Getting published? Get advice first!

The ASA provides a subsidised contract assessment service for members on all types of publishing contracts: book contracts, electronic agreements, commissioned work agreements, ghostwriting agreements and literary agent agreements.

Our experienced contract advisor Susan Bridge will examine your contract clause-by-clause and give you expert industry advice.

You'll receive a written report that identifies areas that are not up to the industry standard, suggests ways in which the contract can be improved and answers any specific questions you may have.

The contract assessment service costs $110 and generally takes five to ten working days.

Our Executive Director will check your contract before giving it to an advisor. If he considers the contract to be totally unreasonable or identifies it as the work of a vanity publisher, he will contact you immediately. Unless you insist on going ahead with full contract advice, we will refund your payment then and there.

To use the contract assessment service, post, fax or email us a copy of the contract (not the original) with your payment and a cover letter telling us the genre of the work and any specific questions you have.

NB: you must be a full member of the ASA to be eligible to use the contract assessment service. If you are not a member, please include a completed membership application form.

The ASA's contract assessment service is confidential.

See also ASA  Contract FAQs.

For more information please call the ASA's membership officer, Arian Grant, on 02 9318 0877 or email.