Privacy policy

I am an editor and author, registered as a sole trader. My web address is www.racheljrowlands.com. This privacy policy outlines the way I make use of and protect any personal information and data in relation to this website, my editorial services, and other business activities. This information may be updated at any time, and you can check this page at any point to review those changes.

Last updated on 2nd October 2026.

Why I collect data and how I use it

  • To respond to emails and requests for information, to schedule and book editorial services with clients, to send newsletters you subscribe to, and to allow certain functions on this website such as comments and contact forms.
  • To contact you during an ongoing editorial project or conversation if you become an editing client.
  • For accounting and tax purposes as required by HMRC.
  • To send you my email newsletters or latest blog posts, if you opt in and subscribe. You will only receive emails you have signed up to receive and you can unsubscribe at any time. My email newsletter may be used for marketing purposes to send you information on my new book releases and my editorial services.
  • To record your agreement with the terms and conditions of my editorial services and to enter into an editorial agreement/contract with you if you become an editing client.
  • To track my website analytics.
  • To earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase through affiliate links on this website. Affiliate links come at no additional cost to you and help support my website and content.

The types of data I collect

I may collect the following types of data if you fill out my contact form and/or become an editing client:

  • Name and/or pen name.
  • Email address.
  • Billing address.
  • The title and word count of your manuscript.
  • Your signature (either handwritten or typed).

This website also collects:

  • Information you provide relating to your enquiry if you fill out my contact form.
  • Technical details, including your IP address and WordPress.com ID and username.

In addition to the above, I may collect data from social media interactions, surveys, or other voluntary submissions you make.

How I collect data

  • Contact form (Contact Form 7).
  • Email via my website host, Krystal.
  • Newsletter sign-up form (Email Octopus).
  • WordPress (my website’s content management system) and Jetpack (a WordPress plugin).
  • Google Forms. I may ask you to fill out a form via Google Forms if you are an editing client.
  • PandaDoc. I use PandaDoc to send out editorial agreements/contracts and booking forms to editing clients. These require a signature from you so that you can enter into an editing agreement with me.
  • Microsoft Teams and Zoom. I may use Teams or Zoom to call you if you request an editorial service with a consultation included.
  • Google Chat. I may use Google Chat if you request an editorial service with a consultation included.
  • Affiliate programs such as Amazon Associates.
  • I may also collect data through social media interactions and third-party plugins integrated into my website.

Data protection

  • I do not share data with third parties without permission, or unless I am required to do so by law. In extreme circumstances (for example, sudden incapacitation or illness), a trusted family member or designated individual may access my business email solely for the purpose of notifying editing clients of disruption. They will not use, distribute, or retain client materials beyond what is strictly necessary.
  • I do not sell, lease, or distribute personal information unless compelled by law to do so.
  • I implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to safeguard your data. All third-party providers I work with or use adhere to strict data protection standards.

How I store data

  • Krystal – my website, domain, and email host. View their privacy policy.
  • WordPress – my website’s content management system. View WordPress’s privacy policy.
  • I may retain some contact form submissions in my email inbox for customer service purposes. Contact Form 7‘s privacy policy is located here.
  • Editorial project files are stored on a password-protected computer.
  • Emails related to editorial projects are stored on a password-protected computer and email address.
  • Editorial project files are backed up to an external hard drive, stored in a secure location.
  • Dropbox, a cloud-based file management system, may be used for backup storage of editing files (including manuscripts) during the duration of an editing project. It is protected by a password and registered with EU–US Privacy Shield.
  • Google Drive, a cloud-based file management system, may be used for secure backup storage of editing files (including manuscripts) during the duration of an editing project. View Google’s privacy policy.
  • All client files are deleted from cloud backup storage upon project completion.
  • Google Docs may also be used to compile notes concerning editing projects, or to read manuscripts, while working on a secondary device. View Google’s privacy policy.
  • PandaDoc is used to store information you submit when becoming an editing client and entering into an editorial agreement with me. This includes a signature which can be either handwritten or typed. Read PandaDoc’s privacy notice.
  • PayPal transactions for my editing services are subject to PayPal’s privacy policy. Your data will only be used for invoicing, tax, and accounting purposes.
  • Stripe is used for processing editing service payments made using a card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay, and may be used in relation to PayPal payments as well, as it is connected to my accounting software. Stripe is a certified part of the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework. You can read Stripe’s data processing agreement here. They also have a detailed privacy center. Your data will only be used for invoicing, tax, and accounting purposes.
  • Zoho Books is my current accounting software, used to generate invoices and manage payments and transactions as well as storing editing client information. Your data will only be used for invoicing, tax, and accounting purposes. View their global privacy policy, their California privacy policy, and their UK privacy policy. They also have a privacy commitment statement.
  • I may ask you to fill out a form via Google Forms or to leave feedback via one of these forms. Google Forms data is protected according to Google’s privacy policies. You can read Google’s privacy policies here.
  • Email Octopus is my current newsletter provider. Read their privacy policy. You can unsubscribe by clicking on the unsubscribe link provided at the end of each newsletter.
  • MailerLite was my old newsletter provider, previously used to manage my email subscriber list and this may have been used if you signed up in the past. MailerLite’s privacy policy is available at this link.

Affiliate links

This website contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you click on a link and make a purchase. This comes at no extra cost to you. Information collected through affiliate cookies is not personally identifiable and is shared with affiliate partners only as necessary to track and verify commissions. When you click on an affiliate link, a cookie is placed on your browser. These cookies expire after a set period.

Read my full disclosure and how this works here.

Cookies

If you leave a comment on my website, you may opt in to saving your name, email address and website in cookies. These are for your convenience so that you do not have to fill in your details again when you leave another comment. These cookies will last for one year. If you visit a login page, a temporary cookie will be set to determine if your browser accepts cookies. This cookie contains no personal data and is discarded when you close your browser.

When you log in, several cookies are set up to save your login information and your screen display choices. Login cookies last for two days, and screen options cookies last for a year. If you select “Remember Me”, your login will persist for two weeks. If you log out of your account, the login cookies will be removed.

If you request a password reset, your IP address will be included in the reset email.

When you click on an affiliate link, a cookie is placed on your browser to track any sales for the purpose of assigning commissions. These cookies expire after a set period. Cookies are used to track affiliate link clicks and subsequent purchases. You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings. Cookies are used to track affiliate link clicks and subsequent purchases. You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings.

Comments

When visitors leave comments on the website, data shown in the comments form is collected, and also the visitor’s IP address and browser user agent string to help spam detection. An anonymised string created from your email address (also called a hash) may be provided to the Gravatar service to see if you are using it. The Gravatar service Privacy Policy is available here. After approval of your comment, your profile picture is visible to the public in the context of your comment.

Visitor comments may be checked through an automated spam detection service. I collect information about visitors who comment using the Akismet Anti-spam service. The information collected depends on how Akismet is set up, but typically includes the commenter’s IP address, user agent, referrer, and site URL (along with other information directly provided by the commenter such as their name, username, email address, and the comment itself).

Jetpack subscribe/follow blog feature

When you follow my blog using the Jetpack subscribe feature, I collect your email address to send you notifications of new posts and updates. Your email address will be stored securely and will only be used for this purpose. This is all done in accordance with WordPress.com’s privacy policy. You have the right to unsubscribe from these notifications at any time by clicking the “unsubscribe” link in any email sent to you.

Embedded content from other websites

Articles on this website may include embedded content (videos, images, articles, etc.). Embedded content from other websites behaves in the exact same way as if the visitor has visited the other website. These websites may collect data about you, use cookies, embed additional third-party tracking, and monitor your interaction with that embedded content, including tracking your interaction with the embedded content if you have an account and are logged in to that website.

How long I retain your data

  • Many of my editing clients work with me more than once, and blog and newsletter subscribers remain subscribed until they choose to opt out. For these reasons, I do not delete data such as names and email addresses unless specifically asked to do so.
  • HMRC requires me to keep records of data for at least 5 years after the 31 January submission deadline for the relevant tax year.

If you leave a comment, the comment and its metadata are retained indefinitely. This is so I can recognise and approve any follow-up comments automatically instead of holding them in a moderation queue.

You have the right to ask me to delete or amend your records or data, and can do so by filling out my contact form here. This does not include any data I am required to keep for administrative, legal, or security purposes. You can also write to me at the following address:

Rachel Rowlands, Editor & Author
Unit 26244, PO Box 4336, Manchester, M61 0BW