Prologue
314 Words
After carefully reviewing the terms of your contract, I have decided that I cannot move forward with participation on your platform. While I appreciate the opportunity, there are several aspects of the contract that I find deeply concerning, and I want to explain my reasons for declining.
First and foremost, the grant of rights for the full term of copyright is excessive. The ability to reclaim my rights as an author is extremely limited, and the conditions under which I could potentially terminate the agreement are too restrictive. Requiring authors to repay their income over a 36-month period to exit the contract, especially with the possibility of owing double for Premium Content, is unreasonable.
Additionally, the punishing schedules required for bonuses—such as producing 50,000 words per month and posting a chapter daily—are not sustainable for me. The pressure to adhere to these terms with minimal days off and the threat of another writer taking over my work if I fall behind are unacceptable.
The contract also lacks transparency in key areas. Without clear payment schedules or guarantees of financial accounting, there is no way to know when or how much I will be paid. The significant deductions from potential revenue further complicate the situation, making it unlikely that fair compensation will be received for my efforts.
I also take issue with the first right of refusal clause on future works. The lack of a defined timeline or flexibility to refuse an offer leaves me vulnerable to being held in an indefinite waiting period.
Lastly, the contract’s confidentiality requirements and penalties for author breach are restrictive and concerning. Although the financial penalties are less extreme compared to other platforms, the overall risks to my rights and creative freedom are too high.
I want to thank you for considering my work, but I must respectfully decline participation due to these issues.
-Lexi
- Writer
