The Publishers Association

Informal Disputes Settlement

There can be very few authors and publishers who have not at some time or other, mildly or seriously, fallen out with each other. The very informality of their relationship, which usually makes the book business a pleasure, carries the seeds of mutual misunderstanding.

Most differences between author and publisher (as indeed between publisher and publisher) are settled equally informally, but, exceptionally , a difference may grow into a fullscale dispute and cause one or both sides to become determined to ‘take things further’. To go to the courts of law is prohibitively expensive and exhaustingly slow. Arbitration, while being a way of settling disputes often written into publishing contracts, can quickly take on a legalistic formality which also incurs heavy costs and much time.

The aim of the following Rules, approved by the PA Council, is to make available a means of settling disputes quickly, informally and cheaply. The procedures are suitable for disputes between publishers and others (e.g. authors, illustrators, photographers and others) and between publishers and publishers (e.g. between a trade publisher and a book club publisher). The rules envisage two parties, but can easily be adapted to a three (or more) cornered dispute.