In two weeks, my wife and I will be heading down to St. George, Utah, to man our booth at the annual Family History Expo. This event brings together a variety of individuals, businesses, and organizations that have a common interest in family history or geneaology.

I have found family history enthusiasts to be a perfect match for book design. That is, there are thousands of people out there who are collecting family stories, or compiling geneaological information, or typing out their great-grandpa’s journals. Many of them put together a Word document and then send it to a printing press, not realizing that there is an important step that comes between those two: design.

After putting all that work into finding good content for their book, it’s only fitting to make sure it looks good as well. Some people hire me to design their whole project, start to finish. Others pay me for one or two consultations, where with an hour or two of my time, I can clean up their documents and make them look sharper and more attractive. That way, their book is as enjoyable to read and look at as it is useful and informative.

At our booth, we will be explaining what we do, answering questions, and giving specific advice on individuals’ projects. Visitors can also see hard copies of some of my projects. If you’re in the area, we hope to see you at our booth!