Holly Macdonald
BOOK COVER DESIGN & ART DIRECTION
Shortlisted Designer of the Year, British Book Awards 2024
Originally from the North East of England, I moved to London to study Illustration for my degree and have been based there ever since (although I'm sure the North will lure me back one day!).
Following graduation I spent 16 years working in-house for a number of publishers including Transworld, Bloomsbury and Oneworld. In 2017 I joined HarperCollins and was promoted to Art Director in 2022 having been responsible for creating market-leading covers for a range of bestselling authors across the fiction and non-fiction adult division.
In 2024 I launched my freelance business which allows me to work with a wider range of publishers, creating covers for readers of all ages.
An avid reader since childhood, I firmly believe in the power of good storytelling and therefore the importance of creating an eye-catching package that delivers a book to the right audience.
What I Can Do For You
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COVER DESIGN & ILLUSTRATION
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ART DIRECTION
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CONSULTING
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I can provide advice on improving processes and best practice e.g. how best to brief designers, how to deliver constructive feedback
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GUEST SPEAKER
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I have spoken at industry events including the London Book Fair and regularly deliver presentations for programmes such as Get Into Book Publishing and UCL's MA in Publishing
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MENTORING
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WRITING
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Author of the Association of Illustrators How to Guide - 'Illustration for Publishing: Book Covers'
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