This open letter of agreement outlines a basic understanding of what a client can expect from Golden Standard Proofreading (GSP), and what GSP expects from its clients. By signing on with GSP, clients agree to all terms outlined below.
Golden Standard Proofreading will:
- Keep all material confidential. No portion of any client project will be published or distributed at any time without the author’s consent.
- Proofread a client’s project (or projects) as outlined and agreed upon through a prior, private discussion, be it via email, private message, or other means.
- Maintain regular updates on projects that take longer than two (2) weeks to complete. Updates are done every two (2) to three (3) weeks, normally on Saturday (sometimes on Sunday). Client will be promptly notified of any delays.
- Keep rates reasonable and payment options flexible as needed. (Please note: every July 1, rates increase very minimally.)
GSP clients understand:
- GSP editor is thorough and detail-oriented (i.e. very picky) and will not consider “rush jobs” because of the potential for too many missed errors.
- Client only is GSP editor’s single point of contact—no one but the author may hold any correspondence with the GSP editor about an author’s project.
- GSP reserves the right to adjust the rates of a project should the amount of work increase significantly.
- Payments are due in a timely manner (i.e. within a couple of weeks) unless other prior arrangements are made.
- A “kill fee” of 20% of entire agreed-upon rate will be charged for projects clients end prematurely, to cover any editing work already put into the project (see “kill fee” below).
- GSP editor holds a part-time evening job and is a full-time mom; some delays may occasionally occur.
GSP strives to work with authors to help develop the best projects possible for the right potential readership; thus, GSP works with clients on a basis of three mutually reciprocal elements: trust, honesty, and respect. GSP reserves the right to decline taking on any future projects from clients who breach these three elements.
Kill fee (non-refundable) – 20% of total agreed upon rate if project is/needs to be cancelled by the client.
Return client discount – 10% off any subsequent novel- or novella-length project.
Referral discount – an additional 10% off any project if client refers an author friend to GSP.
Revision and rewrite allowances: Any additional read-throughs after the initial one will be charged at 25% of the regular proofreading rate.
