This is the Right Time for More Outsource in Book Publishing
Ramchandra K.C.
December 12, 2020
Outsourcing your publishing needs to a remote working publishing talent, means that your specific needs will be taken care of by an expert whose working model fosters productivity.
The gig economy is thriving and in recent years has taken center stage in the day-to-day operations of various enterprises around the world. This was the case even before the entire world was hit by the deadly coronavirus (COVID-19), which has dramatically changed the way we go about our daily lives.
Restrictive measures to curb the disease spread and flatten the curve is causing disruptions to vital supply chains and causing a decline in economic growth.
Different organizations both large and small are bracing for impact by adopting cost-effective business strategies like outsourcing. In doing so, they are able to cut employment costs yet, still have unlimited access to a vast network of talent for their respective needs. There is no doubt that outsourcing is a popular business model today, one which key players in the publishing industry must consider adopting.
Let us look at why it makes complete sense for publishers and self-published authors to outsource publishing talents such as editors, graphic designers, illustrators, book marketers, social media persons, artists, and the scriptwriters for graphic novels.
It is Safe
Amidst the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, remote working is becoming the preferred working method for many organizations as it guarantees the safety of their employees.
As a growing number of people opt-in to work from home, it raises the question of whether it is a productive working arrangement? The answer is yes! Because of working freedom, remote employees work more, spend more time getting things done, and are even more productive than office workers according to a recent survey by Airtasker.
The point is that remote working is a safe, lucrative, and productive endeavor you need to consider leveraging during this time.
Outsourcing your publishing needs to a remote working publishing talent, means that your specific needs will be taken care of by an expert whose working model fosters productivity & reduces their chances of exposure to a deadly virus. In doing so, you will also be playing a crucial role in helping to curb the disease spread and flatten the curve.
If your publishing needs require you to outsource multiple publishing talents – such as a graphic novel scriptwriter, editor & graphic designer, you can request for them to use collaborative tools such as Skype, Shareflow, Zoom, TeamViewer, Zoho, Dabbleboard, Dooster, Edmodo, ReviewBasic, among others to work together as a remote team.
Using any of these collaborative tools, they can communicate with each other, share ideas, and strategize on how to fulfill all your publishing needs.
Cost-effective
The COVID-19 outbreak has triggered not just a public health crisis, but an economic one too, leading to alarming predictions by analysts of an economic downturn.
This means that for you as a publisher or self-published author to weather the storm, you need to control expenditures and adopt cost-cutting measures.
Outsourcing editors, graphic designers, illustrators, book marketers, etc is one of the most feasible ways to achieve this feat because you are simply paying for the services you request and nothing else.
Over time this strategy will become less of a financial burden because it eliminates overhead costs such as medical insurance, training, and even office space that comes with employing full-time personnel.
In addition, before you decide on who you want to work with, you can ask for quotes from several to consider rates, innovative ideas they can come up with, and diverse talents within your budget and value offerings that match your specific needs before committing.
Flexible
Outsourcing is a much more flexible option as you can hire more talents only when you need to, without having to maintain workers on a steady payroll.
If you feel like a particular graphic novel scriptwriter, editor, graphic designer, illustrator, or artist is no longer able to deliver in terms of quality or you just need a fresh skillset, you can outsource to a different one.
When you outsource such talents, you are able to easily scale back when the need calls for it and scale up without additional costs. Using this method as an author or publisher, you rid yourself of the burden of long-term contracts.
The flexibility outsourcing offers means that you can easily find turnkey solutions to your changing needs whenever the need calls for it, without an effect on your operations.
If outsourcing is not right for you or your publishing needs you can press pause on the project and consider other available options.
Unlimited Access to a Vast Talent Pool
If you want continuous delivery of high-quality results on all your publishing needs without a decline in quality, you’ll need direct access to a pool of talents.
When you outsource you do not limit yourself to the same individuals with the same skill set and expertise. Gone are the days when sticking to the rules of the game pays off. Now, the winners are those who seek for fresh ideas, and varied viewpoints on a particular undertaking.
Outsourcing gives you as a publisher or author a golden opportunity to select and bring onboard professionals with a wide range of experience and specialty.
Gaining access to this pool of talent has also been made easy with Freelance platforms like Fiverr and Upwork. Using any of these platforms, you can find and hire experts in graphic novel scriptwriting, editing, graphic designing, illustration, book marketing, etc who have been tried, tested, and proven to be capable of quality service delivery at a reasonable price tag.
Final Thoughts
As a book publisher or a self-published author, outsourcing specific areas of your project is a smart move with immense benefits, however, the proper approach to this process is essential.
After you recognize the need to outsource specific areas of your publishing project, this endeavor requires experience and expertise in terms of recruitment, supervision, and management.
Getting it right the first time requires a publishing coordinator, who has in-depth knowledge of vital workflow processes for a good collaborative experience with a freelance professional(s).
Their function typically includes outsourcing the publishing talent(s), supervising the delivery of their individual assignments, making necessary adjustments to ensure that it matches up to the specifications and high standard of the project, and so on.
In other words, a Publishing Coordinator (like myself), who has an in-depth workflow knowledge of book publishing, basically takes care of the nitty-gritty aspects of outsourcing an editor, graphic designer, illustrator, book marketer, social media handler, artist, scriptwriter, and collaborating with them, while you use your own time for other productive pursuits.
Ram Khatri
Translator of Franz Kafka’s ‘The Metamorphosis’ in Nepali, Ram has worked as the managing editor and publishing manager for academic and commercial publishers in the United States. He holds an M.S. in publishing from Pace University, New York, and an M.A. in English literature from Tribhuwan University, Kathmandu. Ram is always fascinated by truly diverse, unrepresented, and heartwarming stories that touch lives.