You’ve written your book, and that is a triumph to be celebrated!

Congratulations! Well Done!
I raise my best fountain pen in your honour. 

Now what?

Step 1.
Get your work professionally edited.

There are various types of Editors, which one do you need?
There are Copy Editors, who make sure your tenses are right, that punctuation is correctly used, and that your sentences are not running amok.
Then there are Structural/Developmental Editors who look at your piece with an eye to style, continuity, and accuracy, among other things.
If you need someone, here is one good place to start: www.editors.ca .

You can also ask writer friends for recommendations, it’s surprising who our writer friends know!

Step 2.
Spell check your work and have it proof read.

Find someone with proven proof reading skills.
It is preferable to do this in a printed form, not on screen.

Step 3.
Start to pull things together that you will need to know before hiring a designer.

I have created a simple list of things to help the process, if you would like a copy, please contact me (button below) and I will send you a PDF.
I promise there is no obligation!! It’s my gift to you for the hard work of getting your book finished.

Step 4.
Set some sort of a budget, which includes: editor, designer and printing. 
Know how many copies of your book you are going to want initially.

(Which might be more than you anticipate … count all the ones you will give to friends and family!)

Step 5.
Look at a variety of book designers and see what they have done.

Get a feel for them. Do you like what you see? Does their work give you a sense of their aesthetic style, does it fit your own?
Look at the books you are reading and see who designed them.

Ideally, what do you wish for in your book designer?

Perhaps someone who can …

• take your polished manuscript and turn it into a beautiful and enticing printed book, all while making the whole process feel seamless and easy.

• guide the process and weave through the complexities of the design, including choosing the right size/format (from both an aesthetic and economic perspective), layout, fonts and paper to effectively represent your work.

• select the best printing situation for your work (there are lots of choices)

• obtain the ISBN and make sure Library Archives Canada have finished copies in their possession.

• create effective promotional words and images ~ to show the whole world what you’ve done!

• offer guidance and assistance on getting your book into the larger world ~ yes, self-marketing will be involved, but it can be fun!

• communicate well and answer questions effectively. 

Like getting “bums-into-seats” for a concert, you have to “get books-in-hands”,
and together that’s what is possible when everyone involved brings their
skills, abilities and passions to the table.

If you have questions that I haven’t addressed, please reach out and ask them.

FAQ:
Do I do e-books, Kindle® or Amazon® uploads? Alas, No … I am strictly a printed “book-in-hand” designer.
Do you also design books for writers who have their own imprint? YES!