ComplaintsforBookOx

• Initial Complaint

  09/14/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I *********************** WAS SEEKING A PROFESSIONAL CHRISTIAN ****** AND PROOF READER TO EDIT AND PROOFREAD MY MANUSCRIPT ON www.book-editing.com WHERE I WAS CONTACTED BY THOMAS WOMACK. The edit was scammed! On *** 31, 2023 Thomas Womack emailed me saying: Thomas Womack <*************************************************>Wed, *** 31, 11:14?AM to me Hello, ***** --The end of *** is here -- but Im afraid I got severely sidetracked in the past few weeks with some family matters that encroached on my time -- and I could really use another week or ten days to finish up the editing job for you in the best manner possible, for both the book content and the back cover. I hope that this delay doesnt mess up your plans for the books publication and release in any significant way. My apologies for not meeting the deadline! -- Thomas I had been working on this project for twelve years, so I didn't want to inspire a rush job, so I complied. When I attempted to contact him by phone on July 25, 2023 this was his reply;Thomas Womack <*************************************************>Jul 26, 2023, 9:30?AM to me Hello ***** --Sorry I missed your phone call last evening -- sorry also for this long extended delay on finishing up ***** OR LUCK -- I just got myself way too overbooked with editing projects that need finishing up, plus continued intrusions from other responsibilities -- we had twin grandkids born on the 19th and my wife and I have needed to help look after the parents three other young kids while the parents focus on the newborns. Plus our churchs pastor had me preach the sermon at our church on the 16th while he had to be away, and thats something I rarely do, and had to spend a huge amount of time preparing for. The ********* Word editor shows that Thomas Womack attempted an edit starting on August 4th at 5:51 PM. The manuscript was returned to me on August 4th at 7:27 Pm. Thomas Womack pretended to properly complete an edit and proofreading that was stipulated to take six weeks in one hour and thirty six minutes.

  Business response

  09/14/2023

  Just before midnight on August 16, I received ******* letter to me outlining his serious concerns and complaints about the edit of his manuscript, which I had submitted to him on August 4. (I did not see or read his August 16 message and letter until the following morning, August 17). On August 17, I carefully reviewed all the items in his letter. A few of this concerned actual errors which I had overlooked in the manuscript, and I immediately corrected these in the revised edit of the manuscript, which I sent back to him that day. Some of his concerns reflected subjective stylistic changes -- especially one in particular, concerning whether the capitalize "Black" and "White" in reference to race. ******* impression was that I had made changes on that in the manuscript without really giving any thought to the matter. In my response I carefully explained to him my extensive reasoning behind the changes I had made, but then I also explained to him that because this was a subjective matter, and HE was the author, and not I, I was going to reverse all those particular changes on that issue, so that the manuscript reflected his original preferences. I also went point by point through all his other concerns, explaining that I was following accepted style standards on these matters in authoritative style guides in the publishing industry. (I am attaching here a copy of the full response I sent to *****. I also explained to him that the normal procedure in the editor / author working relationship is for the author and editor to discuss any concerns and differences after the author sees the edit, and then work together for solutions in deference to the author's preferences. However I have not yet received a reply back from ***** to this long email message to him which I sent on August 17. I am resending the message to him today along with a further request to dialogue about any further concerns he has, and offering again my willingness to put in further corrections or changes in the manuscript according to his wishes. 

  Business response

  09/14/2023

  I have included here a copy of the email message I sent to ***** this morning.

  (Also, you should know that I am NOT invoicing or charging ***** for the remaining final payment for the edit -- which was one-third of the total fee.  He has paid me already $3,000 (in two installments of $1,500 each), and as per the signed Service Agreement, an additional $1,500 was due after completion of the edit . However I will not charge him for that.

  Customer response

  09/19/2023

       I have attached the additional information. 

  Business response

  09/29/2023

  My thanks to you all at Better Business Bureau for your attention to this matter between *********************** and myself (Thomas Womack, dba BookOx):
  Here is additional information from my perspective:
  1. As a fulltime book editor, I use a standard contract (Service Agreement) with all my authors. For my editing of ****** book manuscript entitled ***** or Luck: You Call It, ***** and I signed a copy of this contract back in January. Under Section 8 (Declarations and Limitations) of this standard contract (including the one which ***** and I signed in January), the following statement is included (its the fourth of twelve bullet-pointed items):
  <<<   Some aspects of editingare subjective (e.g., rewording for clarity, optional word use). Clients may choose to accept none, some, or all editorial changes and suggestions. The Clients decision to decline some or all editorial changes and suggestions does not constitute nonperformance on the part of the Editor and does not entitle the Client to a whole or partial refund. >>>
  This no refund policy has been never been a problem for authors *** worked with (for the past two decades as a freelancer), because the normal author-editor working process, as well as the procedures that are spelled out in writing, are all about the editors completion of the editing process according to the authors satisfaction. (See the following items on this.)
  2. The contract, including the one which ***** and I signed, also includes the following statement (under Section 3, Delivery and Project Schedule):
  <<< The Editor also agrees to be available to the Client for further editorial assistance and consulting on this project after the full edited draft is delivered to the Client. >>>
  The normal process in my work (as it is with other book editors)is that after I submit my finished edit to the author, I remain fully open to continued dialogue with the author to make sure the edit is satisfactory. And in fact,this kind of continuing dialogue is normally what happens.
  Unfortunately, when ***** had concerns about the editing work I did on his manuscript (which I submitted to him on August 4), he responded (on August 16) with an email that included an attached letter to me; this letter presented numerous issues on which he felt my editing was wrong or flawed; however,he invited or requested no dialogue about his concerns, but only demanded a full refund.
  I responded to ***** (on the next day, August 17) in the same way I normally do with authors at this stage of the process--with an emailed response that directly and calmly addressed all the concerns he raised, and which also included an attached copy of a revised edit which aimed to revise and correct almost all of the things which he had stated he was dissatisfied with. And for those handful of places in the manuscript where I did not revise the edit (because I wasnt sure what he was objecting to in those instances),I explained my rationale for not making any change on these, and I invited his further feedback for clarification.
  After receiving no further word from ***** (I was afraid that perhaps he did not receive my earlier email), I resent that email to him on September 14, along with the attachment of the revised manuscript, and again invited his dialogue with me about how to ensure that the edit met with his approval.I included this line at the end of that emailed message: Whatever it takes to make the edit right for you and acceptable to you, I will do.  All you have to do is let me know what further kind of changes you want.
  However, I did not receive any response from ***** on this.
  3. Way back in January, when I first sent the proposed Service Agreement (contract) to ***** for his review, my cover letter included a three-step outline of what the editing process would look like. Here is that explanationnotice especially the third item (c)underlined here:
  (a) Ido my full copyedit and proofreading of it [the draft],going through the manuscript a number of times, with various processes of evaluation and inspection each time.
  (b) Then I send that fully edited draft to you in two versionsa clean edited version, plus another color-coded file that shows all the suggested edits and corrections (insertions, deletions, wording changes,clarifications, etc.). Ill also include a cover report (in the email message)highlighting any overall concerns or points of perspective or information about the edit.
  (c) You can then examine the edited draft, after which you and I discuss whatever questions might arise, plus any further working back and forth that you might see the need for.
  4. I am certainly sensitive to the fact that my edit was sent to ***** significantly later than the originally scheduled timeframe as set up in the contract. This was due to my own schedule complications.
  On May 31, I emailed ***** about my schedule difficulties and the expected delay. He replied (the same day, May 31), and his reply included these words: Absolutely no problem, the devil inspired a rather large distraction on my end, so Im in no hurry. Take as much time as you need! Thanks.
  I therefore anticipated that my necessary delays would not be a problem for ***********
  However, because of that delay in finishing up the edit, I am giving ***** a one-third-off discount on this project. (The contract called for three payments of $1,500 each, for a total of $4,500; ***** has already paid me the first two installments (totaling $3,000). He has not paid the final $1,500, but I am waiving that. So he owes me nothing more.
  Thank you again for your assistance on this matter.
  Thomas Womack

  Business response

  09/29/2023

  In addition to the information I just sent you moments ago, please note also that I continue to be totally available to ***** to revise my edit of his manuscript in whatever way he feels it needs to be corrected -- or even to totally re-edit the manuscript if that is what it takes for the edit to be satisfactory to him. (And all this at no further cost to him--my only objective now with him is to ensure that the edit meets his expectations, whatever that takes.) 

  Customer response

  10/06/2023

  ***********************
  1 ******** CT. Unit 10-E
  Santa Fe, ********** 87508
  Phone ************
  
  Oct 5,2023
  
  Greetings to all reading this! The obtrusive mistakes from the manuscript I forwarded in the last letter, which was by no means an exhaustive list, were not subjective suggestions as Thomas Womack attempts to sight in his rebuttal, they were grammatical errors that a grade school student would not have interjected, which no one would expect from a full-time book editor! They were not in the manuscript when Thomas Womack received it. Please refer back to the editor scores I forwarded in the first letter to the BBB. This mentality that produced those errors could only have come through someone racing through the manuscript at a blitzkrieg speed, paying no attention to anything other than reaching the end, confident in the fact that theyve already been paid!
  
       How can Thomas Womack sight anything in a contract that he breached two months past the due date? Yet Thomas Womack sights this, This no refund policy has been never been a problem for authors *** worked with (for the past two decades as a freelancer), because the normal author-editor working process, as well as the procedures that are spelled out in writing, are all about the editors completion of the editing process according to the authors satisfaction.
  
       In this statement Thomas Womack is claiming that no authors have ever had a problem with receiving their manuscripts two months past the contractual agreement. The due date was spelled out in writing as well! Im trying not to be facetious here, however, since my intelligence is being insulted, let me ask a few questions?
  1.     If you give the electric company excuses for two months, how long would it be before youre living in the dark?
  2.     If you give your landlord excuses for two months, how long before you receive an eviction notice?
  3.     If you give your mortgage company excuses for two months, how long before youre facing a foreclosure?
  4.     If you give your credit card company excuses for two months, how high will the interest rate and penalty be?
  5.     So, I ask, whats the difference between an excuse and a lie? I submit to all who are reading this that there is no disparity between a lie and an excuse in business, because in business, excuses are not excepted!
  
     One of the businesses I owned and operated was Secure Prison Supplements. The commissary in each prison in the State of ********** would take the orders, send me the money and I would forward the supplements. Had I accepted those funds and been delinquent in sending the product for two months, people would have been in an uproar, and I would have been facing prosecution by the State.
      I worked with many of the top musicians in venues all over ***************** and parts of Europe. In a union run house the musicians are charged $2000. for every minute they perform  past the time stipulated in the contractual agreement. 
  6. What world is Thomas Womack living in where he has an entitlement or immunity to the time sensitivity on a business contract?
       Two months was just the beginning of the delay, because then the back and forth between the editor and the author that should have begun on *** 31, 2023 could not have started until August 5th 2023 when Thomas Womack sent me that manuscript he ran roughshod over!  
  On *** 31, I emailed ***** about my schedule difficulties and the expected delay. He replied (the same day, *** 31), and his reply included these words: Absolutely no problem, the devil inspired a rather large distraction on my end, so Im in no hurry. Take as much time as you need! Thanks.
  
       This was the expected delay:
  Hello, ***** --
  The end of *** is here -- but Im afraid I got severely sidetracked in the past few weeks with some family matters that encroached on my time -- and I could really use another week or ten days to finish up the editing job for you in the best manner possible,
  
       Obviously, Im not going to inspire an editor to rush a project Id been working on for twelve years, and thats exactly what he did! I treat people the way I want to be treated. So, I gave him every benefit of the doubt. When a week to ten days turned into two months, then I knew the contract had been totally misleading, and Thomas Womack had sold me a time slot he didnt have! Which constitutes FRAUD! How do you believe that an editor purported to be editing for decades but hasnt figured out how to schedule his jobs yet.
  
       As I said before, in January Thomas Womack reached out to me on book-editing.com where there are many editors. Why? When in his own words, he was way over booked! Had he not headed me off on book-editing.com which is not his site, I believe I would have met a competent editor and now ten months later been ready to publish. This manuscript is my God given assignment and dream to reach and inspire as many people as possible. Ive already reached and interacted with thousands just with my premise and sample excerpts on my author page @ *******************************************************
  
       I reached out to the BBB in hopes that they will publish and help me expose how Thomas Womack transacts business, so that we can hopefully save others from having their projects that they have poured their hearts into disrupted, distracted, delayed, contaminated, and polluted with excuses manifested by Thomas Womacks GREED and INCOMPETENCE! I will also inform the BBB on how the civil proceedings turn out.
  
  Thank you, ***********************
  
  
  
  
  
  

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