Frequently Asked Questions

► Writing Process
► Fees
► Time Frame
► Confidentiality
► Legalities
► Contact
► Are you related to Yoko Ono?

► PROCESS .   .   .   .   . [back to menu]

Could you explain your writing process for a typical client?

The most successful writing project is a collaborative effort between writer and client, or writer and editor. Communication is the essential element in achieving success.

I begin each new client account with a telephone consultation. This effort allows me to define the client’s immediate need, the scope of work and the client’s expectations. If you decide to work with me, I then mail or fax a Letter of Agreement to you that confirms our business arrangement.

Once you've signed this document and returned it to me, the project can begin. I will ask you to provide as much background material as possible, including, but not limited to, brochures, fliers, marketing e-mails, reports, case studies, web content, or any other kind of company information.

After I have provided you with the first, I will ask that you thoroughly review it, and organize your comments, questions and revisions for discussion. You should expect the first draft will need revisions. No writing project is ever achieved in the first draft.

Do you have repeat clients? How do you work with them?

Yes, I have repeat clients. In fact, 90-percent of my client base is from repeat clients.

In working with these clients, we have a standing agreement and I produce work for them whenever they call. In most cases, I have worked with these clients so often that I am familiar with their office standards and preferences in producing work.

Also, on occasion, I have worked on retainer for select clients. However, I prefer not to accept these types of arrangements on a regular basis.

I am located in North Carolina and you are in Tennessee. Can we still work together effectively?

Why not? I have worked successfully with clients throughout North America, Asia, and Europe while never leaving my office. Today’s technology makes it easy for me to produce work efficiently, no matter where my clients are located.

Can you be available for on-site meetings?

With current technology, on-site meetings are most often not necessary, thus saving clients an added expense. However, I am available to attend meetings in the Nashville-area only, based upon my schedule and availability. For these meetings, I generally charge a per-hour rate for my time, in additional to travel/mileage expense. My established clients never see a need for an on-site meeting.

I don’t see my particular industry listed as one of your areas of expertise. How can you write about my business if you don't have direct experience in my industry?

Research is an integral part of the process for any writer, and my fees include this research. My clients call me a “quick study.” Prior to writing, I spend ample time familiarizing myself with the business, audience, and products. What I don't understand, I generally ask my clients to clarify before writing a single word.

Do you also provide graphic design services?

I am an independent contractor/ consultant for writing services. Although I am not a creative services agency, marketing communications firm or ad agency, I do have substantial training and experience in graphic design, and often provide graphic services in coordinating copy for some projects, if such design requests are within my expertise. However, if I feel that you would best be serviced by hiring an independent graphic artist for your project, I will advise you accordingly, and work with your graphic consultant.

► FEES .   .   .   .   .  [back to menu]

What are your writing fees?

Customarily, I determine my writing fees on a per project basis. Often, projects are difficult to estimate, and an hourly fee is most appropriate. However, I establish each project’s fee structure in the best interest of both parties.

Do you require a percentage of your fees up front as a deposit?

Yes, I require an initial deposit of 50% prior to beginning a project. The balance on all writing fees is due upon completion of services within a 10 day grace period.

What do your writing fees include?

My writing fees include research, telephone/email communications, Web meetings, copywriting, and one round of copy revisions. Again, any on-site meetings are an additional charge per-hourly rate for my time, including expenses.

I have a limited budget for my project. Do you provide cost effective writing services?

If by saying “cost effective” you mean cheap, I am probably not your best consultant. Every client that I work with is on a limited budget. It is the sign of the times. My fees are structured in accordance with the National Writers Union, and the Writer’s Market pay scale. Respecting the fee scale within these organizations' guidelines and my level of expertise, my fees are competitively reasonable.

What happens if I have to cancel my project with you before it is completed, or if I change my mind about the direction of a project midway through it?

Once a project is in progress, if it is terminated for any reason, the client is charged what is called a “kill fee.” This fee is payment based upon a pro-rated structure for all work performed to date on the project. In fact, the client is furnished an hourly time breakdown to show how the hours are allocated.

If the project changes significantly in scope or direction, a new proposal and cost estimate will be provided after the kill fee is paid. Please refer to the Kill Fee Schedule.

► TIME FRAME  .   .   .   .   . [back to menu]

I have a project requiring a fast turn-around. Can you begin immediately?

The valued relationships I have established with my clients are paramount.

A surgeon with no patients doesn’t sound too reassuring, does it? Likewise, a writer who has no clients and is readily available is equally questionable. Chances are, when you contact me about my services, I’ll be juggling several projects with a variety of deadlines. How quickly I can deliver your project really depends upon how busy I am at that moment.

Does that mean you don’t need the work?

Heavens, no! It simply means that I respect the confidence that my clients place in me, and my ability to assist them. I’m not a cookie-cutter operation. That’s not to say that I don’t need the money. I have to make a living just like you. I simply do not accept work that I can’t produce in a timely manner, or accept work that doesn't meet my high standards. My schedule changes weekly.  So if you are interested in hiring me, please send me an inquiry and let’s talk. I will tell you honestly if I can meet your budget and timeframe. If I am not a good fit for your project, I will try to refer you to someone else.

► CONFIDENTIALITY .   .   .   .   .  [back to menu]

Why don’t you include samples of all of your writing projects on your website?

Confidentiality is a concern for many of my clients. Therefore, I enter into a Confidentiality Agreement that prohibits me from sharing information, sometimes even for my own marketing purposes. Please refer to my standard Confidentiality Agreement.

Likewise, it is too time consuming for me to present my entire portfolio online at this time. I simple need to devote more of my time to my projects.

Do you ever work for an established client's competitor?

Rarely, if ever, have I received an inquiry from an established client's direct competitor. If such an event occurs, the Confidentiality Agreement precludes me from exchanging any strategies, concepts or ideas. I treat all of my client's equally, giving neither one preferential treatment over the other.

► LEGALITIES .   .   .   .   . [back to menu]

Do you require a contract before you begin work?

Yes. I require a signed Letter of Agreement that confirms our business arrangement and writing fees. Once we discuss your project scope, I will mail or fax you a letter outlining the job specifications. All you need to do is sign it, and mail or fax it back to me. Please keep a copy of our arrangement for your own records.

Who owns the copyrights to the material you produce for my company?

Once fees for the project have been paid in full, you own the rights to all work created for you. However, it is possible that I will ask for the right to use your project in hard copy and electronic form in my client portfolio. Please let me know if you have any concerns regarding confidentiality.

Do you insure that your work complies with legal requirements?

Although I am skilled and knowledgeable of terminology that can invoke certain legal issues, I am not an attorney. Therefore, it is your responsibility to submit all copy for legal review prior to publication. You are also responsible for final proofreading of all the copy.

► CONTACT .   .   .   .   . [back to menu]

What's the best way to contact you when I'm ready to hire you?

Email is the best method to contact me at this time. While working, I do check my messages every hour. In your message, please state how I can contact you, when is the best time and your project’s scope of work. You will generally receive a response within 1 business day.

Are you related to "Yoko Ono?"  [back to menu]

No. "Yoko" is her first name, whereas it is my last name. So, we cannot be related.

And no, we are not Japanese. . . not that there is anything wrong with that...as Jerry Seinfeld would say. In fact, my husband is Hungarian. He is a third-generation American. When his great-grandparents immigrated to the United States from Hungary, the officials at Ellis Island mistakenly misspelled their name due to the language barrier. The name is actually Jöko, with the umlaut over the first "o." When pronounced correctly in Hungarian, it is easy to see how Ellis Island officials would have spelled it y-o-k-o. However, being anxious and proud to assimilate into American culture, Josef and Sophia never corrected the mistake. Thus for the generations that followed, we are often mistaken as Asian....until you meet us, of course.

Translated from Hungarian into English, the name Yoko means "solid rock." It is also important to note that it also means something different in Chinese and Japanese. I have actually published a story about this very subject.

Contracts and Forms

Letter of Agreement

Confidentiality Agreement

Kill Fee Schedule