Sample Contract

LUSTRE EDITING WORK CONTRACT

The contract is made by and between Linda Carroll-Bradd, (“Editor”) Managing Editor of Lustre Editing, and _______________________ (“Client”) and concerns editing (“Services”) regarding the following manuscript:

Author(s): ____________________________________________

Title: ________________________________________________

Word count, genre/sub-genre of Manuscript:____________________________

  1. 1.    SCOPE OF WORK

The Editor agrees to perform the following type of services on a partial manuscript of __ pages OR the full manuscript of ___ pages:  __ proofreading  ___line/copy edit ___content edit ___plot critique. Further, Client is entitled to one round of follow-up questions, conducted via e-mails. Scope of follow-up questions to involve no more than thirty minutes of Editor’s time. Additional consultation is available and will be billed at $25.00/hour.

  1. 2.    DELIVERY

The Manuscript will be delivered to the Editor by the Client on or before ______ (date) and in the following standard manuscript format: one-inch margins, double spaced, TNR 14 or Courier 12 in an RTF or  Word 2007 (or earlier) document. [that format is required for a per page price quote. No need to reformat if you wish a per word quote] All editing will be done via Track Changes and Inserted Comments on an electronic version of the Manuscript unless otherwise agreed in writing, and returned to the Author via email on or before _______________ (date).

  1. 3.    PAYMENT

The agreed-upon editorial fee of $____________, based on a flat fee or $_______ per page or $____ per word, is to be paid by the Client to the Editor in advance via check or PayPal® before edited manuscript is delivered. NOTE: First-time clients receive a 40% discount on the initial project.

  1. 4.    TERMINATION

This agreement may be terminated by either party in the event of material change of circumstance, with 7 days’ notice sent in writing to the other party at the email address shown below. The Editor is due compensation from the Client for work done up to the date of termination.

  1. 5.    RELATIONSHIP OF PARTIES

It is understood by both parties that the Editor is an independent contractor and not an employee with respect to the Client. The client will not provide fringe benefits, health insurance benefits, paid vacation, or any other benefits for the benefit of the Editor.

  1. 6.    WORK PRODUCT OWNERSHIP

Any copyrightable works, ideas, or other information (collectively known as Work Product) developed in whole or in part by the Editor in connection with services provided shall be the product of the Client.

  1. 7.    CONFIDENTIALITY

The Editor will not at any time disclose, divulge, or communicate in any manner any information that is proprietary to the Client. The Editor will protect this information and treat it as strictly confidential. This provision will continue in effect after the termination of the contract.

  1. 8.    INDEMNITY

(a)  Editing is intrinsically a personal and individual process of offering advice and suggestions to the Author/Client. While the Editor will make every effort to bring questionable material to the attention of the Client, the Client agrees to indemnify and save harmless the Editor from any and all claims or demands, including legal fees, arising out of any alleged libel or copyright infringement committed by the Author/Client in creating the work. Further, acknowledgement is made by both parties that Editor has not and will not engage in any research for the subject material and that the manuscript content shall solely be that of the Client.

(b)  The Editor does not represent a publisher of literary works nor is she affiliated with any agent. The Editor makes no representations or warranties that she can or will attempt to aid in publishing the Manuscript.

(c)  Editing a work of fiction is perhaps the most subjective activity possible in the field of literature. The Editor, a published novelist with years of administrative support employment, will use her background and experience in editing the Manuscript, and the Client recognizes that this experience, while successful for her, may not be successful for the Client. The Editor’s sole function is to aid and assist the Client in editing the Manuscript. The decision to accept or reject the Editor’s suggestions is solely the Client’s. “The Chicago Manual of Style” will serve as the default style book, unless the Client requests and supplies a different style book or publishing house guide.

(d)  There are no guarantees in the highly competitive field of publishing. In large part, the acceptance of a Manuscript for publication is the subjective decision of a publisher and its editors. This decision is subject to the whims of taste and perceived marketability of the Manuscript. This Editor, while working to aid the Client in preparing the best Manuscript possible given the submitted material, has no way of judging the market or the whims and caprices of the publishing industry.

  1. APPLICABLE LAWS

The terms of this agreement shall be interpreted according to the laws of California, United States. This contract may be changed only by written agreement between the Editor and the Client and constitutes the only agreement between the parties. Signed by the parties to this agreement on ___________________ (date)

 

Signature: ________________________________

Editor’s printed name:   Linda Carroll-Bradd on behalf of Lustre Editing

Email: editor@lustreediting.com

 

Signature: _______________________________

Client’s printed name:   _______________________

Email:   ______________________________

 

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