Book packagers provide all the elements that go into a final book. They design the front and back covers, arrange for artists (who may be in-house employees or independent contractors) to provide illustrations for the cover and for the book itself, and organize the typesetting and placement of graphs and illustrations in the text. The major difference between a book packager and a book publisher is that the publisher handles the logistics of marketing, distribution, warehousing, and so on, while the packager does not offer those services.

Freelance Opportunities

Book packagers often work with major publishers to create specific projects or lines, and this can provide opportunities for aspiring writers. For example, a publisher might want a series of educational books on astronomy aimed at middle-school readers. The book packager takes on the responsibility for designing the series and finding qualified authors to write the books. In most cases, these opportunities will be work-for-hire deals, meaning you'll be paid a flat fee, won't collect royalties, and won't retain any rights in the work. But if you are billed as the author, it can count as a publishing credit, which helps boost your chances of getting your own work published.

Directories like Writer's Market now list book packagers along with traditional publishers, including the same kind of market information that is listed for other types of publishing opportunities. You can also find names of book packagers by checking out titles at your library or bookstore. On the copyright page, there will be a line that says the work was “prepared for” the publisher by the packager.

Most often, publishers hire book packagers for projects that demand a lot of research, are highly technical, or require lots of graphs and illustrations. To become an author for one of these projects, your credentials must be impeccable or you must have unusual access to experts and authorities on the topic.

Hiring a Book Packager

If you're self-publishing your book, you may want to consider hiring a professional packager to design the cover, illustrations, and pages; many book packagers also offer editing services. These services are sometimes offered by book printers, but more often you'll have to either do these things yourself or find someone else to do them. Usually, a book packager will see a project through to delivery of the final product, working with the printer to ensure a quality book. The packager's fees will vary according to how much work you need done.

Self-publishing is the only reason you would consider working with a book packager on your own project. You don't need their services to approach agents or royalty-paying commercial publishers. When you get a contract from HarperCollins, for example, they'll handle the editing and design work. Agents and editors are not impressed with fancy packaging, so it's a waste of your money to pay a book packager when you're following the traditional publishing route. The key to getting a publishing contract still lies in the quality of your manuscript.