While receiving a contract is very exciting, it can also be overwhelming. There is a lot of legal language and there are complicated publishing terms and phrases. You may decide to hire someone to negotiate for you, but it is important to understand the basics yourself. This chapter will help you learn contract basics and understand some of the writer's rights. If you have an agent or lawyer in the field, she will negotiate to improve your contract. This chapter will help you understand what kinds of changes she can ask for.