CYA editing contracts

Eva Lefoy · Sep 18, 2012

A friend of mine wants to start an editing business, but fears being sued by some nutty author for some trumped up charge (just cause she says there are too many people "on the edge" these days).

I've seen maybe (2) editors that use a contract. Most are just a handshake deal, others a brief disclosure via email.

What's the best way for her to protect herself? Yes, she's paranoid, but she's also kind of right....

Thanks,

Jarrah

Old Hack · Sep 18, 2012

The best way to protect herself is to be good at her job, to have a few years appropriate experience working as an editor at a good trade publishing house so she knows what to look out for, to have a good contract in place with her author-clients, to only work with professional writers, to have good PPI, and to not screw up.

If she does all that she should be fine.

What does CYA stand for?

Terie · Sep 19, 2012

Old Hack said:
What does CYA stand for?

Cover your ass.

Old Hack · Sep 19, 2012

I'd need a bloody big contract to do that.

Eva Lefoy · Sep 19, 2012

Well she was my boss at the newspaper so she has a ton of years editing experience but mostly nonfic.

she's worried that someone, someday, will say, "you made my work suck worse, it's your fault I can't get this published," or, "you plagiarized me," stole my story, etc.

How do you protect against that??

Old Hack · Sep 19, 2012

How do you protect against that? Read my first post in this thread.

LindsayM · Sep 19, 2012

Jarrah Dale said:
A friend of mine wants to start an editing business, but fears being sued by some nutty author for some trumped up charge (just cause she says there are too many people "on the edge" these days).

I've seen maybe (2) editors that use a contract. Most are just a handshake deal, others a brief disclosure via email.

What's the best way for her to protect herself? Yes, she's paranoid, but she's also kind of right....

Thanks,

Jarrah

I've been a freelance editor for over a decade now, and I've never had this happen. HOWEVER, I screen my potential clients before we start working together, and I've definitely had occasions where something just felt "wrong" and turned down the work for that very reason. And if there is any question in my mind that a particular writer might be a little batty, I will put a legal, work-for-hire contract in place to protect myself.

WeaselFire · Sep 20, 2012

Jarrah Dale said:
Yes, she's paranoid, but she's also kind of right....

One of the editors I use has the experience, almost 20 years at big 6 publishers, and does a fair amount of editing for individual authors. He's never had an experience like you describe. His contract is primarily scope of work and payment details, nothing covering him for this.

My experience is that you can be sued for anything, but this risk would be awfully small.

Jeff

absitinvidia · Sep 20, 2012

Jarrah Dale said:
Well she was my boss at the newspaper so she has a ton of years editing experience but mostly nonfic.

she's worried that someone, someday, will say, "you made my work suck worse, it's your fault I can't get this published," or, "you plagiarized me," stole my story, etc.

How do you protect against that??

She's worrying about something that will likely never happen.

I've been a freelance editor for almost 20 years, and the single biggest problem I've had is people who decide not to pay.

Eva Lefoy · Sep 21, 2012

Thanks guys/gals.

I mean, I know it seems crazy but yes, you can be sued for anything these days!

Hopefully she can put some clauses in her contract to make her feel protected.

CYA editing contracts

Eva Lefoy

practical experience, FTW

Old Hack

Such a nasty woman

Terie

Writer is as Writer does

Old Hack

Such a nasty woman

Eva Lefoy

practical experience, FTW

Old Hack

Such a nasty woman

LindsayM

WeaselFire

Benefactor Member

absitinvidia

A bit of a wallflower

Eva Lefoy

practical experience, FTW