Book Design Class
Yes, Kris and I Are Considering It!
Both Kris and I have been getting a lot of questions about if we are going to do a cover class, or a book interior class at some point (past the very basic ones we have done.)
The answer is yes, we have been talking about those sort of things next spring. But then, as we do, the idea kind of grew and we talked to a few people who gave us some ideas and offered to help with some details.
So let me put out here tonight sort of what Kris and I are considering for the start of the new year. We both think it would be great fun, and honestly, that is a good thing with us.
Nothing confirmed. But if you have feedback, feel free to write me directly at my workshops email, or comment here on the post.
BOOK DESIGN SEMINAR
— 6 Weeks Long (most likely starting on January 4th)
— 3 Days of teaching videos each week with an assignment. (about 15 teaching videos with lots of examples per week on a set topic that week. You watch them at your own pace, but with this, if you want feedback, there will be an assignment each week on the topic of the week that has to be turned in by the deadline.)
— 4 Live (and also recorded) Webinars for questions and discussions. First webinar would be after the second week.
— Limited to 20 to 25 Writers… Assignments and better webinars with that level.
LET ME BE CLEAR… THIS IS A BOOK DESIGN SEMINAR TO MAKE YOUR BOOKS READABLE. THIS IS NOT A CLASS ON HOW TO USE VELLUM OR INDESIGN OR ANY OTHER PROGRAM. THIS IS A DESIGN CLASS.
Major topics each week with assignments are:
Week 1… Ebook covers.
Design to catch the reader, work in thumbnail, and get the reader to open the book. (InDesign) Assignment to send me a cover you did for feedback.
Week #2… Ebook interiors.
Designs and shortcuts using Vellum to do interiors. Assignment to send me an ebook interior.
Week #3… Paper and Hardback Interior.
Everything needed and how to use Vellum to design professional and readable paper books. Most Kickstarters I back have a huge problem with this. (Assignment to send me a paper book interior.)
Week #4… Paperback Covers.
Design for the front, the spine, and the back cover and what goes where and how. (InDesign) Assignment to send me a full spread of your book cover.
Week #5… Hardback Covers.
Design for the front, the spine, the back cover, and both book flaps and what goes where and how. (InDesign) Assignment to send me a full spread of your book cover.
Week #6… Pretty Books.
All the levels, how to do the interiors, covers for all levels, why do them and how. No assignment, questions answered in the last webinar.
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This all sounds like a ton of fun to me and Kris and a great way to start off the year. Feedback and questions are welcome to me directly or in the comments on this post. Nothing set yet. But again, if you want to learn Vellum or InDesign, there are a lot of classes out there for that. This is a book design class.
5 Comments
Jason M
Pardon me, Dean, but didn’t you *just* learn how to use Vellum? Why are you going to sell a class teaching other people how to do so?
I’ll add two more objections: 1) Unlike InDesign, Vellum is user-friendly enough that nobody needs a class from someone else showing them how to use it. 2) Vellum just announced yesterday that it is adding AI Automation to its latest update. Are you sure you’re the right person to teach people how to use brand new AI tools? You’ve also made your stance on AI abundantly clear.
Your advice has been helpful to me over the years, but I don’t think you guys have really thought this all the way through.
dwsmith
Oh, hell, no, Jason. (And I have added some clearing up on this on the post in bold letters.). This is a book design class, not a Vellum or InDesign class or any other program class. You can get all that on YouTube from a hundred people and I often go there for details to be honest. In fact, I have only laid out 72 books (soon to be 75) on Vellum so I am no expert. No, this is a book design class and I will talk about why we can teach that tonight on my blog. But to give you a hint, I designed my first three books and published them in 1987.
I know hot to make a book readable, something indie writers have not yet learned for the most part, if all the paper books I get in from Kickstarters is any indication. I have backed close to 300 or more Kickstarters for paper. Less than maybe ten were actually readable. And half had horridly designed covers.
So think of it this way. Anyone can figure out how to use Vellum or InDesign or Canva or whatever. Just like anyone can dip a paint brush into paint. But what to do with it so readers enjoy the writing inside is a skill set that Kris and I can teach.
Glyn Salisbury
Will there be over the shoulder videos to show exactly how things are done? Like Stephanie did in her courses.
dwsmith
This is a design class, not a program class for any program. I will share screens and such to show design elements, but not teach you how to use any program.
Anitra Lykke
Yes!! I am interested. I have learned some, but still so much to learn.