Learn why design is critical to the success of a self-published book, in instalment two of the Bocas Academy’s Write a Book, Get it Published! seminar series.
On 8 February, award-winning graphic designer Melanie Archer will lead an online Zoom session on the importance of book design, and how authors can optimize the design and layout of their forthcoming titles by collaborating with professionals.
Archer, an experienced designer, has worked on over fifty projects in a wide cross-section of genres and publication formats. She is the recipient of multiple ADDY (Caribbean Advertising Federation) Awards for Book Design. Archer said her passion for design was ignited during her MFA studies at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Her two takeaways for prospective attendees of the seminar were practical ones: consistency, and thinking beyond one’s immediate circle. “Design consistency is key. I’ve seen a poster and a book launch invite for a book that looked so visually different from the book itself that I had to wonder if it was the same title,” said Archer. She added, “Your immediate circle is going to buy your book because they know you (if they don’t, you need a different immediate circle). But you can catch a few strangers’ eyes in a bookshop through good design.”
Archer expressed heightened interest in meeting new writers through the seminar. “I’m a reader and a supporter of writers, particularly those from the Caribbean, so I’m always looking forward to making those connections, and getting to see and hear about what people are working on,” she said.
This session is the second of three parts in the Bocas Academy’s Write a Book, Get it Published! seminar series.
The final and third session takes place on 15 February, in which Alice Besson, Managing Director of Paria Publishing, will outline the role of a publisher in guiding a book to its final, saleable form.
Each individual session costs $300. Participants in the Bocas Academy will also have access to free resource kits, alumni events, and certificates of completion.
For more information and to register, visit www.academy.bocaslitfest.com or email workshops@bocaslitfest.com.
