Customizable Contracts
Below is the base contract for my standard edit, but please keep in mind that all of my contracts are customizable and negotiable; if what’s listed below doesn’t suit you, we can design a new one either from scratch or by tweaking one of my base contracts. We can discuss things more thoroughly through email or phone call.
Please note this is not a form to be filled out and submitted. I’ll provide you with your own copy of the contract when the time comes. This is here just so you have an idea of what to expect from my services. I consider myself to be straightforward, so you can expect no shady, between-the-lines funny business. We’ll go over the contract together before any payment or work is started; that way we’re both on the same page.
I recommend downloading the free Adobe Acrobat Reader for electronic signatures.
Aproprose Editing Standard Edit Contract
Editor & Author Agreement
_____________________________ (hereinafter “the Author”), who lives at the address
_____________________________________________________________________,
and __________________________ (hereinafter “the Editor”), who lives at the address
_____________________________________________________________________, do hereby agree to the following:
1. General Information
The Author has prepared an approximately _____-word document currently titled ______________________________________________ (hereinafter “the Document”).
Pursuant to the terms and conditions herein, the Editor will provide service(s) upon which have been mutually agreed, confirmed in writing by the Author.
The Document shall be submitted electronically to SethNicholsCE@gmail.com. The Document shall be formatted in 12-point Times New Roman font, double spaced, with one-inch side margins and indented paragraphs (excluding any submissions or sections that are to explicitly follow a format that does not align with the previous format).
All suggestions made by the Editor will be in accordance with usage guidelines set forth by [The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition or The Associated Press Stylebook, 55th Edition] as well as adhering to spellings as specified by [the Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition or the Webster’s New World College Dictionary, Fifth Edition].
2. Service and Process
Aproprose Editing’s standard edit works as a combination of copyediting (generally objective edits) and line editing (generally subjective edits). Areas addressed include grammar, punctuation, spelling, style, awkward phrasing, syntax issues (sentence variety and structure), repetition, showing versus telling, best word choices, passive verb elimination, suitable dialogue, clichés, anachronisms, chapter breaks, and more. Minor fact checking is also covered. A follow-up proofread is advised to catch minor errors and formatting issues.
The Author shall provide reasonable cooperation and assistance to the Editor in preparation of all materials. This includes being available for email communication on a regular basis as needed. The Editor will stay in contact as often as is necessary to answer any emails or phone calls the Author makes. The Editor will be available for limited discussions after service of the Document has ceased.
3. Schedule
The Editor will provide an estimated time frame of completion of the Document, during which he will perform the agreed upon service(s). There will be no set hours of service, but all hours will be logged. Any estimated completion time is subject to change at the Editor’s discretion at any point during the period of service. Changes in the completion time estimate will be communicated to the Author immediately.
4. Payment and Fees
The Editor agrees to accept, and the Author agrees to pay $_____ per each hour spent in service of the Document. Payment will be made via [cash or PayPal or cashier’s check]. The hours of service will be recorded. A totaled price estimate will be given before service begins, and this estimate is subject to change at the Editor’s discretion at any point during the service period.
A non-refundable 50% deposit of the price estimate is due after signing this contract and before service begins; the remainder (which may be affected by unforeseen additional or fewer hours of service) will be due upon the edited Document being sent to the Author. The only circumstances under which the 50% deposit may be refunded are A) the Author requests a refund and no service has begun on the Document, or B) the Editor is unable to complete the service, either due to outside limitations or his choice; either instance will void this contract and cancel any planned service(s).
The Editor reserves the right to void this contract and any planned service(s) if the 50% deposit has not been paid within what he deems to be a reasonable time frame. Any ruling of payment dictated by this contract may be waived or changed by the Editor if he deems it reasonable and fair. Payment of the 50% deposit saves the Author’s place in the service queue.
In the event that the Author does not wish to continue service on the Document, any hours of service not covered by the 50% deposit will be invoiced to and paid by the Author. If the Editor chooses to stop service on the Document for any reason, the 50% deposit will be refunded, and any completed hours of service will go unpaid; under this circumstance, any completed service on the Document does not have to be returned to the Author.
Any additional fees for editing required or requested after the finishing of the Document’s initial service will be decided on a case-by-case basis. Any in-depth consultation meetings following the initial service will be $20 per hour.
5. Rights and Legalities
The Author retains the right whether to mention the Editor’s role in the finished product. If the Author chooses to mention the Editor, the Editor shall receive credit by name in conjunction with the website address www.AproproseEditing.com in any distributed version of the Document in such places as are customary and usual within the trade for the type of document.
Editing is a process of offering advice and suggestions to the Author. While the Editor will make every effort to bring questionable material to the attention of the Author, the Author agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Editor from any and all claims and demands, including legal fees, arising out of any alleged libel or copyright infringement committed by the Author in creating the Document.
The Author acknowledges the contracting of professional editing and/or writing services does not guarantee book sales, good reviews, profit, or representation by a literary agent.
This agreement/contract, in its entirety, contains the full understanding of the parties and may only be modified by a writing executed and agreed upon by the parties hereto.
This agreement is made on the _____ day of __________, 20__.
(Electronic) Signatures:
The Editor: ______________________________
The Author: ______________________________
Aproprose Editing 