Terms and Conditions

The following terms and conditions are provided so that you and I are both on the same page for what is needed to work together. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to me so we can make this a successful partnership.

Summary

The Editor agrees to do one of the following on the full or partial manuscript, depending on the service:

Developmental Editing – the goal of which is to point out issues with the overarching story, plot holes, character development, world-building, writing style, and clarity. This is NOT used to change the voice and tone of the manuscript.
Line Editing – the goal of which is to help make your writing consistent, smooth, and compelling so your reader moves effortlessly through your material.
Copy editing – the goal of which is to address flaws on a very technical level – to make sure the writing that appears on the page is in accordance with industry standards.
Book Map – the goal of which is to collect all of the worldbuilding, character development, and pacing threads in one place.
Coached Manuscript Evaluation (full or partial) – the goal of which is to assess the strengths and weaknesses of a manuscript and provide feedback from an objective point of view.

The Editor will provide a typewritten critique and analysis of the manuscript as well as use Google Docs to add comments and changes via “tracked changes” as she goes. The Editor will offer up to two rounds of follow-up questions with the Client about the manuscript and critique, conducted via email, messenger, or voice call as is convenient to both parties.

You, the Author, will have final say in what gets actioned and added to your work.

Please note that we have not agreed to these services:

Proofreading – the final part of the editing process that mainly deals with a readthrough of your script, hunting for any missing punctuation or spelling errors with an eagle eye.

Coaching

Rawls Reads offers book coaching to support authors with story development, plotting, manuscript shaping, confidence, accountability, and publishing-related questions. Coaching is offered as individual one-hour sessions, booked as needed. Multi-session discounts may be available and will be agreed in writing before booking.

Delivery Terms

Author to provide the manuscript via Microsoft Word or Google Docs
Editor to quote based on word count and degree of work required in the manuscript and provide an invoice on receipt of the manuscript
Editor to return a fully edited manuscript in the agreed-upon timeframe
Editor to return the manuscript as a Google Docs document with tracked changes and comments
Editor to include the editorial letter in a separate document
Author agrees to acknowledge the editing services provided by Rawls Reads in ebook and/or printed published work on the copyright page or the acknowledgment section, listing Steph Rawlins or Rawls Reads as Editor

My fee for these services will be as follows:

Developmental Editing starts at $0.025/word. Based on the difficulty level of the document, the final pricing will be quoted
Line & Copy Editing starts at $0.020/word
The Works Package (Developmental, Line, and Copy editing) starts at $0.04/word
Book Map is a flat fee of $300 per book
Coached Manuscript Evaluation is a base reading fee of $180 + $90 per 10,000 words
Coaching is a 1-hour session for $100

Payment Terms

Payment can be made via Stripe or Bank wire transfer
For editing work
- Author to pay 50% deposit before the commencement of work based on estimated or final word count—Unless a payment plan is agreed upon with the Editor beforehand.
  - The deposit is non-refundable once work has commenced.
  - If the Client wishes to cancel the project before the Editor has begun work, the Editor will retain 25% of the deposit as a booking fee to cover the reserved schedule slot and refund the remainder.
  - If the Client cancels within 7 days of the agreed start date, the full deposit is non-refundable.
- Remaining 50% payment will be due fifteen days after the copy is returned to the Author based on the final word count
For coaching work
- Payment due at invoice
Invoices not paid within 14 days of the invoice date will incur a late payment fee of 5% of the outstanding amount, plus an additional 1.5% per month thereafter. The Editor reserves the right to pause or decline further work for the Client until the outstanding balance is settled.
If the Client is dissatisfied with the editorial feedback, the Editor will discuss the concerns and, where reasonable, address specific issues within the scope of the original brief. Refunds are not offered for completed work, as editorial feedback is professional opinion and the Client retains final say in what is actioned.
Please note all invoices are billed in GBP at a rate fixed for 2026 of 0.81 GBP to 1 USD based on 2025 averages.

These terms & conditions apply to any work done for the Client by the Editor.
The Client is under no obligation to offer the Editor work; neither is the Editor under any obligation to accept work offered by the Client.
The Editor will provide service(s) as mutually agreed, confirmed in writing by the Client.
The work will be carried out unsupervised at such times and places as determined by the Editor, using her own equipment.
The Editor confirms that she is self-employed, is responsible for her own income tax and National Insurance contributions, and for paying VAT (where applicable), and will not claim benefits granted to the Client’s employees.
The Client will reimburse the Editor for agreed reasonable expenses over and above usual expenses incurred in the process of editorial work.
The Client will pay the Editor a fee per word for the work, plus VAT where applicable.
The completed work will be delivered on or before the date agreed, for the agreed fee, which will be based on the description of the work required and the brief, agreed upon by the Editor and Client.
If, however, on receipt of the item to be worked on or at an early stage, it becomes apparent that significantly more work is required than had been anticipated in the preliminary discussion/brief, the Editor may renegotiate the fee and/or the deadline.
Similarly, if, during the term of the Editor’s work, additional tasks are requested by the Client, the Editor may renegotiate the fee and/or the deadline.
If the project is lengthy, the Editor may invoice periodically for completed stages.
Any content created by the Editor as part of the developmental editing/copyediting/proofreading process will become the copyright of the Client, unless otherwise agreed.
The nature and content of the work will be kept confidential and not made known to anyone other than the Client and their contractors without prior written permission.
Each party shall indemnify the other party from any and all claims, causes of action, suits, damages, or demands whatsoever, arising out of any breach of this agreement and/or its negligence or willful misconduct by the indemnifying party.
The information that the Client and the Editor may keep on record is covered by the terms of the General Data Protection Regulation. No more such information will be held than is necessary, at any time, to comply with those terms and with any compliance statement or privacy policy published by the Client and/or the Editor. Both the Client and the Editor agree that, where consent is required to hold or process such data, such consent has been requested and obtained, and both facts can be demonstrated. Either may view the other’s records to ensure that they are relevant, correct, and up to date.
Either the Client or the Editor has the right to terminate a contract for services if there is a serious breach of its terms.
If the Editor has made a substantial contribution to the copyediting/proofreading/project management of the work, she will be entitled to receive one free copy of the work.
The Editor may use the Client’s name in her promotional material.
This agreement is subject to the laws of England and Wales, and both Editor and Client agree to submit to the jurisdiction of the English and Welsh courts.

Developmental Editing

Developmental editing includes two editorial passes on the manuscript. The first pass covers structure, plot, pacing, character development, and world-building. Following the first pass, the Editor will provide an editorial letter and in-manuscript comments, and a one-hour debrief call to discuss the feedback.
The Client implements revisions at their own pace. When the Client is approximately 75% through their revisions, they should book the second pass with the Editor. The second pass reviews the revised manuscript for any remaining structural or consistency issues introduced during revisions.
The final invoice will be calculated on the word count of the manuscript as returned after the second pass. If the manuscript word count has changed significantly from the original quote, the fee will be adjusted accordingly.
Additional editorial passes beyond the two included are available at the Editor’s standard rate and must be agreed in writing before work begins.
The editorial letter and debrief call are included as part of the developmental editing service. Further consultations beyond the included follow-up communications fall under coaching and will be charged at the coaching rate.

Line and Copy Editing

Line and copy editing includes two passes on the manuscript, bundled as a single engagement. No debrief call is included.
The final invoice will be calculated on the word count of the manuscript as submitted. If the Client makes substantial additions to the manuscript after editing has begun, the Editor may renegotiate the fee and deadline.

General Editing Terms

Quoted timelines begin from the date the Editor receives the complete manuscript and the deposit has been paid, whichever is later.
If the Client does not return a manuscript for its second pass within six months of receiving the first pass, the Editor reserves the right to re-quote the project based on current availability and rates.
The Editor will work on the manuscript as provided. If the manuscript requires substantially more work than described in the initial brief, Clause 9 of the general terms applies.

Coaching

Each coaching session covers one agreed focus area; additional topics may require a follow-up session.
Sessions run to the booked duration of one hour. If a session runs over by more than 20 minutes at the Client’s request, an additional session fee may be charged.
Sessions can be canceled or rescheduled with at least 24 hours’ notice at no charge. If you cancel or reschedule with less than 24 hours’ notice, or do not attend a booked session, the full session fee will be due. This applies regardless of the reason for the late cancellation or no-show.
The Editor reserves the right to reschedule a session with reasonable notice. In the unlikely event the Editor needs to cancel at short notice, the session will be rescheduled at a time convenient to both parties at no additional cost.

AI Policy – Use of digital tools and artificial intelligence (AI)

To enhance the quality, accuracy, consistency, and efficiency of my editing services, I use trusted digital tools that may include AI-assisted technologies operating in the background (even when not actively engaged).
Except for secure storage, backup, or recovery, I will never upload your content to any third-party platform without your explicit consent.
Every project is personally reviewed and refined by me—a qualified human editor—to ensure precision, clarity, and contextual accuracy. Software and AI tools serve only as supportive aids and never replace my professional expertise or editorial judgment.
I do not use open AI systems for client work. This safeguards your material from being used for language model training and ensures complete privacy and data protection.
I work exclusively with reputable providers and uphold strict confidentiality standards. By submitting your materials, you acknowledge and consent to my supervised use of digital tools as part of the editorial process.

By signing below, you agree to the terms of this contract. If you have any questions or concerns prior to signing, please let me know