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Please read this information carefully before contacting me. At the top of this page, I explain the most important points of my terms and conditions. Further down the page, you may find a complete reprint of my editorial client agreement that is presented to each client.

This notice is effective as of January 8, 2023.

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AGREEING TO WORK TOGETHER

Once you submit your inquiry, we will discuss your needs, my fee, and a proposed turnaround time. Then I will offer you my standard Client Agreement. The agreement will be fully customized insofar as the scope of your project. It will also contain standard language about intellectual property, confidentiality, warranties and indemnities, etc. that pertains to all of my projects. Please note that by contacting me via the form on this website, you agree to accept the standard language of the Client Agreement as-is. There will be no changes accommodated or accepted. I need to receive the signature electronically via email, sent to: stonecreekediting@gmail.com before any service begins.

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TYPES OF EDITORIAL SERVICES

I will provide feedback to the best of my knowledge, experience, and ability about what revisions will make your manuscript stronger, better, and more competitive in the market. There are a few models from which you will need to choose and make clear in the Client Agreement:

1. Strictly Editorial: The editor makes suggestions for revisions but does not complete any revisions, rewriting or ghostwriting.

2. Editorial & Ghostwriting Privileges: The author grants the Editor ghostwriting privileges, meaning the editor has permission to suggest writing additions and perform ghostwriting.  All ghostwriting by the editor will be indicated in a different coloured text.

 

SUBMISSION AND PROJECT RETURN INSTRUCTIONS

Once we agree to work together, all submissions must be formatted with standard 1" margins, double-spaced, with 12-point Times New Roman (or similar) font, and sent as Word .doc or .docx attachments. This does not include your initial submission to me–which can be copied and pasted into an email message. If you do not know about formatting standards, there are many websites that can help. If you are unable or unwilling to follow submission instructions, I am not responsible for any resulting delays to your project deadline.

Please assume that I will begin work either on the same day or on the next working day after you submit your materials. Resubmissions of revised material will not be accepted.

For all consulting and editorial work, feedback is done electronically. Notes are provided in a Word document, and line edits use Word’s Track Changes function. Please make sure you can transmit and receive files electronically and are capable of reading Track Changes comments in Microsoft Word or an equivalent program. I am happy to transmit the document as a PDF, which will show the margin notes if you are really having trouble. I’m afraid that I cannot help you with technical troubleshooting beyond this. Any issue that prevents you from transmitting manuscripts or receiving feedback is your responsibility to resolve.

If you would prefer to receive a printed version of your feedback, I can print and mail the document to you. You will be responsible for all applicable charges, including shipping and printing costs.  If this is your preference please email this request directly to: stonecreekediting@gmail.com with the Subject Line: Printed Editing Services Requested [Client’s Name/ Project Title].

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FOLLOW-UP AND REVISIONS

Should you opt for a phone consultation to discuss your edit, my phone consultation rate of $35/30 minutes or $70/hour applies, in addition to the editing fee. I operate on the principle of fairness, and since I charge for phone time, I want to be fair to all clients. Phone time is not included with any of my services. Email questions about the feedback and related topics are welcome at no additional charge and are included with every service. The email exchange will continue until you are satisfied.

You are welcome to submit revisions of your work after you’ve applied my feedback. I treat these as separate editing projects and invest time in doing another round of notes. As such, I charge three-quarters of the original fee for the first revision read (or 25% off).

For example: If we originally contracted for a Full Manuscript Edit at a cost of $1,200, I will read the manuscript again and provide the same service for $900.

 

BOOK PROMOTION SERVICES

In some cases, I provide clients with digital book promotion services which involves managing the client’s author's social media channels. In providing this service, private information is required [i.e., phone numbers, and email accounts passwords].  Stonecreek Editing Services cares deeply about ensuring that our client’s information is private, safe and used in only ethical ways.  We hereby state that all information collected will be used only in the ways that have previously been agreed upon between our team and the client.  Please view Stonecreek Editing Services’ official Privacy Agreement which ensures that all private information collected from my clients is protected and will be used in ethical ways with permission from the client.

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GUARANTEE OF  BOOK SALES

By providing promotional services and social media management for clients, we cannot guarantee any increase in book sales, social media exposure or follower growth.  It is likely that these things will come with consistent work, but we cannot make that guarantee.

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SCHEDULING

My regular office hours are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm EST. Please note that travel or other activities can impact my schedule. Each year I take the following vacation time:

• -the whole month of August

• -1-2 weeks at Christmas time

• 1-3 weeks of writing time

 Appointments for consulting and editorial work are booked weeks or months in advance, and you may be scheduled months ahead of the actual work.

 

RUSH READS

Sometimes rush reads are available at a 50% fee premium if you need a turnaround within two weeks or a 25% premium for a turnaround within four weeks. Please let me know if you have any time constraints. Once we agree to work together, I will provide you with an accurate deadline. You are welcome to hire me months or years in advance if you know about your writing goals ahead of time. All I need is an agreement and deposit in place, and then I will offer you priority placement on my calendar, whenever you want it.

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GUARANTEES OF PUBLICATION

Please note that I cannot guarantee that you will achieve publication or literary representation as a result of my services. As with any creative endeavour, there are some things that are simply out of my control. I do, however, believe that your writing will emerge stronger as a result of our work together, and I hope that you will gain a new understanding of the craft.

 

PAYMENT POLICY

For all services rendered, I receive hourly pay at a rate of $ 35 USD.  I invoice clients on a weekly basis either by email or text and enable clients to pay by PayPal [sent to: stonecreekediting@gmail.com] or Credit Card.  E-transfer is also available for Canadian clients.  Please note that Canadian clients will be charged for HST tax at a rate of 13%.  Invoices are due upon receipt.  A late fee of $2.99 daily will apply if payment is not made by the due date.

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DISCOUNTS, REFERRALS AND BUNDLES

I reward all editorial clients who have booked complete written manuscript editing with a 15% discount on new projects. Please note that Manuscript Overview, Outline Edits, Query and Submission Edits, and Phone Consultations do not qualify you for a returning client discount. To inquire about your discount please email me: at stonecreekediting@gmail.com with Subject Line: 15% Discount for Returning Clients.

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REFUNDS

Due to the time-intensive and deeply personal nature of my services, I cannot offer refunds after I begin work on your project. An hour worked is an hour paid.

 

TESTIMONIALS

After the conclusion of our work together, 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 it for clarity and length (without changing your meaning), publish it and attribute your name first name and last initial on this website and in other marketing materials.

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PRIVACY NOTICE

Your work is safe with me. Authors must mail out their work to agents, editors, newspapers and magazines in order to be published, and this is no different. Your personal information, like your e-mail address, name and other contact information you exchange with me over the course of our relationship 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 mailings to existing clients on rare occasions (once or twice a year). Please notify me via the "unsubscribe" link in any of my emails if you would like to remove your information from my marketing efforts. 

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RIGHT TO REFUSE SERVICE

I reserve the right to politely decline the chance to work on a manuscript if I don’t feel it is a good fit for me. This is a decision that I will make before engaging in a consulting or editorial relationship with you.