What Every Spiritual Author Should Know About Book Rights

As a spiritual author, your words are more than just a cool story—they carry a sacred frequency. They are vessels of truth, healing, and transformation. The vibration it embodies is literally sacred. That’s why understanding your book rights is so important. This is more than just legalities—it’s about protecting the sacred message that flows through you.

And you don’t have to be a lawyer to understand the basics. Let’s simplify what book rights are and how you can move forward with clarity, confidence, and ownership over your divine work.

What Are Book Rights?

At its core, book rights refer to the ownership and control over your book’s content and how it's used.

Here are three terms you should know:

Copyright: This is the legal right to your original content. If you wrote it, you automatically own the copyright.

Publishing Rights: This determines who can publish and distribute your book.

Licensing Rights: These are permissions for other uses like translations, audiobooks, film adaptations, or courses and workshops.

You don’t have to know every detail, but knowing what you’re handing over—and what you’re keeping—is essential.

Traditional vs. Self-Publishing Rights

In traditional publishing, authors often sign over some or all rights in exchange for visibility, distribution, or an advance. That means the publisher may decide when, where, and how your book is sold, and you might need permission to use your own content in other ways.

With self-publishing or hybrid models (like we offer at NDI), you usually retain all your rights. You decide how your book is shared, priced, and expanded upon.

At the Near-Death Institute, we honor the voice of the author. In solo projects, you always retain 100% of your rights. In co-author books, we request permission to publish your chapter and promote the book, all agreements are clearly laid out in writing, but the story always remains yours.

Rights to Watch For in Contracts

Before signing any publishing contract, look out for:

Exclusive rights with no expiration

Clauses that take worldwide rights even if not needed

Unnecessary claims on film or media rights

Lack of a reversion clause, which states when and how you can reclaim your rights

It’s okay if you don’t understand everything right away. Always get clarity by asking questions and getting help. Your message is too important to hand over blindly.

Why Rights Matter for Your Message

Many authors I speak to say that they don't care about the rights because the work that comes through them is for the benefit of everyone. And while that is admirable and noble, I encourage you to protect yourself and your work from those who perhaps do not have such pure intentions. Your spiritual journey is sacred. So is your story. Owning your book rights means:

You can republish it in new formats

You can translate it into other languages

You can create courses, retreats, or talks from your book

You can quote your own book freely

When you hold your rights, you hold your power.

What About Co-Author Books?

In shared authorship projects, like anthologies, the process is a little different.

At NDI, each author gives us permission to print their chapter and promote the book in a specific project. But your story remains your intellectual property. You’re free to share it elsewhere, use it in other books, or expand on it however you choose.

Not all publishers operate this way, so it’s essential to check that the agreement aligns with your values. And beware of the "small print". Always ask clarifying questions about clauses in your agreement that seem ambiguous.

Final Thoughts: Your Voice Is Sacred

Understanding your book rights is an act of spiritual sovereignty. It’s about more than protecting your words—it’s about honoring your purpose. You are here to share something powerful, and the right publishing path will always support your freedom to grow, evolve, and amplify your message. Being in alignment does not mean forgetting about what it means to be human and understanding legal relationships of projects you choose to be involved it.

This is part of my own sacred purpose—to help spiritual messengers publish with integrity, keep ownership of their work, and be seen in their full light.

Are you ready to publish with clarity and sovereignty?

We’re here to help you navigate the publishing journey without giving away your voice. If you have questions or want to explore how to share your story safely and powerfully:

Email us at [email protected] to learn more or visit https:neardeathinstitute.com

Original blog post: https://neardeathinstitute.com/blog/news/what-every-spiritual-author-should-know-about-book-rights