Finding a designer with whom you have good rapport is as important as their ability to design. The best designer in the world may not be the best designer for YOU! It’s important to have a ‘good fit’ when you choose the designer for your book or design project as you may be working together for some time. Therefore, before you actually hire someone, take some time to think about what your own goals are for your book:
- What formats and in which outlets will I be publishing?
- What is my publishing time frame and budget?
- Is my manuscript straight text, or does it have a lot of added graphics, photos or sidebars?
- How do I want my book to compare to other authors in this genre?
- Does she have the right qualifications and skill set for what you need? Do you like her design style?
- Can you communicate well with one another? Does she ask detailed questions about your project and what you need? Does her rates and availability fit your budget and schedule?
- Will she provide a scope of work or contract clearly stating what the work entails, payment terms, file transfers, and other terms of service so there are no surprises?
- Can she provide references, or was she recommended to you?
- Does she demonstrate responsiveness and professionalism?
Can you communicate well with one another? Does she ask detailed
questions about your project and what you need? Does her rates and availability
fit your budget and schedule? Once you've decided that yes, you like her
style and, yes, she offers the service(s) you need, you’ll need to have an
introductory conversation to find out if you both want to work together. At a
minimum, each of you should leave this conversation having a clear
understanding of the project deliverables, budget and schedule.
Ideally, your designer is engaged and eager to help you say ‘Yes,
I’d like to hire you!’ and will volunteer details about her experience, similar
projects, availability and how she may visualize your manuscript. If you find
yourself asking most of the questions, you may want to think twice about
proceeding. Someone who seems uninterested in your project or is hard to get
information out of at the initial conversation will likely frustrate you down
the road; esp. if there are any snafus with the process (and there always
ARE!).
If you feel the communication between you is good, ask about their
rates and availability. There is no hard rule on how designers price projects.
Some price jobs by the hour and others price them by the job. (I tend to charge
flat fee per project.) You may need to provide a draft manuscript to get an
accurate estimate. Reputable designers respect the works of others and treat
files provided for estimates, etc. as business confidential materials. That
said, you may want to include a copyright watermark in the file or a protection
clause in the transmission email as a reminder. If you are simply shopping for
the lowest rate, please let your designer know. She may be willing to provide a
‘guesstimate’ without seeing your manuscript or she may decline to discuss the
project further. Either way, you've saved both of you time and effort.
Good design takes time and good designers often have busy
schedules. If you have a short turn around, let your designer know, as this can
impact the project’s price and her availability. Give your book ample time to
be properly designed and produced and give your designer ample time to do the
job you've hired her to do. Rush jobs can be very stressful for everyone
involved. Try to avoid them!
Will she provide a scope of work or contract clearly stating what the
work entails, payment terms, file transfers, and other terms of service so
there are no surprises? If you've gotten to the point of discussion
estimates and availability, you've likely decided that this designer is someone
you could see yourself working with. At this point, the discussion will move to
more contractual topics, such a detailed estimate or scope of work, payment
terms, scheduling, file transfers, and similar. I highly recommend working with
someone who has a formal Terms of Service (TOS) policy, or who will provide a
very detailed proposal that includes these elements. This can limit any number
of misunderstandings and unexpected issues for both parties and is just smart
business. If you have an issue with a designer’s TOS, speak up before you pay
the deposit! You may be able to negotiate on points that you have issues with.
While having a contract doesn't prevent breaches of contract, it
helps you tremendously should you find yourself dealing with one. I personally
will not take on a new client without providing my TOS along with the project estimate.
Chalk this up to a very HARD (expensive) business lesson!
Can she provide references, or was she recommended to you? You
want to know that the person you are hiring to breathe life into the words you've spent countless hours writing, rewriting, reviewing and rewriting again is
reputable and does what you pay her to do. Check references even if she was
well recommended. Note that even someone well recommended may end up being a
bad fit for you. Trust your judgment and instincts about this person—you’ll be
glad you did!
Does she demonstrate responsiveness and professionalism? There is nothing more frustrating to
me than not getting a response to a question or concern I have. If I am paying you
for a service, then I expect you to respond in a timely manner and address it. Over
the years, I've found that if someone is often slow in returning calls, misses
meetings, or otherwise doesn't do what they say in the beginning of the
business relationship, I can expect more of the same later on. Since you are
paying for her service, it’s reasonable to expect your designer to value your
time as much as you value hers.
Also note how organized she is with the business end of things. Ideally,
she should be able to send whatever information you've requested without delay.
Any estimates, forms or communications should reflect a professional tone and
be clear and easy to understand.
A Valued Team Member
A Valued Team Member
The ultimate goal in hiring a designer for your book is to make
the overall process easier for you while also getting a great looking book in
the process. The overall production process for a book can be stressful and
span months so you make sure you like the person you hire for the job. Working
with someone you have difficulty with adds a lot of unnecessary headaches and
stress to an already complex process. With a little effort and a willingness to
think like an employer, you can find someone who fits well with you and your
project.