This Agreement ("Agreement," "Terms") governs the provision of professional manuscript review services by Rebecca E. Schmuck, operating as The Write Author, LLC ("Service Provider," "Reviewer," "We," "Us"), to the client ("Client," "Author," "You"). By submitting your manuscript, engaging with our website, or making payment for any of our Services, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions.

1. Definitions

The Services: Refers collectively to the Reader Response Review, Red Pen Review, Last Look Beta Read, Paid Sample Review, and Draft to Done Bundle services offered by The Write Author.

Reader Response Review: The service focusing on providing comprehensive feedback on the overall reader experience and developmental elements of a manuscript.

Red Pen Review: The service providing in-depth editorial suggestions and direct markup on a manuscript for deep refinement and polish.

Last Look Beta Read: The service providing a final, professional read of an exceptionally polished manuscript to confirm seamless flow and catch any significant remaining snags in plot, character, or pacing from a reader's perspective.

Paid Sample Review: A preliminary review of up to 2,500 words of a manuscript for a specified fee, intended to demonstrate the Service Provider's review style and quality.

Draft to Done Bundle: A comprehensive, multi-phase package encompassing the Reader Response Review, Red Pen Review, and Last Look Beta Read, offered at a discounted rate compared to purchasing services individually.

Manuscript: The literary work submitted by the Client for review.

Confidential Information: Refers to the Manuscript and any specific questions, concerns, or context provided by the Client.

2. Scope of Services

2.1. Reader Response Review (Full Service) The Reader Response Review focuses on the manuscript's impact on an experienced reader. Feedback will be provided in a comprehensive written report on:

Overall Enjoyment and Reader Engagement

Emotional Impact of Key Moments

Pacing and Flow

Clarity and Understanding of the Narrative

Character Connection and Believability

Plot Progression and Cohesion Scope Limitation: Minor disruptive typos or grammatical errors observed during the read may be flagged, but this service is not a comprehensive proofreading or copyediting service and does not include line-by-line markups or extensive grammar/punctuation correction.

2.2. Red Pen Review (Full Service) The Red Pen Review provides in-depth editorial suggestions and meticulous polish. This service includes:

Direct markup (e.g., Track Changes in Microsoft Word, or Comments/Suggestions in Google Docs) on the Manuscript.

Focus on clarity, conciseness, consistency, pacing, word choice, sentence structure, and overall impact.

Aims to provide actionable notes for the Client to refine their prose and improve the manuscript's effectiveness across all levels of feedback.

2.3. Last Look Beta Read (Full Service) The Last Look Beta Read provides a rapid, professional final read of an exceptionally polished manuscript. This service includes:

A written assessment of the reader experience, focusing on overall flow, major plot or character inconsistencies, and pacing from a final reader's perspective. Scope Limitation: This service is not a comprehensive edit or proofread and is intended for highly polished manuscripts. It focuses on big-picture flow for final confidence, not detailed line-by-line corrections.

2.4. Paid Sample Reviews

Reader Response Review Sample: A review of up to 2,500 words for a fee of $20 USD.

Red Pen Review Sample: A review of up to 2,500 words for a fee of $50 USD.

Purpose: Paid Sample Reviews are intended solely to allow the Client to evaluate the Service Provider's review style and quality before committing to a full service. They are not comprehensive reviews of the entire Manuscript.

2.5. Draft to Done Bundle The Draft to Done Bundle is a comprehensive, multi-phase package that includes the Reader Response Review, Red Pen Review, and Last Look Beta Read services, offered at a 15% discount compared to purchasing these services individually. The scope of each included service within the bundle adheres to their individual descriptions in Sections 2.1, 2.2, and 2.3.

3. Pricing & Payment

3.1. Full Service Pricing

Reader Response Review: $0.005 USD per word.

Red Pen Review: Rates start at $0.010 USD per word. The final quote for the Red Pen Review will be determined after the completion of the required sample assessment.

Last Look Beta Read:

Short Stories (up to 15,000 words): $25 flat fee

Novellas (15,001 - 40,000 words): $65 flat fee

Novels (40,001 - 80,000 words): $100 flat fee

Longer Novels (80,001 - 120,000 words): $150 flat fee

For manuscripts over 120,000 words, a custom quote will be provided.

Pricing for any other custom services will be provided via a separate quote.

3.2. Draft to Done Bundle Pricing & Payment Process The Draft to Done Bundle offers a 15% discount on the combined individual prices of the Reader Response Review, Red Pen Review, and Last Look Beta Read. The payment process for the bundle is phased as follows:

Phase 1: Reader Response Review (RR) & Initial Payment. A 50% non-refundable deposit based on the Reader Response Review's estimated total ($0.005/word) is required to secure the booking and commence work on this phase. The remaining 50% balance for this phase is due upon its completion, prior to the delivery of the Reader Response Review report.

Phase 2: Red Pen Review (RP) & Bundle Discount Applied. After Client revisions based on the Reader Response Review, Client will proceed with a required Red Pen Review sample assessment. This assessment is essential for the Service Provider to determine the specific per-word rate for the Red Pen Review, which will then be included in the 15% total bundle discount calculation. To ensure qualification for the bundle discount, Client must submit the Red Pen Review (including its sample assessment) within 6 months (180 calendar days) of receiving the completed Reader Response Review report. The invoice for the Red Pen Review will clearly show the full individual prices for both the Reader Response Review and the Red Pen Review, followed by the combined 15% bundle discount applied to that subtotal. A 50% non-refundable deposit of the remaining balance is required to begin this phase, with the final balance due upon its completion.

Phase 3: Last Look Beta Read (LL) & Final Bundle Payment. Once the Manuscript is revised after the Red Pen Review, Client will submit it for the Last Look Beta Read. To maintain the 15% total bundle discount, this service must be booked within 3 months (90 calendar days) of receiving the completed Red Pen Review. The invoice will be updated to include the Last Look Beta Read's individual price, and the total 15% bundle discount will be finalized across all three services. The remaining balance of the entire bundle will be due upon booking this final service.

3.3. Payment Terms (Standalone Full Services) For individual Reader Response Review, Red Pen Review, or Last Look Beta Read services (not part of the Draft to Done Bundle), a non-refundable deposit of 50% of the total estimated project cost (based on the provided word count or flat fee) is required to secure the booking and commence work. The remaining 50% balance is due upon completion of the review service, prior to the final delivery of the reviewed Manuscript and accompanying feedback. Payment methods will be specified in the invoice.

3.4. Payment Terms (Paid Sample Reviews) The full fee for a Paid Sample Review ($20 for Reader Response, $50 for Red Pen) is due upfront upon submission of the sample request. This sample fee will be credited towards the cost of any full Reader Response Review, Red Pen Review, Last Look Beta Read, or the Draft to Done Bundle if the full service or bundle is booked by the Client within 30 calendar days of the sample review's completion. The credit is non-transferable and can only be applied to one full service or bundle.

4. Client Responsibilities

4.1. Manuscript Submission Clients must submit their Manuscript in a document format that allows for direct markup (e.g., Microsoft Word DOC/DOCX with Track Changes enabled, or Google Docs with "Suggesting" or "Commenting" access). PDFs or image files are not acceptable for review. The Client is responsible for providing an accurate word count of the Manuscript at the time of submission. The Client must provide any specific questions, concerns, or context about their Manuscript that they wish the Reviewer to consider.

4.2. Manuscript Readiness While our services are a developmental step, the Client should submit a Manuscript that is as complete and polished as possible for effective feedback. The Reviewer is not responsible for issues arising from an incomplete or unrevised draft beyond the scope of the agreed-upon Service.

4.3. Communication Clients agree to respond to any necessary communications from The Write Author in a timely manner.

4.4. Understanding Service Scope Clients are responsible for understanding the scope of the chosen Service as outlined in Section 2. Any requests for work outside of the agreed-upon scope may incur additional charges or may not be accommodated.

5. Service Provider Responsibilities

5.1. Confidentiality All Manuscripts and any Confidential Information submitted by the Client will be treated with the utmost confidentiality. The Service Provider agrees not to share, distribute, or discuss the contents of the Manuscript with any third parties without the Client's express written permission, except as required by law.

5.2. Timely Delivery An estimated turnaround time will be provided to the Client upon confirmation of the Manuscript's word count and receipt of the deposit for full services, or upon sample submission for Paid Sample Reviews. The Service Provider will make reasonable efforts to adhere to agreed-upon deadlines. Should unforeseen circumstances cause a delay, the Client will be notified promptly. For the Draft to Done Bundle, personalized timelines for the Red Pen Review and Last Look Beta Read will be provided after their respective assessments.

5.3. Quality of Service We commit to providing high-quality, professional, and actionable feedback based on our expertise and the agreed-upon Service scope.

6. Revisions, Cancellations & Refunds

6.1. Clarification of Feedback Minor clarifications regarding the provided feedback may be requested by the Client via email within 7 calendar days of receiving the Deliverables. Additional rounds of review or significant revisions to the Manuscript are not included in the initial Service fee and will require a separate agreement or new booking.

6.2. Cancellations by Client

Full Services (Reader Response, Red Pen, Last Look Beta Read, & Draft to Done Bundle): If a Client cancels a full service or bundle before work has commenced on that specific service phase, the 50% non-refundable deposit (or the relevant portion for the bundle phase) will be retained by the Service Provider. If a Client cancels after work has commenced on a specific service phase, the entire 50% deposit will be retained, and the Client will be invoiced for any work completed beyond the deposit amount, up to the full project fee, calculated at our standard rates for the portion completed.

Paid Sample Reviews: All Paid Sample Review fees are non-refundable. Work on sample assessments is considered commenced immediately upon payment to ensure prompt delivery of feedback.

6.3. Cancellations by Service Provider In the rare event that The Write Author must cancel a Service prior to or during its commencement due to unforeseen circumstances, we will provide the Client with written notice as soon as possible. Any payments received, including deposits, for work not yet completed will be promptly refunded to the Client.

6.4. Limitations of Service & No Guarantees The Services provide subjective feedback and editorial suggestions based on the Service Provider's professional judgment and experience. We do not guarantee publication, agent representation, specific sales results, or the elimination of all errors in the Manuscript. The ultimate success and final content of the Manuscript rests solely with the Client.

6.5. Refunds All deposits are non-refundable. Full payment for Services rendered is due upon completion. In the highly unlikely event that a Client is genuinely unsatisfied with the quality of work (and has articulated specific, justifiable concerns that cannot be resolved through clarification), The Write Author will work with the Client in good faith to find an equitable resolution, which may include a partial refund at our sole discretion.

7. Intellectual Property

7.1. Client's Rights The Client retains all copyright and intellectual property rights in and to their Manuscript. The Service Provider's comments, suggestions, and feedback are advisory only and do not transfer any intellectual property rights to the Service Provider.

7.2. Service Provider's Rights Any methods, processes, or proprietary information used by The Write Author in providing Services remain the intellectual property of The Write Author.

8. Limitation of Liability

In no event shall the Service Provider be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising out of or related to these Services. The Service Provider's total liability shall not exceed the amount paid by the Client for the specific Service in question. The Service Provider does not offer legal, financial, marketing, or publishing advice.

9. Governing Law

This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Tennessee, United States, without regard to its conflict of law principles.

10. Acceptance of Terms & Changes to Terms

By submitting a request form and/or making payment for any Service offered by The Write Author, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions. The Write Author reserves the right to modify these Terms at any time. Any changes will be posted on our website and will be effective immediately upon posting. Your continued use of our services after any such changes constitutes your acceptance of the new Terms.

11. Contact Information

For any questions regarding these Terms or our services, please contact us at: [email protected]