‘I always love to afford the illustrator dignity and the freedom to interpret the work as best they see how (not as I think it should be).’ Photo: Vika_Glitter, Pixabay
It’s hard enough working on a book yourself, but collaborating with an illustrator can mean an additional level of difficulty, as it requires coordination and more planning before publication.
ArtsHub reached out to a number of authors to demystify the process, as well as to explore some of the joys and challenges of adding pictures to your text. The work relationship, though mutually respectful, may not necessarily be a close one. Indeed, most authors are a couple of steps removed from the commissioned illustrator, who is usually trusted to have autonomy over the artwork.
Thuy On is the Reviews and Literary Editor of ArtsHub and an arts journalist, critic and poet who’s written for a range of publications including The Guardian, The Saturday Paper, Sydney Review of Books, The Australian, The Age/SMH and Australian Book Review. She was the Books Editor of The Big Issue for 8 years and a former Melbourne theatre critic correspondent for The Australian.
Her debut, a collection of poetry called Turbulence, came out in 2020 and was released by University of Western Australia Publishing (UWAP). Her second collection, Decadence, was published in July 2022, also by UWAP. Her third book, Essence, will be published in 2025.
Threads: @thuy_on123 Instagram: poemsbythuy
