Who we are
Quill & Reed is an independent publishing studio for authors. Our full legal business details will be added here before this policy takes effect.
For the personal information described in this policy, Quill & Reed decides why and how it is used.
Information we collect
We only collect fields that appear on our forms. Depending on what you use, this can include:
- Your name and email address
- A phone number, only where a form asks for it and you choose to give it
- Your writer stage and the kind of book you are writing
- Your answers, messages and enquiry details
- Files you choose to attach to an enquiry
- Newsletter preferences and your consent record, including the wording you agreed to
- Where you came from, such as the page you arrived on or a campaign link, if you allow measurement
- Booking details for a Book Idea Conversation
Information collected automatically
When you submit a form, we record the page you submitted from and the type of device. To limit spam and abuse, we store a one-way scrambled version of your IP address rather than the address itself.
Our hosting provider keeps ordinary server and security logs, which are separate from anything stored in your browser.
We record anonymous visit events, such as which pages are viewed, how far guides are read and which buttons are used, so we can see what helps. These events never include your name, email, manuscript, book idea or what you type. Nothing is stored on your device for this unless you allow measurement. We do not use third-party analytics, advertising cookies or session recording.
How we use information
We do not sell your personal information.
- To respond to your enquiry
- To provide the tool or service you requested, such as a Health Check report or Book Starting Plan
- To arrange and manage a conversation you book
- To send the newsletter, only if you have agreed
- To prevent spam, abuse and security problems
- To understand which pages and guides are useful, using searches and non-identifying summaries
- To keep records we need for accounts, contracts or legal reasons
Why we are allowed to use it
Where UK data protection law applies, we rely on different reasons for different uses: taking steps you have asked for, such as replying or producing a report; your consent, for the newsletter and optional measurement; our legitimate interests in running and protecting the website; and legal obligations where they apply.
This section will be confirmed as part of our legal review.
Enquiries
Contact and enquiry forms collect what we need to reply. Marketing is a separate, optional box and is never ticked for you. Attached files go to a private store that is not publicly accessible.
Manuscript tools
The Manuscript Health Check reads your file in your browser and sends only the text of up to 5,000 words. That text is processed with AI assistance to produce the report and is not stored. The report is saved under a private link with your name and email so you can return to it.
Book idea tools
The Book Starting Plan saves your answers and the plan it produces, with your contact details. The plan is drafted with AI assistance. Book Idea Conversation bookings save the details you give us to prepare for the call.
Search and Ask Quill & Reed
We save what people search for, so we can improve our guides. Email addresses and phone numbers are removed before saving. Ask Quill & Reed sends your question and matching guide extracts to an AI service to write a short summary. Please do not paste manuscript text into search. Use the Health Check instead.
Service customers
If you become a customer, we handle project information under your service agreement as well as this policy. Where the two differ on a project matter, the agreement explains the arrangement for that project.
Payments
We do not currently take payments through this website. When we do, card details will be handled by a payment provider and not stored by Quill & Reed. This section will be updated.
Service providers
We use providers to host the website, store data and files, and run AI-assisted tools. They process information on our behalf for these purposes.
| What they do | Provider |
|---|---|
| Runs the website and its server functions | Named once our provider list is confirmed |
| Stores enquiries, tool results, newsletter records and consent records | Named once our provider list is confirmed |
| Holds optional files attached to enquiries, in a private store | Named once our provider list is confirmed |
| Generates Health Check reports, Book Starting Plans and Ask Quill & Reed summaries | Named once our provider list is confirmed |
| Anonymous first-party visit events, stored in our own database | Named once our provider list is confirmed |
AI-assisted processing
The Health Check, the Book Starting Plan and Ask Quill & Reed send text to an AI service to produce their output. The AI does not decide anything about you; it drafts feedback, a plan or a summary.
We are still confirming the data-use terms that apply to the AI service we use, including whether submitted text can be retained or used to improve models. Until that is confirmed, we will not tell you it is never used for training. This page will be updated with the confirmed position.
International transfers
Some providers may process information outside the UK. We are confirming where each provider processes data and what protections apply, and will set this out here.
How long we keep information
We keep personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose it was collected, our legitimate business records, contractual requirements, or applicable legal obligations. Specific periods for each type of information are being finalised and will be published here.
| Information | What is kept | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Health Check manuscript extract | Not stored. The text is processed to produce the report and is not saved. | Not retained |
| Health Check report | Saved with your name and email under a private link. | Being finalised |
| Book Starting Plan answers and plan | Saved with your contact details. | Being finalised |
| Book Idea Conversation booking | Saved with your booking and contact details. | Being finalised |
| Enquiries and attached files | Saved; files kept in a private store. | Being finalised |
| Newsletter subscription and consent record | Kept while subscribed; consent history kept as a record. | Being finalised |
| Search and Ask Quill & Reed questions | Saved with email addresses and phone numbers removed. | Being finalised |
| Customer project files | Handled under the service agreement. | Being finalised |
Deleting information from our working systems may not remove it immediately from secure backups, which are kept for recovery only.
Security
We use reasonable technical and organisational measures designed to protect information. These include private file storage, restricted staff access and scrambled IP addresses. No system is completely secure, so we cannot promise that information will never be affected by a security problem.
Your rights
Depending on where you live and how we use your information, you may be able to ask us to give you a copy of it; correct it; delete it; limit or object to how we use it; move it to another service; or withdraw consent at any time. We may need to confirm your identity first, and we will not ask for more than is reasonable.
Contact us through the contact form (choose “A privacy or data request”). Tell us what you would like and which tools or forms you used, so we can find everything.
Where UK law applies, you can also complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office. We would appreciate the chance to put things right first.
Children
Our tools and services are intended for adults. We write about children’s books, but we do not knowingly collect information from children. If you believe a child has sent us information, please contact us.
External links
Our guides link to other websites, such as publishing platforms and official sources. Their privacy practices are their own.
Changes to this policy
We keep previous versions of this policy. If we make a significant change, we will update the date and version and, where appropriate, let affected people know.
Contact
Contact us through the contact form (choose “A privacy or data request”).
Related: Privacy Policy · Manuscript Privacy · Website Terms · Cookies · Rights & Royalties