Farjana Yasmin

farjanayasmin.com /@sevenbluetrees

Pronouns: She/Her

Where are you from? Queens, New York and Bangladesh

Race/Ethnicity: South Asian

Languages: English and Bengali

Where do you currently work at? Catapult Book Group

I've been in the industry for about 5 years, only switched publishing houses. I worked at Penguin Random House for about 4 years prior to Catapult.

How did you get into design? I was always more into hand done art such as painting, drawing, and collage but didn't see those things as a realistic or stable career path for me. So I chose to study design in college because it seemed more practical, there would be more job opportunities but I could still stay very close to doing something I love.

One favorite book you've designed and why? A Signet Classic repackaging for The Legend of Sleepy Hollow because the handlettering was a lot of fun to do. The process of working on the cover was also equal parts challenging and enjoyable.

What do you like about being a book designer in publishing? Definitely how it requires me to read and expands my understanding of other people, their stories, views, and experiences.

Tell us a surprising fact about you? I can't think of anything that comes to mind.

What did you learn about publishing that you wish you knew before? How important it is to enjoy the process of designing a cover and not to let what you do for work determine the type of person/creative you are. There are so many people and factors that can influence a cover design so I had to learn (and still have to work on it continuously) to keep in mind how to not take these decisions personally even though the creative process is probably the most personal thing to me.

What's one goal you have for yourself in this industry? To work on covers for range of genres and be comfortable doing them.

How do you over come a creative block? My creative blocks are usually from burnout or self doubt so I try to realize it's time to take a break and that it's okay to not be making things all the time. I do something else I love like cooking, being outside, with people I love because all of that helps me get out of my own head. I also watch a lot of YouTube videos of other creatives I find comforting or fun, like Minnie Small, Elizabeth Gilbert, and Bong Eats.