The single most important decision an author makes has nothing to do with word count, cover design or launch dates. It is a quieter question, and it is easy to overlook until it is too late: when your book is published, who actually owns it — you, or someone else?
Many first-time authors are surprised to learn that with some publishers and “done-for-you” services, signing a contract can mean signing away the rights to their own words. The book carries your name, your stories, your hard-won expertise — but the ownership sits with a third party.
Copyright is your legal ownership of the work you created. It governs who can print, sell, translate, adapt or license the book — and who earns from it. If you hold your copyright, those decisions, and the income they generate, remain yours for the life of the work.
Your book is rarely just a book. It is a calling card, a lead generator and the foundation for talks, courses, workshops and future editions. If you do not own it, you may find yourself asking permission — or losing revenue — every time you want to build on your own ideas.
At Rishita Books, authors keep full copyright to their work. Always. We bring the craft, standards and worldwide distribution of a publishing house, while the work itself stays entirely yours.
So before you sign anything, ask one simple question: “When this is published, do I still own it?” If the answer is not a clear and unambiguous yes, keep asking until it is.
See how the Rishita Books programme works — and what stays yours.