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Book
Cover Design Questionnaire Sample Book Covers Levels of Service Available: Free Cover Evaluation: I'll look at what you've come up with and make suggestions for improvement as needed. No cost to the author. Revision of Existing Cover Artwork: I'll tweak and finesse your exiting cover artwork and produce final digital artwork for both a useable image for eBook and online promotion, but also a basic wrap cover for a print version $100.00 USD Custom Design or Re-Design Cover Artwork: I'll design a cover for your book based upon your specific market, goals and needs. I'll provide up to three versions and produce final digital artwork for both online and eBook use and a wrap cover for print. Payment for use of stock photography and illustration or custom photography and illustration is the responsibility of the author, unless the author owns images or I can provide free images form my royalty free files. $250.00 USD Basic Design Services: My basic design services are available for publishing promotional projects such as collateral hand-outs, spec sheets, logos, promotional materials, etc. They are estimated by the job and will require a 50% deposit to initiate work. The estimate will include costs of any images, photography and specialized typography which may be needed. My fees are based upon my hourly rate of $75.00/hour Important: A Matter of Rights Along with an author's concerns to protect their own copyright to their work, self-published authors need to be concerned about the copyright protection of images used on their book covers. Infringement of copyright is no laughing matter. You will have to take care of many things a traditional publisher would handle, including securing rights protections. While adding the expense of securing image rights adds expense, in the long run, it is much safer that finding images from online sources when the rights are not specified. Careful research can recover images that are not only inexpensive (can be as low as under $10 usd), but carry no useage royalty fees. Several Stock Photography Houses offer images online. I use both Veer Images and Corbis Images, among others, as they offer royalty free images and a very large selection. I recommend an extended visit of each, using their search functions to see if the images can suggest themes and images you'd like to see on your cover. They both also offer illustrated images. If a custom illustration is your desire and you have budgeted for it, I can make genre recommendations, but the author will still need to negotiate their own price and own the rights to the illustrations produced. PaymentWhenever I can, I offer package deals on certain design projects. These are based upon knowing what the typical steps are, and knowing how to do things efficiently, from experience. My regular hourly rate is competitive, but my package prices are not based upon an open rate like that.Here's the thing: I don't work for spec. If you need someone who will work until you "feel" you've got your money's worth; or withhold payment if a third party you bring in, doesn't "like" what we've done, you should find an art school student, or someone starting out who will do business this way. All the parties that will be making decisions regarding your artwork should be involved in all our communications from the beginning, and not added as an afterthought. I require payment up front, unless we have a history of doing business. Even my free consulting and commentary costs me time and effort. If you send payment, then we have a business contract, based upon our negotiations before you sent it. We accept all credit cards through the PayPal website. PayPal is a very large, very secure payment clearing operation. All our online business has been handled by them since 2007 with no issues at all. To set up a payment account, go to www.paypal.com and follow the instructions. If you use them for online payments, no online retailer will ever see your actual payment information, your credit card number or any other personal info you don;t wish to pass on. All you need is an email address. If you have any questions regarding my rates and estimates, please feel free to contact me at the email address written below. Contact Information: RS Communications Creative Director Correspondence: 223 Wall Street Suite 145 Huntington, NY 11724 (631)470-4814  Email Contact:info(at)rscomdotco 
This was handed to me when I began my very first job in an art bullpen. It is really important and can apply to almost every business decision.   |
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