Self-Published Authors – Valuable Tips to Optimize Your Illustration Budget
Many self-published authors worry about budgeting for illustrations. Even with careful planning, unexpected expenses can easily disrupt your publishing schedule – a problem I’ve seen many self-published authors face during my years as a professional watercolor illustrator.
So, how can self-published authors optimize their illustration budget while still ensuring high-quality artwork?
First, let’s clarify: budget optimization doesn’t mean finding the cheapest illustrator. The tips below are based on my personal experience and can help self-published authors avoid unnecessary expenses of revisions.
1. Have all essential information ready before you start
The most important step for self-published authors is to prepare all key details in advance: book or illustration size, format (spread, single-page, or spot), space for text (if needed), and detailed scene descriptions.
See also: “Illustrate Your Book — How to Start — Basic Information”
2. Provide clear and specific scene descriptions
Clear descriptions help define exactly what needs to appear in each illustration, reducing revisions and extra costs.
Concise, detailed descriptions save your illustrator time gathering ideas, which means faster delivery and lower costs – a big advantage for self-published authors.
See also: “How to Create Great Scene Descriptions”
3. Avoid changing requirements midway
Every change takes extra time and effort, which increases your costs. To avoid this, you should finalize all details before beginning the illustration process.
Tip, list everything you need on paper, visualize the objects you need to represent in the illustration, add what is missing and remove what is redundant until you are satisfied with the idea.
4. Preparing a full book design beforehand can help self-published authors reduce illustration costs.
I always recommend my clients create a complete book design layout first. This clarifies the position and size of each illustration, making the workflow smoother and minimizing unexpected adjustments.
In short, careful preparation and clear communication of all requirements before starting can help you save money and time while keeping the creative process smooth and inspiring.
See also: “Watercolor Illustration — How to Create — Simple Steps”
I hope this article helps you plan your illustration projects more effectively. If you’re a self-published author looking for a professional watercolor illustrator, or if you have a story you’d like to bring to life, please feel free to contact me – I’d be happy to help you get started.