Author Rights Guidelines

Effective Date: June 28, 2025

Synsto Publishing ("Synsto", "we", "our", "us") is committed to a fair, transparent, and author-focused publishing process. These Author Rights Guidelines explain your rights and responsibilities as an author publishing with Synsto. They must be read alongside our Terms and Conditions, Author Permissions Guidelines, and Cancellation and Refund Policy.

By submitting a manuscript to Synsto, you confirm that you have read and accepted these guidelines.

1. Copyright and Ownership

1.1 Your Initial Ownership

You, the author, retain full copyright of your submitted work until a publishing agreement is formally signed between you and Synsto. Submission of a manuscript does not transfer any rights to Synsto beyond what is required to review and evaluate the work.

1.2 Upon Acceptance — Transfer or Licence

Upon acceptance of your manuscript for publication, you will be asked to grant Synsto one of the following, as specified in your publishing agreement:

• Copyright Transfer: You transfer exclusive publishing rights to Synsto, allowing us to publish, reproduce, distribute, and license your work globally in all formats including print, ebook, audiobook, and digital.
• Exclusive Publishing Licence: You retain copyright but grant Synsto exclusive rights to publish and distribute your work. Terms will be detailed in your individual contract.

All agreements comply with the Berne Convention, the WIPO Copyright Treaty, and applicable Indian copyright law under the Indian Copyright Act 1957.

1.3 Declaration of Originality — Author's Responsibility

By submitting any work to Synsto, you irrevocably declare that:

• The work is entirely your own original creation.
• You are the sole legal copyright owner, or hold all necessary rights and permissions.
• The work does not infringe any third-party intellectual property rights.
• All third-party content included (quotes, images, data, etc.) has been properly licensed or falls within fair use/fair dealing.

You, the author, bear full and sole legal liability for any copyright infringement, plagiarism, or false declaration arising from your submitted work. Synsto is not liable for the originality or legality of author-submitted content. In the event of a verified copyright claim, Synsto reserves the right to immediately unpublish your work, withhold earnings, and disclose your identity to the claimant or legal authorities. See our Terms and Conditions for full details.

1.4 Reversion of Rights

If your work goes out of print, distribution ceases, or the contract term ends, rights may revert to you as specified in your publishing agreement. Reversion terms will be clearly stated in your individual contract.

2. Right to Attribution

2.1 Author Credit

You have the right to be identified as the author of your work in all editions, formats, and promotional materials published by Synsto. This right is protected under the Berne Convention and the Indian Copyright Act 1957.

2.2 Co-Authorship

All co-authors must be accurately credited. You are responsible for obtaining the written consent of all co-authors before submitting a manuscript. Synsto is not responsible for disputes between co-authors regarding credit or rights.

2.3 Pseudonyms

You may publish under a pseudonym. Your legal name must be provided to Synsto for contractual and identity verification purposes and will be kept confidential from the public unless legally required to be disclosed.

3. Identity Verification

Synsto requires all authors to provide valid government-issued identity documentation before publication. Accepted documents include:

• Aadhaar Card or PAN Card (India)
• Passport (all countries)
• National Identity Card (international authors)
• Driver's Licence (where accepted as national ID)

Identity verification is required to protect the rights of legitimate authors, prevent fraud and plagiarism, and comply with applicable legal obligations. Failure to provide verification when requested will result in the submission being placed on hold or rejected.

Your identity documents are stored securely and retained for a minimum of 5 years for legal compliance purposes. See our Privacy Policy and Data Safety pages for details on how this data is handled.

4. Your Usage Rights After Publication

4.1 Personal and Academic Use

After publication, you may share limited excerpts of your own work — up to 500 words or 10% of the total work, whichever is less — for non-commercial purposes such as teaching, personal website, or social media, provided Synsto Publications is credited as the publisher.

4.2 Self-Archiving

You may deposit pre-publication versions (submitted manuscript or accepted draft) in institutional repositories or on your personal website, subject to an embargo period of typically 6–12 months post-publication, as specified in your publishing agreement.

4.3 Derivative Works

You are free to create derivative works such as sequels or adaptations unless your publishing agreement specifically restricts this. Derivative works must not conflict with Synsto's exclusive publication rights for the original work.

5. Publication Rights

5.1 Formats and Distribution

Upon agreement, Synsto may publish your work in print, ebook, audiobook, and other digital formats and distribute it globally through our platform and partner channels.

5.2 Translations and Adaptations

Synsto may pursue translations or adaptations (including audio, multimedia, or film) of your work. You will be consulted in this process, with terms addressed in your publishing agreement.

5.3 Open Access

If mutually agreed, your work may be published under a Creative Commons licence (such as CC BY), allowing free access and reuse with proper attribution. This option will be clearly stated in your publishing agreement.

6. Editorial and Creative Control

6.1 Editorial Input

You have the right to review and comment on editorial changes including copyediting, formatting, and layout. Synsto retains final production decisions to ensure content meets our quality and publishing standards.

6.2 Revisions

You may be invited to revise your manuscript based on editorial or peer review feedback. You may accept, modify, or decline suggestions, provided your decisions align with our ethical and quality standards.

6.3 Proof Review

You have the right to review final proofs before publication to check for errors. Approval of proofs is considered final acceptance of the work. Major content changes after proof approval are not permitted under the original service and may incur additional charges.

7. Ethical and Legal Protections

7.1 Fair Treatment

Synsto adheres to the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). We treat all authors equally regardless of nationality, language, gender, race, religion, or background.

7.2 Dispute Resolution

If you have concerns about the editorial process, delays, or contractual matters, you have the right to raise them formally by contacting editorial@synsto.com. We will address all concerns in accordance with your contract terms and COPE standards. Unresolved disputes are subject to the governing law stated in our Terms and Conditions.

7.3 Data Protection

Your personal data including name, contact details, and identity documents is handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy and applicable data protection laws including the Indian Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 (DPDPA), GDPR (EU), and CCPA (California). Your data is used only for publishing, communication, and legal compliance purposes.

7.4 Non-Discrimination

Synsto does not discriminate against any author on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, nationality, religion, disability, or any other protected characteristic. All manuscripts are evaluated solely on the basis of content quality, originality, and compliance with our guidelines.

8. Additional Author Rights

8.1 Promotion

You may freely promote your published work, share announcements, and link to your book listing on www.synsto.com. We may request reasonable cooperation with marketing activities such as author interviews or promotional campaigns, as mutually agreed.

8.2 Complimentary Copies

Upon publication, you will receive a complimentary copy of your work in print or digital format as specified in your publishing agreement. Additional copies may be purchased at the author rate stated in your contract.

8.3 Royalties

Royalty rates, payment schedules, and reporting periods will be clearly stated in your individual publishing agreement. Royalties are calculated on net receipts unless otherwise specified. In the event of a copyright claim or legal dispute, royalty payments may be withheld pending resolution.

8.4 Contract Termination

Termination conditions — including grounds for termination by either party, notice periods, and consequences of termination — will be clearly stated in your publishing agreement. Synsto reserves the right to terminate a publishing agreement immediately and without liability if the author is found to have submitted infringing, plagiarised, or fraudulent content.

9. Submission and Contact

To submit a manuscript for consideration, email your manuscript, cover letter, and permissions log (if applicable) to:

Editorial submissions: editorial@synsto.com
Subject line: Submission: [Title] – [Genre/Category]

For questions about author rights, contracts, royalties, or the publishing process:

General enquiries: info@synsto.com
Website: www.synsto.com