Editorial Services Terms & Conditions
 

Effective date: July 2026
 

1. About Ems Edits

These Terms & Conditions govern the provision of editorial services by Ems Edits, the trading name of Emma Fraser, a sole trader based in the United Kingdom.
 

By booking my services, you agree to these Terms & Conditions.
 

2. Services Offered

Ems Edits provides the following services for fiction manuscripts:

- ​Copyediting
- Proofreading

A free sample edit of up to 1,000 words is available to prospective clients. This sample is provided to help determine whether my editing style is the right fit for your project and does not oblige either party to enter into a contract.

3. Quotes and Booking

All quotations are provided free of charge and are valid for 14 days, unless otherwise stated.

A booking is confirmed only when:

- the quotation has been accepted; and
- a 50% non-refundable deposit has been received.

Your project dates will be reserved once the deposit has cleared.

4. Payment

- ​All prices are quoted in Pounds Sterling (GBP £).

- Invoices are issued via QuickBooks.

- Payment may be made by credit or debit card or Stripe.

- The remaining balance is payable upon completion of the project and is due within 14 days of the final edited files being returned.

- Any additional work requested outside the original scope may incur additional charges, which will be discussed and agreed upon in advance.

5. Turnaround Times

Estimated completion dates will be agreed before work begins.
 

Delivery dates are estimates and may be affected by circumstances beyond my reasonable control, including delays in receiving your manuscript or responses to project queries.

If I anticipate any significant delay, I will let you know as soon as possible.

6. Client Responsibilities

The client agrees to:

- provide the most complete version of the manuscript available before editing begins;

- ensure they own the rights to the material submitted or have permission to have it edited;

- disclose any relevant deadlines before booking;

- review the edited manuscript and raise any questions within a reasonable period after delivery.

7. Editorial Process

Copyediting and proofreading involve professional recommendations intended to improve clarity, consistency, readability and overall quality.

All suggested edits remain recommendations. The client retains complete editorial control and is responsible for deciding whether to accept or reject any changes.

8. Confidentiality

Confidentiality is a fundamental part of my business.

All manuscripts, supporting documents and client information are treated as confidential and will not be shared with third parties except:

- with your permission;

- where required by law; or

- where necessary to use trusted service providers, such as secure file storage or payment processing.

9. Artificial Intelligence

Ems Edits does not use generative artificial intelligence (AI) to edit manuscripts or produce editorial feedback.

All editorial work is completed personally by me.

Client manuscripts are not uploaded to AI systems for editorial purposes.

10. Copyright

The client retains full copyright and ownership of their manuscript at all times.

Editing does not transfer ownership of the work or create any claim over its intellectual property.

11. Publication

While every effort is made to provide a professional editorial service, no guarantee is made that a manuscript will:

- secure literary representation;

- be accepted for publication;

- achieve commercial success; or

- be free from every possible error.

The final responsibility for the manuscript remains with the author.

12. Cancellations

The 50% deposit is non-refundable, as it reserves time in my schedule.

If a project is cancelled after work has begun, I reserve the right to invoice for work completed up to the date of cancellation.

If I need to cancel a project before work has started, any deposit paid will be refunded in full.

13. Revisions

The service includes reasonable clarification of editorial comments after delivery.

Requests for additional editing, rewriting or work beyond the original agreement may be quoted as a separate project.

14. File Retention
 

Project files are normally retained for up to 60 days after completion before being securely deleted, unless a longer retention period has been agreed or is required by law.

Clients are encouraged to download and safely store all final files upon receipt.

15. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Ems Edits shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental or consequential loss arising from the use of its editorial services.

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability where it would be unlawful to do so.

16. Changes to These Terms

These Terms & Conditions may be updated from time to time.

The version in force at the time a booking is confirmed will apply to that project.

17. Governing Law

These Terms & Conditions are governed by the laws of England and Wales.

Any disputes arising from these Terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

18. Contact
 

If you have any questions about these Terms & Conditions, please contact:

Ems Edits

Email: hello@emsedits.com

Website: www.emsedits.com