Evolutionary Groups
Patricia and Anne are first-time authors and their passion is running groups and communication. Their workbook, Evolutionary Groups: A New Frontier in Human Connection explains to the reader how to set up groups that are created with humans in mind, covering a wider range of problem situations from both sides and suggesting ways to solve that are based in kindness and lived experiences. The authors needed guidance from the start, and this was one of several projects that I had in mind when I was creating Hello Lovely Learning’s course, Self-Publishing Foundations. How to get from words to publication can be extremely overwhelming and service platforms, like Reedsy, often fail at offering the extra support that writers need.
PROJECT DETAILS
INTERIOR PAGE DESIGN
COVER DESIGN
GUIDANCE ON SELF-PUBLISHING
PROOF CORRECTIONS
USING ADOBE CREATIVE CLOUD
The sample design of the project highlighted the need for a copyeditor to review the text and create consistency in the use of language and punctuation. We paused at this point so that we could locate a reliable provider to help the author refine their manuscript. The interior design first used Avenir and Plume to give an attractive pairing. The colourful cover uses a theme of connecting layers to show diversity. The cover with a concept image of people was a literal translation of group work from Adobe’s stock illustration catalogue.
“Berenice was a wonderful designer to partner with on our first book. She was impeccably timely, kept us consistently informed about progress and deliverable status, and brought a warm, professional presence to every step of the process.
We instantly loved the cover design she sent us, and we’ve come to realize just how much it contributes to the whole feeling of the book and to the work itself.
Beyond the design, Berenice was steady and supportive through a process that became more complex than we initially anticipated. Our manuscript wasn’t copyedited as it should have been, and she stayed the course with us—flexible with schedule adjustments and clear when it was time to revisit scope and renegotiate the contract as needed.
When things got tough, she was also a genuine cheerleader: encouraging, calm, and able to walk us through options and possibilities in a way that helped us keep moving forward. Anne and I are very happy with the final book design, and we’re grateful we had Berenice guiding the project from start to finish.”
The chosen cover uses a font from the pre-existing branding and the image of the lotus is also echoed in the story that pre-dates the workbook. It was important to the authors that the link was visually consistent and, from the design perspective, that the cover was eye-catching and the inside page design (in black and white) used chapter openers and clear typography to guide the reader whilst also being on-brand for the client.
What Hello Lovely did
My first contact with the authors came through Reedsy — though I've since moved to working directly with clients — and from that initial conversation, it was clear this would be a project with real heart. We began with a copyedited manuscript, agreeing on scope and vision before diving into the detail of typography, chapter openers, and a distinctive black-and-white aesthetic that was entirely the client's idea. It's one I love: printing in a single colour is a smart, cost-effective choice, and for a workbook, where the design exists to serve the content rather than overshadow it, it works beautifully.
The road wasn't without its detours. When first proofs revealed the extent of changes still needed to the grammar and language, we paused rather than pushed on. A frank and constructive conversation led to a practical solution: I helped the authors find a copyeditor experienced in working directly with InDesign files, who was then able to hand the project back to me for final design refinements. It's the kind of problem-solving that doesn't always make it into case studies — but it should, because it's often where the real collaboration happens.
Beyond the pages themselves, I found myself advising on the less glamorous but essential mechanics of self-publishing: paper weights, page extents, print pricing. These are questions that trip up many first-time authors, and several of the answers found their way into Hello Lovely Learning's Self Publishing Foundations, a self-study course I was building in parallel — a pleasing overlap of two projects I cared about.
The result
The finished workbook is the backbone of the workshops the authors run, and it shows in how it's been received. Online reviews and direct feedback speak to what good design quietly achieves: readers notice the clarity of the layout, the ease of navigation, the sense that everything is exactly where it should be. The option to purchase additional copies through Amazon has also given workshop attendees a simple, accessible route back to the material.
What made this project particularly satisfying was the subject matter itself. I run workshops in design and wellbeing, so I knew first-hand that the guidance within these pages is both practical and enduring — the kind of advice that doesn't date. That made it more than a design job; it made it a project I was genuinely invested in.
The authors were generous, open to ideas, and a pleasure to work with throughout. I'd welcome the chance to collaborate with them again without hesitation.
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