Suzette Vaughn's Blog

Lead Magnets (might take a moment to load)

Lead magnets usually offer a piece of digital, downloadable content, such as a free PDF checklist, report, eBook, whitepaper, case study, etc. in exchange for a client or potential client's email address. (These folks have a great list of options that I can't even fathom-https://optinmonster.com/9-lead-magne... -I'm simpler I deal in PDFs (and images)People are always asking for samples. While the information is proprietary to each company, the design isn't. Below you can find extremes of every nature. But truly when someone sends me one of these documents, is far more fun to look over their company and see what comes out, those always end up best.Anyone that didn't expressly give me permission to use the product they paid for are blurred out. The styles are still intacted. Basic Graphic Medium GraphicHigher Graphic CookbookSpeaker SheetsCatalogs Gilmac is an Australian company that provides products to hotels. These were the samples I did for them to see what a catalog of their products could look like. Happens to have been one of my favorite catalogs.Graphics: I'm not an illustrator. Really just not in my wheelhouse but I do love doing graphs & infographsYes I like the creative tedium of them and it's one of the few things I use a few templates to achieve the best looks.Please don't--dictate what every line and box should look like and then get upset over the final look. I will tell you that columns with boxed color isn't a good idea. When you still say, "I want" I will do so. You will pay more for me to go back in and fix it after the fact.

Gig economy and why not to say,"It'll only take 5 you minutes!"

Not included in the above: 20% most sites take off the top for filtering jobs to me. Gig economy is: a labor market characterized by the prevalence of short-term contracts or freelance work as opposed to permanent jobs. What it really means... I use skills that I have grown over the last 10 years to the advantage of those that can't afford to employ someone like me on a regular basis or can't afford large services. With my primary services being books, I save people hundreds if not thousands of dollars over them purchasing formatting and covers through places such as AuthorHouse (and full vanity publishers in general) and even Amazon before the canceled their Author Services. And, I will fully admit, I normally put more into the job than those services anyway.Let's face it, if companies employed someone like me on a regular basis I'd make 50k+ a year, have vacation, have insurance, and many more benefits that full time employment can come with. Been there, done that, and have missing chunks of my kids life to prove it.Instead I take jobs as they come. Instead I don't have vacation days. Taking time off costs me money. Instead I'm thankful my husband has insurance through his company, we still pay for it, but it's better than nothing.But I make the rules. I don't work for peanuts. I won't make less than minimum wage, and while no job is too small, I will get paid a minimum fee for that time and EXPERIENCE. If I don't like you, I don't want to work with you. And yes, it's working with you for a final product that you are happy with(and yes sometimes you have to pay extra because where we started is no where near where we ended). No you don't have to listen to my suggestions(unless they are required by a printer) but you will show me the respect that my life's work affords me.Graphic: One of my favorites that is now saved on my computer because I spent 20 minutes trying to find it because someone said, "It'll take you five minutes, easiest job you'll have today." I turned down the $5 job to correct two images and went back to work on the $200 formatting job.I stay busy. There are many days that I'm lucky I get a shower. I have to schedule family time. Trying to make time to do anything outside of my chair and keyboard, even exercise, is sometimes hard. And on those days I'm not busy. I'm climbing the walls waiting for the next job. As I catch up on all the "other" parts of life that get ignored when there is work to do.So, if you found this article because you used the dreaded, "It'll take you five minutes." or just as bad, "That's too expensive." I'm sorry you feel that way. (truly I am, I'm a work-a-holic). But please find another designer. Might I suggest SE Asia or still-in-school designers.

Preparing to Publish a Children's Book

You've written a kids book. Congratulations. Hopefully you are ready for the rules. to get this self-published. 1) Pick a printer. Really it's first. Why? Because they all have their own little rules and idiosyncrasies that you need to follow for pain free publishing. Almost all require 24 pages for publishing. (keep scrolling for the breakdown) Go ahead and set up an account with your printer (if possible)and look around.2) Pick a size.This is important for several reasons. You want the size to be fairly standard, you don't want to be the oversized book that doesn't fit on my son's bookshelves (really annoys my specific brand of OCD), and you don't want to be the little book lost when another book pushes you out of the way. There are standard options. Createspace (Amazon-KDP) has made it easy with a graph list. I made it even easier pick one of these six! Little more advice here. The larger the book the younger the reader.The bottom four I suggest for most first readers.Top three for first readers and above.https://www.createspace.com/Products/... choose the printing options tab to see the full list.3) IllustrationsIf you've made this the first step, you're probably going to regret the choice. Take the book size you like. Make your illustrations the same size (or .375 larger) and DO NOT put anything important within at least .75 of the edge. All printers require bleed and margins. By keeping that space as background you won't run the risk of having an image recreated or cut off.Make sure the files are big enough. Please don't doodle on a post-it note and expect me to turn the cell phone image into something usable!Printers require 300 dpi I prefer 450 because when you change the size there is wiggle room to avoid DPI errors from printers even though you can bypass most DPI errors. Margins and bleed are the number one reason that books get rejected by printers!Pages OrderFirst page is the title page, a drawing with the author and illustrator listed(if the illustrator is listed as anything more than a thank you), or a repeat of the front cover (cover images are the same rules as interior, leave bleed and margins), or plain text with the same information.Second page is the copyright. Yes, you have to have it doesn't matter how or where you are printing. Third page1) starts the story. This is a right hand page in the book. After that if you wish to have side by side pages that is fine. 2) is the dedication. Which means the fourth page starts the story and you can have side by side pages. Two sizes. One full bleed, one not. Same starting order. If you are having problems reaching 22 illustrated pages, the last one can be blank and the one before that can be an author page. WHICH MEANS! You need a minimum of 19 pages of story and text to have a printed book(ebooks don't care) Additional options: Text on one page, either with plain paper, colored background, image background (non-illustrated)EDIT! EDIT! EDIT!Once you've gotten this far, send everything to your favorite formatter. Like me! If you send me a message and don't include the above information and the document the message looks about like this:I'd be happy to help you with your book. Prices are based on the number of illustrations and text pages. Who are you printing with and what size? Please send me the full document(I prefer word, PDF will do) and illustrations (I prefer jpeg but almost anything will do, I can typically convert if necessary) and I'll make you a sample and get you a price. I look forward to seeing what you have.These are non-negotiable. LOL. You would be amazed at how many people don't want to provide the information.If you don't want to provide the information I really can't help you. Once we establish the cost, based on the document I'll also need: Author bio and picture if include on the inside or the cover. Back cover "About the book".

Coming soon: Under the Coffee Cup

I've had the thought for a while. I want to highlight authors, artists and even entrepreneurs on my blog.I have been surround by these unique types of people for most of my life. My mother was the sole owner, employee, and creative person of her own business from before I could remember. Long before pinterest, I knew people who made candles, wood crafts, pottery, potpourri, jewelry, paintings, and more than I can possibly name.All these people, and the authors I've added to the long list have one thing in common. Drive! They have a passion for what they do that can not be imitated, reproduced, or ignored. Once the entrepreneurial spirit enters your soul, you have no option but to follow it.I salute those that do, and will be handing my blog, in part, over to them. We will find out what they are working on, what inspires, what stains are in their past and what caffeine is their drug of choice...because it's next to impossible to work 24/7 to create a name for yourself, a product, a book, or a business without a little brewed help.My mother's home, where you can see all the bolts of material...everywhere!Little boys don't care if blankets are done or not, they just find one and sleep when they are ready!

Adult Coloring: To the New Year

Adult Coloring: Under the Tree with Care

Adult Coloring: Home for the Holidays

Adult Coloring: Oh Christmas Tree

Adult Coloring: Let the Shopping Commence

Black FridaySmall Business SaturdayMy favorite gift every year.

Adult Coloring: Thanksgiving Fine Art