Sample Writing Service Contract
This writing service contract is made on this date ____ by and between [Your Company Name] located at [Your Company Address] hereinafter referred to as “the Writer” and [Client Name] of [Client Address] hereinafter referred to as “the Client”.
Whereas, the Writer is engaged in the business of providing writing services and the Client desires to retain the Writer’s services for the project specified herein;
Now, therefore, for good and valuable consideration, the sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:
Scope of Project
The Client hereby retains the Writer to write and/or edit the following project (hereinafter referred to as “the Work”) according to the Client’s specific instructions and requirements:
[Provide a brief 1-2 sentence description of the writing project].
The Writer agrees to produce the Work according to the specifications outlined in this Agreement and any additional instructions provided by the Client.
Delivery Date
The Writer agrees to complete the Work on or before [Delivery Date]. The Writer shall regularly update the Client on the progress of the Work. The delivery date may be extended upon written request of the Client and approval by the Writer.
Payment Terms
In consideration for the Writer’s services, the Client agrees to pay the Writer the following fees:
[Specify either a flat fee or hourly rate for the project. You may also offer tiered pricing structures based on word count or other metrics].
Payment shall be made as follows:
50% of the total fee is due upon signing of this Agreement as a non-refundable retainer.
Remaining 50% is due upon delivery of the final Work.
The Writer reserves the right to charge additional fees for requests for revisions exceeding the scope of work outlined in Section 1. All additional fees shall be agreed to in writing by both parties.
The Client agrees to pay applicable state/local sales tax on all fees. The Client also agrees to pay a late fee equal to 2% of the outstanding balance per month for any amounts not paid within 30 days.
Revision and Editing
The Writer agrees to provide one round of reasonable revisions based on the Client’s feedback or instructions. “Reasonable” is defined as non-substantive changes that do not require significant research or rewriting.
Requests for extensive revisions beyond what is considered reasonable may incur additional fees that shall be agreed to in writing prior to commencing the additional work.
The Client agrees to provide all revision requests in writing and allow 7-10 business days for revisions to be completed once feedback has been received.
Confidentiality
The Writer acknowledges that in the performance of this Agreement it may learn private information about the Client’s business or projects (“Confidential Information”). The Writer agrees to keep all such Confidential Information strictly confidential and not to use or disclose it to any third party without prior written consent.
Upon termination of this Agreement, the Writer shall promptly return or destroy any documents or other materials containing Confidential Information. The Writer’s confidentiality obligations shall survive termination of this Agreement.
Intellectual Property Rights
The Writer retains copyright over any templates, tools or other works it uses to create the Work. Upon final payment by Client, all intellectual property rights over the contents of the completed Work shall be assigned to and owned by the Client.
The Writer grants the Client a non-exclusive, worldwide, and perpetual license to use, copy and distribute any portions of the Work (including edits, revisions or partial drafts) created prior to receipt of final payment.
If the Client plans to disseminate or publish the Work, appropriate credit shall be given to the Writer. The Writer’s name, likeness and biographical information shall not be used for any commercial purpose without prior written approval.
Representations and Warranties
The Writer represents and warrants that the Work will be original, not infringe upon any copyright, and will not contain any plagiarized, unlawful or unethical content, to the best of the Writer’s knowledge. If any part of the Work is determined to infringe or otherwise violate third party rights, the Writer agrees to indemnify the Client against legal claims, damages and costs.
Cancellation and Termination
This Agreement may be cancelled by either party at any time with 30 days written notice. If the Client cancels after work has commenced but before completion, the Writer will be compensated accordingly based on work completed at the agreed hourly or project rate.
This Agreement may be immediately terminated by either party for breach of contract, which shall include but not be limited to failure to make payments or provide deliverables within the specified timeframes. In the event of termination due to breach, the breaching party shall remit final payment for work completed and costs incurred.
No Employment Relationship
The parties agree and acknowledge that this Agreement does not create an employment relationship between them. The Writer is engaged as an independent contractor and shall be solely responsible for payment of any taxes associated with compensation received under this Agreement.
Dispute Resolution
Should any dispute arise under this Agreement that the parties are unable to resolve through negotiation, they shall submit the dispute to binding arbitration in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association. Judgment upon any award rendered by the arbitrator may be entered in any court with appropriate jurisdiction.
General Provisions
This Agreement constitutes the complete understanding between the parties. Any amendments must be in writing and signed by both parties.
If any provision of this Agreement is determined to be invalid or unenforceable, such provision shall be deemed severed from the remainder of the Agreement and the balance shall remain valid and in force.
This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the state of [Your State]. In the event that any provision of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.
In witness whereof, intending to be legally bound, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the date first set forth above.
[Your Company Name]
By: _____________________
Name: [Your Name]
Title: Owner/CEO
[Client Company Name]
By: _____________________
Name: [Client Name]
Title: [Client Title]
Andrew Stroud