Question: Should I sign an exclusive or non-exclusive contract as an author?

 

Short answer: 

If you are an author publishing digitally, a non-exclusive contract is usually the safer and smarter option.

 

Who this response is for?

 Authors—especially fiction writers—whether you are just starting out or already established, particularly those who publish their works on digital platforms.

 

I don’t want to bore you with introductions about who I am. That would make this article unnecessarily long, and I like to keep things short.

But for the sake of courtesy, I am Pen Glowy, a fiction author who also publishes on digital platforms.

 

That being said, let’s proceed.

The answer to your question is simple:

 

Choose a non-exclusive contract.

 

Why?

 

Because Y has a long tail and two branches.(Kidding. Sorry about that.)

But on a serious note: pick non-exclusive.Yes, I said it twice—and I will repeat it again.

Choose non-exclusive.

 

Here is why.

 

An exclusive contract is exactly what the name sounds like: exclusive. This means your book is tied to that platform. In practice, you are handing over a level of control over how and where your work can be distributed.

 

You might see reassuring phrases in contracts like “we do not own your work.”

But the reality can still create problems.

 

For example, a platform might publish your work on Amazon. Later, when you try to publish that same book yourself on Amazon, the Amazon platform may question your rights to publish it.

Aha! Now you're getting it.

 

Yes, I know you may be considering the benefits they offer. Exclusive contracts sometimes promise better earnings or incentives.

But in my opinion, it is not worth it.

The fact that you cannot publish on other digital platforms is already a red flag. The world has gone digital, so why should you hand over control of your digital asset to a company—or even a group of companies?

Do not do it.

 

A Simple Comparison

 

Exclusive Contract

·        Your book is tied to one platform

·        Limited freedom to distribute elsewhere

·        Sometimes higher short-term incentives

 

Non-Exclusive Contract

·        You keep control of your book

·        You can publish on multiple platforms

·        Greater long-term flexibility and earning potential

 

So, what should you do?

Simple.

Sign a non-exclusive contract.

 

With this type of contract, you keep control of your digital asset and remain free to publish your work anywhere you choose.

I say this not just as advice, but also from personal experience.

 

I once signed an exclusive contract with a popular platform that I refuse to name. They later published my work on Amazon, which I was not happy about. I complained, but it had already been done.

Later, when I tried to publish the same book myself, Amazon questioned my rights to the work. I had to go through a serious verification process to prove that I was the rightful owner. It was not easy at all.

Eventually, I asked the platform to stop the publication, but since Amazon distributes both digital and physical copies, things became complicated.

 

Now readers see two versions of the same book on Amazon. The covers are slightly different. My version on Amazon has a richer cover which I updated before publishing. The other version has the older cover but both versions are very similar since they use the same image.

 

The book is titled “Dark Love.” One version is published by Temazi Studio, my creative company, and another version exists through the platform I mentioned earlier. You can research this for yourself. (Here is my version of Dark Love. And here is the other platform’s version of Dark Love).

 

 

So, I sincerely appreciate readers who choose my own publication. Those are the earnings that directly support my work.

 

If you would like to see an example of my writing, you can search for my novel “Dark Love” by Pen Glowy, published by Temazi Studio.

 

I hope this has been helpful to you.

 

Disclaimer: This article reflects my personal opinion based on my experience as an independent author. It is the approach I choose for my own work. Every author's situation may be different, so please review your options carefully and make the decision that works best for you.

And remember:

Your book is your digital asset. Always think carefully before handing control of it to anyone else.

 

Until my next post,

 

Shalom.

 

Pen Glowy

 

Final Note

I hope this post has been helpful!

 

📚 Want me to cover a specific topic in another post?

Leave a comment or reach out — I’ll be happy to share what I’ve learned.