Millions of authors worldwide are dedicated to providing quality work to their audience. Many things empower this endeavor, such as the quality of content, adherence to the genre, and representation of illustration within or outside the book.
Yes, every author can understand that hiring a professional illustrator to assist them can be very beneficial. However, finalizing the right illustrator for your work can be one of the hardest decisions, especially if you are new to the field.
Do not get overwhelmed if you have never worked with an illustrator before. It is my first time working with everyone and everything. And this is your chance to make the best of your masterpiece with the help of the right people.
Here are a few things that can help have a smooth work experience with illustrators:
1. Choose the Right Medium
Millions of individuals are offering their services as the best illustrators. They can be reached through their business profiles, social media handles, and emails. Before you consider reaching the right book illustrators in the UK, you must know where to look for them.
As an author, you will likely interact with other experienced and aspiring authors. Of course, these authors may also have connections to trusted illustrators. You can use these connections to your benefit.
In addition, hiring freelance writers is another common practice for authors worldwide. Even if you do not meet these professionals in real life, you can try negotiating terms with them to see if you can settle on the same page.
2. Ask for a Sample
When you look for an ideal book illustrator, you will come across many individuals with experience and skills. It can be impressive, but it does not mean they are the best-suited professionals for your work.
For example, you may be impressed by seeing their creativity in a fantasy book cover design. But, if you are writing something different or want to work in other genres, there may be some problems during the process.
That is why, before finalizing the deal with an illustrator, it is always a good idea to provide the aspiring professionals with a brief description of your work and ask them to create a sample illustration. It may not seem like a lot initially, but a glimpse can help you see if your partnership will sustain itself.
3. Read the Reviews
A so-called professional can claim to be the best in the field. But you cannot let their words alone create an image. You need a lot more to ensure they are the best match for your work with relevant experience in the field.
Of course, a so-called professional can lie to you about their experience and expertise. However, their customers and clients will always give honest reviews based on every aspect of their work. Therefore, you may want to consider looking at their testimonials and reviews.
There is hope if the reviews and testimonials are satisfactory, especially for the people hiring them for the same service as you. You can consider hiring professionals with satisfactory reviews to ensure a smooth experience.
4. Consider the Costs
Creating an illustration can be a very challenging process. And hence, it would be a lie to say that hiring the services of an experienced illustrator can be pocket friendly. But, it is never advised to undertake this job yourself.
Of course, you can create your illustrations with some experience and the right tools. But, it would never match the expertise of a professional in the field. And you do not want to risk the quality of your work just to save some money.
Yes, you will come across some illustrators that will fit all your requirements and may seem like a perfect match for your needs. However, it does not mean that cost negotiations will go smoothly. You will have to compromise on some aspects depending on your budget.
5. Treat it as a Partnership
When you seek an illustrator for your work, it can differ from hiring other services. That is because you and your illustrator are creative professionals in their fields. Together, you can turn bad into good and good into excellent.
But it is important to remember that you and your illustrator can bring creativity to work in many ways. Therefore, it is better not to undermine each other’s opinions. If you listen intently, you can find a lot of helpful recommendations and courses of action.
This practice can be very helpful, especially if you are new to the field. If you hire an illustrator with vast experience in the field, they can help you learn a lot and understand things for good on the way. These roles can be reversed for the illustrators too.
This partnership is not limited to crafting successful illustrations only. You can also ask your illustrator many other questions from their expertise. The related answers can help you see a bigger image of things and increase your knowledge in the field.
6. Create a Contract
Whether hiring someone to create an audiobook of your work or design the needed illustrations, it is always a good idea to proceed with a well-crafted contract. A contract can save you or your work from getting into unfortunate trouble.
In addition, a contract can also help you predetermine some details, such as the cost breakdown, the schedule, and other obligations that you and your illustrator must know before proceeding in agreement with each other.
This way, any violation of the details mentioned in your contract can allow you to proceed with legal action without any restrictions. Since most authors are very serious about the confidentiality of their work, it’s best to keep your confidentiality a major part of your contract.
A proper contract can help the potential illustrator see that you mean business. Therefore, only serious candidates will agree to proceed with you. In addition, they will also handle you with extra caution to ensure that they stay within the bounds of the contract.
