When I started my Author Services business, it was always with the plan to start with proofreading (where I already have a solid skillbase that will only continue to increase), and then introduce print formatting down the road.
I’m not quite there yet (I still feel like I have much to learn), but I’ve definitely upped my game since I started learning Adobe InDesign.
See, all those Apple folks out there have a huge advantage in that they can use Vellum, which is, by all accounts, one of the great pieces of software for creating pro-level interiors for both ebook and print.
For everyone else, there’s MasterCard Adobe InDesign.
If you’ve ever played with an Adobe program, you know they’re not the most…user friendly. The learning curve is steep, and while the road is rife with frustration and challenges, the results are phenomenal.
I started with Adobe InDesign CC Classroom in a Book, which has given me a massive headstart in learning how to use the software. It walks you through a whole series of different tasks and uses for the program, and gives tips on how to explore on your own after each lesson is finished. I have one chapter left before I finish the book (this one on how to convert to epub, which I hope will up my ebook formatting game as well), and then I’ll likely start back at the beginning until I’m really familiar with the different tools.
So although I still want to practice a lot more on myself before I start offering it as a service, I’m feeling pretty good!
When my latest release, Veilfire, came out at the end of October, I put my new skills to work and am pretty proud of the results:
So I’m going to keep working on improving my skills, and hopefully before the end of 2019, there will be more services available here at the Raven’s Quill!
Although I really do my best not to cross over my two blog posts, I figure I’m going to take this opportunity to pat myself on the back and give a bit of a signal boost to the Faces Magazine Awards, where I was nominated for Favourite Author. Voting is open internationally, and you’re able to cast a vote every day until the 25th. It’s People’s Choice, so votes matter. If you’re able to take the time (and feel I’ve earned it), you have my gratitude!
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