Real-Life Decision Making
Unlike the squares in their grids, things are rarely black and white for
crossword puzzle constructors when it comes to business. Most constructors
create crossword puzzles because they love doing it, not because they want
to get rich.
Still, if they want to keep on doing it -- even part time -- they can't
afford not to be savvy about the business side of their work.
Most publications want outright ownership of any puzzle submitted to them,
so they can republish it, publish it online or publish it in book form without
ever having to compensate the constructor more than once.
"When you sell a puzzle," explains Coral Amende, a veteran constructor,
"you typically sign away all rights, and you will rarely if ever be paid for
reprints."
So while creators in other industries can count on royalties from past
work, most crossword puzzle constructors have to keep on churning out new
puzzles to earn any income.
And even that's becoming tough, now that many publications are simply republishing
the old puzzles they already own rather than seeking out new ones.
"I'm very fortunate in that have a publisher who's very fair and honest,"
says constructor Kathleen Hamilton. "But for newcomers to the business, I
would see a lawyer with your contract if you're at all unsure."
You're a talented crossword puzzle constructor with the ambitious goal
of making a living out of your work.
Lately, there seem to be a lot of letters in your local daily from crossword
puzzle fans clamoring for something fresher and more challenging than its
current syndicated crossword. This gives you an idea.
A book publisher has already expressed some interest in publishing a book
of your puzzles, but you don't have enough to submit to him yet. Why not strike
up a deal with the local daily to contribute weekly crosswords, which you
could then turn into a book once you've accumulated enough?
You call up the paper's entertainment section editor and offer to produce
a weekly crossword for her to run at an extremely reasonable rate. For this
bargain price, you tell her, the paper will receive one-time serial rights
while you will retain all other rights so that you can eventually publish
the puzzles in book form. She accepts your offer and signs a memorandum outlining
your agreement.
Your weekly crossword turns out to be a huge success. Crossword puzzle
fans can't seem to get enough of them and many of them e-mail you their praises.
Then, one day, you get an e-mail from someone in another city who tells
you how thrilled they are that your crosswords are now appearing in their
own city paper. While you appreciate the compliment, you're puzzled at how
they came to be run by another newspaper, which could only have received them
from your local daily. That wasn't part of your agreement with the entertainment
section editor.