Freelance Q’s

[Finchbearer]

I think if any potential clients should choose me based on my portfolio (that I will emphasise is not ready yet!) I would certainly take some freebies clients at first just so that I can snag any issues, take my time learning and to get some good testimonials for my website (hopefully).

 

[JBCrowson]

N

No folio yet! My previous design work was not book cover design (and is all over seven years old). In other words, you may not like my style without having seen it first. I am UK based however, which I get the feeling you also are, so I may promote my services on here should I get to that point in the near future. If they fit then great, if not and you find someone else that you like the work of then also fine!

Thanks, this raises something I had not thought a lot about - what if the art someone produces is just not what I was aiming for. Presumably some reworking is reasonable, but how much? Or is it a case of until I'm satisfied?

 

[pmmg]

Most offer a set number of revisions for the initial costs, that I have seen. Usually 5 or less.

But....best would be to send them something as close as you can as to what you want to avoid all of that later.

 

[Finchbearer]

Thanks, this raises something I had not thought a lot about - what if the art someone produces is just not what I was aiming for. Presumably some reworking is reasonable, but how much? Or is it a case of until I'm satisfied?

So, a portfolio should give you an insight of the type of work the designer / artworker typically produces, call it a style if you like, and then of course I would offer reworks, but only so many until I’d have to charge more. Sometimes in package pricing, a designer may include how many reworks is included within that price, but it should always be a fair negotiation between client and designer. If a client asks for more than say ten reworks then I would question if they were the right fit for me or not.

 

[JBCrowson]

So, a portfolio should give you an insight of the type of work the designer / artworker typically produces, call it a style if you like, and then of course I would offer reworks, but only so many until I’d have to charge more. Sometimes in package pricing, a designer may include how many reworks is included within that price, but it should always be a fair negotiation between client and designer. If a client asks for more than say ten reworks then I would question if they were the right fit for me or not.

Thanks, that is kind of how I imagined it would work.

So to see if our tastes are close enough to be worth pursuing, it would seem both sides could offer some examples / images of other's work they like, and see how closely those match.

In answer to your comment earlier, I was born and raised on UK, but emigrated to Canada 15 years ago.

 

[Finchbearer]

For me personally, my approach would be to ask for the synopsis and perhaps at least the opening of the book to get a feel for the themes I would need to pick up on, along with whatever the writer would wish to have included on the cover.

 

[Mad Swede]

My Swedish publishers use a mixture of their own cover design staff and freelance staff which they hire through agencies. My editor tells me that a lot of the smaller publishers use freelancers. So I would do a search for suitable agencies and approach them. You might also do a search of the smaller publishers. Also, most of the SF and Fantasy magazines (Clarkesworld, F&SF, Asimovs et al) use freelance designers for their covers - look up their websites for submission guidelines. Before you start approaching people I'd make sure you have a portfolio of works on some form of website so that they have something to look at when you've approached them.

 

[Finchbearer]

Thanks MadSwede. As far as I’m aware many big publishing houses work with freelance designers, and that is where some good earning potential is, but the work needs to be top notch - obviously - to get the big briefs.

I aim to focus offering my services to authors who want to source their own cover designs, making my work more affordable and accessible at least to start with. I will be learning along the way.

 

[Demesnedenoir]

No stock photos, no AI... Sounds intriguing. I'm currently challenging my daughter to try a couple covers in acrylic or watercolor and I finish them in PS. I'd be curious to see your work. The one thing I like about AI is breaking the pathetic stock photo addiction, LMAO.

I’m afraid I’ll be offering design services that are AI free! It’ll all be designed by myself on my Adobe suite, mostly illustrator and photoshop, with some hand drawn elements where necessary. I don’t even use stock images because I refuse to pay for them. That will also keep my prices affordable in theory.

 

[Finchbearer]

Sarah j maas publishers got in bother a while back for her Crescent City series when the designer used an Adobe stock image for the cover. They are a massive publishing house and should have been able to come up with an original design! Funny though.

When I’ve put together a folio I MIGHT promote my services on here but not quite at that stage yet.

 

[Finchbearer]

Ah, got it slightly wrong, it was an AI generated stock image that was used, and the designers were unaware that it was AI generated.

 

[pmmg]

Yeah...it makes her look cheap, but mistakes happen. They will probably change it, and that one will become a collectors item. If you have it, get her to sign in

 

[Finchbearer]

I wish I could afford books these days! Even second hand books are pricey.

 

[pmmg]

I only see one with the wolf cover on Ebay $30.00.

 

[JBCrowson]

I'd be pretty miffed if I paid a cover artist who ended up using an AI generated stock image as the basis for the cover.

 

[pmmg]

Looking at that cover, its definitely computer drawn. I'd not know it was AI looking at it, but I can tell its a computer image. I would expect more for a paid effort. Specially from a publishing house.

 

[Prince of Spires]

There's no stopping technology. AI art is here to stay. My prediction is that if you give it 2-3 years, AI images will be completely acceptable as used for covers (and other purposes). They're just too good and cheap for them not to be used. But this is probably not the place to go into that discussion.

As for cover design: As designer you should have a policy on AI art and stock images. It doesn't really matter what that policy is, you just need to have it so people know what they're getting. I personally think that stock images reduce your cost, not increase it, since your time costs money too. Doesn't mean you need to use them (and I tend to prefer covers that don't), but it is something to be aware of.

The biggest thing (after the AI and stock image statement) people look at is price: you need a price for ebook, and a price for ebook + paperback. It'll probably be somewhere in the $200 - $750 range. Go too cheap, and people expect cheap covers. Go too expensive and no one will use it, except if you make fantasical covers.

After the cover price, also consider extra material like facebook banners and ad images and the like. Many people are willing to pay for them.

Have a policy on edits and how many drafts you're willing to deliver. For instance you make 2 sketches based on the initial brief, the writer picks one and you finalise that. Then they get 2 rounds of edits. It's best to be stricks in what you put on paper. If you write that you'll do 2 rounds, you can always do a third for free if it's a resonable request. However, if you promise unlimited drafts within reason you can't stop at 3 and you'll end up having discussions on what counts as reasonable even after 5 or 10 versions.

Another thing to consider is what you're actually selling. The two main options are:
- a license to (exclusively) use the cover for an ebook / paperback / hardcover. In this case you retain all copyrights. This is by far the most common deal. If the buyer wants to use the cover for anything other than what you licensed, they need to pay you extra.
- the copyright. In this case you sell everything, and you sell it once. The buyer becomes the new owner of the cover image and they can do with it as they please. This is less common, and when it happens people usually have to pay extra for this.

Small thing to keep an eye on is the cost for fonts. All covers have letters on them. And most fonts if you want to use them commercially, you have to pay a license fee.

In the end, what authors go for is price + what it looks like. To make them returning customers, be professional and communicative, and deliver what you promisse. Also, keep in mind that this is a business deal, so treat it as such. Use a contract to make sure both sides know what they get and sign up for that.

 

[Finchbearer]

Are you not a designer Prince of Spires?

Lots of good points.

I’ve planned all my pre-pricing to go on my website, which will all be flat rates. For example I have a standard package, then an extra add on for promotional material to go on Amazon, Instagram, Facebook, personal website etc.

I will also include a Q+A page where all common questions will also be ‘pre-answered’, because from my memories of working with clients in the past, it’s best to be explicit in what you do and do not offer.

I do not create incredibly complex and detailed illustrations or 3D art, I’m a graphic designer, so we’re talking about completely different disciplines here. Any graphic designer should be able to create image-based design from scratch, and it depends on the client and what they have in mind, and level of complexity involved as to how long an image-based design takes.

Many people think that graphic designers are also de-facto illustrators, artists, 3D artists and typographers, and even marketing strategists. They are all different disciplines. Book cover designers who claim to offer all and everything are often jack of all trades…finish the saying for me?

It would be best practice for a graphic designer to collaborate with an illustrator if you want the skill of an illustrator to create a background image, and a graphic designer to create a suitable grid, typeset and work out all of the communication side of things, as an example.

All the typefaces I have in my collection are owned for both personal and commercial use. Making a custom type design is also a lot of fun, and never ever discount the classics that anyone can get hold of for free - Baskerville, Gill Sans, Palatino, Bodoni etc. or my personal favourite, Cormorant Garamond.

 

[Prince of Spires]

Are you not a designer Prince of Spires?

...

No, I'm not. Just someone who's worked with a few, and checked out maybe 100 different ones, and has been following the discussion on AI and stock images in the indie community. Those are just my experiences

Another thing to think about and make clear (because I always struggle with this part) is how are you going to know what to put on the cover? It's nice if the author in question knows that up front. As in, does the author have to give you the basic idea of what he wants? Or is the back blurb + a first chapter enough? Or a dozen other possibilities. It's one of the hardest questions for me to answer "what do you want on it?"

 

[Finchbearer]

Another thing to think about and make clear (because I always struggle with this part) is how are you going to know what to put on the cover? It's nice if the author in question knows that up front. As in, does the author have to give you the basic idea of what he wants? Or is the back blurb + a first chapter enough? Or a dozen other possibilities. It's one of the hardest questions for me to answer "what do you want on it?"

This is a really good point. Any good designer should be able to come up with a design brief based on a collective number of factors: a relatively in depth discussion with the client, ideally an in-depth synopsis and an overview of important themes the author can point out from the book, and maybe at least a long excerpt. There’s only so much time in the world, and reading entire books may not be doable. The designer should be able to conduct their own research to a point too, depending on what there is to go off.

From previous experience, sometimes it can be problematic when an author comes in with a very specific design or image in their own mind. I am not a mindreader, nor is it my job to recreate someone’s else’s vision, so there needs to also be a level of trust between client and designer. For an author wanting a book cover designed, coming in with an open mind is going to be far more productive.