Terms & Conditions

These Terms of Service (the “Terms”) outline the rules and expectations that govern your relationship with Westwood. By accessing or using our services, including but not limited to ebook dynamics (fiction and non-fiction), editing, formatting, cover design, audiobook production, publishing support, and marketing solutions (such as social media promotion and SEO), you agree to be legally bound by these Terms. Please read them carefully.

By accessing or using the website and services of Westwood, you confirm that you are at least 18 years of age, have read and understood these Terms & Conditions, and agree to be legally bound by them. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use our services.

Westwood offers a comprehensive suite of creative and professional services designed to help authors, entrepreneurs, and individuals bring their stories and ideas to life through high-quality ebook and audiobook production. Our services include:

• Editing: Comprehensive editing services, including developmental editing, copyediting, and proofreading.
• Formatting and Layout: Professional formatting for various ebook platforms (e.g., Kindle, ePub) and print-on-demand.
• Cover Design: Custom and professionally designed ebook covers tailored to your genre and vision.
• Audiobook Production: Services related to the production of audio versions of your books, including narration, editing, and mastering.
• Publishing Support: Guidance and assistance with the publishing process, including platform setup and distribution.
• Marketing Solutions: Strategic marketing support to promote your book, including social media promotion, search engine optimization (SEO), and content creation. Each project undertaken will be accompanied by a detailed proposal or service agreement outlining specific deliverables, project timelines, agreed-upon fees, payment milestones, and review processes.

Each project undertaken will be accompanied by a detailed proposal or service agreement outlining specific deliverables, project timelines, agreed-upon fees, payment milestones, and review processes.

As a valued client of Westwood, you agree to:

• Provide Accurate Information: Supply accurate, complete, and timely information, materials, and feedback necessary for us to effectively perform the services.
• Content Rights: Affirm that any materials you provide (such as manuscripts, stories, ideas, images, or files) are your original work, or that you have obtained all necessary licenses, permissions, and rights to use and authorize us to use such materials. You agree to indemnify and hold Westwood harmless from any claims of copyright infringement or intellectual property violation arising from content you provide.
• Timely Payments: Make all payments as outlined in your contract or invoice by the agreed-upon due dates.
• Cooperation: Cooperate with us throughout the project duration, including providing feedback and approvals promptly to avoid delays.

• Deposits: Most projects require an upfront deposit (typically 50% of the total project fee) before work commences. This deposit secures your project slot and covers initial work.
• Milestone Payments: For larger or longer-term projects, payments may be structured into milestone payments, payable upon the completion of specific project phases.
• Final Payment: The final payment is due upon project completion and prior to the release of the final deliverables to you.
• Late Payments: In the event of overdue payments, we reserve the right to suspend work on your project until the outstanding balance is cleared. A late fee may be applied to overdue invoices, as specified in your proposal or invoice.
• Refunds: Refunds are considered on a case-by-case basis and depend on the amount of work completed. Generally, full refunds are not available after significant progress has been made on a project. Any refund amount will be prorated based on the services rendered up to the point of cancellation.

• Client Ownership: Upon full and final payment for our services, you will own all intellectual property rights to the final work specifically created for you (e.g., your finished manuscript, cover design, audiobook files), unless otherwise explicitly agreed upon in writing.
• Westwood Portfolio Rights: We may retain the right to showcase samples or excerpts of our work in our portfolio or marketing materials for promotional purposes, provided it does not contain sensitive or confidential information, and unless you specifically request strict confidentiality in writing beforehand.
• Our Tools and Methods: Any tools, methodologies, templates, proprietary software, or underlying intellectual property developed or used by Westwood to create your content remain our intellectual property.
• Third-Party Content: We ensure that any third-party content (e.g., licensed stock images, fonts, music) used in your project is licensed adequately for its intended use. You are responsible for adhering to any licensing terms associated with third-party content once the project is delivered.

We value your trust and are committed to protecting your sensitive information. Any private information you share with us such as your personal story, business ideas, unpublished manuscripts, or proprietary information will be kept strictly confidential. We will not share, disclose, or use your confidential materials for any purpose other than delivering your project services, unless we have your explicit written consent or are legally required to do so.

• Client Cancellation: You may cancel your project at any time by providing written notification to us. If you cancel after work has commenced, any refund will be determined based on the amount of work completed and expenses incurred up to the point of cancellation, as outlined in the "Payment Terms" section.
• Agency Termination: We reserve the right to terminate a contract if you violate these Terms, including but not limited to failure to make timely payments, misrepresentation of provided materials, or misuse of our delivered work. In such cases, any unpaid fees for services rendered will remain due and payable immediately.
• Return of Materials: Upon termination, both parties agree to promptly return or securely delete any confidential materials or proprietary information belonging to the other party, upon request.

Westwood shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising out of or related to your use of our services. Our total liability for any claim shall not exceed the total amount paid by you for the specific service giving rise to the claim. Some jurisdictions do not allow limitation of liability, so these limitations may not apply to you.

For individuals located in the European Economic Area (EEA) and the United Kingdom (UK), Westwood is committed to protecting your personal data in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the UK GDPR, respectively. While our primary operations are based in the U.S., we acknowledge that we may process data of individuals residing in the EEA or UK.

We ensure that any transfer of personal data outside of these regions is conducted in compliance with applicable data protection laws, utilizing appropriate safeguards such as Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) or other legally recognized mechanisms. Under the GDPR, you have enhanced rights regarding your personal data, including the right to complain to a supervisory authority, the right to data portability, and specific rights related to automated decision-making and profiling. We are dedicated to upholding these rights and ensuring your data is handled with the highest level of care and compliance.

These Terms & Conditions are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California, United States, without regard to its conflict of law principles. Any disputes arising under these Terms shall be resolved in accordance with the dispute resolution process outlined in our Disclaimer.

We reserve the right to modify these Terms & Conditions at any time. We will notify you of material changes by posting the updated terms on our website and updating the "Last updated" date above. Your continued use of our services after any changes constitutes acceptance of the revised terms.