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Browse freelance marketplaces, such as UpWork or PeoplePerHour, to find potential graphic designers taking on book work. Create a list of favorites based on their relevant experience, listed availability, and the scope of your project.  Determine if you want help formatting and adding design elements to your book’s interior or just creating the cover. Most marketplaces ask freelancers to list an hourly rate. Take this number into account as you budget for your design project. If you have questions that come up about your project while you browse profiles, write those down to discuss with the designers later. Write your shortlist of potential candidates a personal message confirming their availability and describing the scope of assistance you are seeking. Based on this information, ask each designer to send you a portfolio of relevant past work that you can consider in making a hiring decision.  You might say, “I’m hiring a designer to create a cover for my self-published romantic novel aimed at older women. Do you have any past cover work you might be able to show me in this vein? It will help me decide if we are a good fit.” Some designers may self-select out of the hiring process if they feel they aren’t a good fit for your project or are too busy. If someone you really like isn’t available, you can always ask, “Do you have a trusted fellow designer who might be interested in a project like this?” Ask each of the designers if they might participate in a short test to demonstrate their design skills for compensation. You can get a feel for their work and communication style firsthand.  Ask the designers to do a test other than a mock up of your cover. The goal is not to get your project out of the test for a lesser fee but to determine the skill level of the various candidates. Give the designers a set of creative and formatting guidelines to follow for the test. For example, you could ask them to design a bookmark of specific dimensions that reflects the mood of your book. Allow them some room for creativity! Narrow your field down to 2 or 3 potential designers. Coordinate to interview each either over the phone or on a video call. This is a great opportunity to ask questions about their portfolio, further describe your project to gauge their interest, and discuss the budget.  Important questions to ask include: “How do you incorporate client feedback into your designs?” and “How do you see our collaboration working over the design process?” Ask how long a project of this scope will take them and how many rounds of feedback are included in their design fee, if there is a limit. Take note of your rapport with each designer. You’re apt to have a better working relationship with someone you get along with and can communicate with easily. Hire the designer you feel the best about based on their skills, experience, availability, and price. Include any relevant observations from your trips to the bookstore. Email your designer a copy of your manuscript to read, as well. This background information will help them execute a design that resonates with the tone of your book and the design aesthetic that appeals to you.  If you’re concerned about providing a copy of your unpublished book to the designer, ask them to sign a nondisclosure agreement. If it’s within the scope of the design project, ask your designer to double-check the formatting of your book’s interior to make sure it is print-ready.

Summary:
View graphic designer profiles on freelance marketplaces. Ask for copies of past work or a portfolio. Pay the finalists to perform a small, skills-based design test. Interview multiple designers to make your final selection. Discuss your design objectives and project goals with your designer.