Episode cover
Is this normal in publishing… or am I being taken for a mug?
June 20, 2025 · 22 min

When your project goes a bit pear-shaped you might wonder if that’s just how the illustration industry is.

Well, this week we’re talking all about what's good, bad, and normal... and whether there are red flags you should look out for in your illustrator-publisher relationship.

Highlights:

Why it's never okay to get feedback on a Friday and be asked for a full redraw by Monday 🙃What’s typical in the picture book process (roughs, colour roughs, final art, etc)When changes are fine… and when they’re totally out of orderHow to set better boundaries (and how to stick to them)Our own early-illustration-career experiences, and what we'd do differently now

Timestamps: 00:00 – Is this normal? A horror story from an illustrator 02:00 – Unrealistic deadlines & being pressured to work weekends 05:00 – When publishers ignore your roughs completely 06:30 – What a healthy picture book workflow looks like 09:00 – Final artwork and why changing it is a big deal 12:00 – Bologna book fair: what gets shown 14:30 – When you can trust your publisher/designer (and when you really can’t) 16:00 – Agents behaving badly 20:00 – Why this doesn’t mean all of publishing is bad! 

#NotAllPublishers

Links an' that

Our picture book course doors are opening SOON! Keep yer eyes peeled and grab the freeebies here: https://www.thegoodshipillustration.com/PBGot a question? Send it our way and we might answer it in a future episode!

Bye for now! x The Good Ship Illustration (Helen, Katie & Tania) 

Come and say hello! ✏️ @thegoodshipillustration🌏 www.thegoodshipillustration.comp.s. We love answering your illustration questions. Click here to submit your question for The Good Ship Illustration Podcast 🎙