So, What Does a Book Designer Do?
You’ve been working hard on your book—writing and re-writing—and now you’re thinking about what your next steps are. While you were writing, you may have given some thought to what you wanted the cover to look like, how you wanted the paper to feel in someone’s hands, how the pages would look—page numbers, chapter headings. Or perhaps the hard work writing the book was where you kept your perspective focused. But now, now you’re thinking about it.
If you’re planning to self-publish your book, you’ll need to think about talking to some book designers about the cover, and also about the interior pages. NOTE: If you have a contract with a publisher (large or small) they more than likely have an art department that will work with you on the design steps.
For those of you self-publishing, read on…
The Circle and the Line by Lisa Field, cover and interior page design
Simply stated a book designer is a graphic designer with a focus on books. A book designer has skills that come from the graphic design world and experience in the book publishing world, so her skills are focused on how to turn a manuscript into a real-life book.
In essence, a book designer's main goal is to ensure that all elements of your book work together in a symbiotic way.
In terms of straight-up design, a book designer creates the cover and all the visual pieces for your book using a combination of any or all of the following:
Images or photos
Illustrations
Fonts
Color
The themes of your book
The process includes using creative skills, taking the time to understand the content of your book, having knowledge and experience in the book publishing industry, with a side of research and marketing skills.
Grief Becomes You by Maya Stein, cover design and interior spread
For those of you who’ve never worked with a designer before, maybe you feel some hesitation. Understanding how the process works generally may be helpful for you.
I’ve heard many things from authors over the years that go along the lines of:
I’m worried that the designer won’t consult me about the designs.
What if I don’t like the design? What do I do then?
It’s probably going to cost too much money.
I heard a horror story from a friend who worked with a designer years ago.
What I always suggest to potential clients is do your research, find a designer whose work you feel an affinity with—chances are you’ll feel an affinity with her personally. Make an appointment to talk with the designer(s) you like and get a sense of how they work, get a sense of their personality. Can you see yourself working with them?
Also? Get recommendations from people you know who’ve also self-published.
A book designer needs to know what your book is about; but more than that, she needs to figure out its “essence”. What genre is the book? What’s the message of the book? What section of a bookstore might this book be shelved in? What makes it interesting, what makes it stand out from other books in its category? What aspects make it marketable? What is its unique quality or qualities?
To get the answers to all these questions, the designer and author need to spend some time talking through these points. Oh and? There will be a questionnaire. Most every book designer I know has a questionnaire. And they’re usually really fun. Trust me.
The design for your book may be more expensive than you were hoping. Or you might be surprised. Only you know what your budget can handle, and if you haven’t put design in the budget to begin with, it may topple it. So suffice it to say that you’re the only one that can make that decision, but before you decide design will break the bank of you, talk to some designers, get a sense of how someone could help you.
A good book designer is going to want to work with you, listen to your thoughts about the book. It will help them with how they approach the design. Since you’re the best source of information about your book and the best link to your book’s audience, listening, talking through ideas and sharing creative solutions collaboratively is incredibly important to a successful book.
Working with a designer will give you a new view into your own book—a view perhaps not shared by an editor or an early reader. She’s going to be viewing your book through the lens of your story, your characters, and/or your book’s voice but also through the lens of imagery, font, and how that ties to your book’s genre and that genre’s themes in the overall market.
Liberating Liturgies 2.0 by the Women’s Ordination Conference, cover and interior spread
And what if you don’t like what your book designer creates? There are typically rounds and phases of work and everything is passed by you the author for your approval. If you’re not sure about something, ask. If something doesn’t feel right, speak up. Ask questions. If you really don’t like something, speak up. Most good designers won’t be offended, they know it’s part of the process. And I’ll also say, there may be a reason your designer, so listen to her, and then decide if you really don’t like it.
Many self-publishing authors opt to reduce expenses and design the book themselves. You’ve budgeted for a proofreader, perhaps an editor, and you feel like you’ve got a good eye and could probably put the design together yourself and save some money.
I totally get that. And…
Unless you have some experience with book design or graphic design in general, I wouldn’t recommend it. You’re the writer, your expertise is the writing. A book designer will help you bring your book to life, create a cover design that will speak to your audience.
Not everyone is a good fit for collaborative work. I’ve heard horror stories about designers. I’ve also heard horror stories about contractors and consultants. Things can go amiss when working with someone, but more often than not, if you do your research, ask for an introductory call, get a sense of the person who you’ll be working with, and are honest and forthright about what you’re hoping for and expecting, it will more than likely go very well.