I have heard about the Foreign Rights publishing concept about five years ago. It sounded interesting, but there has always been more than enough to keep me busy here in the U.S.
But recently I’ve had several authors who have been asking about the possibility of getting their books out into the world and what it will take, so I began to do more research on the concept.
There are book fairs every year where authors can attend. It’s usually a great resource for many author requirements such as publicists, marketing firms, trailer services, etc. But one of the best ways to meet a representative of foreign rights publishing is in person. So these events are one of the best methods. Usually the agent will present your book to the various publishers they represent and if the publisher believe they can do well with your title, they will make an outright offer.
That is to say, they will buy the rights to print your book, market it and keep all the proceeds for a set fee. The fee range is between $10,000 and $100,000 depending on the range of the market and the current popularity of the topic you have written about.
You may have several foreign rights agents and several publishers working with you simultaneously. In fact, the more the merrier since it will create more of a buzz about your title.