Jon Hahn

Jon Hahn – Designer

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

Overview

Hi, I'm Jon, a graphic designer and art director with more than 20 years of design experience crafting book covers and interior layouts. I started my publishing career in 2005 as an editorial assistant, and, as someone who has always judged a book by its cover, I naturally gravitated toward book design—and there began my excellent adventure from production artist to designer to art director, collaborating with authors, editors, marketers, illustrators, and designers along the way to bring hundreds of books to life. I bring to you this experience as a testament to the time, effort, and discipline it takes to build a beautiful book you'll be proud of and your audience will cherish.

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"Working with Jon on the interior design of my book was a phenomenal experience from start to finish. He took my vision and turned it into a beautifully formatted, professional layout that perfectly complemented the tone and style of my writing. Every page he worked on looked clean, balanced, and easy on the eyes. His attention to detail, quick communication, and creative eye made the entire process seamless. I couldn't be happier with the final result and will definitely be back with him for my next book. Definitely recommend to any author looking for top-quality interior design work! (5 stars)" —David Campo, author of *Dancefloor Dreams*

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When you browse my portfolio, you'll notice I specialize in many genres because I'm always excited to work on new ideas and come up with concepts to express them. Knowing the level of design you want, the images and resources you have or want to work with, your favorite fonts, deadline, and budget are essential to know so I can provide you an accurate estimate for your project. For the most part, a longer deadline and larger budget will allow for more complex cover samples and concepts, while a shorter deadline and economical budget will limit concept and complexity, in which case you'll want to have a clear vision of the book cover you want. You can expect straightforward messaging, timely updates, and a creative process that’s as enjoyable as it is professional—please reach out to start working together!

Services
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs History Music Parenting & Families Political Science & Current Affairs Sports & Outdoors Travel True Crime
Languages
English

Work experience

Self-employed

Feb, 2019 — Present
As a freelance book designer, I’ve spent more than 5 years creating captivating covers and layouts for authors and publishers across genres, delivering print-ready and ebook-optimized designs that bring stories to life. My work blends creative vision with technical precision to meet client needs.

Independent Publishers Group, Chicago Review Press, and Triumph Books

Mar, 2021 — Aug, 2025 (over 4 years)
I designed high-profile, high-concept covers and interiors for books spanning a wide range of subjects including history, sports, popular science, biography, memoir, music, film, travel, and an award-winning line of children’s activity books and young adult biographies. I also researched, evaluated, and hired freelance book designers and illustrators as needed.

Independent Publishers Group, Chicago Review Press, and Triumph Books

Feb, 2020 — Mar, 2021 (about 1 year)
I designed covers and interiors for all editorial imprints as well as the annual catalog for Chicago Review Press and gift and academic catalogs for Independent Publishers Group. I established a unified design vision for editorial imprints and the distributor’s professional collateral.

Chicago Review Press

Dec, 2016 — Feb, 2020 (about 3 years)
I managed the art department and assigned all book cover designs, while also designing covers and interiors. I trained and mentored junior staff on book cover design and typesetting best practices.

Chicago Review Press

Feb, 2011 — Dec, 2016 (almost 6 years)
I created book covers and interior layouts for a diverse range of titles, specializing in combining type and images to enhance reader experience across print and digital formats.

Chicago Review Press

Feb, 2007 — Feb, 2011 (about 4 years)
I focused on preparing print-ready book layouts and cover designs under tight deadlines, ensuring typographic precision and visual consistency for diverse titles across print and digital formats.

Chicago Review Press

Jun, 2005 — Feb, 2007 (over 1 year)
I supported the editorial team by reviewing manuscripts and blue lines, coordinating with authors, typing and editing contracts, bookmarking PDFs, writing catalog copy, and assisting with typography and layout adjustments to ensure high-quality book production.

Portfolio

Undercover Angel

Kehnast, Dave

Pina Publishing

Cover Design
The Inhabited Island

Strugatsky, Arkady

Chicago Review Press

Cover Design
Beyond Inclusion: How to Raise Anti-Ableist Kids

Hahn, Carrie

Chicago Review Press

Cover Design
Goodbye, Oakland

Newhouse, Dave

Triumph Books

Cover Design
Cover Design Book Interior Design
Celestial Navigation

Lewis, Jonathan R

Jonathan R Lewis

Cover Design Book Interior Design
Elevated: The Global Rise of the N.B.A.

Araton, Harvey

Triumph Books

Cover Design
Never Silent: ACT UP and My Life in Activism

Staley, Peter

Chicago Review Press

Cover Design
Cover Design

Jon has 6 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Ford O.

Ford O.

Apr, 2026

This book would have been on the subliminal shoddy side, or worse, without Jon -- he did everything right. And, he did so within some tight rails regarding the author's instructions regarding formatting!
Jon H.
Thank you so much for the kind words! I'm really glad I was able to help bring the book up to the standard you were hoping for. It was a pleasure working within the author's specific formatting ins...
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Robert A.

Robert A.

Apr, 2026

Jon Hahn exceeded every expectation I had—and honestly, that’s saying a lot. From the very beginning, Jon didn’t just “format a book”… he brought it to life. His eye for layout, spacing, and visual flow is exceptional. He took a manuscript that was heavy with real-world stories, checklists, and ...
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Jon H.
Robert, thank you so much for this incredibly kind and detailed review—I truly appreciate it! It was an absolute pleasure working with you on your first book. From the moment we started, I could te...
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Kurt B.

Kurt B.

Mar, 2026

Outstanding! As a first-time author, I was extremely fortunate to find Jon, his amazing artistry, and a truly enjoyable collaboration with my memoir's book cover design. Throughout the development process, Jon produced several design options, suggestions, and a unique ability to understand my vis...
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Benji W.

Benji W.

Mar, 2026

I was very happy with the work Jon did on the cover design for my book The Parent’s Place. From the beginning he was easy to deal with, communicated clearly, and guided the process very professionally. What I particularly appreciated was that, while I had the overall idea for the book, I didn’t h...
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Jon H.
Thanks for the kind words, Benji! I appreciate that you provided clear, concise, and straightforward ideas and feedback about what you did and didn't want on your book cover, so there wasn't any gu...
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Toomas K.

Toomas K.

Feb, 2026

Responds very quickly, follows your requests and wishes, and has a positive attitude.
Jon H.
Thanks, Toomas! It was a pleasure working with you. I appreciated your professionalism and clear instructions.

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