In publishing, “merchandising” refers to the right(s) to create, market, and sell products (merchandise) based on a book or its characters and settings. A good example is Bertie Botts’ Every-Flavor Beans, which appear in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series and also on many convenience and candy store shelves. Since Rowling invented the candy in her…
Tag: publishing law
Don’t “Gag” on your Publishing Contract
Today’s guest post relates to a topic I’m seeing more than I’d like to in the publishing lawyer side of my day: contracts containing a “nondisclosure” clause which prohibits the author from discussing the publisher–or the author’s relationship with the publisher–in public. Too many authors sign these contracts without an understanding of industry standards — or…