Terms and Conditions

Quotations and fees

A quotation for the work will be provided by the Editor on consultation with the Author and after evaluation of representative sample materials. This quotation is valid for 30-days if the parameters of the service do not change. After this date, the Editor reserves the right to revise the quotation.

If the Author extends the word count of the job or requests additional services, a revised quotation and job-completion date will be negotiated. If the word count of the manuscript supplied by the Author to the Editor at each editorial stage deviates by:

• 5% or more for word counts 100,000 words or less,
• 3% or more of manuscripts of 100,001 or more,

from the original word count quoted above, the Editor reserves the right to revisit the cost of each editorial stage. The cost can both go up and down.

Invoices are sent on signature of contract, start date of project and on completion of the editorial project unless otherwise agreed.

Payment terms are based on my current 30-day payment period (14-day for deposits). Invoices sent separately.

Late-payment fees: For invoices unpaid after the stated and agreed due date, there might be a late-payment fee in the form of 1.5% interest of the original invoice value (per day) plus a compensation fee of £40 for invoices of less that £1000, £70 for invoices of up to £9,999.99, and £100 for invoices above that. This is in accordance with the Late Payment of Commercial Debts Regulations 2002. 

The Editor understands and will exercise her statutory right to interest and compensation for debt-recovery costs under the late payment legislation if she is not paid according to agreed credit terms.

Please note that if, on receipt of the project to be worked on (or at an early stage in the editorial process), it becomes apparent that significantly more work is required than had been anticipated in the preliminary discussion/brief or from the sample supplied, the Editor may renegotiate the fee and/or the deadline, or decline to carry out the work.

Expenses

Author will reimburse Editor for direct expenses incurred in fulfilling this Agreement, including, but not limited to, photocopying, printouts, inputting, couriers, and postage. Editor will not incur any expenses without Author’s express written permission.

Confidentiality

Editor agrees not to reproduce, give, or show to anyone any material sent to her by the Author for editing purposes, unless consulting services from a third party are agreed to. Under the terms of the Data Protection Act 1998, the Client and I may keep on record such information (e.g. contact details) as is necessary. Either may view the other’s records to ensure that they are relevant, correct and up to date.

Limitations

No guarantees are made as to the salability or marketability of the edited manuscript and editorial materials. No guarantees are also made as to the acceptance of the edited manuscript by an agency or an offer of publication from a publisher. Nor is there a guarantee that the manuscript will be completely error-free, though all efforts will be made to make it so.

Unless a co-writing/co-authorship arrangement is made in writing, all royalties and monies gained by the sale of the book will be the sole property of the Author.

Because the Editor does not get final sign off of the final document, and so cannot attest to the contents of the published manuscript, the Author agrees to hold the Editor harmless from and against all claims, liabilities and expenses arising out of any potential or actual copyright or trademark misappropriation or infringement or libel cases claimed against them.

Terminations/Cancellations

Once the contract is signed, the Author and Editor may terminate this Agreement in the event of material change of circumstance with 14 days’ notice sent in writing to the other party at the address(es) provided (email is fine) free of charge (unless the project start date is within 14 days of the signature of the contract, request of the cancellation, or work has already begun). If the Author terminates the agreement after the agreed start date, the Author will pay the Editor for work done up to the date of termination; if the value of the work done is less than the agreed deposit or work has not yet commenced and the agreement is within 14 days of the arranged start date, the Editor will retain the entirety of the deposit as a minimum as a termination fee.  If the Editor terminates the agreement at any time, the Author will pay the Editor for work done up to the date of termination if work has commenced, which may be less than the value of the deposit (but may also be more dependent on the percentage of work completed).

In the unlikely event that the Author is affected by extraordinary or difficult circumstances that cause cancellation or delay outside of this time (e.g. family crisis, illness, bereavement), the Author should contact me to discuss the terms of the cancellation policy. The Editor aims to be fair and helpful at all times and will try to work out a solution that is best for both parties, however if the original slot is missed, or the author does not respond in a timely manner, the Editor will only be able to offer their next available slot, which could be vastly different to the original specified. If the Editor and Author are unable to find a new timeslot, or the Author has not responded to the Editor’s chase for the promised material from a week before to any time after the start of the collaboration, the Editor holds the right to retain the deposit as a termination fee and cancel the slot. Likewise, if the Editor is touched by extraordinary or difficult circumstances that cause cancellation or delay (e.g. family crisis, illness, bereavement), the Editor will contact the Author in writing at the earliest opportunity and do their best to renegotiate the time frame of the project or find an alternative supplier of proofreading/editing services.