Introducing Book Design Critiques
A new paid subscription perk
Hi there,
I didn’t intend for this to become a twice-a-week newsletter, but here we are. I have a lot to say and I don’t want to “waste” those precious Saturday slots with updates about the newsletter and other meta, housekeeping things. I will generally send these housekeeping updates on Wednesdays. I hope you don’t mind.
Some Housekeeping
On a related note: I am no longer going to send out free previews of How to Design a Book Cover every other Wednesday. Instead, the full posts will only get sent to paid subscribers and I will inform you about the latest paid subscriber posts in the regular, free version of the newsletter where I will continue to beg ask you to sign up.
One exception to this is the occasional free guest posts I have planned. Long story short: If How to Design a Book Cover ends up in your inbox, whether you are a free or paying subscriber, you should be able to read it in full.
The Big, Bad ‘M’ Word
So, I’ve been thinking.1
I’ve been thinking about ways to add some more “value” to this newsletter. I’ve been thinking about the big, bad, “m” word: monetization.
Is it crass to admit I’d like to earn some (more) money from A Book Designer’s Notebook? Maybe. But like I wrote recently in a new pitch for paying subscribers, earning money from this newsletter could help me say no to designing soul-sucking books about corporate events, email marketing, and raising capital. I can’t completely turn off the part of my brain that hates doing that work. Maybe you can relate.
I also want to keep this newsletter free and accessible to as many people as possible. I am large, I contain multitudes.
In a recent reader survey, I asked what, if anything, might encourage free subscribers to support the newsletter financially. Of the people who responded, the prevailing answer was something along the lines of “having more money.” Boy oh boy do I understand that. I pay for a few newsletters, but only ones I can conceivably write off on my freelance taxes. I hear you, value that response, and assure you I am not offended.
Some newsletter writers on Substack2 paywall most, or all, of their posts. More power to them; writers should get paid! But that’s not for me. For one, my balls are not big enough to pull off such a stunt. For another, I genuinely don’t want to do that—I love this newsletter and I love that it’s free. I want people to learn about book design, and I want my particular opinions on the subject broadcasted far and wide.3 I don’t want any reader to feel like they’re missing out, but I also want those with desire and means to get more out of ABDN if they want to.
So what’s a Book Design Boy™️ to do?
Bonus content.4
Right now, paid subscribers currently get access to How to Design a Book Cover, my bonus bi-weekly series breaking down my process from sketch to final cover. We’re up to six posts now! As I write at the end of each newsletter, you can read the first post in the series for free below. There will be some more free ones in the future, and I’m working on getting some guest posts, too.
In a similar bonus book design content vein, I’m excited to announce a new paid subscriber benefit: book design critiques.
Here’s how it’ll work:
Book design critiques
Starting now, a paid subscription to ABDN grants you one complimentary book design critique per year5 and access to bonus, paywalled posts containing said critiques. When you sign up, your welcome email will contain a link to a submittable form you can use to request a critique. If you’re already a paid subscriber, you should have already received a separate email with this link.
Why paywall this? There were other responses to the survey asking for more critiques like the one I did for Michael Macfadden’s book covers. I’m sure people would like to read these for free. But here’s the thing:
Writing critiques is a not insignificant amount of work. There is a lot of time and thinking involved, and care taken to make sure I am both candid and kind. I also have a family, a day job, and client work to contend with.
Offering up your design work—especially when you are not a designer—is a bit like baring part of your soul. Even now I might bristle and swear at comments on my work from authors, art directors, or clients. To facilitate this soul-baring, I want to offer some protection. I want critique-seekers to know that their work will not be trashed by some drive-by commenter who has no interest in anything but being an asshole. These posts will be reserved for those invested in improvement and learning in a welcome environment—sort of like a classroom.
I hope that rationale makes sense. If that sounds good to you, subscribe below.
Who cares?
If you’re not at all interested in submitting or reading book design critiques, you have nothing to worry about. ABDN will continue on its free, weekly publication schedule like nothing has changed. OK, maybe more than nothing—there may be a little more promo.
That’s all for this time. What do you think? Let’s get meta: do you have any critiques of this plan? Let me know with a comment or reply to this email directly.
Until next time,
Nathaniel
Dangerous, I know.
The platform that hosts this newsletter.
Even if those opinions amount to “I don’t know!”
I know we all hate the word “content,” but that’s basically what it is. I’m not writing the next Great American Novel, here.
Depending on popularity and sustainability, this is subject to change.
Excited for these changes, and looking to see if I can swing a paid subscription in my budget.