Why do you need book design, anyway?

badesign

An example of a poorly desiged page. Note the uncomfortably dark and cramped type, the too-small margins, and the too-wide paragraph indents.

goodesign

This is the same page as above. Even at this small size you can tell that it looks much more readable thanks to a good design.

The factors mentioned above are just the start. There are many details to be attended to in every book—such as the choice of typefaces and colors, the styling of chapter openers, lists, and even page numbers—and all of these together make up the design.

The Book Design Process

Welcome to the wonderful and interesting world of self-publishing. This is the part of the site dedicated to helping you decide what you need. Generally, your book is ready for the design process when you have completed the steps listed below yourself. If you need advice on these steps, I would be happy to help via email or phone, or you can check the step-by-step guide on the How-To Guide page.

• You have found an editor and are working with him or her to finalize your manuscript.
• You have lined up a printer for your book and its cover. You have decided what dimensions you would like the book to be.
• You have obtained an ISBN number.
• You have gotten permissions if you need them and are working on the copyright page.

Now you are ready for the book design process. You will need both a cover design and an interior book design. Everyone understands the importance of a good cover design, but the interior design of the book is just as important. A well-designed book will invite the potential reader in. The pages are laid out so that they are easy to read—no one wants to read small text that leads to eyestrain or headaches! An experienced book designer knows how to present information clearly and attractively.

Here are the steps needed to create the interior design and page layout:

• You send me your Word, WordPerfect, or rtf file.
• We figure out how many pages the final book will be. Do you want it to be as short as possible (to avoid higher printing fees) or as long as possible (to impress readers)? I can make the book whatever reasonable length you would like.
• I prepare a custom book design for your approval. After that has been approved, I make a template and flow your words onto the pages. I send a first set of proofs in PDF format, or a hard copy if you prefer.
• You (and/or a proofreader) carefully review the proofs that I send you and return them with your comments and changes.
• If your book needs an index, you give a set of these proofs to your indexer.
• I make the changes you requested, and send you a second round of proofs for confirmation.

I prepare the files according to your printer's specifications and send them to the printer and to you on a CD for your safekeeping.

In the meantime, we work together on a cover design, which I will integrate with the interior for a smooth transition when the reader opens the book. The steps:

• We decide on an overall feeling or look that you want to convey on the cover. You send me any photo or artwork that you want to use.
• You provide copy for the back cover (and the flaps if the book has a jacket).
• I present you with two or three cover concepts, and we discuss them. We work through this process for as long as it takes.
• As soon as I know how many pages the book will be, I make sure that the cover design includes a spine that is the correct width. Then we can finish the cover. When it is complete, I send the file to the printer and to you on the CD with the page layouts.

Pricing

For book interior design and page layout, I charge a flat fee of between $6 and $10 per finished book page, depending on the complexity of your manuscript, plus a $150 design and template setup fee for a 1-color, black and white book ($350 for a full color book). Extra charges are as follows:

• $15 per scan, if you supply only hard copy images
• $10 to place each piece of art on the page
• Delivery/postage expenses at cost. Usually around $90.
• Additional fees if you need illustrations to be created
• In the rare event that extra services are needed or you request excessive changes to the page proofs, the hourly fee is $50.

For children's books and cookbooks, rates are different. Please contact me for specifics.

For book covers, there is a flat fee of $500 for paperbacks or $600 for a plain hardcover with a jacket. If your book will be printed in both soft- and hardbound formats, the cover fee is $700. Extra charges are applied if you need artwork. Delivery/postage fees at cost.