Transparent Publishing. Clear Rights. Clear Terms.

Who Owns the Book

• Copyright stays with the author at all times. The agreement does not transfer copyright to Shhalaj.
• Moral rights are protected: you keep the right to be named as author and to object to distortion of the work that would harm your honour or reputation. Reasonable editorial, typographical and formatting changes needed for publication are permitted.
• Rights you keep: you may use reasonable extracts in lectures, teaching material and portfolios (acknowledging the publisher), and refer to the work in your biography, CV, website or promotion.

What You License to Shhalaj

• An exclusive, worldwide licence to publish, print, distribute, market, sell and license the work, in all editions and formats, now known or developed in future.
• The licence runs for the full term of copyright, unless the agreement is ended earlier under its termination clause.
• While it runs, you do not license publishing rights in the work to anyone else, and you do not publish a substantially identical or directly competing work. You remain free to write other, genuinely original books on the same or related subjects.
• Subsidiary rights (translation, adaptation, anthology, serialisation, educational licensing, co-publication, international distribution and similar) are for Shhalaj to negotiate and license during the term.
• Revised editions, sequels, companions and workbooks are covered by a separate agreement.

The Money

• Publishing Fee. The author pays the fee stated in the agreement’s schedule for copy editing, page layout, cover design and a set of author copies of the book. Fees start from ₹20,000. It is payable in full before that work begins, and it covers only the scope of work set out in the agreement.
• Additional work you ask for later, such as substantial revisions after typesetting, extra illustrations, indexing, translation or re-typesetting, is charged separately at rates agreed in writing beforehand.
• Taxes are payable in addition where the law requires.
• Royalties. The author earns a royalty of 5% of the printed price of every copy sold, on both print and eBook editions. It is reported once a year through the Author Portal, with no minimum payout for payments made in India.
• Author copies. A set of author copies is included in the publishing fee; the number is stated in your agreement. You can buy more at the author price set out in your agreement.

Who Decides What

• Shhalaj decides pricing and discounts, marketing and publicity, distribution channels, print quantities and reprinting. The agreement sets no minimum period for which a title stays in print or on sale.
• The cover is designed in consultation with you. If you cannot agree after reasonable consultation, Shhalaj decides, acting reasonably and in good faith.
• ISBNs and metadata are assigned and managed by Shhalaj as publisher.
• Promotion is described as a shared endeavour: you agree to reasonable cooperation such as interviews and events. The standard scope of work includes basic marketing support.
• Your name, biography and photograph may be used to publish and promote the work, without misrepresenting you.

Term, Termination and Getting Your Rights Back

• The agreement runs for the full term of copyright.
• Either side can terminate for a material breach that is not fixed within 30 days of written notice.
• Shhalaj can terminate immediately if the publishing fee is not paid, a warranty you gave proves materially false, publication would expose Shhalaj to legal liability, or infringing or unlawful material is knowingly supplied.
• On termination the publishing rights revert to you. Copies already printed may continue to be sold until stock is exhausted, and digital editions are withdrawn over a reasonable period.
• The publishing fee is not refunded on termination unless agreed in writing or required by law.
• If Shhalaj decides to sell remaining stock at a much reduced price, you are offered the chance to buy it first at that price.
• The standard agreement contains no other route for ending it, such as termination for convenience or reversion when a book goes out of print.

What You Promise as Author

• The work is your original creation, or you hold the rights needed to publish it, and it does not infringe anyone’s rights or contain unlawful or defamatory material.
• You have, or will obtain before publication, permission for any third-party material in the work.
• If you used artificial-intelligence tools, you have reviewed, verified and edited the result, you take responsibility for it, and it complies with the law.
• Factual statements are believed by you to be accurate. Shhalaj publishes the work but does not verify its accuracy, originality or opinions.
• You indemnify Shhalaj against claims arising from a breach of these promises.

Other Terms Worth Knowing

• Shhalaj may assign the agreement if its publishing business is transferred, sold or restructured. You may not assign it without Shhalaj’s written consent.
• Unpublished manuscripts and financial terms are kept confidential on both sides.
• Indian law governs. Disputes first go to discussion for 30 days, then to arbitration by a sole arbitrator seated in New Delhi.

What to Check Before You Sign Any Publishing Agreement

This applies to ours and to any other publisher or service provider:

• You can say in one sentence what you are paying for, or what the publisher is paying for.
• You know whether you will earn royalties, and if so on what basis.
• The formats, channels and territories are named, not left open.
• You understand how long the rights are licensed and how you could end it.
• Nothing promises sales, rankings or coverage that no one can control.
• You have had time to read it, to ask questions and to take independent advice.