Who is Emessay for?

Emessay is for small and growing creative businesses that aren't quite ready for a full-service lawyer.

What types of creative shops can use Emessay?

Emessay is designed for many types of creative deliverables where your client will own the work at the end of the project (i.e., not a license). Specifically, Emessay works for creative shops that produce:

• design (print and digital)
• logos, wordmarks, brand systems
• web development
• illustration
• strategy and consulting

Want to be sure that Emessay works with your type of deliverables? Get in touch.

What types of creative shops are not a good fit for Emessay?

Emessay is not (currently) a good fit if you do:

• video production
• photography
• SEO, PPC, digital marketing

That said, options for these types of businesses are in development. Join our mailing list and you'll be among the first to know when new contracts and features are added to Emessay.

What contracts are included in Emessay?

At present, Emessay allows you to create a number of key contracts used in many creative businesses:

• Nondisclosure Agreement
• Contractor Agreement
• Discovery Letter
• Services Agreement + SOW
• Employee New Hire Letter
• Location Release
• Appearance Release
• Referral Agreement

Additional agreements are already in development. Our first updates will include Service Agreement provisions for photography and video, the typical releases used in film and video projects, and a client sign-off form. Learn more about the current and future contracts you can make with Emessay.

Have ideas for things you want to see in Emessay? Get in touch!

How does Emessay work?

Once you purchase, you'll have access to all of the contract templates within Emessay for as long as Emessay is around. To use a contract, you'll first complete a questionnarie. That questionnaire provides Emessay with the information it needs to build a custom version of that contract to your business. Some questionnaires are quite short. Others will take a little longer.

Once you complete the questionnaire, an editable version of the contract will be emailed directly to you. You can then edit it further and style it to fit your brand.

Want to try it out? Demo our Discovery Letter for your agency.

How much does Emessay cost?

Emessay is one-time fee of $449. No monthly fees. No renewals. As a member, you get full access to all new contracts and updates to existing content. Come back every month or once per year. Its up to you how oftene you want to update your contracts.

Does Emessay generate templates or transaction specific documents?

Certain Emessay questionnaires will help you develop a standard form template for use in your business. Other questionnaires will allow you to enter the names and details specific to the transaction. Each template has [bracketed information] identifying information for you to complete (such as name or dates) and some contain suggestions of additional details for you to provide (description of services or deliverables).

Can I use Emessay contracts with Word, Google Docs, HelloSign, Docusign, etc.?

Absolutely. The files you receive are fully editable Microsoft Word files. Once you finalize your contract, you can use it with your preferred signing service as you normally would.

I don't have Microsoft Word, can I edit these files with something else?

Sure. You can use any application that can open a Microsoft Word file to open a file created with Emessay. You'll also receive a PDF that you can extract the text from if you choose.

Does Emessay save the contracts I make?

After you complete a questionnaire, you will be presented with an editable file in Microsoft Word format to download. This is your contract! Download it to a safe place for future access. But if you ever need to generate it again or want to change something up, just complete the questionnaire again.

Do I need to fill out a questionnaire each time I need an agreement?

Absolutely not. Most users will likely use Emessay to generate a template for each agreement that they then edit on their own to include client or project specific information when needed. However, because Emessay agreements are continuously receiving updates, from time to time you may wish to generate a new template using the questionnaire to ensure you have all the latest updates in your form.

When you make changes to Emessay, are the documents I've generated in the past automatically updated?

No. Updates to Emessay change the master files that Emessay uses to generate custom contracts. You'll need to complete a questionnarie again to generate a contract containing the latest updates. The files you have previously downloaded will not change auatomatically.

Can I store files I've created using Emessay in Dropbox, iCloud, Box, etc.?

You bet. You can manage files created with Emessay the way you'd manage any typical word processing file.

Hey, I noticed that my Emessay contract doesn't have a force majeure clause / notices clause / severability clause / (other clause) I'm used to seeing? What gives?

Building contracts is not about adding every clause under the sun. It's about customizing the language to the client and the project. Emessay contracts reflect our experience about what is most important and meaningful. Adding clauses with low impact just makes an agreement longer, more complicated, and more difficult to understand. Emessay contracts are designed to balance the business needs of a smart and efficient contract with the legal needs of communication and risk management.

What if I need more guidance, need changes, have questions, etc?

Sounds like you need a lawyer! Emessay isn't a law firm and can't give you legal advice. You should look for a lawyer that has some experience in advising creative professionals. Emessay was built by the people at Matchstick and they can help with these types of things, but the choice is yours.

What if client won't accept my terms or wants changes or revisions

Sounds like you are in a negotiation! That happens sometimes. Emessay doesn't help negotiate your contracts, unfortunately. If you want help with a negotiation, you'll have to contact a lawyer. You might also find some answers in Matchstick's Service Agreement Field Manual.

Can I reformat my Emessay contract?

Sure! Have at it. Make it fit your brand. Use your own typography, layout, and style. Just note that if there are any clauses in bold be sure they stay in bold.

Is Emessay my lawyer?

Not even a little bit. Emessay is a website.

Is Emessay providing legal advice?

Nope. Emessay provides forms and education for people wanting to DIY.

Are Emessay contracts legal in my state / country?

Emessay contracts are designed based on general principals of contract law that apply in every state (selling digital work and services for money). These general principals also apply in the UK, Canada, Australia, and other common law countries. But even though Emessay contracts do not reflect every uniqueness of every state, they still are fully enforceable regardless of what state you are in.

Will a lawyer be reviewing contracts I create with Emessay?

Great question. The answer is no. Emessay is a self-help service for generating contracts to use in your own business. While lawyers drafted the templates and questionnaires, that is not the same as customizing a contract for your specific situation. If you feel like you want a more customized solution advice on how to use a contract or what to do in a particular situation, you should contact a lawyer. Emessay is built by the people at Matchstick and they can help with these types of things, but you can contact whomever you choose.

I don't really like this. Can I get a refund?

Sorry, nope. All payments are nonrefundable.

What does Emessay mean?

Emessay is an phoneticism of the acronym for the main contract between a creative shop and its clients - the Master Services Agreemenet or "MSA". But if you don't want to call your contract a Master Services Agreement, you don't have to. Emessay has options allowing you to call your contract a Professional Services Agreement, a Client Services Agreement, a Customer Services Agreemenet, or just a plain old Services Agreement.