Faceout Books

Faceout Books: Janet Hansen on Designing The Slaughterman's Daughter

Who is the publisher?

Schocken Books; Alfred A. Knopf.

What are the typefaces being used?

Lydia and handwriting.

Faceout Books: Janet Hansen on Designing The Slaughterman's Daughter

Faceout Books: Alban Fischer on Designing Moss

How did you become a book cover designer?

From an early age, I wanted to become a writer (still do), and began submitting my work to journals and magazines in my twenties. In the process, I came to love the form of the literary journal. So, in 2008, I decided to start my own. I didn’t know anything about graphic design, and didn’t know any designers. But, over the course of a year or so, I taught myself enough to put together a first issue. Later, I began slowly picking up typesetting and design jobs here and there from contacts I’d made through the magazine and things progressed from there. By 2014 I was doing sufficiently well enough to quit my day job as a line cook.

Faceout Books: Alban Fischer on Designing Moss

Faceout Books: Emily Mahon on Designing Pizza Girl

What do you enjoy about your job?

My creative director gives me a lot of space, and I feel supported when I present covers or directions. Doubleday’s list is expansive and includes a ton of literary fiction as well as serious non-fiction and commercial books. I also feel fortunate to design covers for our other department imprints--Knopf, Pantheon, and Vintage/Anchor paperbacks--and so I am always feeling challenged and inspired by the books and my talented co-workers.

Faceout Books: Emily Mahon on Designing Pizza Girl