Frequently Asked Questions

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Please email us at support@gluejar.com. We want to make sure everything on the site runs as smoothly as possible. Thanks for helping us do that.

For Rights Holders

Becoming Authorized

What do I need to do to become an authorized Rights Holder on Unglue.it?

Contact our Rights Holder Relations team, rights@gluejar.com, to discuss signing our Platform Services Agreement (PSA), setting a monetary goal, and running a campaign on Unglue.it to release your book under a Creative Commons license.

The more Unglue.it knows about you and your books, the faster your campaign can be up and running.

For example, it would help to have you tell us the following in your initial query:

About your books:
Title(s) for which you hold the rights and which you might want to unglue. (ISBNs help too!)
How long have print and/or ebook editions of these titles been for sale?
Where are your books sold?
If your title went out of print, how many copies had it sold until then?

About the ebook rights:
Have rights reverted, or have you already requested reversion?
Have you self-published?

About you as an author and marketer:
What social media (blog, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, etc.) do you currently use?
How have you worked with libraries to promote your books in the past?
Where do you think your key supporters will come from? -- a community of fans you're already in touch with, fans who read your genre, readers who have yet to discover your work, scholars or students, readers who support the open access movement or free culture?

Do I need to know the exact titles I might want to unglue before I sign the Platform Services Agreement?

No. You only need to agree to the terms under which you will use Unglue.it to raise money to release an ebook using a Creative Commons license. You can decide which specific titles you wish to make available for licensing later. However, before you start a campaign, you must claim a specific title (through the Rights tab of its book page) and plan how you will attract ungluers to pledge toward your goal.

Can I run more than one campaign?

You can run campaigns for as many, or as few, titles at a time as you like. We encourage you to start with one at a time.

Running Campaigns

What do I need to create a campaign?

First, you need to be an authorized rights holder with a signed Platform Services Agreement on file. Please contact rights@gluejar.com to start this process. Once we have your PSA on file, you'll be able to claim your works and you'll have access to tools for launching and monitoring campaigns. We'll be happy to walk you through the process personally.

Can I unglue only one of my books? Can I unglue all of them?

Yes! It's entirely up to you. Each Campaign is for a individual title and a separate fundraising goal.

Can I raise any amount of money I want?

You can set any goal that you want in a Campaign. Unglue.it cannot guarantee that a goal will be reached.

What should I include in my campaign page?

Show the world why we should love your book. What makes it powerful, intriguing, moving, thought-provoking, important? How does it capture readers' imaginations, engage their minds, or connect to their emotions? Remind readers who loved the book why they loved it, and give people who haven't read it reasons they want to.

We strongly encourage you to include video. You can upload it to YouTube and embed it here. We also strongly encourage links to help readers explore further -- authors' home pages, organizations which endorse the book, positive reviews, et cetera. Think about blurbs and awards which showcase your book. But don't just write a catalog entry or a laundry list: be relatable, and be concise.

What should I offer as premiums?

Anything you think will get ungluers excited about supporting your work. Think about things that uniquely represent yourself or the work, that are appealing, and that you can deliver quickly and within your budget. For example, authors could consider offering Skype sessions as premiums for libraries or schools that might want to plan an event around the unglued book. And, of course, physical or digital editions of your other books are always popular.

What can be offered as a premium? What items are prohibited as premiums?

You can offer anything you are capable of delivering, so long as it is not illegal or otherwise restricted in the United States. For instance, your premiums may not include alcohol, drugs, or firearms. For full details, consult our Terms of Use.

Who is responsible for making sure a rights holder delivers premiums?

The rights holder.

How can I get my supporters' information (mailing address, T-shirt size, etc.) to fulfill premiums?

Unglue.it will share supporters' emails and the premiums they are owed with rights holders if, and only if, a campaign succeeds. If you need additional information to fulfill premiums, you may email ungluers directly. Rights holders are required to comply with the Unglue.it privacy policy.

What should I ask my supporters to do?

Of course you'll want them to support your campaign financially, and make that pitch. But they also want to feel like they're part of the excitement of the campaign and the love for your book. Invite them to discuss the book in the Comments tab, to share the campaign via email and social media using the Share column links, and to embed the campaign widget in their blogs. And think about other ways you can get supporters involved, too: discussions on social reading sites? A Twitter hashtag? Uploading Flickr photos or YouTube videos of themselves with your book? (Prizes or acknowledgements for the person who photographs your book in the most unusual location?) Think of ways you can invite them to express and share their enthusiasm, and how you can reward them (not just monetarily) for doing so.

How can supporters contact me?

If you'd like supporters to contact you directly, please include (or link to) your contact information in your campaign page and profile. Make sure you're also monitoring the Comments tabs on your works' pages (whether or not they have active campaigns).

What is my responsibility for answering questions from supporters and non-supporters?

It's up to you. However, our experience watching and running crowdfunding campaigns suggests that you'll do best if you're engaged, prompt, and personable. In fact, don't just think in terms of answering questions (though you should absolutely do that) -- think about cultivating and contributing to the conversation.

Publicizing Campaigns

I need help using social media channels to publicize my campaign.

We're developing a social media toolkit for rights holders. Please tell us what you think should be in it so we can serve you better: support@gluejar.com. In the meantime we're happy to help you one-on-one, at the same address.

Can I contact my supporters directly?

We will not provide you contact information, except as needed to fulfill premiums after successful campaigns. Supporters may voluntarily disclose certain contact information (such as Twitter handles) on their profile pages. We encourage you to be thoughtful in your use of this information. Supporters have likely provided it as a way to connect with other like-minded people, not as a marketing tool, so please engage with it in that spirit.

If you are running a campaign, any updates to that campaign will be automatically emailed to your supporters, unless they have opted out of receiving those notifications. We encourage you to use campaign page updates to engage and recognize your supporters.

How do I get feedback from supporters or fans about my campaign?

Ask them!

Also, pay attention to places they're talking about your campaign. This might be the Comments tab, a hashtag on Twitter, the comments section of your blog, a forum on your web site, your Facebook page, et cetera. You can use your campaign pitch to point them to these spaces, too. Read them regularly to see what people are saying, and to participate in the conversation.

How do I share my campaign?

On every campaign page, you can generate an HTML widget that you can embed wherever you like. It will automatically be updated with your campaign's progress. There are also links to share the page via email and social networks.

Have other ways you want to share? Your own blog, newsletter, or social media presence? Your friends, and their friends? Professional associations? Media contacts? Go for it!

Need more ideas? We're happy to work with rights holders personally to craft a campaign strategy.

How can I get my campaign featured on the home page or the Explore menu pages?

We automatically generate those lists from the books with the most (or most recent) wishes, pledges, and comments. The more people you can rally to show their love of your book, the more likely it is to be featured there.

How can I get press coverage or social media buzz for my campaign?

We're developing a social media toolkit to help you with this; stay tuned. We're also happy to work with you one-on-one. Email support@gluejar.com.

Ebook Conversion

I am a copyright holder. Do I need to already have a digital file for a book I want to unglue?

No. You may run campaigns for any of your books, even those that exist only in print copies or are out of print. Any print book can be scanned to create a digital file that can then become an ePub-format unglued ebook.

Will Unglue.it scan the books and produce ePub files?

No. We will help you find third parties who will contract for conversion services.

Will Unglue.it raise money to help pay for conversion costs?

Your campaign target should include conversion costs.

Funding

Are a funding goal and deadline required?

Yes.

Can I change my funding goal?

While a campaign is in progress you may lower, but not raise, your funding goal.

Can I change my deadline?

No.

Are contributions refundable?

Unglue.it cannot refund contributions. Once a campaign succeeds, supporters' credit cards will be charged the full amount of their pledge nonrefundably. However, they will not be charged until, and unless, the campaign succeeds. Before that time they may modify or cancel their pledges without charge.

What if an ungluer contests a charge?

Ungluers may contest charges, either with the payment processor or with their credit card issuer. Unglue.it is not liable for this and rights holders are liable for any chargebacks. We encourage rights holders to provide clear, timely communication to their supporters throughout the campaign to ensure they remember what they pledged to and why.

What happens if a supporter's credit card is declined?

Although credit cards are authorized at the time of pledging, a small percentage of cards will get voided between the time of authorization and the time the credit card is actually charged. Rights holders are responsible for any funding shortfall due to voided credit cards.

Can I offer tax deductions to people who pledge to my campaign?

If you are a 501(c)3 or similar, please consult your own attorneys and accountants about the tax deductibility of ungluers' contributions. Unglue.it cannot offer tax deductions or advice.

How do I know when I have started fundraising?

Unglue.it will be in communication with you about when campaigns should go live. On your rights holder dashboard, you will be able to see all works you have claimed and the status of any associated campaigns.

After a campaign succeeds, when and how will I be paid?

After we reach the threshold price Unglue.it will issue you a closing memo, which will cover your gross and net proceeds. Unglue.it will hold the proceeds until you deliver an ePub file meeting Unglue.it's quality standards, at which point Unglue.it will send you a check. If Unglue.it does not receive a suitable ePub file within 90 days, we will deduct conversion costs from your funds and release the rest to you.

What happens if my campaign reaches its funding goal before its deadline? Can campaigns raise more money than their goal?

Campaigns are scheduled to close at midnight Eastern (US) time of the day when they hit their funding threshold. They may continue to accrue pledges up to that time, including funding past their goal.

What happens if my campaign doesn't reach its funding goal by its deadline?

The campaign ends. Supporters' credit cards are not charged, so you are not paid, and not obligated to release an unglued ebook.

If you're concerned a campaign may not reach its goal you have several options. You can lower the target price to a level more likely to succeed. Or you are welcome to run a second campaign at a later time, perhaps with a different goal, duration, and publicity strategy. We'd be happy to consult with you about this.

Is there a minimum funding goal?

Yes, the minimum funding goal is $500.

What fees does Unglue.it charge?

When a campaign succeeds, Unglue.it will deduct a 6% commission (or $60, whichever is greater) on the funds raised. Our payment processor also charges a small fee on each transaction, plus (where relevant) currency conversion costs. If you do not have a suitable ePub version of your book available, you will also need to cover ebook conversion costs; please price this into your goal for a campaign. Details are spelled out in the Platform Services Agreement that rights holders must sign before launching an Unglue.it campaign.

Does it cost money to start a campaign on Unglue.it?

No.

Will I receive a 1099-K tax form?

Yes, Unglue.it will issue you one as required by law.

Rights

If I am an author with my book still in print, can I still start a campaign to unglue it?

This depends entirely on your original contract with your publisher. You should seek independent advice about your royalty clauses and the "Subsidiary Rights" clauses of your contract. The Authors' Guild provides guidance for its members.

If I am an author do I have to talk to my publisher or agent first?

It is your responsibility to get advice on the current status of any contracts you may have ever had for the right to publish your work, whether or not a book is in print now. Creative Commons licenses are media neutral and worldwide (English). You may need waivers from other parties who have exclusive licenses for this book.

If I am a publisher, but I do not have an ebook royalty in my contract, can I sign your Platform Services Agreement?

We can't interpret your particular contract regarding subsidiary rights and your ability to use a Creative Commons license. Please seek qualified independent advice regarding the terms of your contract. In any event, you will also want the author to cooperate with you on a successful fundraising campaign, and you can work together to meet the warranties of the PSA.

Are the copyright holder, and the rights holder who is eligible to start an Unglue.it campaign, the same person?

Not necessarily. If you are the author and copyright holder but have a contract with a publisher, the publisher may be the authorized Rights Holder with respect to commercial rights, and they may be able to sign a licensing agreement on your behalf. Again, you must get advice about your individual contract, especially subsidiary rights clauses and exclusivity.

Can I offer a book to be unglued even if I cannot include all the illustrations from the print edition?

Yes. If permission to reprint cannot not be obtained for items such as photographs, drawings, color plates, as well as quotations from lyrics and poetry, we can produce an unglued edition which leaves them out. You must indicate the difference between the editions on your Campaign page.

What impact does ungluing a book have on the rights status of my other editions?

The Creative Commons licenses are non-exclusive. They will apply only to the unglued edition, not to the print, audio, or any other editions. They does not affect the rights status of those other editions. If you use the no-derivative, noncommercial license (CC BY-NC-ND), no one else may sell your book or make derivatives unless you give them permission to do so.

Can an unglued ebook be issued only in the US?

No. An unglued ebook is released to the world. It uses a Creative Commons license which is territory-neutral. That is, the unglued ebook can be read by anyone, anywhere in the world, subject always to the limitations of the license.