Editor Service Agreement

A comprehensive, IPEd-aligned services agreement for professional editors built as a full Letter of Engagement for larger projects, ongoing client relationships, or corporate and publisher clients who expect a more formal contract than a standard freelance agreement.

This template goes well beyond the basics, covering flexible payment plans, AI-tool disclosure, formal dispute resolution, and editing service definitions aligned to the Institute of Professional Editors’ (IPEd) Australian Standards for Editing Practice giving both you and your client a shared, professional understanding of exactly what’s being delivered.

What’s included:

• A complete Letter of Engagement structure with a Service Details summary and full terms and conditions
• Split payment plan options (3- and 6-month instalments with processing fees), late payment interest, and deposit terms
• A dedicated AI Tools clause disclosing permitted use of AI in the editing process while keeping the Editor professionally responsible for all delivered work
• Formal dispute resolution and mediation process, plus force majeure, assignment, and severance clauses
• Copyright and Intellectual Property Rights clauses confirming manuscript ownership stays with the Client throughout
• Appendix A — Academic Editing: IPEd-aligned definitions for copyediting and proofreading of theses, with a link to IPEd’s recommended academic rates
• Appendix B — Fiction and Trade Editing: IPEd-aligned definitions for manuscript assessment, structural/developmental editing, copyediting and proofreading, with a link to IPEd’s recommended fiction/trade rates
• Step-by-step “How to Use This Agreement” instructions, so you know exactly what to customise

Best for: Editors taking on larger manuscripts, academic clients, publishers, or any engagement where a fuller, more formal contract reflects the scale of the work.

General information only — not a substitute for tailored legal advice.