Do you need a contract when working as a freelance editor? How do these differ from terms and conditions? And should you sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs)?
\nThese are questions I get asked a lot – as well as whether there are templates available for these things.
\nIn this post, I’m going to break things down, hopefully offer a little reassurance, and point you in the direction of some useful resources.
\nObligatory caveat: I’m not a legal professional and this advice is based on my own knowledge and experience as a freelance editor of nearly two decades.
A contract is the overall legally binding agreement between two or more parties that outlines an exchange of value. Terms and conditions (T&Cs) are the specific rules, clauses and obligations that make up that contract.
\nHowever, terms and conditions can become contractually binding when they are accepted as part of a wider agreement. So, you don’t necessarily need a contract if you set up your terms and conditions in a specific way.
Publishing houses and other company-type clients will often issue you a contract that sets out the responsibilities of both parties. Read these carefully before signing and make sure you are happy with what the details of the contract say. You can still provide your own terms and conditions to help cover anything the contract misses.
\nFor individual clients – mostly authors – you’ll typically need to provide something yourself. It’s up to you whether you want to issue a formal contract or simply get the client to agree to your terms and conditions. Personally, I’ve always gone with the latter and have never run into any problems!
At their core, terms and conditions exist to protect both you and your client. A solid set should make clear:
\nMore specifically, think about the situations that could cause you a headache: deposits, cancellation policies, scope creep, revision rounds and what happens if you can’t get in touch with a client mid-project.
\nWorking through these scenarios in advance – and writing your answers into your T&Cs – will save you a great deal of difficulty later.
\nA useful starting point is The Paper It’s Written On by Karin Cather and Dick Margulis, which covers the topics your T&Cs need to address and walks through scenarios where a well-drafted agreement could have prevented real trouble. Both authors are American, but the principles translate well.
You have options here.
\nYou can have clients sign and return a copy of your T&Cs – digital signatures work fine, and there’s plenty of software to facilitate this.
\nAlternatively, you can host your terms and conditions on your website and ask clients to acknowledge acceptance by email or via a checkbox, with the scope of the project (timeframe, fee, deliverables) set out in a separate email or project proposal. (This has always been my method!)
Some authors worry about editors sharing or misusing their work and may ask you to sign a non-disclosure agreement. By default, the manuscript always remains the author’s property under copyright law. It’s worth reminding authors of this.
\nIn most cases, signing an NDA is unnecessary: a straightforward confidentiality clause within your terms and conditions – stating that you won’t share the manuscript or discuss the project without permission – covers the same ground. If a client raises the subject, pointing them to that clause hopefully calms their nerves.
\nThat said, signing a simple, reasonable NDA isn’t something to be anxious about. Publishing houses occasionally use them for particularly sensitive projects, and it’s a normal part of working at that level.
So how do you actually go about writing your T&Cs? I’ve given you a few pointers already, and the good news is that you don’t have to start from scratch. There are a few resources worth knowing about.
\nIf you want an extra layer of reassurance, you could have your T&Cs reviewed by a solicitor or lawyer who specialises in freelance or creative industry contracts.
\nThis isn’t essential for most sole traders just starting out, but if you’re working at volume, with high-value projects or with international clients, it can be worth the one-off cost for peace of mind.
\nWhatever you do, don’t put off creating your terms just because you’re unsure about what they should entail. Something simple (that you can keep adding to or refining) is infinitely better than nothing!
Do you need a contract when working as a freelance editor? How do these differ from terms and conditions? And should you sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs)? These are questions I get asked a lot – as well as whether there are templates available for these things. In this post, I’m going to break things down, […]
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\nIt sounds like a fun and rewarding service to be able to offer your clients, right? But you’re nervous. Being able to spot and correct a comma splice is very different to being able to advise an author on how they can strengthen a character arc. You’re worried that maybe you’re not cut out for developmental editing …
\nWell, maybe you’re not.
\nNot everyone has the skills required to be a good developmental editor.
\nHere are a few reasons why developmental editing might not be a good fit for you:
\nDevelopmental editors advise authors on how to improve their manuscripts. Instinct plays a big role in knowing what advice to offer. That instinct isn’t something you’re born with – it’s something you cultivate. By reading. A lot.
\nYou can study all the theory you want about what makes a good novel, but if you don’t engage with how that theory is put into practice, you won’t ever move past a surface understanding of novel writing. Art is complicated and nuanced. It goes without saying that you should enjoy reading fiction, but that’s not enough – you have to read it voraciously.
\nDevelopmental editors need to read a manuscript slowly enough to take in all the details, but quickly enough that they can make a profit. It’s simple business sense. If you’re a super slow reader you’ll either have to charge a lot of money to make developmental editing worth your time or you’ll have to accept a low hourly wage – because why should an author pay you double when another editor can offer the exact same service for half the fee (and in half the time)?
\nThe good news is, you can improve this skill. Practise reading fast (in a distraction-free environment) and you’ll eventually increase your overall reading speed.
\nThis is a tough one, and I sympathise. Authors pour their hearts and souls into their novels, and when they send them for developmental editing they’re opening their work to criticism. We’re all human. We know criticism can sting – badly. It can be painful to receive, and it can be painful knowing you’re the one who’s going to cause that pain, too.
\nBut here’s the thing. Professional constructive critique is worlds apart from unsolicited meanness. Developmental editors aim to reduce the amount of criticism the novel might receive in the long run – by helping the author address the manuscript’s weaknesses before it’s published. Authors know we’re here to help them. We don’t do this job because we like to tear authors down – we do it because we want to help raise them higher.
\nCriticism, presented in the right way, won’t send an author spiralling into a tear-fuelled hurricane of anger and depression. They’ll be grateful for your insight and honesty. If you don’t say what needs to be said, they won’t thank you for it in the long run.
\nOne of the most important skills you need as an editor is understanding your place in the hierarchy of creation. When you provide a developmental edit, you’re inevitably going to get deeper into the story than if you were proofreading. And you can start to feel emotionally invested, can start to feel as though your ideas have a right to be taken on board.
\nBut, no. You need to keep your distance and maintain objectivity. This is not your novel. The author is the only one who should be making decisions about the direction of the manuscript. You’re there to provide an objective-as-possible outsider perspective on the writing and make suggestions for improvement. Suggestions. The author will always have the final say. If you find this difficult, you need to rethink your mindset.
\nYou might have a fantastic intuitive understanding of what makes a good novel (see the first point in this list) but if you can’t explain your gut reaction to your clients with good, solid theory, you’re offering little more than an opinion. Opinions are useful (that’s why beta readers are so valuable) but if you’re charging hundreds (even thousands) of pounds for a professional service, you need to be offering more.
\nIf you understand writing craft theory you can objectively analyse the novel, explain exactly why something doesn’t work and offer concrete suggestions on how the author can make improvements. Again, the good news is that this is the kind of knowledge you can study and learn.
\nIf you’d like to start offering developmental fiction editing, are any of these points holding you back? Which ones can you do something about? (Hint: it’s all of them.)
\nIf you’d like to learn more about writing craft theory, my online course Developmental Editing: Fiction Theory might just be for you.
\n","excerpt":"So, you’re an editorial professional who’s decided you’d like to dip your toe into developmental fiction editing. It sounds like a fun and rewarding service to be able to offer your clients, right? But you’re nervous. Being able to spot and correct a comma splice is very different to being able to advise an author […]
\n","date":"20th June 2017","wordpress_id":563,"categories":[{"wordpress_id":8,"name":"Freelancing","slug":"freelancing"}],"featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"sizes":{"aspectRatio":1.7846153846153847,"tracedSVG":"data:image/svg+xml,%3csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20width='400'%20height='226'%20viewBox='0%200%20400%20226'%20preserveAspectRatio='none'%3e%3cpath%20d='M0%20113v113h125l3-3%208-7c9-8%209-9-8-6l-4-1%2015-13%2012-10%2017-13c3-1%2010%202%2038%2013%2039%2017%2038%2017%2030%2017l-12%201-6%201%206%203%208%203%203%202%205%201%203%201%203%201h2l-2-3-6-3c-8%200-11-3-6-5l9%202h1c1%200%201-1-1-2-3-2-1-2%204%200l6%203c3%200%206%203%204%203s0%2010%202%2012l2%203h83l-5-3c-28-15-47-23-57-22-4%200-4%200-1-3%203-4%204-5%202-5v-2l3-1c2%201%2026-23%2025-24l-4%203c-1%202-3%204-5%204l-2%202-1%201c-2%201-2%201-3-2-2-3-4-4-4-1%200%202%200%202-2%201-2%200-2%200-1%202%200%203%200%203-1%202l-2-1-1-1v3c0%202%200%202-2%202-3-1-3-1-2%201l-1%202c-1-1-3%200-5%203-5%204-3%204-13-2l-11-5a271%20271%200%2000-52-9%201088%201088%200%2000-24-1c-2%200%207-9%2022-20a545%20545%200%200054-47l-1-7c0-3%200-4-1-3h-1l-2-1-3-2-2-2-1-5c-1-4-1-4%204-8%207-7%2010-11%2011-14%202-2%204-4%209-6%2012-6%2018-15%2017-23-1-6-4-8-11-8-5%200-5%200-5%203s0%203%201%202c5-4%2011%200%2010%206%200%208-14%2021-17%2016l1-2%203-10%201-4v-2l-2%202c-4%205-20%2014-22%2012%200-1%202-2%205-2%208-3%2011-7%2012-14%200-8%200-8%202-8l-1-3c-2-4-11-9-19-12l-7-3c2-5%203-5-3-5s-6%200-6%202%200%202-11%203c-18%200-34%204-42%2010-3%202-6%208-5%2010%200%202%201%202%201%201l1%203v9c0%202%209%207%2015%208%205%202%207%202%2011%201%206-1%2029-2%2030-1%201%202%205%203%209%202%204%200%204%200%201%201-23%206-56%201-69-10l-3-4v7l2%2012%201%205c0%201-1%201-1-1-1-2-1-2-1%201s0%203-1%202-1-1-1%201c1%201%200%202-1%202l-3%203c0%202-1%203-3%204l-1%201c2%200%202%200%201%201v4l-1%203-2%202-2%204c-1%202-1%202%201%203s2%201%201%202v5c-2%200-2%201-1%203%202%204%203%206%204%203h1l1%202%201%202-2%202a2903%202903%200%2001-83-12l3-2%202-1v1c-1%202%200%203%202%203s2%200%201-1c-2-1%201-3%203-3%203%201%205-2%203-3v-2c2%200%202-2%201-4h-2c0%202-2%201-2-1s-3-6-5-6-1%202%201%203l1%201c-5%200-7-1-6-2v-4l-1-1-1%201-1-1%202-2%201-1-3-1-2-1%202-1%202-2c0-2%201-3%202-3l3-1-3-2-2-3h-3v-1l1-2-2-1c-3%201-4-2-2-4h2c2%202%204%202%204-1l2-1v1c-2%200-1%203%201%203l1-2%201-3v-2l-2-2c1-2%200-2-2-2-3%200-3%200-2-1%202-1%206%200%206%201l2%201v-1l-2-3-2-1-12-2a775%20775%200%2000-35-6l4-5%206-8%206-8c7-7%208-7-19-7H0v113M384%203l1%205v2l-1%201c0%202%206%205%208%204l2%201%201%203-3%203c-3%201-3%201-2%202v1l-1%202-1%202-2%201c1%202%200%202-3%203l-4%202h1l4%203c1%202%202%203%205%203s3%200%201%201c-3%201-3%203%200%204l2%201-1%201h-1l1%204%201%204c2%200%201%205-1%207l-1%202c1%200%202%201%202%203l1%202v7l-1%203-2%201c-2%200-2%200-2-2%201-4-2-5-5-2-2%203-1%204%201%203%202%200%202%200%202%202v3l1-2%201%201%203%203c1%201%201%201-3%203l-4%201v-2h-1l-1%209c0%208%201%2011%201%204%200-5%201-8%202-8s4%203%204%205c1%202%201%202-1%201-3%200-5%202-3%203v18l-2-4-2-13-3-13c-2-3-3-13-2-16%200-2%200-2-1-1h-1c0-3-2-2-2%200%200%201%200%202-1%201%200-2-2%200-2%202s-1%203-3%204c-4%200-7%203-5%204v3c-2%202-3%203-1%203l2%201%204%201%202%202h-5c-2-1-3-1-4%201-1%203-1%203%202%203l3%203c0%203%202%205%203%203h1l-1%202c-2%201-3%204-1%204l2-2c1-1%201-1%201%201l3%202c2%200%201%202-3%203h-9l-2%201c-2%200-3%202-1%202v2c-2%201-3%202-4%201l-1%201%201%201v1c-1%201%201%201%207%201%208%200%2013%201%2021%205%205%203%207%202%205-1v-9l1%204c0%208%201%209%207%2012l6%203V0h-4c-3%200-4%200-4%202l-3%201h-3l2-1%203-2h-4c-3%200-3%200-3%203M165%2064c-1%206%200%2018%201%2019l1%203%202%202%201%202c-1%201%200%201%202%202%203%201%205%201%206-2%200-2%201-2%202-1l2-1v-1l1-4c0-4-1-5-6-10a51%2051%200%2001-8-10l-3-3-1%204'%20fill='%23d3d3d3'%20fill-rule='evenodd'/%3e%3c/svg%3e","src":"/static/6653e8e824fef5ee18897e280530690b/f7fa3/5-reasons-shouldnt-offer-dev-editing.jpg","srcSet":"/static/6653e8e824fef5ee18897e280530690b/c96d8/5-reasons-shouldnt-offer-dev-editing.jpg 116w,\n/static/6653e8e824fef5ee18897e280530690b/12243/5-reasons-shouldnt-offer-dev-editing.jpg 232w,\n/static/6653e8e824fef5ee18897e280530690b/f7fa3/5-reasons-shouldnt-offer-dev-editing.jpg 463w,\n/static/6653e8e824fef5ee18897e280530690b/ce8db/5-reasons-shouldnt-offer-dev-editing.jpg 695w,\n/static/6653e8e824fef5ee18897e280530690b/87cea/5-reasons-shouldnt-offer-dev-editing.jpg 926w,\n/static/6653e8e824fef5ee18897e280530690b/b24a9/5-reasons-shouldnt-offer-dev-editing.jpg 1560w","sizes":"(max-width: 463px) 100vw, 463px"}}}}}},{"node":{"title":"What Should I Name My Editing or Proofreading Business?","slug":"what-should-i-name-my-editing-or-proofreading-business","content":"If you’re new to the editing world, you might be wondering what to call your business.
\nYour business name is the first thing clients use to form an opinion of your business, so it needs some thought. It should represent what you do and align with your brand.
\n1: [Your name or last name] + [‘Editorial (Services)’ or your specialist service]
\nReal life examples: Duncan Proofreading, Winskill Editorial, Luke Finley Editorial.
\nThis format is clear and simple, helps put you at the centre of your brand, and is particularly good if you want to target publishers since they will mostly know you by name. It can be considered a little boring, though, and possibly easy to forget if you have a common name or one that’s difficult to spell.
\n2: [Abstract word] + [‘Editorial’ or your specialist service]
\nReal life examples: Responsive Editing, Breakout Editing, Pimlico Proofreading.
\nThis format adds some personality and helps you create a stronger brand. Keep in mind that if you use the name of a single service in your business name (like ‘Proofreading’), you won’t be able to expand your offerings without having to change your business name. (This applies to the above method, too!)
\n3: [Something abstract that’s industry-related]
\nReal life examples: Prepare to Publish, Liminal Pages, Book Butchers.
\nThis format is arguably the most creative, but it can be difficult to tell exactly what’s on offer without having to find out more. Good if you want to expand your business to include a variety of services not strictly to do with editing (such as formatting and design), though.
\nI went with the first option when I started out. My business name was Playle Editorial Services, but I eventually decided it lacked punch and was a bit dull.
\nI rebranded to Liminal Pages when I decided I wanted to focus on speculative fiction and offer online courses as well as editing. (Now, I just offer online courses.) If I’d decided to stick with offering editorial services only, though, I probably would have gone with option two.
\nI chose the word ‘liminal’ because it means ‘on the threshold between two states’ or ‘relating to a transitional stage in a process’. I liked it as a metaphor for writing that was transitioning towards publication. As well as that, ‘liminal’ linked to speculative fiction by representing the space between two worlds.
\nIf you’d like additional guidance on choosing the right name for your editing or proofreading business – as well as developing that all-important brand and setting up your website – then check out my self-paced course, The Visible Editor.
\n","excerpt":"If you’re new to the editing world, you might be wondering what to call your business. Your business name is the first thing clients use to form an opinion of your business, so it needs some thought. It should represent what you do and align with your brand. The three main types of business names […]
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\nOfficially, I’ve been running my own business for almost five years. (Unofficially a little longer, since I contracted for the publishing house that use to employ me for about a year and a half.) During that time, these are the five things I’ve appreciated the most.
\nThough this list isn’t in any particular order, this is definitely one of my favourite things about running a business from my laptop. A few years back, I said goodbye to my little rented Victorian house in Norwich, packed my laptop into a rucksack along with around five days’ worth of clothes, and set off around Europe for nine months.
\nIt was one of the best experiences of my life, and my business thrived – in part, I think, because I discovered the benefits of co-working, but also because I felt I’d got that elusive work-life balance thing going on.
\nIt was easier to get my head down and focus on my work because I knew afterwards I could go out and wind my way through the streets of Spain or wander along the stunning coastline of Croatia.
\nI wouldn’t be surprised if most people who edit fiction are book geeks like me.
\nI embrace my geekiness, even if I am a bit of a cliché. I wear glasses, am partial to a good cardigan, love drinking tea and was the kid at school who was teased for always having her nose in a book – even if it was a Buffy the Vampire Slayer novel. (Luckily for my clients, my book reading habits have evolved since then.)
\nI find it weirdly satisfying to improve the rhythm of a sentence by moving a comma, or correcting a misplaced modifier.
\nAnd I love reading in-progress manuscripts, immersing myself in the writer’s world and then dismantling and analysing the story to figure out how they might improve it. It’s both creative and mentally stimulating work. Knowing I’ve helped someone improve their novel makes me so happy, and when I see authors I’ve worked with doing well, my heart swells.
\nWhen I first started out, I took on every project that came my way. Even if it was to edit a non-fiction booklet on choosing a kitchen or proofreading a hundred-page guide to energy efficiency in the home.
\nI quickly realised it would be more beneficial for my business to specialise, and I would enjoy my work more, too, if I took on only the projects that were interesting to me.
\nThat’s when I became a specialist fiction editor.
\nNow that I’m more experienced, I’ve also learned to choose my clients carefully. If I get a bad vibe from a prospective client, I proceed with caution and may well turn them away. It’s important to remind myself that I run my own business and have the power to make these decisions. I’m not just a pen-monkey for hire.
\nThis is another big one for me.
\nTo my very core, I am not a commute-and-work-nine-to-five kind of person.
\nBeen there, done that. Quit after a year.
\nIt’s not easy getting the balance right between freedom and discipline when you work for yourself. I admit, in the early days, I may have watched a few too many episodes of Homes Under the Hammer or played a few too many hours of The Last of Us while enjoying not being under the watchful gaze of an employer. But those days are over. I swear.
\nRecently, I’ve been enjoying waking up without an alarm, spending half an hour on my yoga mat doing my physio exercises, and then cooking a healthy breakfast and making a decent coffee. I feel this really sets me up for a productive day.
\nAs well as that, I don’t need to make an awkward phone call to my boss if I need a sick day, and I don’t need to get my holidays pre-approved weeks in advance either.
\nThis one may come as a surprise to some people.
\nYou might imagine that since I run my own business and mostly work from home, I’m sitting around in my dressing gown all day, hissing when daylight manages to squeeze through the gap in the curtains and worrying that the doorbell will ring and I’ll have to – gasp – interact with another human.
\nYeah, that’s only a little bit true. (I’m sitting in my dressing gown right now, but that’s only because I’m cold and my cardigan is still drying, okay?)
\nSure, I like being alone so I can get my head down and work, but I’m also prone to loneliness.
\nAbout a year into working for myself, I discovered there is an amazing editorial community out there. Through the power of the interwebs, I can connect to thousands of other editors all over the world. Not only that, but the Society for Editors and Proofreaders organises local editor meet-ups and events and conferences where you can meet and talk with real live people who do what you do.
\nThe support, knowledge and friendship I’ve found in the editorial community is wonderful. Editors are my tribe.
\nAnd if you don’t yet run your own editing business but would like to, take a look at my online courses.
\n","excerpt":"Being a freelance fiction editor isn’t all sunshine and roses (self-assessment tax returns, anyone?) but the benefits of running your own editing business far outweigh the negatives. Officially, I’ve been running my own business for almost five years. (Unofficially a little longer, since I contracted for the publishing house that use to employ me for […]
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