Random House Imprint Hydra Not SFWA Qualified

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) announced to its members today that Hydra, an electronic imprint of Random House, does not meet the requirements for an approved qualifying market. SFWA cited problems with “onerous and unconscionable” contract terms (with life-of-copyright terms that include both primary and subsidiary rights), failing to pay authors an advance against royalties, as well as requiring authors to pay, through deductions from royalties due authors, for normal costs of doing business that “should be absorbed by the publisher.”

Random House’s other imprint continue to be qualified markets.