More than once, I trusted an author’s assurance that their book had been thoroughly edited. More than once, I discovered mid-layout that it hadn’t. Each time, the consequences were significant — affecting timelines, budgets, and sometimes the fate of the book itself.

I first met Bobbi Linkemer around 2008 at a St. Louis Publishers Association (SLPA) meeting. Not long after, she invited me to meet with her—one of her author clients needed a book designer. That project had its share of blunders (I was still a newbie in the book design world), but it also marked the beginning of a friendship ...

Who’s responsible for cleaning up a messy manuscript—the author, editor, or designer? After working on two poorly formatted books, I share what went wrong, what worked, and why using Word styles can save hours in the design process.

If you’re self-publishing your book, you’ll need to create accounts with online companies such as IngramSpark, KDP, or others. Additionally, you might choose to buy your own ISBNs from Bowker (MyIdentifiers.com). Properly managing these accounts and ensuring consistent information is crucial to avoid potential headaches down the line.

Typos happen more often than we’d like—especially when deadlines are tight. Learn why errors slip through and how to catch them before they become costly mistakes.

Before hiring a book designer, get everything in writing. Clear estimates and defined scope prevent costly surprises and keep your publishing project on track.

A great book doesn’t sell itself — it needs a strong presentation. Inspired by the Book Marketing Tips & Author Successpodcast, this post explores how authors can “set the table for success” with better book covers, websites, keywords, social media, and more.

Good graphic design can't rescue confusing writing. As a book designer, I often spot sentences that are incomplete or unclear. While I don't claim to be a writer, I know when copy isn't communicating. Great design and great writing work together to create a clear, professional message.