Unless you’re producing every word and image you use in-house, which would truly make your magazine unique, your operation runs on usage contracts and permissions agreements.
If you’re a big publisher, you likely have a permissions or legal department that keeps you keenly aware of this fact. Smaller titles, however, often rely on handshake agreements and unspoken understandings, which saves time but periodically triggers explosions of hassle—writers wildly misunderstanding the assignment, a story you’ve assigned appearing in another magazine before you can publish it, an outraged photographer claiming you owe thousands in unpaid fees for your latest cover image.
The way to avoid this isn’t terribly glamorous, but it works: know the rules, follow the rules, and document everything.
