Licensing Startup Guide
Overview
The information provided is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and relevance of the content, it is not a substitute for professional legal counsel.
I'm so glad you're interested in hearing more about licensing! Becoming licensed is actually way easier than you would think 😊 Here are a few things I have learned through being licensed by SJM, Rebecca Yarros, Carissa Broadbent, H.D. Carlton, Rachel Gillig, Penn Cole, and Caroline Peckham/Susanne Valenti:
✨INITIAL CONTACT ✨
Most authors have a FAQ page on their website or a contact email for merch requests. You can email them outlining who you are, a little info about your shop (or what you plan for your shop to be if you don’t yet have one), and the products you want to get licensed for. If you can’t find an email on their website, you can try to DM them on social media! I’ll include a draft of what I usually say below. I typically reach out before I start my read or re-read of the series, just to give them time to reply while I read and note down design ideas.
**Note: some authors may take time to reply. However, just because you have reached out does not mean you can begin selling merch, you’ll need to wait until you sign a contract 🖤
✨ CONTRACTS ✨
If an author gets back to you with approval to sell merch, they will likely send you a contract to review. This will outline fees, payment timing, design rules (if any), etc. The fees and contracts differ depending on the author. But generally you pay royalties quarterly. It also depends on the contract if the royalty is a flat fee, a percentage, etc. Most I have seen are a percentage of net profit.
✨ DESIGN REVIEW✨
Most authors will require you to submit each design after completing your contract before you can list the product for sale. This helps ensure your design matches the author’s vision. All the authors I have worked with have been quick to review/approve designs.
Email Templates
Note, it is not required to provide the amount of detail below. I did as I thought it would be helpful for the authors, however if you don’t have this information available yet, don’t let it stop you from reaching out!
✨ EMAIL IF YOU HAVE AN EXISTING SHOP ✨
I hope you are doing well! My name is NAME and I am the owner and creator of SHOP, a shop selling PRODUCT TYPE. *INCLUDE ANY BACKGROUND INFO RELEVANT TO YOUR SHOP, EX. HOW LONG YOU HAVE BEEN SELLING. I am reaching out to see if it is possible to obtain the rights to create designs inspired by AUTHOR’S BOOKS TITLE series. If so, can you please let me know the steps to do so?
I have included information that may be relevant to your decision below. If there is any other information you need from me, please do not hesitate to reach out.
- Shop Link
- Etsy Star Seller Status (if you have this): I have maintained Etsy’s Star Seller Status, which Etsy defines as “having an outstanding track record for providing a great customer experience—consistently earned 5-star reviews, shipped orders on time, and replied quickly to any messages they received.”
- Reviews: XX stars based on XX reviews
- Shipping/Returns: REPLACE WITH YOUR SHIPPING/RETURN DETAILS. EXAMPLE OF MINE > My items are individually made with love for each of my buyers. Because of this, merchandise is produced and shipped from the facility approximately 3-5 business days after purchase. Standard shipping/transit times apply (2-5 days). I accept exchanges and returns due to product quality issues.
Thank you for your consideration,
✨ EMAIL IF YOU DON’T HAVE A SHOP YET ✨
I hope you are doing well! My name is NAME and I am planning to open a bookish shop in the near future to sell PRODUCT TYPE. I am reaching out to see if it is possible to obtain the rights to create designs inspired by AUTHOR’S BOOKS TITLE series. If so, can you please let me know the steps to do so? If there is any other information you need from me, please do not hesitate to reach out.
Thank you for your consideration,
✨ A NOTE ON SARAH J. MAAS ✨
Recent sellers who have reached out to SJM's team for licensing have told me that the team replies with a request for designs prior to reviewing your inquiry, so it may save a step to include a few designs in your initial reach out email.
