In California (and some other states), there are special circumstances regarding confidentiality agreements and non-compete clauses. California`s courts and legislatures have indicated that they value the mobility and entrepreneurship of a worker in general more than protectionist doctrines. The content of the agreement is often no different from any other standard confidentiality agreement. It defines the terms of confidentiality, the parameters of the agreement and certain other common legislation. When the group sued Thames TV, the writer and producer for breach of trust, the court decided that a valuable idea, capable of realizing it and being negotiated if it is to be treated confidentially between the parties, was confidential, even though it had not been expressly agreed in writing at the time of disclosure. The action was successful. As soon as you publish your book, anyone can read it. The window between me, which gives the author an edited manuscript, and the publication is usually tiny, a matter of hours, days or weeks. I`m not going to worry about mine hitting you, that`s fine.

I`d be more concerned about everyone you`d brag to at parties and tell your story at work or on forums. Did you tell your wife? Your children? Have you told your friends about your story? Who did they tell? Aren`t they hitting you as more “cowardly cannon” than someone who does this for their livelihood? So if you`re a new ghost writer and you`re asked to sign a confidentiality agreement, check it out and read it carefully, don`t be afraid to sign a simple, well-written agreement. One of the biggest mistakes we can make as new authors is not to have an overview of how the industry works. Recently, I discovered an old 2015 article on the use of confidentiality agreements, also known as NDAs. Remember, ideas cannot be protected by copyright and it is usually very difficult to “steal” a book idea and turn it into your own. If I put time and energy into promoting a book, it would be mine – when I have time to write it in about 1000 years. On average, it takes $3,000 and two hours a day seven days a week to promote a book. Or I can edit a few books and earn sure money, which I like.

The agreement contains only three other paragraphs: the point is that a standard agreement (of course suitable for each client) is not only the profession of ghostwriting, but that it is also encouraged and promoted by writers and clients. “Even if you know your editor well, I recommend that he sign a confidentiality agreement. This protects you and your work from being shared or stolen during the processing process. The publishing world considers confidentiality agreements similar to those of venture capitalists: most of them will not approve of the signing of the agreement and many will probably be eliminated if they are even asked to sign one. Ordinary fiction books and even most “helping aid” books will not benefit from this process. It`s a big old insult to editors everywhere. Do authors think that professional publishers steal and publish novels? It`s a bit like the saying that maids don`t fly. If I ever did, I`d never have a job again, would I? Perhaps another author would plagiarize, as when Jeffrey Archer stole a story from Roald Dahl for The Guardian, but we publishers must be close, honest and aware of all the originality. In fact, I was unlucky enough to catch an author twice with 100% plagiarism. I read a lot, you know. I know what`s going on. This is the confidentiality agreement I use for concerned authors The agreement is very specific to deal only with issues related to the transaction between the author and the publisher.