Editing Contract Template
$247 or 3 x $93
Finally—a contract template written specifically for freelance editors! Whether you’re a fiction or nonfiction editor, academic copyeditor, or any other kind of editor, using this contract template will make your freelance business legally legit without the hassle or expense of hiring an attorney.
This easy-to-use, fill-in-the-blank contract template will define enforceable professional boundaries, protecting both you and your clients. It includes clauses on scope of work, payment terms, client relationships, AI-generated content, and more.
Book your next editing project with confidence knowing that you have an attorney-drafted, legalese-free contract ready to send to your client.
Highlights
- Written for freelance editors by a freelance editor (and a licensed attorney)
- Uses plain language that anyone can understand
- Includes options so you can “choose your own adventure” and offer multiple services and/or payment plans
- Easily customizable thanks to clearly labeled editable fields
- Includes clauses on modern concerns for editors, such as editing AI-generated content
- Receive all future template updates for free
The Editing Contract Template is best suited for any freelance editor who offers beta reading, authenticity/sensitivity reading, manuscript evaluations, developmental editing, line editing, copyediting, and/or proofreading.
“You did all of this amazing work so others don’t have to!! LOVE IT.”
“I love how reader-friendly it is … Having a good, solid, understandable contract is so important.”
What’s Included
The Editing Contract Template is a thorough document that covers:
- Who is entering into the contract
- What project you’re working on together, including word count
- What is and is not included in the scope of work, with task descriptions spanning beta reading, authenticity/sensitivity reading, manuscript evaluations, developmental editing, line editing, copyediting, and proofreading
- Project deadlines for both you and the client
- Payment terms spanning an initial deposit, payment plans, late fees, and accepted payment methods
- The nature of your relationship with the client, including how you’ll handle inappropriate behavior and disrespect of professional boundaries
- Acknowledge that the client’s work does or does not include AI-generated content
- Confidentiality agreement
- Who owns the copyright to the project you’re editing
- That you cannot guarantee the work will be acquired by a publisher or be 100% error-free
- That the client must obtain permission to mention you in the finished text
- Liability spanning copyright infringement, libel, and legal claims from the use of generative AI platforms
- How you and the client may terminate the contract, and who owes whom money in either case
- How you’ll handle any legal disputes with the client
- Stipulations that the contract can be modified by you and the client under certain circumstances
- Protections for the remainder of the agreement if any part of it ends up being invalid
- Signatures to make it legally binding
How It Works
Download – Once purchased, you’ll immediately receive access to your digital download via email. You’ll receive the contract template as a Microsoft Word document.
Customize – The contract template is written with multiple options throughout so you can pick and choose which project tasks and payment terms make the most sense for your business.
Update – We’ll update the contract as our industry standards continue to evolve. You’ll receive all future updates to the contract template for free, so you’ll always be protected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Any US-based freelance editor who is hired to perform editing services. Specifically, it would be most helpful for editors contracted to perform the following: beta reading, authenticity/sensitivity reading, manuscript evaluations, developmental editing, line editing, copyediting, and proofreading.
No. This contract template was written by an attorney licensed by the State of Illinois, USA, and follows generally accepted principles of contracts drafted in the United States. Yes, a US-based business can still use the contract if your client is from outside of the US.
Please reuse the template in your freelance editing business—that’s what it was designed for! That said, your purchase is only valid for one business entity and may not be shared outside of it.
Yes. You’ll receive the template in a fully editable Microsoft Word format, and certain areas will be highlighted in yellow for you to customize to reflect your business name, client’s name, project details, etc. You an also remove any information not applicable to your business and/or project. While you can also edit the contract clauses, it is not advised, as any changes may alter the legality of the document and the protections it originally intended to afford. Your attorney should look over the template if you make any changes to the contract clauses.
Freelance editor and business coach Tara Whitaker developed this contract template with the help of Adam Quigley, an attorney licensed by the State of Illinois.
Though Adam is an attorney, he is not your attorney. Purchasing the contract template does not create an attorney-client relationship.
Please contact us at hello@tarawhitaker.com and we’ll be happy to help!
Disclaimers
This contract template is not subject to guarantees, and due to the nature of digital downloads, is not eligible for refunds. Purchasing the contract template does not create an attorney-client relationship. Nothing in the contract template or on the website is to be considered legal advice. Laws regarding contracts and freelance workers can vary from state to state. If you have questions, you should consult an attorney licensed in your state.
