Every now and then, someone emails and asks for recommendations on editors, cover art designers, and ebook formatting folks, so here’s a quick run down on who I’m currently using.
Editing
A few months ago, I did a post on how editing (and hiring an editor) works when you’re self-publishing, so you may want to take a peek at that if you’re new to things. It’ll give you an idea about which level of editing you may need, and it talks a bit about prices (though there’s a huge variation from editor to editor).
I’ve tried four or five different editors since I got started e-publishing, and, for the last four novels, I’ve used Shelley Holloway. She’s been freelancing for a while, and her rates aren’t the cheapest you’ll find, but, for me, it’s been worth paying more. She always seems to catch more typos, missing words, etc.. When I used a different editor for a short story last winter, I even had a reader point out that it had more errors than she was used to in my novels.
Cover Art
I don’t think I’ve done a write-up on how selecting a cover-art designer works, but I did figure out, through trial and error, that it’s helpful to get someone who has experience doing books. You can make a cool cover out of a custom illustration, but it saves some headaches if you use someone who handles lettering/fonts as well and gets that, especially with ebooks, the cover should look good in a thumbnail version as well as a full-sized one.
I tried a couple of different people before finding Glendon Haddix, the fellow who does the Flash Gold and Emperor’s Edge books for me (he redid Encrypted last year too). He’s also done the covers and interior formatting for my paperbacks. I believe he does ebook formatting now too. One-stop shopping. 😉
Ebook Formatting
This is something that a lot of indie authors learn to do themselves, but, if you’re like me and prefer to outsource the non-creative work, you can find lots of folks offering formatting services. $100 or so (for a full-length manuscript) seems to be about average, but you can find bargains out there too.
Glendon and Shelley both offer ebook formatting now, as an add-on to their other services, but I started out using Ted Risk over at Dellaster Design, and I’ve stuck with him. He does a good job and he also has the files to all my earlier books, so it’s easy to have him update the old ones at the same time (as you publish more work, you’ll want to update your “also by the author” lists in the earlier books). I also like that he creates HTML files rather than simply converting Word .doc files. I think you have more possibilities for customization that way, and, for non-fiction, in particular, that can be nice.
You can also check into Paul Salvette, an indie author based in Thailand. He’s been a guest poster here before. He wrote How to Format Your eBook for Kindle, NOOK, Smashwords, and Everything Else and just started BB eBooks, which offers formatting services.
Do you have anyone you’d recommend? Feel free to do so in the comments.
May I recommend the wonderful Marcia Trahan at marciatrahan.com? She does critiques, copyedits, proofreading, mentoring, and even did a 20-page outline for me once. She is sweet, professional, and a joy to work with. Thanks for letting me plug her, and thanks for your suggestions as well, Lindsay. Sometimes it’s hard for authors to take off their writer caps and put on their steampunk technological goggles. If that makes any sense . . .
Cassandra Marshall is a good editor for YA. I was very pleased.
And yay for Glendon doing eBook formatting! No more hours delving into the Smashwords guide.
Thanks, Lindsay, for providing details on these resources. We will link this at our company site for authors looking for referrals on cover designers/editors. It’s interesting there’s such a variation in cost from editor to editor.
I can second the recommendation for Shelley. 🙂
Lindsay,
re formatting. I’ve just discovered Legend Maker (by Zapptek). You need a Mac but if you have a friend or relative with one it’s worth becoming very friendly. The software is $20 odd dollars and it takes about half an hour to do and is ridiculously easy. It’s one of writing’s chores but the control is all yours and the money saved can go to the editors or better covers or just reduced costs. Cannot recommend it highly enough.
Regards
Ian
I’m planning on trying that software soon, though I can already make ebooks in less than 20 minutes.
Glendon Haddix and the entire Streetlight Graphics team is amazing. Not only are they excellent at design and formatting, but they are also friendly. Funny tidbit: I chose Streetlight Graphics because I found out they did the (green cube) cover for Encrypted. Sheer awesome!
I would like to add Daniel Middleton over at Scribe Freelance. The website is http://www.scribefreelance.com He is one of the most reasonably priced and highly talented in the industry. This too is a one stop shop for all of your publishing needs.
Another is Renee Lewin of reneeromance.com If you didn’t think it was possible to have your book in print and ebook for under $300…think again. Yes that includes interior formatting as well as conversions.
Hi Lindsay,
First, I’m a great admirer of your work your work in general and of the Emperor’s Edge series in particular. Thanks for doing such great work! (And please put out Book 5 immediately!!!)
Second, a question: can you please write a blog post on beta readers. How to find them. What groups exist online. General etiquette.
Thanks!
Liz
Thanks for reading, Liz! I’ll keep that in mind for a future blog post too!
I’d like to recommend Grammatic Effects (http://grammatic-effects.com/). My husband uses her and her prices are extremely reasonable.
I have the same person do all my cover art–Calista Taylor. She’s going to do the cover art for my whole para. series. For editing, I found myself a nice, retired English teacher, who happens to be reasonably priced too. 😀 As for formatting, I do it myself. It’s a little time consuming, but my novels haven’t been that long so I’m good.
I found Ray and his team at Aardwolfe both professional and reasonably priced when he edited my book ‘Love’s Enduring Circle’.
Ray LeBlanc, Publisher
Aardwolfe Books
http://www.aardwolfe.com
2publisher@aardwolfe.com
When I outsource my covers, I go with Robin Ludwig:
http://www.gobookcoverdesign.com/
And I use Diana Cox for proofreading:
http://www.novelproofreading.com/index.html
Book formatting is next on the list to outsource for me… Thanks for the recommendations!
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Some fellow members affiliated with my writers’ association (Liberty States Fiction Writers, http://www.libertystatesfictionwriters.com/) just opened up Formatting4U (http://formatting4u.com/). I’ll be hanging on to your link and looking into both when the time comes. Thanks so much!
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My teenaged son loves steam punk and wanted to read your books so we bought the “hard” copies for him to bring to camp–I wondered if you could let us know about your experience with paper books–the service you use, whether they make money, etc. Apologies if you posted earlier on this topic—I didn’t see it. RE: our purchase: on the one hand, these will certainly get passed around to a lot of other kids at the camp, but then hopefully those who like them will keep reading in the series. (esp. with the book 4 cliffhanger!)
Hi Lilia,
Thanks for grabbing the paperbacks for your son! I hope he enjoys them. 🙂
Glendon Haddix (streetlightgraphics.com), the same fellow who does my cover art, put together the print versions (which involves interior formatting and creating a spine and back cover).
CreateSpace is the print-on-demand service I use, and I’ve been happy with them so far. They get the books into Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and apparently it’s easy for book stores and libraries and such to order copies.
I chose to price the paperbacks as inexpensively as possible (CreateSpace sets minimums based on the cost to print them), since POD books already cost more than mass-market paperbacks, so I don’t make much on the sales of them. I do make a little, though, and always appreciate the support! It’s fun to be able to sign something too. 😉
Thanks!
I just wanted to add my recommendation for Kim Killion and her team at Hot Damn Designs for cover art for romance titles. They could not have been more helpful and responsive, not just with the cover but of all aspects of the publishing process. here is their link:
http://www.hotdamndesigns.com/home.asp
My first novel has been formatted for e-publication with Smashwords by Sandy Mertens: sandyswebnetwork@gmail.com. She did a fantastic job which included a brilliant book cover. She is honest and very reasonable. I highly recommend her.
Reb Wingfield, author, Marijuana Air Freight
rebwingfield@gmail.com