You have a lot of choices when it comes to choosing how to get maps, diagrams, and artwork for your project. So why should you pick Surprised Eel Maps? I am an experienced mapmaker with a reputation for working closely with my clients to get them the maps they need. My many endorsements from happy clients attest to this.
Here is what you can expect when you work with me:
Clarity
My priority in mapmaking is to draw maps that help you tell your story, and that connect readers to your text. Key to that is to make sure the maps I draw are clean, clear, and legible. A map that is loaded down with too much information can become difficult to use. We’ve all seen those maps in books; confusing masses of names and lines that are hard to decipher, or maps where the text is too small to be readable. This is a particular issue with maps for books, where the size of the page is an important limiting factor. Too much information, or information presented poorly, can make a map functionally useless. The maps that I draw will only have information that your reader needs to understand the space of your text. I will work with you to make sure that your maps are clear and easy to read.
As you look over these, and my other example maps, keep this in mind: my goal for your maps is clarity and legibility.
Affordability
My baseline price for grayscale maps for books or articles is $400 USD per map. This is a competitive price point. According to the most recent data from Aly Ollivierre and Daniel Huffman’s semi-annual survey (here), my prices are slightly lower than the national average for freelance cartography work. For that price you get a custom, hand-drawn map made to your specifications. And at the end of the process, the map image belongs to you. You never have to come back to me to ask for permission to use the map for any reason. I don’t retain any rights to the image other than having the ability to use it for portfolio and publicity purposes.
Collaboration
The process of making a map for you is a collaborative one. It starts with a call to talk about your project and to discuss how you imagine the map(s) as a part of it. It is important that I have a sense of what you are working on so that I know what you need, and how the maps can best help you. Together, we will find the right balance between what the map(s) needs to do, and what they can reasonably carry while remaining legible. Towards this end, I will send you drafts of the map as we go; I prefer to work iteratively, and in concert with you. Whether you need maps for a book, for an RPG, or for a gift, my goal is to get you a map or maps that are unique to your needs. This only happens when we collaborate.
You can learn more about the process and my pricing structures here.
Experience
I am very familiar with the structures of academic publishers and institutions. From my personal history as a published academic, and from my professional history as a mapmaker, I have long experience dealing with the ins and outs of the academy. I am perfectly happy to accept payment from institutional accounts, and I am used to working with academic presses to make sure that my map(s) meet their standards and specifications. I know what your publisher needs, and I know (generally) how your institution distributes funds. I can work to a tight schedule, and I know the importance of meeting deadlines. My experience means that, from your end, the process is smooth and easy.
For a partial list of publications containing Surprised Eel Maps, click here.
Support
Our relationship isn’t done once you’ve paid for your map, and received the files. I know that publishing — academic or trade — is an involved process that can take quite a while. And I am here to support my work through that process, for up to a year after you take possession of the map(s). In that time I will work quickly to address any small changes that need to be made to the map(s), such as fixing typos or addressing any issues that come up with the publisher. This is included in the initial price, and will not cost you anything extra. Making substantive changes to the map will cost extra, but I’ll be happy to work with you should that be necessary.
Publicity
Once your book or article is published, I will be sure to publicize it. I will link to it from this website, but I will also talk about it on social media. I have a substantial following on Twitter and Bluesky, and my followers are curious people who love to read and learn. In addition, I have recently started a Patreon page where I will be discussing the maps that I’ve drawn and the books or texts that they’re in. Choosing Surprised Eel Maps means that your work will be seen by a broad international audience of interested people.
To begin a conversation with me about the maps you need, fill out the form on the Contact Page (here). I will get back to you as quickly as possible.
