Writing a book

Writing a book is an exciting and daunting process.

Good for you. You finally decided it was time to write your book. You start with an outline, knowing that the sequence of entries may change during the writing phase.

As you start writing, you may have to conduct research, interviews, or site visits. For fiction pieces, you have to flesh out your characters’ personalities and make sure they align with your theme and previous pieces you may have written, especially if it’s part of a series.

Whatever your subject, you need an organizational method that works for you, whether it’s index cards, notebooks, or electronic helpers like Evernote or OneNote, to keep all your gathered information organized and accessible.

Once you’ve put in months of hard work, you’re getting closer to the end.

This is the moment when you start thinking about things you’ve tried to ignore until now. Who will edit your text? Where will you find copyright-free photos? Who will translate your handmade graphics into digital versions? What designer will put it all together and work on your cover? And, of course, you need to print it. You realize you haven’t made a proper budget, considering all these expenses.

Writing a book and doing all the work yourself. (DIY)

Maybe you thought of doing it all yourself. But the more you think about it, the more you realize you don’t have the knowledge or expertise to do it alone.

That’s where a book designer comes in as your best resource.

As soon as you know what type of book you’re going to write, meet with your book designer to discuss the type of book you want, the manuscript’s estimated length, and your target market’s special needs. If your target market is children, they may need big sans-serif type and few words per page, which will increase the number of pages needed. You also need to decide whether to print or go electronic, and if you print, you must decide whether you want color or not, what type of paper you want, and the book’s size. All these factors are essential to determine the price.

Collaborating with a book designer at the beginning helps you understand the whole process and prepares you for all the hurdles you’ll face while getting your book to print. They help you work on your budget and may even suggest possible sponsors or grants you could apply for.

By working with a book designer, you can reduce your stress levels and work in a peaceful environment. You can be at ease knowing that the designer has considered your target group’s needs and that your book will look just as you want it to. Designers aren’t someone to fear, as their only interest is to help you make your dream come true in the best possible way.

By Marina Rivón of Maremar Book Design & More
© Maremar Book Design & More,  All rights reserved.

Since 1983, Marina has been designing marketing solutions for her clients’ communications challenges. Because of her target-oriented, creative, and efficient solutions, she has a long list of satisfied, award-winning customers. Marina specializes in Book Design and you can view more of her work at www.maremar.com, or call 787-731-8795 the next time you need help with your graphic designs.