When contracting services from others (artists, editors, etc.) I now apply the following policy for my own protection.
- Suppliers should be based in the European Union, United Kingdom or United States of America. Those outside of these zones will be considered only by exception.
- Suppliers will be able to validate their identify through a business registry, or be ID validated on a publicly accessible platform.
- For payment, an official invoice is required, produced by a recognised financial system with links to make payment through. This should be usable for a payee based in Europe and should not involve loading up unique apps or creating new service-based user accounts to make the payment.
- Suppliers should be able to provide examples of their work, and NEVER pass off someone else’s work as theirs.
- Suppliers will not use AI to produce their own creative content or apply AI tools to the author’s work.
- I do not owe anyone work — it is up to me and me alone to decide if I want to contract a service.