Christmas is Upon Us

Christmas is upon us. We've had a wonderful year and look forward to 2009 being even better. Don't forget to focus on your writing career this holiday season because books are the best gift you can give. They are the gifts that never stop giving. Happy Holidays!!!

Designs Build Brand

Many people don't realize that the design of your website, business products, etc are all part of building brand. If you see the little swoop, you immediately think Nike. Whether you see the name or not, the swoop is so popular that you know what you're looking at.

Authors need to think the same way. Today, we finished a banner for new author, Leigh Laurence. It was simple, but played into her entire line of book products and speaking engagements. She specializes in relationships and romance. Therefore, we worked with shades of red and purple, but nothing too obvious. What do you think?

Another Hit ~ "Raw Redemption" by Lacresha Hayes

I think that of all my covers thus far, this one has received the most compliments. Now while the design for Raw Redemption is simple, it seems to work for the actual content. It allows room for speculation and such.

While working with the author, Lacresha Hayes, in designing this cover, she informed me she wanted to stick with the reds, blacks and browns. Anyone who've purchased copies of her books, or seen her work online knows that she's fond of those colors. I wanted to get away from them, but alas I must obey the author. It came out better than I thought it would.

With a few simple cuts and tweaks, and several layers, we got the coloring just right to denote regret, sorrow and passion.

Another Great Cover Design ~ By His Sovereign Grace by Melody Calhoun

When Lensey Hayes gave me the specifics of this inspirational book, I searched for four hours trying to finding the perfect image. It needed to show the grace of God and the submission of mankind in the form of a woman. What else depicts that like a woman in the position of worship in a place of solitude? This was perfect! The author, Melody Calhoun, agreed and we're all happy campers.

Title: By His Sovereign Grace

Author: Melody Calhoun

Publisher: Living Waters Publishing Company

Purchasing Info: http://store.livingwaterspc.com

Latest Book Cover Design ~ Merciful Leadership by Dr. Jeff Radford

I was particularly in love with this cover because of the fullness of the meaning of the book. Those hands look as if a leader is taking the time to help his follower. It looks Christian, but also captures our humanity in that many of us are willing to help if only called upon.

This is another Living Waters Publishing Company book, and one I fully expect to sell many thousands of copies.

Title: Merciful Leadership
Author: Dr. Jeff Radford
Publishing: Living Waters Publishing Company
Available now at: http://store.livingwaterspc.com

Latest Cover Design ~ 28 Days: Riding for the King by Rick Saunders

I'm very proud of our latest cover design. With the rich coloring, it just stands out. I tried a test yesterday. Since I always print out a photographic copy of all our designs, I decided to put them in the waiting area and see which one grabbed the attention of the clients first. This one did 9 out of 10 times.

Cover design similar to this run from $400-$500. Are you ready for a professional cover design that gets away from cookie cutter regularity? Contact us today at hayesdesigneditorial@gmail.com

Title: 28 Days: Riding With the King
Author: Rick Saunders
Publisher: Living Waters Publishing Company
Get it at http://store.livingwaterspc.com

Latest Cover Design ~ Extreme Life Makeover by Julie Rice

We're proud of our latest cover design. Extreme Life Makeover, written by Julie Rice and published by Living Waters Publishing Company, was a really simple design, but has the clean and solid look that is befitting a book of this genre.

Wanna get a cover designed similiar to this with crisp, clean lines? The price is $300. Contact us today at hayesdesigneditorial@gmail.com

"Truth and Intimacy" is Our Latest Cover Design

Check our latest cover that seems to be winning the hearts of readers already. This is definitely one of our better works. For more information about the book, click here.

The Power of Editing

Editing is not science, or art, but a perfect mixture. There are times when deterring from known grammar absolutes is deadly to your book or article. There are also times when keeping them presents a lose to the story you're crafting. This is why editors much understand the voice of the author. This is the power of editing.

Book Trailers ~ Necessary Marketing Tool

Book trailers are relatively new for the average author, though the idea of trailers has been around for a long time now. A trailer is a video sampling of what the book has in store for the author.

Now before I go further, let me say that not all books are as good a candidate for trailers as others. Mystery, suspense, romance and thrillers are great candidates. Some nonfiction are great candidates. Children's books can go either way, depending upon the trailer designer. Poetry is not a very good candidate unless samples of the poems are read as a voice over.

Trailers can be expensive, but the benefits of having trailers are endless. Recently, we did an author's trailer for Lacresha Hayes. This was a totally new thing for us, but it focused on building/branding her name rather than any particular book. Since that time, we've earned Living Waters Publishing Company, Steel Waves Publishing Company, and Whitlock and Marshall's business to do a trailer for the company.

Don't overlook the power of digital! See some of our work at http://hayesdesign.weebly.com

Latest Cover Design Sample

This cover is a sample of the work we do. This is just a sample. The actual cover has been finished and will be posted soon. As you can see, we use quality photo stock to make sure your cover is crisp and clean.

I will soon post some of our illustrated and drawn covers, much more expensive, but easy to customize.

Illustrations

I've gotten several emails from potential clients asking about the number of illustrations that are standard for a children's book.

First of all, some will say there is a standard, but I don't necessarily agree. I believe it depends upon the book.

Some people say industry standard is 16 illustrations per book, but many children's books will not support that number. Some say 12, and I can say that may be closer to accurate. Personally, the majority of the books we illustrate have about 10 illustrations per book. Again, it depends on the book, the writing, etc.

Cover Designs

I've seen some really great book covers. I've also seen some that were good, but had absolutely nothing to do with the interior of the book. Then we've all probably seen some covers that left more to be desired.

When designing a cover, or having one designed for you, make sure that you have a grip of what your story is really about. While the cover does not need to be too obvious, it does not need to be shrouded in mystery either, like the Holy Grail. It needs to speak for your book.

How NOT to Sell Books

I've been in this industry for a long time. Nothing surprises me anymore... well, there is one exception. I'm constantly amazed at the people who want contracts, but send in crap. If you're going to write a book, take the time to make sure your book is readable. No one wants to try to fight through ebonics and broken sentence structure, bad syntax and choppy plot lines. That's a good way to ensure that you're the only person who will ever read your book.

Get a professional editor. Our prices are affordable and we do it until it's right!

Now Editing for Steel Waves Publishing Company

We are very happy to announce that we are now editing for Steel Waves Publishing Company. That's one more publisher that is pleased with our services.

Dare to Dream Book Trailer

We've done another book trailer, this one for Carol Jones and her soon to be released book, Dare to Dream. I'm very proud of it. We've gotten a lot of great feedback already. Check it out yourself and leave a comment.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6282092412384025719&hl=en

Hayes Design and Editorial Service

Hayes Design and Editorial Service (HDES) is a full service design firm and editorial agency. We work with authors, writers, magazine editors and businesses to provide quality services.

This blog is just one more way to connect with us. For more information, visit our website at http://hayesdesign.weebly.com