The following terms and conditions are outlined so that you and I both have an understanding of what is involved in the process of working together. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me so that I can provide clarity and reassurance.
General overview
These terms and conditions apply to any work done on behalf of the Client (you) by me (Kaitlin Littlechild, Editor).
- I will provide editing services as agreed upon, in writing, by myself and the Client.
- The work will be carried out unsupervised at such times and places as determined by me, using my own equipment.
- The work will be carried out by me. I will not subcontract proofreading/editing projects, or parts of projects, to third parties.
- The contract of service requires that the Client and I both acknowledge, in writing, that we have read, understood, and agreed to these terms and conditions.
Project terms
Prior to commencement of the editing work, the Client and I will agree, in writing, to the terms of the project:
- the medium in which the proofreading/editing service will be carried out (e.g. in Word, on PDF, on paper) and how the material will be marked (e.g. Track Changes, copy editing/proofreading symbols on paper)
- the length of time required to complete the project, as determined by me
- a fee for the project, based on a quotation supplied by me, in writing, based on my evaluation of the material to be proofread/edited and the time frame required to complete the job
- any expenses (e.g. postage) that the Client will bear in addition to the costs of the proofreading/editing
- the date by which the material will be delivered by the Client to me
- the latest date by which the completed project will be returned to the Client
Please note that if, on receipt of the material it becomes apparent that significantly more work is required than had been anticipated in the preliminary discussion or from the sample supplied, I reserve the right renegotiate the fee and/or the deadline, or decline to carry out the work.
Fees
- A quotation for fees is supplied after an evaluation of the material and a discussion with the Client as to what is required.
- Once the Client and I have agreed to the fee, it is non-negotiable unless the Client extends the word count of the job or requests additional services. In this event, a revised quotation and job-completion date will be negotiated.
- Unless otherwise agreed, I will supply the Client with an invoice immediately upon completion of the project.
- Payment should be received within a specified time, agreed in advance.
Booking fee
A non-refundable deposit of 50% of the agreed-upon fees, or $250 for quotes of more than $500, is required to book space in my schedule.
- By paying the booking fee, the Client agrees to secure my editing services as outlined in the mutually agreed-upon contract of services.
- By paying the booking fee, the Client confirms that they have read and agreed to the terms and conditions herein. From thereon, the terms of the cancellation policy (see below) apply.
- The booking fee will be deducted from the final invoice issued when the editing work is complete.
- The booking is considered confirmed once the booking fee has been paid by the client and received by me.
- The booking fee should be paid within 5 days of returning the signed contract to secure the spot in my schedule.
Cancellation policy
- The contract can be terminated by either the Client or myself with two days written notice.
- In the event that I terminate the contract, I will be paid for the work completed and expenses incurred up to the date of termination.
- In the event that the contract is terminated by the Client, I will be paid for work completed and expenses incurred up to the date of termination if the amount is greater than what was paid by the non-refundable booking fee.
- Any fees paid by the booking fee or as part of an agreed-upon payment schedule will be deducted from the amount owed.
- In the event of extraordinary circumstances on my part that cause cancellation (e.g. bereavement), I will contact the Client in writing at the earliest opportunity and do my best to renegotiate the time frame of the project or find an alternative supplier of editing services. The booking fee will be refunded if I am unable to complete the work.
Confidentiality
- The nature and content of the work will be kept confidential and not made known to anyone other than the Client and its contractors without prior written permission.
- I will not, under any circumstances, upload the Client’s files to external websites or distribute them to third parties unless specifically authorized to do so, in writing, by the Client.
Copyright
- All content delivered to me by the Client for the project is owned by the Client.
- Following payment of my final invoice, any content created by me as part of the editing process will become the copyright of the Client unless otherwise agreed.
Academic Honesty
I do not write new content for academic work. For graded work, only copy editing and proofreading services are available. For non-graded work, such as preparing an article for journal submission, developmental editing services are available in addition to copy editing and proofreading.
Privacy policy
I am committed to safeguarding your personal information. Personal Information is identifiable information such as your name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address. I collect the e-mail addresses of those who communicate with me by e-mail and information that is volunteered by the client, such as name, address and telephone number. You will not receive email or phone communication from me that is not directly related to the contracted project.
I take all reasonable precautions to keep your personal information secure. All personal information is subject to access restrictions in order to prevent unauthorized access, modification, or misuse. While I take all reasonable steps to protect your personal information once received, I cannot ensure or warrant the security of any personal information that you transmit. You transmit such information at your own risk.