AUTHOR SERVICES
Let’s be honest. Even the most beautifully written, profound, timely work can be overlooked and dismissed if poorly presented. While self-publishing is highly accessible, many books still appear amateur. The templates provided still rely on the author’s aesthetics and technical skills. Many publish one way, only to learn too late how their choices limit them and their book’s success. If you’re looking for someone with firsthand experience to help guide you through the process and make your book shine, read on.
MY JOURNEY
I began my design career in print and digital media in 1996 working for ad agencies in the Greater Boston Area. I was hired for my instinct and they invested in my education at Mass Art and Suffolk’s School of Art & Design. After years of experience in the industry, I decided to work for myself, affording more time to pursue my passions. When I started publishing books in 2014, my design and development skills came in handy.
There are many ways to go about putting out an eBook, hardcover, paperback, or all three. I’ve experimented with a variety of options and am happy to share my learnings to help you decide what’s right for you. I love working with artists, writers, activists—people who commit to their work and want to share it with the world.
WORKING TOGETHER
We’ll start with a conversation via email or phone to discuss your project, deadline, and needs. I’ll develop a plan and timeline and, upon agreement, will send you a contract to eSign. If you’d like to proceed, you’ll either: a.) pay half of the estimated amount, and the remainder at completion; b.) pay the full amount of one service at a time; or c.) if it’s spread out over months, pay a deposit and then monthly, upon invoice.
In order to meet your deadline, it’s imperative that you respect our work flow. This means timely replies to emails and articulate direction. If you’ll be out of reach for more than 36 consecutive hours during our scheduled time, please let me know in advance.
Working for myself allows me to be selective. I reserve the right to decline any project that I find offensive. If I discover your project involves bigotry of any kind, work will cease and you’ll be reimbursed for unused time.
ESTIMATED RATES
You might not require all of my services. Use them a la carte. My rates won’t be the cheapest, but I stand by the quality and experience they bring. I charge authors roughly fifty percent of what I otherwise bill.
Cover Art
Printed Book Cover Design (front/spine/back) / $500
3 versions to choose from. 1 round of revisions. Photo rights at cost—not included.
Printed Cover Translation to eBook / $75
Resized and sometimes slightly changed to fit specs. 1 round of revisions.
eBook Cover Design Only / $350
3 versions to choose from. 1 round of revisions. Photo rights at cost—not included.
Extra Revisions to any of the above / $50/hour
Cover Art does not include original illustrations. If that’s what you’re seeking, we’ll discuss your needs and I’ll provide an estimate if I feel confident I can produce what you desire.
Formatting
Template Design for Print or eBook / $250
5 Templates—i.e. TOC, Chapter start, Continuous Left, Continuous Right, Bullets. Includes font specs and header/footer.
Formatting for Print or eBook / $50/hour
Separate charges for Print & eBook. Fiction work can est. 25,000 words per hour. More complex non-fiction work that requires in-line detail will take longer. If I provide formatting for both, the eBook will take less time. If you don’t have a printed book, eBooks will take more time—as there’s no pre-formatted model. For an upfront estimate, I’ll need to see your manuscript.
PDF for Printer / $75
Preparing print-ready file to the printer’s specs.
Extra Revisions to any of the above / $50/hour
Web Design/Development
WordPress Design or Redesign & Implementation / $600
Home, About, Basic Store, Blog, Contact. Client provides text and images.
Add’l Functions & Extra Revisions / $50/hour
One-sheet for Selling to Bookstores
Single sheet with bio + vital book info catered to your brand / $200
Consulting
General Consulting / $50/hour
Work Plan Schedule, cumulative emails, calls, and messaging. Every project will contain consulting hours, tallied and billed at launch.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Only do what you have full confidence in doing. Hire others to do the rest.
Not hiring an editor is the biggest mistake you could make. Every book needs at least one extra set of eyes. For book editing & proofreading services, contact: Major Developments. They’re pros.
Consider your Publishing Company to be something other than your name, and register it with your city.
Research the major printers/distributors, such as Ingram Spark and CreateSpace/Amazon. Make a well-informed decision.
If you decide to use Ingram, purchase ISBNs at Bowker. You’ll need one for each version of each book—i.e. paperback, hardcover, ebook.
Ask experts and acclaimed relevant leaders for a blurb. Do this 4-8 months in advance of your launch, as they’ll need time to read and it will be included on your book cover.
Make sure you build in enough time for editing, shipping proofs, proofing hardcopies, color correction, revising errors, and shipping final books before your book launch. If I’m creating your work plan, I’ll do this for you.
Purchase a domain name for your book—even if you have one for your author site—and make sure your hosting and forwarding is set up in advance. Depending on how well the book does, you don’t need to keep it beyond two years.
Acknowledge that paying others for marketing and PR will unlikely yield returns that translate into book sales. Don’t fall victim to offers that prey on indie authors. Start building your brand early and consistently. Blog as often as you can and engage with your readers. Use social media and work your networks. Find a balance between selling and making connections. With persistence, you’ll see results.