The publishing landscape is undergoing many changes. Today it is easier to publish a book than before, thanks to the scope of the internet and technology. If you want your book business to flourish though, you will certainly require the help of graphic designers, virtual assistants, website designers and editors. A graphic designer provides writers with book covers, flyers and other marketing collateral that make your books look professional and appealing. A website designer provides you with a template that you use anytime to post your thoughts or blogs. A virtual assistant is somebody who can help you promote and market your books. Virtual assistants manage your administrative tasks like emailing, getting in touch with people, etc. An editor helps in reviewing your books and ensures your books adhere to industry guidelines or style guides.
What should you keep in mind when you recruit staff for your book publishing business?
Orion’s digital marketing director Marissa Hussey says one should hire people who are curious or “people who want to know the answers and learn new things.” To ensure you get the right talent, it is important to offer competitive remuneration. There are certain factors that should be kept in mind when hiring staff for your book publishing business.
Hiring a graphic designer
Firstly make a list of your graphic design needs. This will help you to articulate your needs to potential graphic designers clearly. Secondly, create a list of suitable freelance graphic designers in an excel sheet. You can start by asking your friends or colleagues, and also search online on job portals. Make it a point to mention your job deliverables in your job posting so that potential graphic designers can apply. Always look at their portfolio and keep an eye for references and customer testimonials.
How much is your budget? Depending on your budget, you can hire an experienced designer or an amateur person. Once your budget is fixed, start interviewing your list of designers. When interviewing, check if they have the required skills and expertise along with some relevant work samples. Check their availability and their payment requirements. Before you hire somebody, make sure you communicate your project needs clearly. Answer any queries they may have and keep your communication channels open.
Hiring a virtual assistant
When you want to hire a virtual assistant, make a list of your needs. Do you want somebody to send social media shout outs? You may need somebody to email sponsors and partners. You may need somebody to filter through your general blog inquiries or put together information for giveaway posts. Once you have decided a budget and if you have found somebody hire-worthy, you can consider creating an email account for your virtual assistant. Consider sharing the list of tasks (monthly) to be done on Google Calendar. Permit your virtual assistant to access social media accounts that you want them to access.
Hiring an editor
When you want to hire a developmental editor (substantive editing), it is important to look for somebody who has experience in your genre of writing or specialization. If you specialize in writing romance books, then don’t choose a travel editor. Conduct a face-to-face interview over Skype or FaceTime, and have a look at their samples. When hiring a copy editor, you can look for somebody with magazine editing experience or somebody who edits articles for grammar, punctuation, capitalization, etc.
Before you take the final call, put everything in writing. Be prepared to pay 50 percent of the cost upfront. Remember to be patient with your employees. If you have agreed upon a timeline, do not bombard your team with work reminder mails!
Editor’s Note: This article was first published on e-Books India in December 2014.
[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]https://writingtipsoasis.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Smitha-Abraham.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]I’m Smitha Abraham. I love traveling in my flights of imagination and use these flights to craft short stories and poetry. I am a budding writer from India. My passions are reading, creative writing, listening to music, learning new languages, meeting new people, getting acquainted with different cultures and traveling. Authors like Isabel Allende, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Carlos Ruiz Zafón, genres like magic realism, historical romance, and writing styles that are imaginative and flow effortlessly fascinate me. I love to unwind with a book curled up on a sofa or by gazing at the stars by the sea shore. I am a nature lover and spending time admiring the sunset and sunrise is relaxing for me.[/author_info] [/author]