Contributor agreement and rights assignment (sample)

  1. Contribution

Contributor submits the written material tentatively titled ____________________ (the “Contribution”) for possible inclusion in The Movement: An Anecdotal History and related editions, excerpts, adaptations, and promotional uses.

  1. No Compensation

Contributor understands and agrees that the Contribution is being provided voluntarily and that Contributor will receive no compensation, royalty, reimbursement, or other payment for submission, acceptance, editing, publication, or other use of the Contribution.

  1. Credit

Contributor understands that credit is optional. If the Contribution is used, Publisher may identify Contributor by legal name, pen name, initials, community description, or anonymously, in Publisher’s discretion and/or as requested by Contributor where practicable.

Preferred credit name: ____________________
Publish anonymously? Yes / No. (circle one)

  1. Grant of Rights / Assignment

Contributor agrees that the Contribution is specially commissioned by Publisher for use as part of a collective work. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Contribution shall be considered a work made for hire for Publisher. If, for any reason, the Contribution or any portion of it is not deemed a work made for hire, Contributor hereby irrevocably assigns and transfers to Publisher exclusively, throughout the world, all right, title, and interest in and to the Contribution, including all copyrights and all rights to publish, reproduce, distribute, display, perform, adapt, edit, translate, excerpt, anthologize, promote, license, and otherwise use the Contribution, in whole or in part, in all languages, formats, and media now known or later developed.

  1. Editorial Rights

Publisher has the unrestricted right, but not the obligation, to edit, copyedit, proofread, shorten, retitle, reformat, excerpt, combine with other material, annotate, translate, adapt for audio, and otherwise modify the Contribution, provided the general meaning is not intentionally distorted in a defamatory manner.

  1. Acceptance Not Guaranteed

Publisher has sole discretion to accept or reject the Contribution. Submission does not guarantee publication. Publisher may decide not to publish the Contribution for any reason.

  1. Contributor Warranties

Contributor represents and warrants that:
• the Contribution is original to Contributor except for material clearly identified and permitted;
• Contributor owns the rights being transferred or has obtained all necessary permissions in writing;
• the Contribution does not knowingly infringe copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity, or other rights of any person or entity;
• the Contribution is not knowingly false, defamatory, libelous, or unlawfully invasive of privacy;
• the Contribution does not contain confidential information that Contributor has no right to disclose;
• any quoted material, lyrics, photos, letters, emails, or third-party materials have been identified and cleared by Contributor unless clearly in the public domain.

  1. Permissions and Supporting Materials

If Contributor provides photographs, letters, diaries, emails, or other supporting materials, Contributor either transfers rights in those materials as above or grants Publisher a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free license to use them in connection with the project, and Contributor warrants that such use is authorized.

  1. Release and Indemnification

Contributor releases Publisher from claims arising from Publisher’s good-faith use, editing, or non-use of the Contribution consistent with this Agreement. Contributor agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Publisher against losses, claims, damages, and expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, arising out of Contributor’s breach of this Agreement or the inaccuracy of Contributor’s warranties.

  1. No Obligation to Return Materials

Unless separately agreed in writing, Publisher is not obligated to return submitted materials.

  1. Entire Agreement

This Agreement contains the entire understanding between Contributor and Publisher concerning the Contribution and supersedes prior discussions about it. Any amendment must be in writing.

  1. Governing Law

This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Iowa, without regard to conflict-of-law rules.