I’ve realized that for most people, the gap between “decent-looking” template-based design and fully custom work just isn’t big enough to justify the price difference. Recently, I designed a 32-page booklet for a real-estate client. It was completely custom and took around 30 hours, including design, typesetting, coordinating with printers, reviewing proofs, and managing the details end-to-end. She was happy with the result but mentioned that her company also offers a free drag-and-drop tool that lets agents create similar materials themselves. She said it was “fun” and that she’d probably use that next time. That experience clarified something for me: most people don’t see—or don’t care to see—the nuances that separate thoughtful, professional design from something that’s simply “good enough.” That’s not a criticism of them; it’s a reflection of how accessible templates have become. This means the value of custom work isn’t always self-evident. When the difference isn’t obvious, it’s easy for design to feel optional. That’s why I think content and personal branding help, not to convince people that templates are bad but to help them understand why good design can actually make a meaningful difference (and fetch a premium price).

Great set of guidelines, Kris. Here's one I did recently for a book. It was a two-column text setup. • Leading: same a regular paragraph • Font size: same as regular paragraph • Left and right indent: 3mm on both sides • White line/line break added between • Optical margin alignment turned on • Italics used on block quote

Thanks @Zak King I worked on a photo book that consisted of 650 pages, 3 languages, 5 authors, and 200 image contributors all within the same volume. It took around 3 years and gave a few sleepless nights, but I learned a lot and met some cool people along the way. I was part of a team so it wasn't a solo effort by any means, but I am pretty proud of it nonetheless.