Book Design Portfolio
Book Design FAQ
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We'll start with a free 20 minute consultation to determine your book design needs. From there, I'll send you a proposal outlining every step along the way.
Once signed & accepted, we'll get to work!
I'll create sample pages for the interior of your book for you to approve before laying out your entire book.
For the cover, I'll create an initial draft based on your Cover Questionnaire. Then we'll get it finalized exactly right so that it's the perfect cover for your unique book.
Once your book files are ready to go to print, I'll send you exactly what your printer needs, verifying every detail and design spec for an expert print job.
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I offer different book packages to best suit your needs. Whether you're looking to self-publish a paperback book or you're a publisher with a suite of needs, I'm happy to offer you a custom quote that's best for your book.
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Timelines depend on the project, but I generally dedicate up to a month to each client, with the possibility of an extension.
We'll setup a clear timeline with goals and deadlines for each step along the way towards getting your book to print or launching your ebook so that your book is in your hands well before your book party.
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Both! Through the more than 350 books I've designed, I've worked with every type of publisher including corporate, university, independent, and non-profit presses.
I've also worked with countless self-publishing authors looking to get their book directly into the world. If this is you, I can also help you navigate your printing and distribution options, too.
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Certainly! We'll begin with an in-depth Cover Questionnaire that I've crafted over my 18 years of designing books.
So if you have a specific photo or artwork to include to feature, or if you have no idea what should go on the cover, we'll get on the same page designing your most striking book!
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Yes! I'll begin my process with your printed book first. Then once those files are 100% ready for print, I'll convert them for your ebook format, either reflowable or fixed.
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Definitely. Printing is such a beautiful and precise art, and we want to get it just right for your book!
I can offer assistance with off-set printing choices like paper stocks, color options, and laminate finishes.
Or if you're going the route of digital print-on-demand (POD), I can recommend which options would suite your book the best.
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While I personally only read English, I've made countless books in other languages or bilingual formats. I have fonts and software upgrades to work with any language, including character- or script-based languages, as well as languages that read from right to left.
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You bet! I'm happy to make a postcard or bookmark to go along with your book. I'll be able to match your fonts and cover to seamlessly create your marketing material.
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When we're ready to begin your book design, your manuscript should be fully edited and finalized. While I don't offer editing services myself, I can recommend several trusted editors whom I've worked with for years.
Then when your book is finalized and ready to go, we'll start right back up with the design.
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My studio is located on Vashon Island, Washington. While some of my clients are also located in the Pacific Northwest, the vast majority of my work is done remotely.
So no matter what your time zone is, I have worked with clients across the United States, as well as in Canada, Mexico, throughout Europe, and in India.
I love meeting new people and hearing about what your project is! So wherever you call home, don’t hesitate to reach out.
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I'll invoice you for an initial first half payment when we're ready to begin your project. Then you'll have the ability to pay via VISA, Mastercard, AmEx, Discover, ApplePay, Klarna, or with an ACH direct debit bank transfer. I also accept JCB, Diners Club International, UnionPay, and Cartes Bancaires.
Upon completion of your project, I'll invoice for the remainder.
If none of these payment methods work for you or your organization, we can work out a different solution.
What clients are saying
“I strongly recommend HR for both interior and cover design. Great communicator, delivers on schedule, possesses solid design instincts, and is also receptive to feedback. I had the pleasure of working with HR on four projects and she delivered exceptional work across the board. I especially appreciated her patience during the cover design process. I didn’t know what I wanted, but HR was patient and committed to getting it right. Once we landed on the cover concept, she knocked it out of the park. I get tons of compliments on the book’s cover and interior. I have a background in visual arts and am detail-oriented, so I have extremely high standards. The projects included a non-fiction book, a guided journal, a workbook, and a writing tracker. HR is a catch! Do yourself a favor, enlist HR on your book project.”
—Sascha Brown Rice, The Story Cycle Method
“I've been working with HR Hegnauer on book design for 8+ years, first at Belladonna* Collaborative and, later, at Litmus Press. It's a gift to collaborate with a poet-designer whose aesthetic is developed but also very responsive to each manuscript and each new project she encounters. HR brings vision and direction to her projects without the ego! She's game to experiment, and she has produced some of my favorite book designs, both inside and out. Meticulous and eagle-eyed, I always trust HR to tackle the thorniest poetry typesetting we throw at her. In short, she is a brilliant designer!”
—Rachael Wilson, Litmus Press managing editor
View recent Litmus Press projects:
Controlled Demolition by Ammiel Alcalay (forthcoming in winter 2025)
Where Not to Be Born by Safaa Fathy, translated by Rawad Z. Wehbe
“Futurepoem has been thrilled to work with HR to design the interior of our books for over a decade. We are constantly impressed with the consistent creativity, quality, and attentiveness she brings to each of our projects. And are always appreciative of her ability to accommodate our sometimes challenging schedules and by her clear communication throughout the design process. She’s been able to bring to life the creative visions of a wide range of experimental writers whose work spans lyric, prose fragment, to prose forms, textual collages, archival imagery and wholly new forms. While keeping in mind the visual identity and consistent standards of our press. What’s more, she always brings a fresh perspective to each project. We feel truly fortunate to work with her as a design partner and key member of our team.”
—Dan Machlin, Founder and Executive Editor, Futurepoem
View recent Future Poem projects: