My Design Services
It might seem counter intuitive, but in most cases, any one person should do only one of the steps to complete your book: developmental editor (very early, big picture), copy editor, proofreader. Okay, so the book layout design can be done by the developmental or copy editor, but the designer should not be the proofreader. They are too close to the subject.
1
Copy Editing
When your manuscript is done and ready to send off, you are ready for a copy editor. The developmental edits for a story are done: flow, language, character development. Now it is time to clean it up: ensure consistent names, proper grammar, spelling (based on the story), and so on. Time to polish the language until it shines.
You'll want a thorough copy edit regardless of where it is headed. Self-publishing? Pitching to publishers? Either way, it needs to be clean before it heads out.
2
Book Layout
Self-publishing has lost much of its stigma. In the bad old days, the publishing industry was neatly tucked in the iron fist of the Big 5 (the five publishers who own nearly all the publishers). Now you can make a fantastic book without them.
But you need your book to be laid out on the page well. Not just font choices, but where lines break, how paragraphs are separated, the integration any images. Of course, your book layout is only there to support your story, but they should both be amazing, right?
3
Proofreading
Your book is laid out. That means it's ready for print? Not quite yet. Someone needs to take another look.
A proofread catches any remaining errors such as typos, ensures design is consistent, and watches for any errors that will come up in printing. The proofread is the last bastion between you and the inevitable errors in your printed book. The proofreader merely tries to find as many as they can so your finished book will be as close to perfection as humanly possible.
Designs of the Past
Ask me which I prefer: book layout or proofreading? I cannot answer. Both are so satisfying.
Layout
Layout sees the book come to life. Like Frankenstein's monster, it jerks and jolts until it is upright and out stumbling around the world on epic treks.
Twisting Time
anthology run by Megan Archer, 2022
Lay out color PDF and black-and-white print books.
Sue C. Boynton Poetry Contest
2021–2022
Laid out broadsides and zine collection of winners. (Also illustrated broadsides from 2011–14, and 2018–2022.
First Second
In addition to laying out the book and first design pass, I laid out and styled the lettering from the art.
Clash of Clans: Books 1 and 2 (2022–2024); History Comics: Roanoke Mystery (2020); History Comics: The Great Chicago Fire (2019); Island Book (2019); The Nameless City: The Divided Earth (2018); Head Games (2016)
Introduction: Awesome 'Possum, Volume 3, by Ursula Vernon.
Lettering Layout
Lettering layout sees a comic come to life. Consistency in lettering brings power to places with larger, smaller, or unique text.
First Second (since 2016)
2024: Continental Drifter; History Comics: Hip Hop; History Comics: Prohibition; Karate Prom; Lunar New Year Love Story; Mia and Friends; Sweetness
2023: Bea Wolf; Belle of the Ball; Clash of Clans, Books 1 and 2; Dictatorship; The He-Man Effect; Homicide, Books 1 and 2; In Limbo; Look on the Bright Side; Monstrous; Now Let Me Fly; Ruined
2022: Demon in the Woods; Einstein; Forever Friends; The Greatest Thing; History Comics: Transcontinental Railroad; Shuna’s Journey (first pass of English layout from Japanese); So Much for Love; Why the People
2021: Big Apple Diaries; Bubble; Free Speech; Himawari House (including Korean characters); History Comics: Mustang; History Comics: American Bison; Horse Troubles; Jukebox
Contact me for previous years' lists.
Spread: Eisner-nominee So Much for Love by Lambda Sophie (First Second)
I laid out the original lettering for the English edition. So fun to figure out the line breaks and emphases!
Proofread
Lettering layout sees a comic come to life. Consistency in lettering brings power to places with larger, smaller, or unique text.
Chelsea Green
2024: The Biochar Handbook; Chile, Clove, and Cardoamom; The Courage of Birds; Feather Trails; Flower Farming for Profit
2023: The (Big) Year that Flew By; Birding Under the Influence; Celestial Garden; Great Regeneration; Lean Micro Farm; Raising Resilient Bees
2022: Birds, Beasts, and Bedlam; Cider Planet; Cold-Hardy Fruits and Nuts; Home-Scale Forest Garden; Wild-Crafted Vinegar; Small-Scale Poultry Flock
2021: Fermentation Journey; The Forager Chef’s Book
of Flora
Contact me for previous years' lists.
