The M.D.C. Handbook

design etiquette

Out in the real world, biting your tongue and putting up with improbable mounds of shit is practically in every job description. But, in graphic design, this idea takes a whole new meaning. 

If you want to be a Wattpad designer, you need to know how to treat your customers, although you may be asking, why? Why should I be kind to my customers? After all, I'm the one providing them a service. Why should I save every psd / xcf / pxd for at least a week after delivering the graphic to the customer? Why should I give a fuck? 

The truth is hard to swallow. But, if you practice design etiquette you will see that you're better off for it. Nothing compares to dozens of satisfied customers, good payments (yes, customers do give lengthier comments and better shout-outs to nice designers), as well as preparation for the real working world where no one is going to stroke your hair and treat you like the center of the universe. 

If you are opening a graphic shop soon, follow these tips. You could be sure the business will run smoothly and that you'll walk away from many happy little writers. 

01. Keep the written portion of your thread concise. Try not to talk too much about your personal life or current fandoms. And, having 10+ unnecessary rules makes it likely your customers won't even read them all. Figure out what's important. Bore customers with text and that may not even request in the end. 

02. The customer's always right, except when they're wrong. Now, it's important to speak kindly to your customers no matter how scatterbrained, high maintainence, or difficult they are. They are paying you, and even when your graphics are free, they are still providing you with valuable practice and examples. You owe it to them to hear our their demands. However, if a user is being especially rude/demanding/insulting, it's okay to tell them, "No, I'm not making your cover." If you feel personally uncomfortable, do not be afraid to pull the plug. 

03. Discuss all important matters and questions over PM. If necessary, this will make the customer feel more personally connected to you and involved in the cover making process. That's good!

04. Take no longer than two weeks to make a graphic, unless you have a good reason. In my experience, most customers are comfortable waiting anywhere from 6 to 15 days for a graphic. You will get some fuckers who insist you make theirs in under 24 hours, but just try to explain to them the circumstance. If they still don't understand, they'll probably cancel their request, and you'll have one less puss-ridden cyst to worry about. 

05. Don't be afraid to sound like a broken record. Customers respond to professionalism in the way you talk and in how you carry yourself. On Wattpad, it's no different. When delivering your cover, do not forget to thank your customer for requesting i.e. their service. Give very kind, deliberate words. I always say something along the lines of, "Your cover is ready, my dear! Please let me know what you think and whether or not you'd like to use it. Thank you so much for requesting."

06. If your customer has yet to pay, kill them with kindness. Send them a very formal, very professional PM that states something along these lines: "Hello dear, I wanted you remind you that you've yet to pay for your cover. If you do no like the cover, let me know, that would be fine and I can use it as a premade. But, if you do intend to use it, you will have to complete the required payment. Thank you and have a wonderful day, -Vee." 

07. Offer every customer one re-do. No, I do not mean you make another graphic from scratch. I would never do that. But, offer them one chance to make one or a couple small changes. If you don't offer any re-do's, your customers will view you as callous. Offer more/unlimited re-do's and they will take advantage of you. But, first you'll need to...

08. Save every psd, xcf, or pxd file for at least one week. These are files for Photoshop, GIMP, and Pixlr respectively. Saving your graphics as these allows you to go back and edit the individual layers later. (Now if you don't use a layers program, well, I don't know what to tell you.) For instance, if you made a mistake as big as writing the wrong title on a cover, it's your job to take responsibility for that and to fix it. You cannot expect anyone to pay you for a graphic they can't even use. And, saving the file for 7 days gives your customers a nice cushion in case they missed a typo or error on the graphic previously. 

09. Be respectful even in defeat. "I'm sad to see you've withdrawn your request, but I wish you the best of luck in finding an even better designer to make your cover. Thank you again for considering me." 

10. Have fun! Don't sweat the small stuff as much. Designing should be fun, or else we wouldn't be doing it. Don't let the social heirarchies and complex business practices get in the way of your good time.