Annotations

My work as a freelance illustrated-book designer

  

 Email Article  

Tweet  

  

  

  

 delicious  

  

  

When a client asks me to design and lay out an illustrated book, and I know that their staff will oversee all that comes before and after my part of the process, it's a gift that makes work feel about as luxurious as it can get. I can focus all my attention on the work I most enjoy. Rather than being project manager, I get to be can be project managed.

My illustrated-book design clients and I share a mutual respect and and an appreciation for one another's work. We have come to count on each other to bring the requisite skills and resourcefulness needed to handle every unexpected curve thrown our way in the course of their project.

But I have a branding issue. Some potential clients whose work I admire are apparently unwilling to consider hiring me because I refer to myself as Creative Director of Vern Associates, illustrated-book packager, rather than Peter Blaiwas, freelance illustrated-book designer. 

My partner and I run a two-person business. We love what we do, have done it for a long time, and are very good at it. We call ourselves illustrated-book packagers because some clients want us to produce their books from concept to finished product. 

Because we traditionally have chosen to oversee most of the work ourselves, we have an intimate acquaintance with the ins and outs of all aspects of editorial, design, production, and manufacturing processes. It's hard work, and we do it out of devotion to quality, not from a requirement to control.

Many other book packagers employ larger staffs and pay higher overhead than we. They often insist on packaging the entire project as a way to keep the job profitable. This apparently has encouraged the assumption that all book packagers require complete project management, and I am afraid that has kept a number of production, project, and publication managers from even considering working with me as a designer.

If they are concerned that I might question their actions and decisions in their area of expertise, they needn't worry. After all, why would anyone do that if they hoped to continue working with that client? However, as I know from experience, that sort of worry suggests that the person is someone seriously engaged in his or her own work—and that is the type of client for whom I want to work.

So you see my branding quandary. Any suggestions or comments readers might care to share will be very welcome.