---
title: "Publishing Agreements"
url: "https://legal.ge/en/service/media-entertainment-and-sports-law-en/publishing-agreements-511-en"
field: "Media, Entertainment & Sports Law"
description: "Legal help with publishing agreements in Georgia. Protect your royalties and IP rights with expert lawyers on Legal.ge."
reviewed: "2026-07-09"
updated: "2026-10-14"
publisher: "legal.ge"
---

# Publishing Agreements

> Source: legal.ge, https://legal.ge/en/service/media-entertainment-and-sports-law-en/publishing-agreements-511-en

Publishing agreements represent a specific segment of intellectual property law that regulates the relationship between an author and a publisher. This is a fundamental document that determines the fate of a work, the author's royalties, and the publisher's rights. With the development of the book market in Georgia, the demand for qualified legal assistance to protect the interests of both authors and publishers is growing. An incorrectly drafted contract can deprive an author of rights to their own work for years or create financial risks for the publisher. Within the scope of this service, specialists provide drafting, auditing, and negotiation of copyright agreements, taking all details into account.

## What Does the Publishing Agreements Service Cover?

This service focuses on perfecting the contract text and balancing the rights of the parties. Lawyers offer:

-   **Contract Drafting:** Preparing individual publishing agreements that include exclusive or non-exclusive licenses, territorial restrictions, print run limits, and terms.
-   **Royalty Structuring:** Legally defining compensation models (fixed fee, percentage of sales, advance) and determining tax obligations.
-   **Rights Separation:** Clearly separating rights for e-books, audiobooks, translations, and screen adaptations from the primary print publication rights.
-   **Termination Conditions:** Developing mechanisms for how an author can reclaim rights if the publisher fails to publish the book or violates payment terms.
-   **Author Warranties:** Including clauses where the author confirms the originality of the work and assumes liability for plagiarism.

The full text is available on legal.ge after signing in: https://legal.ge/en/service/media-entertainment-and-sports-law-en/publishing-agreements-511-en

### Do I keep my copyright if I sign with a publisher?

Yes, typically you license specific rights (e.g., to print and sell) to the publisher for a set time, but you retain the actual copyright ownership unless you explicitly assign it away.

### What is the difference between exclusive and non-exclusive rights?

Exclusive means only that publisher can print your book. Non-exclusive means you can also let other publishers print it or publish it yourself simultaneously.

### Can I terminate the contract if the book goes out of print?

A well-drafted contract should have a "reversion of rights" clause, allowing you to take back your rights if the publisher stops selling or reprinting the book.

### Are verbal publishing agreements valid in Georgia?

No, the Law on Copyright specifically requires that agreements regarding the transfer of property rights must be in writing to be valid.