Want to see your poetry become a printed book?
I'm here to help you make that happen!
You've spent years writing and you've accumulated more than enough poems for a collection, and now you're ready to print them in a book and put it up for sale online, but aren't comfortable doing it yourself.
Relax! I'm here to help you make that happen.
I provide book cover design, book production and self-publishing assistance for poets and independent authors looking to utilize the fantastically inexpensive self-publishing system available to everyone.
With more than 40 years of professional graphic design and print-production experience, I provide personal, one-on-one assistance in turning your manuscript into a beautifully designed, professionally prepared book. I'll handle the technical details, guide you through the publishing process, and help you bring your book to life through Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP).
Ease your mind and get that book printed—with my help!
Your words. Your book. Your publishing decisions.
You've written the poems. Let me help with the book.
Publishing your poetry shouldn't mean struggling with unfamiliar software, confusing formatting requirements or the technical details of preparing a book for printing.
Poetry deserves thoughtful design and careful attention. Unlike ordinary prose, poetry relies on line breaks, stanza spacing, rhythm and visual presentation. These details matter. Your poems should appear on the printed page as you intended them to be experienced.
I'll work with you to create a book that respects your writing, reflects your personality and gives your poems the presentation they deserve. Throughout the process, you'll work directly with me—not a sales representative or an anonymous production department.
Contact me!
(poets and authors only please)
My Services
From manuscript to published book: I'll guide you through it.
Step 1 — Let's talk about your book. We'll discuss your manuscript, your ideas, the kind of book you'd like to create and your publishing goals. I'll review your project and provide an estimate before we begin.
Step 2 — We'll develop the design. We'll work together on the book's appearance, including its cover, typography, page size and interior design.
Step 3 — I'll prepare your book. I'll handle the layout, formatting and technical preparation required for your chosen publishing formats.
Step 4 — You'll review and approve it. You'll have an opportunity to examine your book, request appropriate revisions and approve the final design and production files.
Step 5 — I'll help you through Amazon KDP. I'll guide you through uploading your files, reviewing publishing proofs and completing the steps required to publish through your own Amazon KDP account.
When everything is ready, you'll have something wonderful: a professionally designed book of your own.
Your book. Your ownership.
One advantage of self-publishing through Amazon KDP is that you remain in control of your publishing project. You retain ownership of your writing and make the decisions about your book. You control your Amazon KDP account, approve the final design, determine your book's pricing and manage your publishing arrangements. My role is to provide the professional design, production expertise and personal guidance to help you accomplish your goals. I'm here to help you publish—not to take over your work.
Custom book cover design
Your book's cover is its first introduction to the world. It should reflect the personality of your writing and give readers a reason to pick it up. I'll work with you to develop a cover that complements your poetry, whether your preference is understated and elegant, colorful and expressive, or something entirely different. I design the complete print cover, including the front, spine and back, and prepare it to meet Amazon KDP's production specifications.
Starting at $150
Professional interior design and layout
The design of a poetry book is about much more than putting words on pages. Careful typography, comfortable reading sizes, appropriate spacing and thoughtful page composition all contribute to the reading experience.
- Preserving original line breaks and stanza arrangements.
- Appropriate typography and readable type sizes.
- Consistent page design and spacing.
- Thoughtful placement of titles and individual poems.
- Proper margins, page numbering and book specifications.
- Attractive page composition throughout.
Starting at $400
Print and ebook preparation
Print books and Kindle ebooks have different technical requirements. I'll prepare the appropriate files for each format, taking care to preserve the organization and presentation of your writing. Whether someone reads your book in their hands or on a Kindle device, your work deserves a professional presentation.
Starting at $200
Proofing and production review
Before your book is published, it deserves a careful final inspection. I'll review your book's digital proof for formatting problems, awkward page breaks, cover alignment and other production issues. When appropriate, I'll also help arrange and review a physical proof copy so you can see and approve the actual printed book before publication. No book should go to publication without its author having an opportunity to review and approve it.
Starting at $500
A little about me.
I'm Artrider (Marc Engle), a pro designer and visual artist with over 40 years of experience in graphic design and print production. Over those decades, I've worked on a wide variety of printed materials, handling everything from initial concept an design to print vendor selection and management. I'm an expert at what goes into making a well-produced printed piece, and I bring that same attention to detail to every book I work on. I've also experienced the self-publishing process myself and understand that creating a book involves more than writing a manuscript. There are decisions to make, technical details to manage and plenty of opportunities for "issues".
Why am I doing this? My wife is a fairly accomplished—and published—poet and writer, and in helping her, I've come to the realization that my services could be helpful to other poets (and other writers, as well, maybe). I was especially disappointed with the results of a recent publisher she worked with – which led me to realize, I could easily do better than that. Also, I really love graphic design, and this type of work is highly appealing to me.
My goal is simple: make the process easier for the writer, while producing a book they'll be proud of.