Meet Tellwell’s interior book designer and quality assurance specialist, Michael! Read on to learn about the importance of a good book interior and how you can best prepare for this crucial step in your publishing journey.
What inspired you to work in publishing?
My passion in design inspired me to pursue a career in publishing. I am really happy to be able to get to continue to challenge myself in designing more interesting books.
How do you define your role at Tellwell?
Being a QA (quality assurance specialist) is a huge responsibility to carry on your shoulders. One mistake can potentially affect our relationship with the author or can affect our company’s reputation. I am very keen on details to make sure we can deliver the best results. At the end of the day, it is fun, challenging, and fulfilling at the same time.
Where do you draw creative inspiration from?
Internet and social media. I also check other designers’ work whom I admire the
most.
Why is it important for an author to take their time to consider and review the interior of their book?
A successful book is more than just a manuscript thrown between a cover. One of the key elements to success is a professional interior design that adheres to industry standards, and to mimic what readers, retailers, and reviewers expect. So, it’s really important for the author to take the time to consider and review the book and for us to generate an aesthetically pleasing interior.
Everyone thinks design is just about the cover but it’s so much more. How does interior design help elevate a book?
Interior design helps elevate the book through these key elements; space, line, forms, light, color, texture, and pattern; creative-interesting design and keeping them balanced is the key to creating an aesthetically pleasing interior.
Also, a well laid out interior plays a crucial role in the overall reading experience, and can even impact your ability to get a bookseller’s attention.
What should authors think about before they start the interior design process for their book?
When determining the best interior design for your book, it’s helpful to look at the competition. Find the leading books in your genre and see what’s included and how they look. You should also look to see what is trending and the current best sellers.
And lastly, the Author needs to think of different styles or design rules. Authors come to us with a lot of ideas and a product to sell, but we do a lot behind the scenes to make these ideas into a reality.
Finally, what is your favourite font?
Lots to be considered; it really depends on the genre of the book, but there are a few that I always have in the back of my mind – that stand out from the rest. These include Hamster, Eveleth, and lastly Adobe Garamond.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
I love spending time with my family. Sometimes, I play video games and do some outdoor activities specially endurances sports.
