After recently reassessing my policies (as I do every year), I am instituting a few changes to the way scheduling and invoicing and payments will be handled going forward. Unfortunately, I’ve had to consider adjustments to the way I do business due to multiple clients’ failures to send in projects when scheduled; when an author schedules with me, their slot is reserved exclusively for them, and I am unable to take any other projects for that same slot. If the author doesn’t send their manuscript in at all, then I’ve unfortunately lost money, because often it’s too late to fill that slot by that point.
So beginning on 12/21/2021, the following fee schedule will apply to all projects going forward:
Manuscript Content Editing: $0.03/word
Manuscript Line Editing: $0.011/word
Manuscript Copyediting: $0.008/word
Manuscript Proofreading: $0.005/word
In addition, beginning on 12/21/2021, a nonrefundable deposit will be required on scheduling of a project with me in order to reserve your chosen date(s). These deposits will be in the following amounts:
Manuscript Content Editing Deposit: $150 per book
Manuscript Line Editing Deposit: $75 per book
Manuscript Copyediting Deposit: $50 per book
Manuscript Proofreading Deposit: $25 per book
Once you consult with me and choose a mutually agreed-upon date or date range to start the project, I will send you an invoice via Zoho Books in the amount as outlined above. Zoho Books allows me to accept payment via Paypal, Stripe, and all major credit/debit cards. I also will accept payment via Zelle bank transfer, and in addition, I can accept payments via check or money order on special request.
All clients, regardless of whether or not they are using a monthly payment plan, will be invoiced the nonrefundable deposit on scheduling of their project. This deposit will be applied to the total fee of the manuscript. For monthly payment plan clients, the deposit will be applied prior to calculating the amount of the monthly payments as outlined here.
If the start date of the project arrives and the author has not turned in a manuscript, the author will have seven (7) days to send their project in to me to be started on my next available project start date.
If the author contacts me within that seven-day period to reschedule, the deposit fee will be applied to the new scheduled start date, and the author will not have to pay the deposit again. However, if the author fails to contact me within that seven-day period to reschedule, the deposit is forfeit.
The deposit will be forfeit for all cancellations that do not involve a rescheduling of the project in the seven-day time period as explained above.
Once the manuscript is received, the total fee will be calculated, minus the deposit amount, and presented to the author. Once the fee is approved, 50% of the fee will be required at the start of the project, as usual. The remaining balance of the project fee is due at the completion of the project.
Once the project is completed, payment for the remaining balance will be due no later than one week after the project is completed. A seven-day grace period follows. After the seven-day grace period, if you have failed to pay, you will be charged a $25 late fee; an additional $25 late fee will be applied for every following month that the invoice fails to be paid.
If you have any questions, please use my contact page to get in touch with me! I’m happy to answer any questions you have!
Edits by Jessica 