The best book cover designers for hire near Chicago

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Heather 5 star rating

Chicago, IL, USA

Experienced cover designer of adult fiction and non-fiction genres. Let's make your book a best-seller!

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Non-Fiction, Business & Management, Coming of Age, Historical Mysteries, Mystery & Crime, Psychological Thriller, Thriller & Suspense, Magical Realism, and Literary Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Sourcebooks

Jon 5 star rating

Chicago, IL, USA

Bold yet practical, iced-coffee-drinking book designer with 20+ years in publishing, ready to help make your book a bestseller.

Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Sports & Outdoors, Political Science & Current Affairs, Music, Parenting & Families, True Crime, and Travel.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Independent Publishers Group, Chicago Review Press, and Triumph Books
  • Chicago Review Press

Judith 5 star rating

Chicago, IL, United States

Lettering artist and illustrator for 25 years. Bold, clean, graphic style—bright color palettes—contemporary look.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Design, Non-Fiction, Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Art, Humanities & Social Sciences, Themes & Motifs, and Plays & Screenplays.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

C.J. 5 star rating

Chicago, IL, USA

I'm an award-winning illustrator, well-versed both in realistic nature-based and fantasy painting and children's media ✨

Genres: Nature, Non-Fiction, Magical Realism, Literary Fiction, Fiction, Fantasy, Children's, and Historical Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • U.S Chess Federation (Freelance Client)
  • Gallopade
  • Cepia, LLC

Ellen 5 star rating

Chicago, IL, USA

Art director with more than ten years of experience in publishing, finding delight in all kinds of book design.

Genres: Middle Grade, Children's, Fiction, Picture Books, Young Adult, Children’s Non-Fiction, Non-Fiction, Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, and Middle Grade Fantasy.

Work experience:

  • Cottage Door Press
  • Albert Whitman & Company

Ashley 5 star rating

Chicago, IL, USA

Hi authors! Long time Reedsy designer. Always looking for creative partners, who want a unique cover. Message me for my detailed process.

Genres: Humor & Comedy, Fiction, Poetry, LGBTQ Fiction, Dystopian, Science Fiction, Comics & Graphic Novels, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, and Mystery & Crime.

Work experience:

  • Write Bloody Publishing
  • NPR - Austin, TX
  • Gap Online
  • Ladders
  • Democratic National Committee
  • Bully Pulpit Interactive

Samantha 5 star rating

California, United States

Children's Illustrator and designer specialized in colorful, whimsical illustrations with experience from Disney.

Genres: Children’s Non-Fiction, Non-Fiction, Picture Books, Children's, and Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Jam City
  • RockYou Inc.
  • Walt Disney Interactive
  • Book Buddy Media

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Talitha 5 star rating

Fort Wayne, United States

Experienced award-winning illustrator and designer. I can help with your next book concept!

Genres: Picture Books, Children's, Fiction, Middle Grade, Children’s Non-Fiction, and Non-Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

David 5 star rating

Guilford, United States

I believe that book cover design has the power to crystalize and elevate the author's intent and expression.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Action & Adventure, Poetry, Historical Fiction, Cultural & Ethnic, and Inspirational.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Mary Ann 5 star rating

New York, United States

With 20+ yrs experience in fiction, rom-com, wellness and career guides, my clients include Simon and Schuster and PenguinRandomHouse.

Genres: Career Guides, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, Contemporary Romance, Romance, Fiction, Chick Lit, Women's Fiction, and Self-Help & Self-Improvement.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Penguin Random House

Jake 5 star rating

Blacksburg, SC, United States

With 2k covers and counting, I design genre-faithful covers that help authors look professional and convert browsers into buyers.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction, and Thriller & Suspense.

Work experience:

  • Print Depot
  • Self-employed

David 5 star rating

New York, United States

Exceedingly detail oriented and organized, with strong collaborative and interpersonal skills; highly dedicated, and reliable.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Historical Fiction, Psychology, True Crime, and Thriller & Suspense.

Work experience:

  • Sterling Publishing
  • Simon and Schuster
  • Self-employed
  • Skyhorse Publishing

Kids designer/illustrator who loves storytelling, fun facts, cute macabre, fantasy, + nature. Let's create rad books—for the kid in us all♥️

Genres: Children’s Non-Fiction, Non-Fiction, Picture Books, Children's, and Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Sourcebooks
  • Self-employed

WJ 5 star rating

Chicago, IL, USA

Do you want stress-free outsourcing? A communicative picturebook Illustrator / character designer / general illustrator. Feel free to reach

Genres: Children’s Non-Fiction, Non-Fiction, Picture Books, Children's, Fiction, Classics, Historical Fiction, Cultural & Ethnic, Contemporary Fiction, and Design.

Work experience:

  • co.Aniframe
  • Self-employed

Ashley 5 star rating

Portland, ME, United States

I'm an art director, graphic designer and illustrator that loves book design, typography and the interplay of graphics and text.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Picture Books, Children's, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Nature, Home & Garden, Middle Grade, Education & Reference, and Middle Grade Fantasy.

Work experience:

  • HarperCollins Publishers
  • Macmillan Children's Books
  • Sellers Publishing, Inc.

Annemieke 5 star rating

Seattle, WA, United States

Hi! I'm a cover designer with 10 years of experience, specializing in YA fiction. Clients include HarperCollins and Galison/Mudpuppy.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Architecture, Non-Fiction, Art, Humanities & Social Sciences, Design, Literary Fiction, Women's Fiction, and Self-Help & Self-Improvement.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Kelly 5 star rating

Wilmington, DE, United States

I love how good design can complete a writer's vision and make it engaging. Fantasy, thrillers, historical and fiction really get me going.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Fantasy, Poetry, Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Thriller & Suspense, Young Adult Fantasy, Young Adult, and New Adult.

Work experience:

  • Four Dog Creative
  • Delaware Today
  • Delaware Bride
  • Self-employed

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Hire the best book cover designers in Chicago, Illinois

Many authors overlook the importance of presentation and branding. Though DIY book covers are an inexpensive option, they rarely have the aesthetic qualities needed to attract readers and create a strong impression. This can make your book look unprofessional and deter readers from buying it as a result.

So unless you are an experienced designer yourself, you need a professional book cover designer to help you present your work in an appealing and effective way. Such a cover designer has all the experience needed to create a marketable outer appearance for your book. Depending on whether you want a photo-based or illustrated cover, you’ll need a graphic designer with the right qualifications — someone who knows what sells in your genre and how to apply that to your cover.

At Reedsy, we have some of the best book cover designers in Chicago. Sign up now and search our exclusive catalogue of cover design professionals, all of whom have been handpicked by our team.

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Step 2

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Step 3

Request quotes

Request quotes from up to five freelancers at any time. They’ll look at your sample pages to give you a tailored quote as well as a sense of how they work.

Step 4

Collaborate

Once you agree on terms and a timeline, you’ll start collaborating using the many communication and editing tools available on Reedsy.