DeLained Editing Co
Client Agreement & Terms of Service
This document outlines the terms under which DeLained Editing Co provides editorial services. Please read the following carefully. Moving forward with a booking or payment indicates that you have read and agreed to everything below. If anything is unclear, please reach out before getting started — questions are always welcome.
01 SERVICES OFFERED
DeLained Editing Co provides the following editorial services:
— Beta Reading — a reader-perspective review of your manuscript for plot holes, character development, consistency, and story-level issues.
— Copy Editing — a technical review of grammar, spelling, syntax, word choice, and mechanical consistency throughout your manuscript.
— Line Editing — a craft-focused edit addressing sentence structure, prose flow, tone, voice, style, and immersion.
— Proofreading — a final-pass review for surface-level errors before publication.
The specific service, word count, rate, and timeline will be confirmed in writing before any work begins. Editorial services are intended to improve the quality of your manuscript and do not guarantee publication, agent representation, or commercial success.
02 HOW PAYMENT WORKS
All fees are quoted and invoiced in US Dollars (USD). Payment is divided into two equal parts:
A. 50% is due before editing begins. Your project will not be scheduled or started until this payment is received.
B. The remaining 50% is due once editing is complete, and before your final manuscript is delivered.
Your total fee is calculated based on your manuscript’s final word count and the service type, and will always be confirmed in writing beforehand. Edited files are held until the balance is paid in full.
03 CANCELLATIONS
Life happens, and cancellations are understood. Here is how they are handled:
■ If you cancel before editing has begun, your initial 50% payment will be refunded in full.
■ If you cancel after editing has already started, you are responsible for the portion of work completed up to that point, calculated at the agreed per-word rate. If the value of the completed work is less than the 50% already paid, the difference will be refunded to you.
Example: A line edit is underway at $0.01 per word. At the time of cancellation, 30,000 of 70,000 words have been completed. The amount owed is $300.00 (30,000 × $0.01). If $350.00 was already paid as the initial 50%, a refund of $50.00 would be issued.
You will never be charged for work that has not been done.
04 YOUR MANUSCRIPT
Please ensure your manuscript is delivered in the format and by the date we agree on. If your files are significantly delayed or differ from what was discussed, the project may need to be rescheduled, or an adjusted fee may apply.
If your manuscript turns out to require substantially more work than the original word count or scope suggested, we will discuss this with you before proceeding. This may mean adjusting the fee, the timeline, or the service type.
05 SAMPLE EDITS
Sample edits of up to 1,000 words may be offered on a case-by-case basis to help you get a feel for editorial style and approach. A sample edit is not a commitment from either party to move forward with a full project, and it does not represent the depth or scope of a full edit.
Sample edits are offered at our discretion and may not be available during busy periods.
06 REVISIONS AFTER DELIVERY
One round of minor clarifications or small adjustments is included following delivery, where applicable. This is intended for genuine questions or small oversights, not a full second pass.
Requests that go beyond the original agreed scope, including additional editing rounds or substantial rewrites, may be quoted separately.
07 YOUR RIGHTS & RESPONSIBILITIES
You retain full ownership of your manuscript and all of its content at all times. Once your final payment has been received, all edits and editorial notes are yours to use however you choose.
You are solely responsible for the accuracy, originality, and legality of your content. No editing service can guarantee a completely error-free manuscript, and final decisions about your work always rest with you.
08 PRIVACY & CONFIDENTIALITY
Your manuscript and any information you share as part of the editing process will be kept strictly confidential. Your work will not be shared with, shown to, or discussed with any third party without your explicit permission, except where required by law.
09 THE RIGHT TO DECLINE WORK
DeLained Editing Co reserves the right to decline or discontinue work on a manuscript that contains material deemed unlawful, plagiarised, or otherwise inappropriate. Should this occur, payment will be retained only in proportion to the work already completed.
010 DELAYS & UNEXPECTED CIRCUMSTANCES
Every effort will be made to meet the agreed delivery date. In the rare event that illness or an unforeseen circumstance affects the timeline, you will be notified as soon as possible and a revised schedule will be agreed upon together.
011 LIMITS OF LIABILITY
DeLained Editing Co’s liability is limited to the total amount paid for the service in question. We are not responsible for any indirect outcomes connected to the editing of your manuscript, including publishing decisions, agent responses, contest results, or lost revenue.
012 CREDIT & PORTFOLIO
If you would like to acknowledge the editing in your published work, the following wording is appreciated but entirely optional:
Copy editing / Line editing / Proofreading / Beta reading by DeLained Editing Co.
With your permission, DeLained Editing Co may reference the project for portfolio or promotional purposes. No excerpts from your manuscript will ever be shared publicly without your prior consent.
013 GOVERNING LAW
This agreement is governed by the laws of the United States. In the event of a dispute, both parties agree to first attempt to resolve the matter directly and in good faith before pursuing any formal action.
By proceeding with a booking or payment, you confirm that you have read and agreed to the terms outlined in this document.