I have a published (ebook & paperback) novel which was published in 2015 by a UK publishing house. The text was never carefully or properly proofed and there were many printing problems. Net result was a poor quality piece of work which appeared on various platforms and retail outlets, but never sold. I have revised the text and improved it considerably, but it's still basically the same story. I have a new title and a better front cover, blurbs etc.Can I, as the same author with copyright, publish this new version under its new title, either through a different publisher, or through a self-publishing platform?
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I would be very careful about this, you really should talk to the owner of the original material first, in case you want to sue yourself. ...oh, wait... ? But seriously the only legal question here is if the terms of your agreement with the publisher allow it. And that has no generic answer; it boils down to the language of your contract.– Vogon PoetCommented Aug 2, 2022 at 14:20
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2 Answers
This entirely depends on the details of the contract. If you signed an abusive contract, you may never be able to legally publish it again. If you signed a good one but it's still in print, you probably don't have rights.
This is probably something a lawyer has to be consulted on.
- Verify that you are the copyright owner of the work.
- Carefully study the contract you have with the UK publisher. Is there a "reversion of rights" clause? Read it carefully.
- Ask the publisher for a "reversion of rights" and see what they say. Remind them that the book "never sold."
- If all fails, hire an intellectual property attorney to help you.
