YOU DON’T ALWAYS HAVE TO FIGURE IT OUT ALONE!

Stepping into this industry is no walk in the park. We all face a fair share of hardships and struggles as we try to figure out this thing called “freelancing.” Making book covers has been my passion since 9th grade—I used to design covers for Wattpad authors just for fun. It was both a passion and a hobby.

I remember it was during the height of the pandemic. I was still in college, trying to make ends meet (yep, we were one of the families that struggled financially—but weren’t we all?). Honestly, back then, I had no idea what freelancing was or how it worked. I mean, working with authors internationally? That was just my dream. Thankfully, my good friend
MC Damon told me about it. He knew it was time for me to get back into cover design and start using my skills to earn. Quick context: I was on a long sabbatical at the time—but we’ll save that story for another day, because today is about why you don’t always have to figure things out alone.

At the time, I only knew how to make front covers. I didn’t understand the technical side of things that comes with it, like paperbacks, licensing, contracts, or invoices. It was overwhelming, especially for someone with a bit of a “princess attitude” (me). While it’s great to learn everything, sometimes we need to admit that we need help, especially from friends in the industry who’ve been there. That’s how we grow as freelancers. Learning from others not only helps us avoid their past mistakes, but it also gives us the support we need to survive—and thrive—in this industry. Spoiler alert: asking for help is okay, and it doesn’t make you any less of a person!

Fast forward to today, I’ve been able to pay it forward and help other designers who are just starting out, because I know exactly what it feels like to be a beginner. I still reach out to friends for help because there’s still so much I don’t know, and I’ve got a long way to go. We don’t have to act high and mighty, as if you're untouchable or only your clients can reach you. And there’s no need to pit ourselves against one another—there’s more than enough space for everyone.

What we need is to be kind, humble, and open to helping those who are just getting started.