As an author you might be interested in creating a logo to visually represent you and your books or perhaps the company you’ve created if you are writing as a profession. You can choose to design the logo yourself using online resources and specialty software applications or you can choose to have a professional graphic designer make the logo for you. Either way, here are some basics considerations to help you get started.
As a first step, look at your favorite websites online, check out some advertisements, and even notice TV commercials. Every company and brand has a logo. Get a feel for what type logos you like – color or black and white, images and words or only words, literal images (i.e. a picture of a flower for a florist shop) or artistic images (like a swirly line and shapes) or maybe you want geometric shapes. Know what you want before you begin.
If you choose to have the logo designed for you a graphic designer is the right resource and luckily, freelancers in this field are plentiful. A good graphic designer will meet with you to understand your business, your books, and the brand you are trying to convey. They’ll ask for your ideas, learn about your audience, and mix all this information with their professional design sensibilities and skills. Here are some tips for working with a freelance designer:
-- Be sure to determine what the service includes (design, creation, consulting)
--- Identify what will be delivered (color and black and white versions in multiple sizes so you can use it on your website, letterhead, email signature blocks etc. and have the right size image)
--- Clarify that the work is ‘work for hire’, which means you, not the designer, own the files and the image once they are create
--- Confirm how you will be charged – by the hour or a flat fee. Regarding the fee, negotiate a flat fee when possible. Logo designs can take anywhere from hours to months to complete, depending upon how quickly you need the logo, the complexity of the design, and even the number of review cycles in the project.
If you opt to create your own logo there are many great software tools to help you, such as InDesign and Photoshop. There are also services, such as Vistaprint that offer tools for simple logo creation and then offer printing services so you can get everything from business cards to car magnets with your logo on it. Additional free tools include Creatr, Logo Yes, Logo Ease, Cool Text, and Logo Factory Web.
If you thought Photoshop was just for airbrushing, think again. You can use it to draw and create designs for a logo. You can also hand draw a logo, take a digital photo or scan it in, and then use Photoshop to edit it. If you take this approach, ensure that the image si clearly-drawn with very dark lines for easier editing.
Whether you have a graphic designer create a logo for you or you decide to do it yourself, creating a logo design is entirely possible and not as difficult as one might think. It can also be an important element in your branding efforts and overall marketing plan.
Thank you Suzette, great information, you answered questions I have always had.
Great information. Thanks
Thank you. This is helpful info for how to get started.