Terms & Conditions

By engaging Catherine Dunn to edit or proofread your manuscript, you agree to the following terms and conditions:

  • A price for the job will be agreed before work begins, based on the document or word count that you supply. Should further material be added by you, either before work starts or during the editing or proofreading process, a separate price for that will be negotiated.
  • For new clients I ask for a non-refundable 50% deposit when you agree to the job, with the remaining balance payable within 30 days of invoice (other payment plans negotiable for long works or if you are submitting the work in stages).
  • You will be sent the final invoice after you receive your edited or proofread manuscript.
  • A deadline date will be mutually agreed between us.
  • In the unlikely event that I am unable to meet a deadline (severe illness, bereavement, technical issues, etc.), I will contact you as soon as possible with a revised date.
  • If the start date has to change because of a delay in delivering the manuscript to me, I reserve the right to charge a ‘rush fee’ to meet the original deadline or to move the deadline. Please note that under these circumstances it may not always be possible to meet the original deadline.
  • All work will be done by qualified editor/proofreader Catherine Dunn. I do not subcontract to anyone else.
  • If you are unsatisfied with my work, please contact me and explain why so that I can try to rectify the situation. Please bear in mind that while I make every attempt to return an error-free document, perfection is impossible to achieve. Please make sure that you read through the final version yourself and check you are happy with it before publishing.
  • The prices for copyediting and proofreading include one round of checking any minor changes you have implemented following my feedback and queries. It does not include another full check of the whole manuscript. Any further large-scale changes or additional text will be charged at the same rate as the original job.
  • The price for developmental editing includes email exchanges totalling up to one hour of my time after my return of the editorial report and comments. This is so that we can discuss the report and your ideas and I can answer any questions you may have. After this hour has been reached, any further editorial support will be charged at my usual hourly rate (which I will confirm with you before going ahead).
  • Editing and proofreading does not include fact-checking. The author is responsible for the factual content of their work.
  • I may use your name and link to your book’s sales page on my website and social media. If you do not want me to do this, please let me know.
  • Your work will be kept confidential.
  • I will keep a backup copy of your work (unless asked otherwise), both original and edited, for at least six months securely in case of failure with your own system.
  • While I will endeavour to point out any potential legal issues, the author is responsible for ensuring that the manuscript is appropriate for publication and I can accept no liability for any action raised as a result of incorrect or defamatory material.