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RNovel aggressively seeks to poach #Wattpad writers for its platform, but what is it actually offering?
I present to you its boilerplate contract. #writingcommunity
I present to you its boilerplate contract. #writingcommunity
Would I sign this? Not unless I was very familiar with the IP laws of the People’s Republic of China. RNovel is registered in Shenzen. Contract disputes would be settled by the laws of the PRC.
When I work with @wattpad directly, I’m dealing with Canadian laws. The difference is that Canada has a much stronger tradition of IP laws. The PRC? Not so much.
But the biggest red flag isn’t even in this contract itself. It’s that when RNovel approached me, it didn’t seem to care what content they acquired from me. They didn’t seem to know much about me at all. That’s super shady.
There are also passages like this in the contract that make me want to go to law school just to properly obliterate it:
“3.3 DIANCHUN is obligated to keep all the personal information or other materials Author doesn’t want to make public as confidential.”
“3.3 DIANCHUN is obligated to keep all the personal information or other materials Author doesn’t want to make public as confidential.”
It’s also amusing that RNovel will reclaim 30% of the royalty it owes you if you publish the contracted work elsewhere.
What counts as “publish?” That’s up to RNovel. Easy trapdoor to avoid paying royalties should an excerpt appear someone.
What counts as “publish?” That’s up to RNovel. Easy trapdoor to avoid paying royalties should an excerpt appear someone.
So, yeah, avoid like corona.
*somewhere
Oh, one more thing: if you violate the contract in any way, you have to give back the advance and the royalties.
Who gets to decide whether a violation took place? RNovel. Want to contest that decision? You’re booking a flight to Shenzen.
Who gets to decide whether a violation took place? RNovel. Want to contest that decision? You’re booking a flight to Shenzen.
