Copywriter Contract Template

COPYWRITING SERVICES AGREEMENT This Agreement is entered into as of [DATE] between: CLIENT: [CLIENT FULL NAME OR COMPANY NAME], located at [CLIENT ADDRESS] ("Client") CONTRACTOR: [YOUR FULL NAME OR BUSINESS NAME], located at [YOUR ADDRESS] ("Contractor") Together referred to as the "Parties." --- 1. SERVICES Contractor agrees to provide the following writing services ("Work"): [DESCRIBE IN DETAIL — e.g., "Five (5) website pages including Home, About, Services, FAQ, and Contact. Estimated word count: 2,000–2,500 words total. Delivered as Google Doc files ready for client review."] Client will provide a written brief, brand guidelines, and any required reference materials at least [5] business days before the agreed start date. Contractor will write to the brief but retains professional discretion in structure and execution. --- 2. GHOSTWRITING [OPTIONAL — Include if writing under the client's name or brand voice. Remove if not applicable.] This is a ghostwriting engagement. All Work created under this Agreement will be attributed to Client. Client may publish the Work under their name, byline, or brand without crediting Contractor. Upon receipt of full payment, Contractor agrees not to publicly claim authorship of the Work. Contractor retains the right to reference this engagement in general terms (e.g., "website copy for a [industry] brand") in professional contexts, without identifying Client or reproducing the Work. --- 3. SOURCE MATERIAL AND ACCURACY Client is responsible for providing all factual information, product details, statistics, claims, and source materials included in or referenced by the Work. Contractor will write based on materials provided by Client and reasonable publicly available research, but is not responsible for independently verifying facts provided by Client. Client assumes full responsibility for the accuracy of any claims in the final published Work. Contractor is not liable for errors, omissions, or legal issues arising from information provided by Client. --- 4. REVISIONS This Agreement includes [TWO (2)] rounds of revisions. A revision is defined as adjustments to existing copy: tone tweaks, word swaps, light restructuring, or copy changes within the original brief. A revision does NOT include: - Changes that alter the core message, angle, or strategy of the Work - Requests to rewrite sections from scratch with a new direction - Additions that substantially increase the word count or scope - Changes resulting from a new or updated brief The above constitute new work and are billed at $[HOURLY RATE] per hour or a separately quoted fee, regardless of revision round count. Revision requests must be submitted in writing within [7] days of delivery. Requests submitted after this window may be treated as new work. --- 5. TIMELINE Brief and materials provided by Client: [DATE] First draft delivered: [DATE] Final approved copy delivered: [DATE] Timelines are contingent on Client providing the brief and all required materials on time. Delays caused by Client may result in revised delivery dates at no penalty to Contractor. --- 6. COMPENSATION Total fee: $[AMOUNT] Deposit: $[DEPOSIT AMOUNT] (50% of total) due before work begins Balance: $[REMAINING AMOUNT] due upon delivery of final approved copy Invoices are payable within [7] days of receipt. Invoices unpaid after [14] days accrue a late fee of [1.5%] per month on the outstanding balance. Contractor will not deliver final approved files until payment is received in full. --- 7. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND USAGE RIGHTS [Choose Option A or Option B and delete the other.] OPTION A — LICENSE (Contractor retains copyright, grants usage rights): Upon receipt of full payment, Contractor grants Client a non-exclusive, perpetual license to use, publish, and distribute the Work for the following purposes: [DESCRIBE PERMITTED USE — e.g., "Client's owned website, email marketing, and print materials. Excludes resale or sublicensing to third parties."] Contractor retains copyright and may use the Work as a portfolio sample. Client may not sell or sublicense the Work to any third party without Contractor's written consent. OPTION B — FULL TRANSFER (All rights transfer to Client): Upon receipt of full payment, Contractor assigns to Client all copyright and ownership rights in the Work. Client may use, modify, publish, and sublicense the Work without restriction. Contractor retains no rights to the Work after transfer, including portfolio use, unless Client grants written permission. [Note: Full transfer is typically priced higher than a license. If using Option B, adjust your fee accordingly.] --- 8. ALL WORK REMAINS CONTRACTOR'S PROPERTY UNTIL PAID All drafts, outlines, and final copy remain the intellectual property of Contractor until full payment is received. Contractor may not be compelled to deliver work product in the event of non-payment. --- 9. KILL FEE If Client cancels this Agreement after work has begun, the following cancellation fees apply: - Cancelled before first draft is delivered: 50% of total fee - Cancelled after first draft is delivered: 75% of total fee - Cancelled after revisions are submitted: 100% of total fee The deposit is non-refundable in all cases. --- 10. CONFIDENTIALITY Contractor agrees to keep confidential any non-public information shared by Client in connection with this Agreement, including business strategies, product plans, financial information, and customer data. This obligation survives termination of this Agreement for a period of [2] years. --- 11. INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR Contractor is an independent contractor, not an employee of Client. Contractor is responsible for all taxes on income earned under this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement creates a partnership, joint venture, or employment relationship. --- 12. TERMINATION Either Party may terminate this Agreement with [7] days' written notice. In the event of termination, Client is responsible for payment for all work completed up to the termination date, plus any applicable kill fee as outlined in Section 9. --- 13. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY Contractor's total liability under this Agreement shall not exceed the total fees paid by Client. Contractor is not liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages. --- 14. DISPUTE RESOLUTION The Parties agree to attempt to resolve any dispute through good-faith negotiation before pursuing legal action. This Agreement is governed by the laws of [YOUR STATE/PROVINCE]. --- 15. ENTIRE AGREEMENT This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the Parties and supersedes all prior discussions, proposals, or agreements. Any modifications must be made in writing and signed by both Parties. --- SIGNATURES Contractor: Signature: _______________________________ Name: [YOUR NAME] Date: _______________ Client: Signature: _______________________________ Name: [CLIENT NAME] Title: [CLIENT TITLE, IF APPLICABLE] Date: _______________