mermaid treasures

Hilary July 15, 2022

One of my dreams is to do book covers and internals for burgeoning chapter book readers and to help it take flight I’m going to show what I can do. Da Da DAaaaaaaa!

Firstly I’ve created myself a little dummy logo for some dummy book publishing, introducing Platypus Books!

This is going to be used in my dummy book covers as a place holder, so that publishers can see it all laid out before them and they’ll have no option but to commission me to work with them on their next series *fingers crossed*

Then I made up an author name, I have a few, pulling from family names and the like. I settled on L.M. Hoskin, a good robust name that is gender neutral and may be used in other formats for a couple of other projects I have bouncing around in my rather roomy noggin.

For the cover, I took an image which got really great feedback when I posted it on Instagram. I set about finessing it in Procreate so that it could be laid out correctly, making room for the title etc.

original

finessed

I’m also not a writer so I sourced some dummy text using the old faithful Lorem ipsum. This site, https://www.lipsum.com will give you any number of paragraphs for your own adventure if you’re interested. This place holder text allows me to show how a finished page might look with the text in place.

Again, using Procreate, I set about drawing some images to represent other aspects of the imagined story to show I can do consistent characters, provide motifs, some fancy border action and incidental characters.

page borders

motifs and cover border

sketch ideas

From these I finished up three images in a greyscale format.

Working in InDesign I fiddled about. I’m not a graphic designer, but have had cause to use the program before and was willing to have a bash at it.

I used two fonts: MVB Grenadine for the body text and Providence Sans Pro for the titles and page numbers.

Creating shapes I allowed the text to flow around the more organic edges of some, but not all, of the images. The result is below, and I think I’ve knocked it up into something really good (I also had a person give an opinion or two, and they liked it (once I made the changes they suggested)).

sample cover

sample chapter 1

sample page 5

sample page 10

sample page 20

sample page 25

So, if you are a publisher of early chapter books or middle-grade fiction, I’m contactable here.

If you’re not a publisher BUT you know someone WHO IS a publisher of early chapter books or middle-grade fiction, send them this page.

And, if you like what I’ve done, let me know on Instagram or Twitter, give us a follow or just send out some positive vibes.

I’d love to do some of these in real time, but until then, Platypus Books might just dummy up some more!

quote quoting unquote

Hilary April 26, 2022

gif by @_essayer of person in striped top and courtly hair thinking, working it out, jumping for joy

Quoting work has become a thing. I don’t have an agent (which I’m open to if you’re keen...) so I’m learning from each one I do, especially what to do better. I am cautious and like to tick off the mostly small, but sometimes large, red flags that come through my inbox.

When the query comes through my email the very first thing I do is research the business and person it comes from. This is usually a quick Google, an interrogation of the website for the business and maybe LinkedIn.

I do this to ensure that I’m talking to a real person, doing a real thing, and to gauge the possible scope of the project they are doing.

Then I construct my reply and engage with the client.

Hopefully a good brief comes through, but if not I try to construct it in the quote I send through, reiterating the parameters and outlining what I can do for the budget.

There are a couple of things I’ve worked out that I will share as a lonely freelancer who has almost no support and has to do their own admin.

Up front, I don’t do kill fees. I know, CONTROVERSY!

I make the first payment 50% of the agreed fee and it is a non-refundable deposit, AND I don’t start until that is in my account.

This tells me they are serious, it tells them I’m serious.

After construcing the quote I send it through to the client and this is often where the negotiation takes place and a revised quote may be required to accommodate things the client hadn’t considered until they were written down and in front of them.

In my quote I include:

A. Letterhead with my ABN and contact details

B. Date

C. Quotation number: I use Q (for quote) then the date backwards - then they file consecutively

D. Contact: persons name, business name and billing details

E. Scope: as described to me

F. Description: explicitly describe what is to be done, just line or full colour or limited colour or is there is an image on my portfolio that is the style they like?… also file types, resolution and colour profile

G. Timeline: how long each round is going to take, what that encompasses, can be more or less if warranted, I add a line to explain cover me because I can’t control how long they take to send feedback through. I also can’t control it if I get sick (eg. COVID) and have to be away from from the studio.

H. Delivery: What actual files they will receive

I. Usage: What they are actually buying. A license to use in a particular way for a particular time in a particular location. Could be in perpetuity around the world, could be for three years in Australia.

J. Terms: I am not a bank and I don’t work for free. I ask to be paid 50% upfront to cover me from chasing kill fees or payment after work is begun. I only start after the deposit is paid. I am clear this is non-refundable. I ask to be paid in 7 Days, I have not resorted to charging late fees because all clients have been able to pay on those terms or have negotiated with me to extend the time before I begin. I put a time limit on the quote because pricing may change.

Anyway - this is what it kind of looks like

I have negotiated on the terms but in general people want to work with you because they like you work and want to see the project through with you and appreciate you are a sole trader, in any case, you have at least half of the money in hand before you have to start chasing up the rest.

Some large corporates want to buy out the copyright of a work. There is a lot of information about why you don’t sell your copyrights, see the AOI for some good information about this and in Australia you can register with Copyright Agency and they will manage the usage license you and your client agree to.

You can get help to work out what you do at Choreus. Paying for good advice is worth it. I have used Choreus and the advice they provided gave me the confidence I needed to speak up for myself and provided me multipliers as to how to value my work depending on how they are going to be used.

I take the approach, how would I feel if in 30 years I see something I did still making money for a past client. Whatever you to do, you have to be comfortable with the outcome, there are no backsies.

To be blisteringly honest, I have sold copyrights to works. Generally I charge 250% of the illustration cost on top of the illustration cost, but if it is a large multinational I have a multiplier for that figure too, because if you sell the copyright to one part of a multinational how do you police them not using it in any other part of their conglomerate of parent, subsidiary and affiliate companies? It’s a balance and I find much of the time it is easier to sell the copyright than chase clients who have legal departments, but you do need to understand this prior to beginning a quote to make sure you cover yourself for future uses.

Have those multipliers and don’t be afraid to use them.

So in summary:

> Make sure you have your business details on your quote

> Cover yourself in the event the client isn’t clear on what they are asking for

> Be clear about what they are getting

> Get more information about copyright and licensing in Australia at CAL

> Get more information about copyright and licensing in illustration at the AOI ($)

> Get help with all sorts from pricing to project management at Choreus ($)

Working with a publisher is a different thing altogether and I’ll put that in a separate post on another day. I’ve done a post about self-publishing here if you’re interested :)

Cheers & good luck, I know you can do it!

so far

Hilary April 11, 2022

Best laid plans went up in smoke early. Although what I learned was that it’s less exhausting if you go with the current than against it. Might not end up where you thought you’d be but better able to deal with what ever’s there because you’re happy and ready to go.

January and most of February was swallowed by covid. Then a short holiday to Eden and home the long way through Canberra. Stayed with my sister-in-law and her husband , their construction is underway and making progress, I saw my niece and her beautiful family, fossicked in second hand stores and gift shops and played around in nature. Back in time to start the year in March.

With that, I’ve been quoting on some freelance work and about to start a book which the manuscript is on it’s way, but the best thing has been finally getting involved in a challenge on Twitter I’ve been stalking since, forever. #colour_collective Has been going for a long while and run by an illustrator out of the UK, thus the spelling and one of the reasons I started following it. They post two colours (it used to be one, but now it’s two) and you have a week to create a picture with those colours. Some use it sparingly, others intensively, all look fab! These are some of mine:

Divas

Leaf season

Lily pond

Frog chorus

Fishies

Last blooms

I see such amazing diversity of work using #colour_collective and I try to like all of them (sorry if i missed anyones (eek!)). I often covet different illustration styles, marvelling at how these geniuses work, just amazing!

You can follow me @_essayer on Twitter and see all the other #colour_collective drawings they’re great!

Cheers!

Back and cleaning up the bird poop!

Hilary April 21, 2020

Having been out of the studio of the last little while – nearly a month! I came in to find my little studio buddy has left their calling card on my desk. The cheeky culprit was getting brave with no-one about, but is elusive now I’m back.

Overused phrase I’m sure, but it is interesting times. How we go back to what we did and how we did it will be as fascinating as living through how it all turned upside down.

An opportunity to do things better but I fear is that the loudest and greediest will have their way and the rest will be cleaning up after them. Again.

What is interesting is the most effective way of protecting the community from the infection is caring work. Providing space for people, cooking, cleaning, teaching, reassuring, nursing. Caring. Caring about each other.

A vaccine is really the only way this will enable anything like how we used to travel, live, share. We will just have to keep caring.

But since it’s Mother’s Day in Australia in a few weeks (10th May). I’ve put some new cards up (see below) which are suitable for just this occasion, along with the tea towels and prints that may bring a smile.

So pop by the shop and see what’s available and to help you out I’ve set up a code for free shipping anywhere in Australia. Put in WINNING2020 at the checkout until 6th May.

The postal service is a bit slammed at the moment but with all that’s going on sending things by post is a fab way to connect with people you can’t see in person (who doesn’t like a surprise in the mail that’s not a bill?!?) so order early, order often!

Cheers,

Self-publishing

Hilary March 16, 2019

or I've written a picture book and I need some pictures done…

You’ve put in the hard yards in and taken some words, massaged them into place and created a beautiful story. It’s a great thing to do and it’s something you’re very passionate about. You know you need some pictures for the story and so you’ve landed here. That’s great, and I’m looking forward to our adventure together.

Before we start, there are a few things I need you to understand and there is no judgement in this, but from many requests I and many of my illustrator colleagues get it is clear that there is a gap in the information available to writers as to how and what it takes to get a book published.

Let me be very clear, If you are going to submit your book to a publisher, they will want to chose their own illustrator. Employing me to draw anything will be a waste of your money, the drawings will be discarded. Publishers do not want illustrated submissions unless the author is an illustrator, illustrating their own writing.

Publishing houses exist is because it takes a lot of work to get a book published and involves a lot of people. Looking clearly at how the industry works will protect you emotionally and financially. It will help you clarify what you want out of me and what other things are involved in getting your book out into the market place.

Editor: Basically, the project manager, pulling all the parts of the book together. Managing expectations of the author, illustrator and book designer to get the best result

Art director: Like and editor, but for pictures
Book designer: A specialist graphic designer who lays in the text and places the illustrations getting the item ready for print
Author: Writes the words with editing guidance from the editor
Illustrator: Draws the pictures under direction from the editor (and/or art director)
Marketing: Assess the book for sales potential, deciding on print run and distribution
Printer: Prints and binds the book
Distribution: Delivers the book to the shops

If you are going to self-publish, you take on all of these functions or you pay someone to do them for you.

Illustrators and anyone you ask to do work on your book will expect to be paid. Your passion project is not their passion project. By all means you can ask for advice, almost everyone is happy to share their knowledge (if they have time) but it is not right to ask them to work for free or at a discount.

It can cost thousands of dollars to get a book published and the person doing the publishing will bear this cost.

Economies can be made with the scope of the project, but the illustrations alone can cost $5000 to $15000 (maybe even more), depending on the illustrator, the number and complexity of the illustrations and how soon you want them.

I am not trying to step on your dream or be nasty, this is an industry and there are, few (if any) short cuts.

There are successful self-published authors, it is a lot of hard work and an ongoing commitment to your project is needed.

Find a few and talk to them.

Join the ASA and/or SCWBI, these are your network. You will meet lots of people who have lots of information and advice to get you on your way. They are your peeps!

SO, when you’re ready and you’ve learned all you can about publishing and want to go ahead and get a quote for me there is one more step (sorry). Fill in this form and send it through when you request your quote.

It will help you clarify what you’re asking for and it will help me put together an accurate figure for you.

I want us to have a fun and rewarding working relationship, getting the best result and realising your vision. Having a comprehensive understanding of what’s involved and clear communication paths is the foundation of a really positive experience for everyone.

See below for some further information to read and listen to. Good luck and hopefully I haven’t done myself out of too much work.

Cheers,

Further information…

On publishing…

Sarah McIntyre 'Can you illustrate my book?' Some tips for writers approaching illustrators, 25 April 2016 https://jabberworks.livejournal.com/744387.html

Tania McCartney, The Happy Book Children’s Book Podcast, 2 January 2019
http://taniamccartney.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-happy-book-childrens-book-podcast.html

Australian Society of Authors, Find and answer, Publishing https://www.asauthors.org/findananswer/publishing [5 March 2019]

Australian Publishers Association, Getting Published
https://www.publishers.asn.au/resources/getting-published [5 March 2019]