How Much Do We Charge?

There are three tiers of fees for what we do.

Prep Time; Manuscript Development, Writing, Editing — $40./hr
Prep Time includes:
Meetings to discuss background, progress, or changes in the project. Research, such as phone calls for information, Web searches, library visits, visits and calls to printers, vendors or associates. Finding archived files. Researching stock photos. Typing. Photo direction. Press checks.
Manuscript Development, Editing includes:
Interviewing, writing, editing, proofreading.

Technical Time — $70./hr
Computer Work:
Composition and formatting of type according to the agreed-upon layout. “Making it work.”
Preparation of electronic files/PDFs. Special art effects (e.g., silhouetting, touching up artwork). Maps. Author’s alterations (AAs).
Hand Work:
Making mockups. Hand sketched layouts.

Design/Concept Fee — $90./hr
Ideas for kind of printed vehicle. Ideas for theme. Creation of original drawings or graphic elements. Overall composition (decisions about the “look”: placement, styles of type for heads and body copy, spacing, size).

 
Confused?
While helpful to know, hourly fees alone can’t foretell how much your job will end up costing.

Here are BALLPARK figures for what different types of jobs might cost to design and prepare for printing. You’ll note that there's a wide range within any project category. The biggest, but not only, reason for this is due to a client’s working style. (See “But Are You Right for Us?" quiz.) The below ranges of costs cover the work done by Acorn Studio only. If you will need our colleagues’ help (e.g., writing, photography), that will cost more. Having said that, Acorn Studio will first discuss a job and then prepare a quote for you before we begin working together.