Written agreements are standard business practice. In the editorial context, they serve to prevent misunderstandings or unfairness by ensuring that editors and their clients clarify assumptions and acknowledge all fees/expenses, deadlines and conditions before work begins. When a client asks an editor to undertake an editing project, both parties enter a legal relationship, and it is in both parties’ interests to specify the terms of that relationship in writing.
The Editors’ Association of Canada (Editors Canada) adopted the Standard Freelance Editorial Agreement in 1985. The agreement has been updated several times since, and the Agreement Template for Editing Services (2018) is an extensively revised and updated version.
- Editors can use the agreement template to spell out the nature and terms of an agreement between an editor and a client.
- It does the following:
- details editorial responsibilities
- specifies the agreed fees, reimbursements and deadlines
- states what terms will apply if either party terminates the contract before the work is completed
The agreement template may be customized to suit the job.
Editors Canada accepts no liability with respect to the proper completion of the agreement template or alterations made to it.