terms and conditions

Please review this information carefully before contacting me. On this page, I explain the most important points of my terms and conditions and offer a reprint of my editorial client agreement presented to each client.

This notice is effective as of April 24th, 2021. Last updated April 24th, 2021.

Our Partnership

After submitting your inquiry for my editorial services, we will discuss your project needs, my fee, and a proposed turnaround time. I will next offer you my standard Client Agreement outlining the plan we establish together. Please note that by sending your inquiry via the form on this website, you agree to accept the standard language of the Client Agreement as-is. No alterations will be accommodated or accepted. And no changes to price or negotiated terms will be made without client consent. Your signature on the Client Agreement as well as a deposit for half of the project fee is required to begin the work. The remaining balance, or second half of the fee, is due upon receipt of my feedback. 

Editorial Services

As your editor, I will provide feedback to the best of my knowledge, experience, and ability about what revisions will make your manuscript stronger, better, and more notable. Once you receive feedback, the revision is up to you. I do not include revision or rewrite services in any package, so they should not be expected.  I will not write or rewrite as you, except to demonstrate examples to strengthen phrasing. Your manuscript will be returned to you with feedback, notes, and markup based on the service agreed upon. Please be advised that your revision efforts will still be required to make the most of the service.

Submission and Project Return Process

Your project submissions should be formatted in double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman (or similar) font with standard 1" margins and sent as Word .doc/.docx attachments. I receive files via my email address: wendi@writebrightediting.com. I am not responsible for any resulting delays to your project deadline that stem from an inability or unwillingness to properly follow submission instructions. Please assume that I will begin work when materials are submitted. Resubmissions of revised material will not be accepted.

All feedback is given electronically. For all editing services, work is completed via Microsoft Word, using the Track Changes feature. You will receive extensive feedback and suggestions in your manuscript. For the Developmental Edit service, you will also receive a critique letter offering detailed editorial direction. The length of feedback is dependent on the condition of the writing submitted. Please ensure you can transmit and receive files electronically and are capable of viewing Microsoft Word Track Changes comments in Microsoft Word or an equivalent program. Any issue that prevents you from sending or receiving files and information is your responsibility to resolve.

Follow-up and Revisions

I welcome you to email feedback questions at no additional charge. We will continue to communicate through email until you are satisfied. If you would like to resubmit revisions of your project after you've applied my feedback, this will require establishing a new Client Agreement. I treat all resubmissions as separate editing projects and invest time in doing another round of feedback. In such cases, I charge half the original fee of the first read. For example, if the initial project was contracted at $600, I will read the revised manuscript and provide the same service for $300. Any additional rounds would also cost half of the original fee for the first read. In this example, a third read would cost $300. I most definitely enjoy seeing how you apply my feedback and how your work evolves over time, but this is an optional service and you are under no obligation to rehire me after the original project is completed.

Scheduling

Editorial work is scheduled weeks or months in advance, so please let me know if you have any time constraints. Occasionally, rush reads are available at a fee premium for turnaround needed within two weeks. Once we agree to work together, I will provide you with specific timeline information. You are welcome to hire me months or even years in advance if you have your writing goals established this far ahead of time. All I require is an agreement and deposit in place for you to be offered priority placement on my calendar.

Guarantee

Please note that I cannot guarantee you will achieve publication or literary representation as a result of my services. However, I do believe that your writing will evolve and become stronger as a result of our collaboration, and I hope that you will gain new understanding of the craft. 

Payment Policy

For all services rendered, my policy is to receive a deposit equal to half of the total fee before the editorial relationship begins and the remaining balance upon completion of the project. If your service feet is equal to the minimum amount listed on the website, I ask for the full payment in advance. All prices are quoted in US dollars and can be sent via PayPal. This policy is non-negotiable.

Discounts and Referrals

I reward all editorial clients who have booked a Developmental Edit service with a 10% discount on new projects.  Please note that Line Edit, Copy Edit, or Special Project services do not qualify you for a returning client discount. I also offer a 10% discount on a future service for referrals. Referred clients must provide your name at the time of booking a service. Following a signed Client Agreement and deposit by the new client, a 10% discount will be applied to your next service.

Refunds

Due to the time-intensive and deeply personal nature of my services, I cannot off refunds after I begin work on your project. There is one exception, however. I will happily refund your deposit within one week of receiving your written request if, and only if, I have not yet started the editing process.  Otherwise, no refunds are offered under any circumstances. If you elect not to pay the second half of the editing fee after feedback has been submitted to you, I will pursue official channels to recover payment. This policy is non-negotiable.

Testimonials

After our work together has been completed, I may solicit a testimonial from you about my services. You are under no obligation to provide one. If you do, however, I reserve the right to edit your statement for clarity and length but will make no changes to the meaning. I will publish it on this website and include your first name and last initial on this website and in other marketing materials.

Privacy Notice

I will protect your work and your privacy. Your personal information, such as your email address, name, and other contact information we share through our communication is also safe. I will never sell, trade, rent, or otherwise abuse your personal information in any way. I reserve the right to send promotional emails or mailing to existing clients on rare occasions. Please notify me via email if you would like me to remove your information from any marketing efforts. I work independently and am the sole editor for Write Bright Editing. I can assure you that I will never share, expose, disclose, or otherwise use, in any fashion—public or private, any materials sent to me without explicit written permission. I offer you my trust and require yours if we are to have a successful working relationship.

Right to Refuse Service

I reserve the right to politely decline the chance to work on a manuscript if I do not feel it is a good fit for myself or my business. This decision will be made before engaging in an editorial relationship with you.

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REPRINT OF EDITORIAL AGREEMENT

Dear _______________________,

Thank you for enlisting the services of Write Bright Editing. My goal is to help advance your project to the next level. Please ensure you read and understand this Agreement in its entirety before signing. 

This Client Agreement ("Agreement") is entered into on ________________________ ("Effective Date"), by and between Wendi Baker of Write Bright Editing and _________________________________ ("Client," "you") in regard to the project detailed below:

Project Name: Project Name

Word Count: Calculated using Microsoft Word’s Word Count tool.

Editing Service: Editing Style(s) selected for service

Fee: Proposal Total Amount

Turnaround Deadline: Project Completion Date

Project Scope: This section will be customized to the exact needs of the project.

Standard Client Agreement:

This Section remains consistent for all Write Bright Editing client projects. Please note that absolutely no proposed amendments will be considered or accepted.

1. Services. Write Bright Editing provides editorial services ("Services"). Services are provided on a per manuscript basis (each a "Project") and will be described along with the relevant details regarding scope, timeline, and fees in the sections above. Standard service styles are described at www.writebrightediting.com. Any customizations entered at the beginning of this Agreement supersede the descriptions of styles outlined on the website. Prior to commencement of a Project, we will agree on a flat fee for the Project and payment will be due as required by this Agreement.

2. Scope of Service. Write Bright Editing does not provide literary agent services and will not represent material for sale to publishing houses, contact literary agents or publishers on your behalf, or furnish referrals, in exchange for payment.

3. Submission and Return of Files. Your manuscript must be submitted digitally as a Microsoft Word document with standard 1" margins, double-spacing, and a 12-point Times New Roman (or similar) font. Write Bright Editing will not accept revised submissions once you have submitted a version of your files for your project. Once the deposit and Agreement have been received, project files are to be sent to wendi@writebrightediting.com. Write Bright Editing is not responsible for any delays or missed deadlines resulting from inappropriate submissions or errors, nor do such delays or errors constitute a breach of this Agreement. At the conclusion of your Project, Write Bright Editing will return your project via email.

4. Word Count. Most services are priced by word count. The word count includes every word that is meant to be read and considered as part of Write Bright Editing’s evaluation of the Project. Microsoft Word’s Word Count tool is used to arrive at this number. Upon submission, your Project’s word count will be checked against the agreed-upon word count for the services. If your word count is different than what is specified in the Agreement, the final balance will be adjusted upward or downward according to the actual word count of your submission. If your service has been paid in full prior to commencement of the Services and the word count is less than what is specified in the agreement, you will receive a refund. If your service has been paid in full prior to commencement of the Services and your word count is more than what is specified in the agreement, you will receive an additional invoice for the difference before work can commence.

5. Follow-Up. After Write Bright Editing has returned comments and edits on a Project to you, you may follow-up with any questions or comments by email at no additional cost.

6. Revisions. If, after conclusion of the original Service(s), you revise a manuscript or Project and want additional feedback, those additional Services will be billed separately. Flat fees for revised Projects are typically one-half of the original flat fee for the Project, though this varies according to project type. Revision fees are due in full when the decision is made to engage. Revision Services are optional, and they will occur only after we have agreed to a flat fee and received payment as required by a new Agreement. 

7. No Guarantee. Write Bright Editing cannot and does not represent or guarantee that you will achieve publication, literary representation, sales, monetary or commercial gain, or any other objective as a result of the Services. 

8. Payment Policy. Payment policies are summarized in the Payment Addendum, which is part of this Agreement. Half of the total flat fee is due at the time you sign this Agreement. The second half of the flat fee is due when Write Bright Editing has performed the Services and returned feedback on the Project to you. However, if the total flat fee is the minimum for the service you contract for, the flat fee is due in full prior to commencement of the Services. All dollar figures in this Agreement are in U.S. Dollars. All payment will be accepted via PayPal.

9. Termination. This Agreement will remain in effect until terminated by either party pursuant to this Agreement. Either party may terminate this Agreement at any time and for any reason by providing written notice of the same to the other party. Upon termination, Write Bright Editing will give all notes and work completed to you, and you acknowledge that the Services may not yet be complete. Any deposit or first-half of your flat fee payment that you have already made to Write Bright Editing will not be returned or refunded to you unless work has not yet begun; and you must pay Write Bright Editing for all Services and expenses Write Bright Editing has already undertaken and/or incurred in conjunction with your Project. A delay in respect to a project deadline due to the Client's failure to follow the submission guidelines, as defined in section 3, above, shall not be considered breach of this Agreement or grounds for Termination. A delay or additional penalty when returning a project due to the Client's failure to appropriately download the original files, as defined in section 3, above, shall not be considered breach of this Agreement or grounds for Termination. 

10. Intellectual Property. This section pertains to your intellectual property. You will retain full ownership of the materials that you submit to Write Bright Editing for review. This Agreement does not provide you or Write Bright Editing any licensing rights or other intellectual property rights of any kind in or to any work product or ideas that the other party has generated, except as otherwise specifically addressed herein. 

11. Ownership Rights. This section pertains to the intellectual property generated by Write Bright Editing (the editorial comments, overviews, and other work product) as part of the service. The materials Write Bright Editing generates as part of the Services will be deemed “works for hire” as that term is used in Title 17 of the United States Code. All materials and information created, produced, or generated by Write Bright Editing under this Agreement are and will be deemed your confidential information and your exclusive property.

12. Confidentiality. Write Bright Editing will not use or disclose your confidential information other than as required to perform the Services under this Agreement or as required by law. I take the same care to keep your ideas, creative work, and personal information safe as I do to protect my own confidential data, and Write Bright Editing will never sell, trade, or rent your contact information or any other aspect of your confidential information unless authorized by this Agreement or by you to do so. You also agree not to use or disclose any of Write Bright Editing's confidential information without the permission of Write Bright Editing or as required by law. Confidential information, for purposes of this Agreement, includes your submissions to Write Bright Editing, your name and contact information, and the fact that you have hired Write Bright Editing, along with all other information that either of us provides written notice to the other is confidential.

13. No Warranty. Write Bright Editing does not make and hereby expressly disclaims any express or implied warranties, including, but not limited to, implied warranties of merchantability and or fitness for a particular purpose, suitability, completeness, or results to be derived from the work. Except as otherwise set for herein, all services and deliverables are provided and delivered on an “as-is” basis. 

14. Limitation of Liability. Except with respect to either party's gross negligence or willful misconduct, in no event shall either party be liable for any indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages, including, without limitation, lost profits or lost business, whether based in contract, tort (including negligence, strict liability, or otherwise, even if either party has been advised of the possibility of such damages. Except with respect to either party's gross negligence or willful misconduct, the total liability of either party under this agreement for any claim shall not exceed the total amount of fees actually paid by the Client to White Bright Editing under this agreement during the twelve (12) month period immediately preceding the date on which such claim arose.

15. Client Representations. By entering into this Agreement and submitting materials for Services, you represent and warrant that you have the authority to enter into this Agreement and doing so does not violate the rights of any third party. You further represent and warrant that you have the absolute right to submit the materials for Services, that you have written, created, or otherwise exclusively own them, and that your submissions to Write Bright Editing, along with your subsequent use of them, do not violate the rights of any third party.

16. Indemnification. Each party agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the other party from any and all claims, actions, damages, and liabilities (including reasonable attorneys’ fees, costs, and expenses) arising (i) through the other party’s gross negligence or willful misconduct; (ii) out of any claim that the materials or deliverables, or any portion thereof, infringes upon or violates any proprietary rights of any third party, including but not limited to patent, copyright, and trade secret rights; or (iii) from a breach or alleged breach of any of term of this Agreement. 

17. Independent Contractor. Write Bright Editing is your independent contractor only. Nothing in this Agreement is intended to or should create any other relationship between the parties, including but not limited to employer-employee, agents, joint venturers, co-authors, or partners.

18. Assignment. Neither party may transfer any rights or obligations under this Agreement without the other party’s prior written consent. This Agreement shall inure to and be binding on any permitted successors and assigns.

19. Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the complete and exclusive agreement between us with respect to this subject matter and supersedes all oral or written proposals and all other communications, understandings, or agreements between us relating to this subject matter.

20. Conflict of Terms. In the event of a conflict between the terms and provisions of this Agreement and the terms and provisions of the Payment Addendum or standard service styles as described at www.writebrightediting.com, the terms and provisions of this Agreement shall control.

21. Force Majeure. “Force majeure” is a French term that means “unforeseen circumstance.” If a “force majeure” such as war, acts of terrorism, acts of God, severe illness, invasion, fire, natural disaster, labor dispute, explosion, floods, and acts of government or governmental agencies or instrumentalities, etc., occurs, neither of us will be considered to have breached this Agreement, to the extent that the failure to comply was occasioned by the force majeure.

22. Headings. The numbers and headings in this Agreement are for convenience and reference only and must not be used to interpret or construe this Agreement. 

23. Modification and Waiver. Any and each modification, amendment, addition, or waiver related to or intended to be made a part of this Agreement must be in writing and signed by an authorized representative of each party in order to be valid and enforceable. Any such purported modification, amendment, addition, or waiver not so executed will be null and void.

24. Non-Exclusivity. This Agreement does not create an exclusive relationship between us. You are free to seek services from other companies or individuals doing similar work, and Write Bright Editing is free to offer and to perform the same or similar services to other individuals and companies.

25. Notices. Any notice required or permitted to be given under this Agreement must be in writing. Delivery may be accomplished by confirmation of delivery using any of the following methods to the party’s last known address: (i) personal delivery; (ii) email; or (iii) U.S. mail or a nationally recognized courier, return receipt requested and postage prepaid. 

26. Severability. If any provision of this Agreement is held to be unenforceable or illegal by a court of competent jurisdiction, such provision shall be modified to the extent necessary to render it enforceable, or shall be severed from this Agreement, and all other provisions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

27. Governing Law. This Agreement, and any dispute arising under or related to it, will be governed by the laws of the State of California without regard to its conflicts of laws provisions. Each party hereby agrees to the exclusive personal jurisdiction and venue of the courts located in San Diego County, California. 

Payment Addendum

This Payment Addendum is part of the Client Agreement for Editorial Services (“Agreement”) by and between you and Write Bright Editing. 

Fees. Fees are non-negotiable. Half of the total flat fee is due at the time you sign this Agreement. The second half of the flat fee is due when Write Bright Editing has performed the Services and returned feedback on a Project to you. However, if the total flat fee is the minimum for the service you contract for, the flat fee is due in full prior to commencement of the Services. All dollar figures in this Agreement are in U.S. Dollars. All payment will be accepted via PayPal. If you so choose, you may make the full flat fee payment at any time. 

Taxes. Sales taxes are not applied to service-based projects.

Fee Adjustment. If the flat fee for your Project was priced by word count, the final balance will be adjusted upward or downward according to the actual word count of your submission, if the final word count is different from what was originally discussed.

Additional Services. Additional Services that you have requested Write Bright Editing perform, including editorial services for revised manuscripts, will be billed separately. All such fees are due in full upon your receipt of the invoices regarding those fees. Editorial services on revised manuscripts are generally billed at one-half of the total flat fee for the original Project.

Late Services. Late invoices are subject to one and five-tenths percent (1.5%) interest per month or the highest rate allowed by law.

Payment Method. All payments are to be rendered via PayPal.

If we work together, you will be provided with the complete editorial agreement for review.