I design and illustrate books - from cover to cover.
You’ve worked on your story far too hard to lose readers because of bad design – and I’m here to help you avoid that.
I became a designer because I love stories – I’ve been in this business for the past 10 years and collaborated with both individual authors and publishers of various sizes. I love clever ideas, vibrant imagery and attention-grabing type – because how the story is told matters.
Here's what I'm good at:
I can design your book from cover to cover – I can format the pages of both your printed book and your e-book, create a vibrant cover illustration and prepare your story for printing.
I'm an art lover and avid reader.
I’m based in Gdańsk, Poland, where I live with my cat, Zmora. I spend my free time reading, painting, and strolling around the city museums. My education is in linguistics and Norwegian philology.
I’ve been fascinated with stories from an early age, and this fascination never ended – as a kid, I started learning how to paint to illustrate scenes from my favourite books. Since I started my work as a designer, I collaborated with both individual authors and publishers (like SAGA Egmont, Beans&Sparks Publishing, Wydawnictwo Dziwny Pomysł). I find the combination of text and images endlessly captivating – I’m always looking for magic in the mundane.
I also regularly work through Boldbooks.no and Reedsy.com. I work in English, Norwegian and Polish.
Random fun facts
- I have a MA in linguistics and I'm until recently I've been working on a PhD - I'm hoping to come back to it one day!
- I speak three languages fluently, and can communicate in three more.
- I'm obsessed with cats - I own one, but my end goal are three!
- Originally, I planned on becoming a classical musician - I played flute for 12 years.
- I read around 150 books every year.
- I published a few short stories in various anthologies when I was younger.
How does it work?
Are you curious about how the design process look like, and what stages your book will go through?
This section exists to answer your questions – but if you find yourself with some more, you can always send me an e-mail!
Brief
First sketches
Feedback
Print-ready files
1: Brief
Your story is about to be dressed in the finest digital silks – and for that, I need to know some details. I will ask you about your preferences and requirements, likes and dislikes, and explain how we can transfer them into a cover that grabs readers’ attention like a magnet. All the information you need will always be communicated upfront – you never need to worry about being left in the dark!
2: First sketches
Cover design usually starts with sketches – on paper, and then on a screen. From these, you will receive several versions to choose from (usually 3-4), based on your comments, your book’s mood and genre and the audience you’re hoping to reach.
3: Feedback
Design is a collaborative process – and your opinion is important. Based on your feedback, I will polish and adjust the version you like the most. My job is to give your book the best possible chance at success – and that is a goal we achieve together, by discussing and reaching the best solutions during several (usually 3-4) rounds of revisions.
4: Print-ready files
Your book is ready to face the world – which means it’s the time to prepare the files for printing. Worried about finding a typo a day before the deadline? Don’t be – send me an e-mail and I’ll always be happy to help!
Marta did a wonderful job, I'm very satisfied. She asked the right questions, turned my ideas into professional designs, and proposed her own creative solutions - and suddenly, we had a cover!
Dörte Giebe
author of "Det andre livet" and editor of "Kein Fjord so tief wie mein Herz"Marta did a wonderful job, I'm very satisfied. She asked the right questions, turned my ideas into professional designs, and proposed her own creative solutions - and suddenly, we had a cover!