Should I hire a professional designer for my book interior?
Excerpted from Jane Friedman’s Blog
YES, if you want these services — a professional designer:
1. can select the best fonts and graphic elements to showcase your work;
2. helps an author determine the best size for their book;
3. makes sure that your book is properly formatted and adheres to the best practices for typography and layout;
4. frees up an author’s time to focus on other aspects of publication;
5. ensures the best placement of photographs and images in the book;
6. focuses on well-balanced pages;
7. pays attention to all page and line endings and breaks, setting each in the best possible manner;
8. can produce ebooks with advanced features, and adjust backend code for the best display and reader experience;
9. can help the author troubleshoot and fix any issues that arise when uploading files to the printer;
10. cares and guides you through the maze of self-publishing, so you can have some control and keep the royalties.
Some authors can format their own books, while others want that polished look of a professionally designed book, without taking the time or enduring the frustration of learning some new online tool.
The quotes will vary. A more experienced designer may be more money, yet provide not only design but guidance and consulting. Authors need to decide how to spend their time: writing, polishing their text, perhaps editing, marketing… Do you want to hire a professional designer for the interior of your book, in order to have time to work at other aspects of your publishing project?
We’ve helped countless of authors—even a number of small publishing companies to provide that professional interior (and cover) book design, in an easy, cost and time effective process. We are happy to be of service to you.
