Job: Part-Time Book Designer

Modern Memoirs, Inc.

495 West Street
Amherst, MA 01002

Company Description:
Established in 1994, Modern Memoirs, Inc. is a self-publishing company specializing in memoirs and family histories. We offer private publication from start to finish, providing a variety of services according to your needs and desires, including interviews, transcription, editing, book design, image processing, genealogy verification and documentation, printing and binding, and eBooks. We have provided writing and self-publishing services to clients in six countries and thirty-one U.S. states, and have produced books for more than 200 clients. Not everyone wants us to spend time on the many details that contribute to outstanding books for outstanding people. For clients with more modest but excellent standards, we provide reliable services with White Poppy Press, The Sensible Way to Self-Publish.
Salary Range:Location:
20000 Per Year AMHERST MA
Job Type:Category:
Part TimeProfessional
Education Level:Work Experience:
Bachelor's Degree
Preference: Nice to have
other
Preference: Required
Skills/Certifications/Licences:
Fluency in InDesign (current version), Photoshop, Illustrator. - Preference: Required
Description:
MODERN MEMOIRS, INC., a private publishing company established in 1994 and specializing in personal memoirs and family histories, is hiring a PART-TIME BOOK DESIGNER. We seek an excellent, experienced, flexible designer/formatter of self-published PRINTED BOOKS (not web) who is able to work onsite in our Amherst, Massachusetts office starting on September 1, 2021.

Salary and Benefits: The starting salary for this position is $26,000 (FTE $52,000) for a 20-hour work week. There is flexibility to determine the schedule within regular business hours, Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and some remote work time may be negotiated. Health care coverage is not offered through this position. Generous paid time off is offered to all employees and will be addressed in a job offer, along with other fringe benefits.

Main Job Duties

Format books (100–400 pages, 10–100 images). Books are for private publication, occasionally with commercial online distribution. Typically memoirs, family history/genealogy, occasionally art books, short stories, poetry, essays, novels. Small-run quantities (20–200 books).

Format into our proprietary InDesign book templates. Import Word docs into InDesign, must know “custom stylemapping” in InDesign. Familiarity with complex InDesign styles such as bibliography, footnotes, endnotes, index, appendices, etc.

Prepare, process/adjust images/scans for print (not web). Batch processing and nuanced photo restoration. Advanced knowledge of scanning and upsampling low-res images for print a must.

Place photos and captions, anchoring photos to text, creating or applying master pages.

Design/format genealogy charts in a variety of templates/formats, in cooperation with our staff Genealogist.

Design book covers: soft cover, printed case, hardcover stamp, and/or dustjacket, based on client’s direction, geared toward non-commercial audience.

Export InDesign files to professional, exacting printer specs. Prepare complete package files.

Assist in the design of promotional materials, website updates, client communications, and other tasks.
Requirements:
College degree and/or advanced training in design required.

Experience designing or formatting books of over 200 pages for professional print.

Fluency in InDesign (current version), Photoshop, Illustrator.

Knowledge of and experience in color and grayscale print, offset print, digital print, casebind, sewn bind, hardcover, softcover.

Fitting covers, dustjackets, and hardcover stamps to exacting printer templates from different printer affiliates, and accounting for spine, margins, bleeds, printer marks, etc.

Experience with Print-On-Demand and eBook conversion preferred but not required.

Efficient turnaround time and excellent communication skills.

Collaborative worker. Works well with a team. Understands elder clients and demonstrates cultural sensitivity. Able to follow client preferences even if at odds with personal design preferences.

No telephone inquiries, please.

Interested parties should send a resume (including links to sample work, if possible), a list of at least three professional references, and schedule preferences to:

Megan St. Marie, President

Modern Memoirs, Inc.

495 West Street Suite 1-C

Amherst MA 01002

Megan@modernmemoirs.com

Deadline for receipt of applications is July 15, 2021. All applications will be acknowledged, and final candidates for the position will be invited to interview in August 2021.