Working with Illustrators: Q & A

 

As a new writer I was told very firmly that you never, ever, ever look for your own illustrator. You leave that all up to the publisher. And as far as I’m aware, for a traditional publishing model that hasn’t changed. In fact, Julia Donaldson admitted, on her online course about writing, that she and Axel Scheffler had never had a direct conversation about their work, until creating that course.

The publishing world, however, has changed and if you self-publish, hybrid-publish or write for a different kind of media, you might find yourself working directly with an illustrator. What key things might be helpful to know? I would love to hear your experience in the comments.

 

Q: How do I choose an illustrator?

A (Traditional Publishing): You don’t. Leave it to your publisher.

A (Self-Publishing): There’s many ways. You can start by finding another book which matches the style and genre you’re looking for and try to get in touch. LinkedIn is one place you can search for illustrators; theChristian Creative Directory would be another or you can ask in the ACW Facebook group for recommendations. I don’t recommend asking a friend. I’ve lost one friendship that way and seen others turn sour.

 

Q: Can I ask them to create some samples?

A (Traditional Publishing): n/a

A (Self-Publishing): You can, if you are brave enough NOT to hire someone after asking them to put in a few hours work for you (that's how I lost a friend...). You could ask two or three illustrators to pitch for your project and then pick your favourite but you have to be very clear from the beginning that you’re asking several people at once and can’t guarantee they’ll get the job. Some will refuse point blank and instead direct you to their past work, which is why I would recommend looking at a variety of illustrators’ portfolios/history and choose your favourite.

 

Q: How much do I have to pay an illustrator:

A (Traditional Publishing): Nothing. The publisher takes care of that.

A (Self-Publishing): It depends. A writer can change between £25-£250 per hour for their writing and it’s the same with illustrators. A standard 32 page picture book is likely to be £1000-£2000 or more. For a certain number of sketches to scatter throughout your book, you might pay £30-£100 per sketch or strike up some kind of deal, £400 for 10 sketches for example. It depends on the amount of time it takes and the rates of the illustrator. Remember to clarify if you just want illustrations, or if you want them to fully illustrate a book including laying out the pages with text and providing the final proofs for the printer.

 

Q: Will an illustrator accept a share in the royalties instead of a flat fee?

A (Traditional Publishing): Sometimes but that’s on top of their fee, if they think the book will sell millions.

A (Self-Publishing): No. As you’ll probably already know, self-publishing is 20% writing, 80% selling. An illustrator has no interest in selling your book for you and probably doesn’t have the time or the infrastructure in place to market books to customers. They focus their energy on marketing themselves to businesses who will hire their services and unless they’re your best friend, they probably won’t want a royalty share.

 

Q: Do I create notes about illustrations in my manuscript?

A (Traditional Publishing): No, unless it is necessary to understanding the story.

A (Self-Publishing): Yes -loads! But again, this depends on the illustrator. Personally, I like to allow an illustrator a full range of creativity and see what they come up with, so I try not to leave too many notes at first. However, once they send me through the first draft of sketches, I make lots and lots of notes and feedback at this stage. It’s vital to do this before they turn them into full illustrations. I think this is the part of the working relationship that differs for everyone, but this is how it works best for me and my current illustrator.

 

Q: How long is the process of illustrating a book?

A (Traditional Publishing): I’ve no idea but I’d love to find out one day.

A (Self-Publishing): Longer than you think. However, it depends on the illustrator. For me, one illustrator set aside a week to do the entire 32-page picture book (I had to book him 3 months in advance, though) and then it was done, with little chance to comment or change anything. Another illustrator took several months and there’s lots of communication back and forth involved.

First, they might do a sample page or two in full colour – or they might not. Then you’ll probably be sent the whole book in black and white – either sketches or finished outlines. Once approved, they’ll create the finished, full colour illustrations.

Q: My book is a Christian book, should I hire a Christian illustrator?

A (Traditional Publishing): It’s not your decision.

A (Self-Publishing): It’s totally up to you. Most illustrators are professionals who will write for a wide range of genres and it’s a kind of ‘outreach’ to ask an illustrator to draw about Jesus and his miracles, for example. However, I personally feel that an illustrator is not just putting pictures to your words but bringing something of themselves to the book as well. For this reason, a Christian might be more open to the Spirit’s leading while creating your illustrations and will bring something of God into your book that you couldn’t have imagined, something of their own revelation of Jesus.

Joanne Gilchrist is mother of 3 and runs the charity, Ruach Resources, which is the home of God for Kids app and the Animals of Eden Valley series (soon to be a series of 4!). 

She also co-wrote "Next Steps to Following Jesus", the autobiographical "Looking for Love" and freelances for the SunScool app. www.joannegilchrist.com