This is a good moment to talk about rights. As an artist they are yours. And there are a LOT of people who would try to take them from you. Don’t blindly sign a contract, read it, if you don’t understand a part ask, lawyer up if you can, AND you can negotiate or request changes—
Know what you are signing away. And make sure you are compensated for it. You’d be surprised but often what ppl give you is not the best offer- they know you might ask for more. Some places are set and asking for pay is really nerve wracking. I get it.
And it’s really hard not to say yes to the first thing esp when money is tight and times are hard. That’s why ppl like Tokyopop were so insidious bc they preyed on artists w promises of fame & fortune but they lied and signed away the artist’s rights. :|
There are so many amazing publishers and Ads who really care about artists, but there are also those who masquerade as caring and will take you for everything. It’s not your fault-every industry has monsters who try to get theirs. Time to shine some light on it though.
