A) L. Rigdon is capable of completing any project listed on her "Rates and Services" page. Even if your project isn't listed as one of her services, feel free to e-mail her with the details. She is always ready for a new challenge, and will review any project submitted to her.
Q) Can L. Rigdon guarantee confidentiality with any documents/ideas I send?
A) L. Rigdon will not divulge any details about clients’ or potential clients’ projects/information. Contracts will include clauses outlining confidentiality between L. Rigdon and her clients.
Q) How do I hire L. Rigdon?
A) First off, describe your project in an e-mail and submit that to: projectparameters@lrigdon.com. You'll receive a response within two to four business days. After your project has been accepted, she will contact you with further details, and the two of you will negotiate a Project Agenda discussing the project details, when it will be completed, agreed-upon fees, and other legal matters.
Q) What should I include in my e-mail describing my project?
A) You will need to include the following:
FIRST state what the project is, such as a book, how-to guide, newspaper article, résumé, etc..
NEXT, in one or two sentences, describe what your project is about. For example, if you were writing a book on dogs, you could say your book is focusing on famous dogs throughout history.
If you can, include the word or page count you are expecting for the completed project.
ADDITIONALLY, your current time constraints/deadlines are necessary for scheduling and proper estimates.
LASTLY, include your full name, e-mail address, phone number, and list the best time to contact you. Realize L. Rigdon will contact most of her clients through e-mail, but occasionally technology does break down.
Q) What should I expect from the moment I hire L. Rigdon to the moment my project is completed?
A) L. Rigdon strives to make sure each of her clients is well treated throughout the entire process, and that they are fully satisfied with the results. Her process is as follows:
1) Client sends a "Project Parameters" e-mail to L. Rigdon.
2) L. Rigdon accepts the project, and a discussion begins about the project details.
3) After several e-mails/phone calls, L. Rigdon will create a Project Agenda document describing exactly what the project entails, a timeline for when each portion of the project will be completed, and a fee schedule. At this time, the client will sign a contract for the project and pay 10% of the projected total fee.
4) Next, a detailed outline of the entire project must be approved by the client before L. Rigdon can move forward. Once approved, the client will submit 15% of the projected total fee.
5) Following that, L. Rigdon will proceed in writing the entire project. Some projects will have multiple deadlines during this phase, but it varies based on each project. L. Rigdon will submit the final draft to the client for approval. At that time, the client will pay 65% of the projected total fee. NOTE:the 65% may have been partially paid through installments upon completion of each stage/deadline. After the final stage/deadline, the 65% must be paid in full.
6) Clients have five business days to review the final draft. If no corrections are needed, client pays the final 10% of the projected total fee, and the project is completed. If revisions of moderate level editing are needed, client will notate those revisions and submit them to L. Rigdon for review.
7) If L. Rigdon approves of the edits, she will revise the final draft and submit it for approval. Clients only receive 1 (one) review/revision per stage/deadline before additional fees apply.
Q) Can I send attachments with my Project Parameters e-mail?
A) During this initial contact, L. Rigdon would request potential clients to NOTsubmit attachments. After L. Rigdon has accepted your project, she will be requesting further documents from you, and at that time you can attach whatever documents she requests.
Q) What file format should I use when attaching requested documents?
A) RTF format works best, as does PDF. L. Rigdon uses Microsoft Word 2003, and should have no problems with Word documents for versions 2003 and prior. If you are a Mac user, please formatyour documents so they will be readable by Mircrosoft Word.
Q) What types of payments are accepted?
A) Currently, payment through PayPal is preferred. Checks and Money Orders are acceptable, but can cause delays with project delivery deadlines.
Q) When is/are payment(s) submitted?
A) As the contract is being created, L. Rigdon and the client will discuss payment options and schedules. Usually, L. Rigdon will require 10% of the total fee upfront. Total payment will be divided into several smaller payments as each stage of the project is completed. L. Rigdon will notify clients when a stage is ready, and clients must make payment accordingly.
Q) How many edits will my project receive?
A) After a particular writing style/format has been established, L. Rigdon will thoroughly edit the work prior to submitting it for your review. Your project will receive one (1) additional edit per stage/deadline. Clients have five business days to review the work and request any moderate edits.
Q) What is a “moderate” level edit?
A) Moderate level edits can include changing paragraph/chapter order, eliminating text, modifying graphs/graphics/charts, changing font styles/sizes, and adding some additional text for clarification reasons only. L. Rigdon reserves the right to define when certain edits go beyond moderate level editing.
Q) What if I need more than moderate level editing?
A) If the project requires more work than what was initially agreed-upon, L. Rigdon and the client will draft up a new contract that includes the additional work. In turn, the client will be charged additional fees as outlined in the revised contract.
Q) What if I don't like how the project turns out?
A) Part of L. Rigdon's process is to thoroughly go over every aspect of the project with the client. This process should lessen the chance of the client being dissatisfied with the work. Nevertheless, clients are permitted to reject the work and receive a partial refund determined by the amount of work previously approved.
Q) Who owns the work when it's done?
A) Most of the time, clients are paying for the work to be completed in a "work-for-hire" capacity. In other words, L. Rigdon will create and complete the project per the parameters set by the client, and, upon payment in full, the work will then be owned entirely by the client unless otherwise stated in the contract. Occasionally, L. Rigdon’s prices can be negotiated down for co-writing or editing credits. These negotiations usually involve a royalty payment/percentage for a period of time after initial publication.
