Your the final draft of your children’s book is ready and being edited. This is the perfect time to look around hiring an illustrator.
It can be very daunting when looking for who to partner with and trust with your book baby. This dream of yours that you are going to let into the world, to be judged and/or appreciated.
The right illustrations make all the difference but the professionalism of the illustrator you partner with is almost as, if not more important.
Decide on Your Vision
Browse through illustration online. Check for the #childrensbookillustrator on Instagram or ask for illustration servies in Facebook groups or find them on Fiverr or Upwork. Reach out to the ones you love. Find the work of that resonates with you so maybe you can ask someone to do something similar. Take this time to also think of a budget. Illustrations can cost anywhere from $1k to $10k. You need to find a balance of budget, expectations and design. You essentially get what you pay for.
Look at Their Portfolio In-depth
Unfortunately, a lot of times people just copy paste content from the internet. Look for signs of repetition, watermarks or too varied content. Make sure they actually have a style. This is specially important for sites like Fiverr, Upwork, etc
Check Their Reviews
Read through all the reviews. The most important thing to keep in mind is the professional aspect of things. Are they on time? Have they missed deadlines?
Ask for Samples
You love the work and reviews look good. Now is the time to ask for character designs as samples to see if they meet your standards and visions. This also gives a glimpse into how professional they are and how they follow directions. Some illustrators will do this for free before you book them. If you do not like the work, you can absolutely say “This does not meet my vision for the book.” The professional thing to do if you DO NOT choose them is to pay them for their time before moving on to finding someone else.
Decide on Price
Most illustrators get paid in these two major ways, per page or per project. The beauty of freelancing though is two edged. On the one hand, they can charge you whatever they feel their work and time is worth. On the other hand, there is always room for negotiation (within reason). Remember, be polite and open about your budget needs.
Sign an NDA
Make sure you have everything in writing. Make sure you have an NDA in place before sending them the story and signing your contract so they do not turn around and use the story.
Sign the Contract
Have your deliverables and payment plan in place. You can choose to pay one time but it is always better to pay per deliverable. Sketches and coloring phase are definitely two phases. You can also add final book delivery.
Not every illustrator does book designing so make sure you factor the price into your budget when deciding on a price with your illustrator. Visit me here to ask any questions about writing your nonfiction or children’s book.
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Aditi Wardhan Singh is award winning, best selling author of parenting books and the Sparkling Me children’s books. She is an authoritative voice on cultural sensitivity and empowerment. Featured on numerous global publications and broadcast networks, she is the founder of the RWC magazine encouraging other voices to come forth to create diverse books. She provides done for you services like editing, coaching, social media marketing etc.
