Hack Publishing

Terms & Conditions

1. Overview & Business Details

1.1. These Terms & Conditions (“Terms”) govern your use of the platform, products, and services offered by Hack Publishing Ltd (“Hack Publishing”, “Hack”, “we”, “us”, “our”), a company registered in England and Wales under registered company number 12551051, with its registered office address at Queensgate House, 48 Queen Street, Exeter, EX4 3SR.

1.2. By accessing any part of our website at http://www.hack-publishing.co.uk (the “Platform”), purchasing a product, subscribing to a service, or engaging our bespoke services, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree to all of these Terms, you must not access the Platform or engage our services.

1.3. These Terms are written for individual consumers and writers (“Consumers”) accessing our Platform, digital courses, editorial feedback, physical merchandise, and publishing services under UK consumer law (including the Consumer Rights Act 2015).

2. Definitions

  • “Bespoke Services” means custom, tailored professional services provided by Hack Publishing to a specific client, including but not limited to manuscript editing, line editing, developmental feedback, tailored mentoring, or critique packages.
  • “Client Content” means any text, manuscript, excerpt, idea, or material uploaded, submitted, or provided by a user or client to Hack Publishing for editing, feedback, mentoring, or publication consideration.
  • “Digital Content” means pre-recorded online courses, downloadable educational materials, templates, worksheets, and automated digital resources offered on the Platform.
  • “Hack Assets” means all proprietary course content, teaching methodologies, editorial frameworks, coaching methodologies, mentoring structures, training materials, software, designs, website copy, logos, and trademarks owned by Hack Publishing Ltd.
  • “Physical Goods” means any physical products sold via the Platform, including print anthologies, books, notebooks, stationery, tote bags, apparel, and merchandise.
  • “Scope Document” means a separate written quote, estimate, proposal, or form issued by Hack Publishing and accepted by a client setting out the specific deliverables, fees, and timelines for Bespoke Services.

3. Scope, Master Framework & Amendments

3.1. Master Framework for Bespoke Services: Where you engage Hack Publishing for Bespoke Services, the specific details of the work will be set out in a Scope Document. Every Scope Document automatically incorporates these Terms by reference. In the event of a direct conflict between the main body of these Terms and a Scope Document, the Scope Document shall prevail for that specific project only.

3.2. Order Acceptance: An order or booking placed through the Platform or via a Scope Document constitutes an offer by you to purchase products or services. A binding contract is formed only when we issue an order confirmation email or invoice.

3.3. Amendments: We reserve the right to update or amend these Terms from time to time to reflect changes in law, regulatory requirements, or our operational practices. Any material changes will be communicated to registered users with at least 30 days’ written notice via email or a prominent Platform announcement. Changes will not apply retroactively to orders already accepted.

4. User Accounts & Platform Access

4.1. You must be at least 18 years of age to register an account, purchase products, or engage services on the Platform.

4.2. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account login credentials and for all activities that occur under your account. You must notify us immediately at community@hack-publishing.co.uk if you suspect unauthorized access to your account.

4.3. We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account or access to the Platform immediately if we reasonably believe you have violated these Terms, engaged in fraudulent activity, or exhibited abusive behavior towards our staff or community members.

5. Purchases, Fees, Payment Terms & Digital Content Access

5.1. Pricing: All prices displayed on the Platform are in Pounds Sterling (GBP) and are subject to change prior to order acceptance.

5.2. Immediate Performance & Digital Content Waiver: In accordance with the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, where you purchase Digital Content (such as online courses) for automated or immediate access:

  • (a) You expressly request and consent to the immediate delivery and performance of the Digital Content upon checkout; and
  • (b) You acknowledge and agree that once delivery or streaming of the Digital Content has commenced, you forfeit your statutory 14-day right to cancel and receive a refund.

5.3. Service Modification: We reserve the right to modify, update, or discontinue products, courses, or service offerings from time to time. Where a course or service you have purchased is substantially altered or discontinued prior to completion, we will provide reasonable notice and an equitable alternative or pro-rata credit.

5.4. Late & Overdue Payments: Where an invoice or payment milestone is issued for Bespoke Services, payment is due within 14 calendar days of the invoice date (or as otherwise specified in the Scope Document). If any payment is overdue by more than 7 days past the due date, Hack Publishing Ltd reserves the right to:

  • (a) Immediately suspend all performance of services, withhold reports, and revoke access to associated Digital Content until all outstanding sums are paid; and
  • (b) Charge contractual interest on the overdue balance at the rate of 4% per annum above the Bank of England base rate from time to time, accruing daily from the due date until full payment is received.

6. Bespoke Services & General Service Termination

6.1. Scope & Execution: Bespoke Services (such as editorial feedback or mentoring packages) will be delivered in accordance with the specifications, milestones, and timelines outlined in the agreed Scope Document.

6.2. Client Cooperation: Timely delivery of Bespoke Services depends on your prompt submission of complete manuscripts, feedback, or required materials. Hack Publishing is not liable for project delays caused by a client’s failure to provide necessary materials or approvals.

6.3. Client Cancellation: If you cancel a Bespoke Service after work has commenced, you will remain liable for the direct costs incurred and the proportion of work completed up to the date of cancellation, calculated objectively in accordance with our Refund & Cancellation Policy.

6.4. Termination by Hack Publishing: We reserve the right to terminate any order, booking, or service engagement with you immediately upon written notice if:

  • (a) You commit a breach of these Terms or any applicable Scope Document (in which case no refund shall be payable, and you shall remain liable for all work completed up to the date of termination);
  • (b) In our reasonable opinion, the working relationship has become unworkable, abusive, or impractical due to unreasonable behavior or lack of cooperation; or
  • (c) You fail to respond to communications or provide required materials for a period exceeding 21 consecutive days. (Where we terminate under sub-clauses (b) or (c) in the absence of a material breach on your part, you will receive a pro-rata refund for any unearned fees paid for work not yet performed, less direct costs incurred up to the date of termination).

7. Intellectual Property Rights

7.1. Hack Assets & Proprietary Methodologies: All Hack Assets—including our online course content, video modules, editorial frameworks, coaching methodologies, mentoring structures, worksheets, templates, website design, and software—are the exclusive intellectual property of Hack Publishing Ltd and are protected under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 and international IP laws. You are granted a personal, non-exclusive, non-transferable licence to access and use Hack Assets solely for your own individual educational and personal development. You must not copy, reproduce, distribute, resell, or create derivative works from Hack Assets without our prior written consent.

7.2. Client Manuscripts & Submissions: You (or your licensors) retain 100% ownership of all copyright and intellectual property rights in your Client Content (including original manuscripts, stories, and excerpts). By uploading or submitting Client Content to Hack Publishing for editing, review, or mentoring, you grant us a temporary, non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to store, read, copy, and process the Client Content solely to the extent necessary to perform the agreed service.

7.3. Final Deliverables & Editorial Insight: All written critique, reports, and editorial insights provided to you by Hack Publishing remain the intellectual property of Hack Publishing Ltd, provided to you under a personal, non-exclusive licence for your own development. Subject to full payment of all applicable fees due under a Scope Document or order, you own the final revisions and edits you make to your manuscript incorporating our feedback. Hack Publishing asserts no ownership over your underlying original writing.

7.4. Anthology Publishing Licence: Where you submit Client Content for inclusion in a Hack Publishing print or digital anthology and your work is selected for publication, the following publishing rights apply:

  • (a) First Serial Rights: You grant Hack Publishing Ltd the exclusive right to be the first publisher of the accepted piece worldwide in print and digital formats.
  • (b) Exclusivity Period: You agree not to publish, self-publish, or licence the accepted piece elsewhere for a period of six (6) months from the official publication date of the anthology.
  • (c) Non-Exclusive Licence Thereafter: Following the expiry of the 6-month exclusivity period, the rights revert to you, and you are free to republish or re-licence the piece elsewhere. You grant Hack Publishing Ltd a perpetual, non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to continue printing, selling, and distributing the anthology (containing your piece) as part of the complete collected volume.
  • (d) Standalone Books: Standalone, single-author book publishing arrangements are explicitly carved out of these general Terms and will be governed exclusively by a separate, bespoke publishing contract.
  • (e) Marketing & Promotional Excerpts: You grant Hack Publishing Ltd a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free licence to use short excerpts (up to 100 words or 10% of the piece, whichever is shorter) for promotional, social media, and marketing purposes in connection with the Platform and the anthology.
  • (f) Multi-Volume / Retrospective Anthologies: You grant Hack Publishing Ltd a non-exclusive right to include the accepted piece in future “best of” or retrospective collected volumes published by Hack Publishing, subject to proper author attribution.

8. Physical Goods & Merchandise (Fulfilment & Delivery)

8.1. Scope & Fulfilment: This section applies to all physical items sold on or through the Platform, including but not limited to print-on-demand anthologies, single-author books, notebooks, stationery, branded apparel, and promotional merchandise (“Physical Goods”). Physical Goods are processed and dispatched according to the estimated fulfillment and shipping timelines displayed at checkout (typically 2–4 weeks for print-on-demand books and 3–7 business days for standard stocked merchandise).

8.2. Delayed Delivery & Statutory Cancellation: Estimated delivery times are indicative. If delivery of any Physical Goods is delayed beyond the estimated timeframe provided at checkout, and is not fulfilled within a reasonable extension window (or 30 days from the order date if no estimate was provided), you have the right under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 to cancel the order and receive a full refund.

8.3. Damaged, Defective, or Faulty Goods: If any Physical Goods arrive damaged, defective, or incorrect, you have statutory rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 to reject the item and claim a full refund, repair, or replacement. You must notify us within 30 days of physical receipt in accordance with the procedures set out in our Refund & Cancellation Policy.

9. Data Protection & Privacy

9.1. We handle all personal data in compliance with the UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018), and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR).

9.2. Full details of how we collect, process, store, and share your personal data, as well as information on your statutory rights, can be found in our Privacy Policy & Cookie Notice.

9.3. Technical tracking technologies and non-essential cookies are managed via our platform cookie consent tool. Non-essential cookies and third-party tracking scripts will only be activated with your explicit opt-in consent.

10. Third-Party Tools & Communications

10.1. The Platform integrates with third-party software, automation tools, and service providers (including secure payment processors, CRM software, and communication tools) to deliver our services effectively.

10.2. The Platform uses third-party live chat and automated messaging software to provide real-time support and answer client enquiries. By using these interactive communication features, you acknowledge that chat transcripts, IP addresses, and contact details provided during the session may be processed by us and our service providers in accordance with our Privacy Policy to fulfill your support request.

10.3. Any external hyperlinks provided on the Platform are for reference and convenience only. Hack Publishing Ltd does not endorse, control, or accept responsibility for the content, privacy practices, terms, or actions of any third-party websites or platforms.

11. Disclaimers & Limitations of Liability

11.1. Service Standard: We provide our services with reasonable care and skill in accordance with UK commercial standards. However, we do not guarantee that our editorial feedback, mentoring, or courses will result in commercial publication, literary agency representation, or specific financial outcomes for your writing.

11.2. Platform Availability: The Platform is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis. While we endeavour to maintain uninterrupted access, we do not guarantee that the Platform will be free from temporary disruptions, bugs, or technical errors.

11.3. Limitation of Liability: To the maximum extent permitted by English law:

  • (a) Neither party shall be liable for any indirect, special, or consequential loss, loss of profit, loss of business, or loss of reputation.
  • (b) Hack Publishing Ltd’s total aggregate liability arising out of or in connection with any purchase or service shall be strictly limited to 100% of the total fees paid by you to Hack Publishing for the specific product or service giving rise to the claim.

11.4. Statutory Exceptions: Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or for any other liability that cannot be excluded or limited under the law of England and Wales (including under the Consumer Rights Act 2015).

12. Force Majeure

12.1. Neither party shall be in breach of these Terms nor liable for any delay or failure in performing its obligations where such delay or failure results from events, circumstances, or causes beyond its reasonable control.

12.2. In such circumstances, the affected party shall be entitled to a reasonable extension of time for performing such obligations. If the period of delay or non-performance continues for more than 60 consecutive days, either party may terminate the affected order upon written notice.

13. Notices & Contact Information

13.1. All legal communications and notices to Hack Publishing Ltd must be sent in writing to our official email address: office@hack-publishing.co.uk.

13.2. Notices sent by email shall be deemed received on the next business day following transmission, provided no failure delivery notice is received.

14. Governing Law & Jurisdiction

14.1. Governing Law: These Terms, and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with them, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales.

14.2. Jurisdiction: The courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with these Terms, subject only to any mandatory local statutory rights available to individual consumers in other parts of the United Kingdom.