: Re: How would I give the rights to my novel to my parents? I'm wondering because due to reasons I will not disclose, I am not allowed to make any money. I was wondering if I could give the

@Gonzalez219

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Contracts are not complicated in concept: two parties are making an agreement that each will do something for the other.

Think about what you are giving them. Is it all rights? Can they re-edit the book? Can they claim they wrote it? What if they sell the movie rights? Graphic-novel rights? Video-game rights?

Think about how long they keep the rights. In perpetuity? If not, what happens when the time expires?

Think about what you want in return. Is it a pure gift, or do you want to be remembered in some fashion?

Write this all up clearly as you can, print out two copies, and have everyone sign both copies.

EDIT: There seems to be a strong bias, not just here but in general, towards "letting a professional handle it". It's not an absurd position, but it's not like the obvious certainty its adherents make it out to be.

First, you have to choose the professional. You know what the guy who graduates at the bottom of his class in medical school is called? "Doctor". Just as you aren't qualified to act as a professional, you aren't really qualified to judge one. In every case, in every profession, it's a crap-shoot.

Second, you have to pay the professional. In the OP's case, what is the likely value of the rights? Well, let's be honest here: most people's literary output is worth precisely bupkis. If she were J.K.Rowling, OK, there's a lot at stake, and the lawyer's fee is well-worth it if it reduces the chance of a loss even slightly. In this case, people are recommending the OP spend 0 to protect a property not worth a tenth that.

Third, you have to trust the professional. His incentives are very different from yours. He needs to make a living, he wants to be home by six. Those goals may conflict with yours.

On April 23, 1852, lawyer Alphonso Taft, the future father of President (and Chief Justice) William Taft, filed a probate case in Hamilton, Ohio, for Ethan Stone, a wealthy man who had recently joined the Choir Invisible at the age of 83, leaving an estate of some ,000 (about a half-million today). Apparently one paragraph, about the disposition of some land, was somewhat vague and eventually led to a lawsuit.

Which lawsuit is still going on, 165 years later.

I suspect that the late lamented Mr. Stone went to his Reward secure in the belief that his property would be distributed in accordance with his wishes.

After all, he employed professionals...

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