• Fees
  • Coaching for Aspiring Authors
  • Ghostwriting Your Non-Fiction Book
  • Ghostwriting Your Articles
  • Editing Services
  • Blog Design, Set-up and Writing
• Payment and Other Policies

Fees shown are quoted in U.S. Dollars. If you prefer to pay in Euros, the fees will be calculated according to the current exchange rates.

Note that the fees listed here are general estimates only. I provide each client with a project quote after I know more about your specific requirements and the scope of the project.

Deposits and Payment Plans: in virtually ALL cases, I request 50% of the project estimate in advance before I will start work. (For very small projects I may require the entire fee up front.) The remaining 50% will be broken down into 1 or more payments based on the scope and length of the project. The final invoice will be presented when the final draft documents are delivered, and will include any balance due on the project PLUS reimbursement of an additional expenses (see below).

I accept payment by check in USD or Euros, bank wire transfer in USD or Euros, or by major credit card (USD only) -- I accept Visa, Mastercard and American Express.

Please note that the copyright on the written works I create will NOT transfer to you until payment has been received in full. In the event you do not make full payment according to the terms of our agreement, I will retain the copyright on the written work and you will be prohibited from using it until full payment has been made.

Due on receipt: I do not operate on a Net 10 or Net 30 basis. Therefore all payments are due upon receipt. This means: if we have agreed to a particular payment schedule, your credit card will be billed on that date, or your wire transfer or check will be expected on or before that date. There are no exceptions.

Project-related expenses: Clients are responsible for covering all project-related expenses including, but not limited to: travel expenses (airfare, hotel, transportation and meals while traveling), travel time including local travel over one hour daily, supplies, postage and shipping, telephone calls outside the US and Canada (unless Skype is used), and photocopies. Expenses will normally need to be paid as they are incurred unless we make other arrangements in advance.

Sorry, no writing on "spec": Please note that I do not write books, or articles "on spec", i.e. in anticipation of you selling the work to a publisher at some future date. Nor do I discount my work on your promise of future work. I work strictly on a "cash and carry" basis - I do the work, charge what I think I am worth, and I get paid when I'm doing it, not when/if you get the book or article published.

Acting as Literary Agent/Selling your Book, or Writing Book Proposals: Sorry, these are services I do not provide. I cannot recommend an agent or publisher for your book. I did once offer proposal writing services but no longer do this sort of work.

However, if you want to receive some coaching/consulting to develop a strategy for contacting agents and selling your book, I offer Coaching Programs for Aspiring Authors.

Warranties/Guarantees: My guarantee to each client is that I will use my writing and business expertise to the very best of my ability, to ensure that the client is fully satisfied with the written works I produce. I want each and every client to be able to say that working with me was a completely delightful experience!

Beyond that, I cannot warranty or guarantee that the written work(s) I create will produce any specific results the client may be seeking, including but not limited to the client being able to sell a book manuscript or idea to a publisher, or any desired impact on client's sales, revenues, website traffic or professional reputation. There are simply too many factors outside of my direct control, including the possibility that the client may choose to alter documents after I have delivered them; therefore, I accept no responsibility for the results the client may or may not achieve based on the written works I create or edit on client's behalf.

Non-disclosure/Confidentiality: I take confidentiality and your privacy very seriously. In our signed contract, you will have my assurance of confidentiality and that I will not knowingly disclose your information or anything about our relationship unless you have given me permission to do so, or unless required to do so by law. This includes situations where there is the possibility of my writing on topics similar to your project or if I were to accept work from one of your competitors.
If I am serving as your ghostwriter, I will request your permission to list you as a reference or to list your book/article in my portfolio. If you prefer to maintain complete secrecy about the nature of our work together, of course I will respect that.

Non-compete Agreements: Sorry - I never enter into non-compete agreements. I believe that contracts should be fair, equitable and attractive to both parties. My opinion of NCAs for freelance writers is that they provide all the protection to the client and are financially harmful to the writer, and as such they are a "bad deal" rather than a win-win for both parties. Furthermore they are either illegal or non-enforcable in many states because they have the potential to significantly restrict the writer's ability to earn a living within their industry and/or geographic area. If you are concerned about protecting your proprietary methods and personal or company information, the non-disclosure agreement (see above) that I include in all my contracts should be more than sufficient to protect your interests.