take?
For basic agreements, 3-5 weeks. For more complex arrangements, 8-15 weeks. Timeline depends on negotiation and approval requirements.
What if I only want to grant some rights?
That's common. Our contracts allow for limited rights grants. You might grant print rights but retain digital rights, for example.
Do I get paid an advance?
This varies by arrangement. Some agreements include advances; others are royalty-only. It depends on your tier and negotiated terms.
What happens after I sign?
Your producer guides you through the next stages: manuscript delivery, editing, design, production, and publication. Royalties are tracked and reported on agreed schedules.
Ready to Get Started?
Contact your producer or our recruitment team to begin your publishing journey with The Great House Publishing.