Terms and Conditions

1. Where a job is accepted, The Book Edit aims to complete within 4-6 weeks or within the deadline specified, but failure to do so will not be considered breach of contract.

2. The Book Edit will not commence editing until payment has been cleared. Payment can be made by bank transfer only.

3. For the fee agreed with the client, The Book Edit undertakes to read and comment on the manuscript (MS) as per the emailed correspondence between client and The Book Edit.

4. No refunds are available where an edit has been completed and delivered.

5. Editorial reports and the contents therein are strictly confidential. Do not share, forward, extract or quote in part or in full without the prior consent of the Book Edit. The copyright of the client’s work is automatically theirs and remains theirs at all times. The copyright of the editorial notes remains with The Book Edit. Permission should be sought from The Book Edit before quoting these notes, for example to agents or on personal websites. For the avoidance of doubt, where a client chooses to self-publish their work, the copyright and full legal responsibility for the published work rests entirely with the client. The Book Edit's editorial involvement confers no rights of ownership or co-authorship, and clients are advised to seek independent legal advice should any questions of copyright or intellectual property arise in connection with their published work.

6. The Director match-makes each client to the most appropriate editor. The Director’s decision is final in the choice of this editor. The Book Edit reserves the right to return your work and payment to you should we fail to find a suitable editor. In these exceptional circumstances, a full refund will be issued.

7. Manuscripts should be double-spaced, in 12 point font with page numbers inserted.

8. The Book Edit aims to communicate promptly, honestly and discreetly. It is the client's responsibility to voice any concerns about any part of the editing process.

9. All editorial reports, agent recommendations, and other editorial consultation and correspondence is professional opinion only, based on editorial experience, and not in any way legally binding.

10. Refunds can be processed up until the point an editor has been assigned and the MS sent to them, thereafter refunds will not be possible.

11. In cases where you wish to lodge a complaint, we ask that you send us a letter or email and we will do our utmost to resolve the situation. We do ask however that any feedback of this nature be submitted to us within no longer than six weeks of receipt of your report in order to help us resolve issues whilst the editor has the text relatively fresh in their mind.

12. Recommendations to agents or publishers will only be made after an assessment if both the editor and The Book Edit team deem your work to be potentially marketable. In the event that we wish to forward your work to agent or publishers on your behalf, we will never do so without seeking your permission first.

13. Our editorial services are designed to get your manuscript into its best possible shape. However, there can be no guarantee that a manuscript will be published simply because it has been professionally edited.

14. Where a manuscript worked on by The Book Edit is subsequently self-published by the client in any format or through any platform, The Book Edit's role is limited solely to the provision of editorial services as agreed. The Book Edit is not the publisher of the work and accepts no legal responsibility, liability, or accountability for the content, accuracy, legality, or commercial outcome of any self-published work. The client remains solely responsible for ensuring that the published work complies with all applicable laws, including but not limited to those relating to defamation, copyright, intellectual property, privacy, and obscenity. The Book Edit's editorial involvement does not constitute endorsement of the final published content, and The Book Edit reserves the right to request that its name not be associated with any published work it deems inappropriate or offensive.

15. We expect clients to behave in a professional manner and reserve the right to stop working with a client should their manner be offensive to our staff. We reserve the right not to process work if we deem it to be unacceptably offensive.

16. Force Majeure. In no event shall The Book Edit be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, such as but not limited to strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the The Book Edit shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the book editing industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

17. If a Term, as listed above, of this Agreement is or becomes illegal, unenforceable, or invalid in any jurisdiction, it shall not affect (1) the enforceability or validity in that jurisdiction of any other Term of this Agreement, or (2) the enforceability or validity in other jurisdictions of that or any other Term of this Agreement.