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Nada Backovic
Book Designer

Award-winning designer creating book covers and interiors for authors and publishers.

At Nada Backovic Designs, I create book covers and interiors that honour your manuscript and captivate your readers.

With over 20 years’ experience at Random House UK, Allen & Unwin, and other leading publishers, I bring the same dedication, expertise, and commercial insight to every project—whether you’re self-publishing or working with a traditional publisher.

Trusted by major publishers

My work spans many genres—including literary fiction, commercial fiction, thrillers, romance, memoir, and narrative non-fiction

Thoughtful book design from concept to print.

Cover Design + Typesetting

For novels, memoirs and text-based non-fiction.

Cover Design + INTERIOR DESIGN

For design-led and visually rich books.

Cover Design

A bespoke cover design for any genre.

Typesetting

Professional interior layout for text-based books.

Cover design, interior design and typesetting for publishers and independent authors.

I’m a London-born, Sydney-based book designer with experience at Random House UK, Allen & Unwin, and other major publishers worldwide.

I personally lead every project, collaborating with specialists when needed. This ensures versatility, commercial awareness, and meticulous attention to detail—helping your book stand out and reach its ideal audience.

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What Clients Say

‘I am delighted to be able to express my respect and admiration for one of the best designers in publishing, both in Australia and overseas… As a publisher it has always given me a special feeling of confidence, and pleasure, when it’s confirmed that Nada will be working on one of my books. I KNOW it will turn out brilliantly.’

Patrick Gallagher

Chairman, Allen & Unwin

‘I absolutely love working with Nada and wholeheartedly recommend working with her… Over the last two years Nada has designed four book covers for me with those titles becoming bestsellers. Nada is supremely creative, open-minded and very patient; when she nails a concept she really nails it… Nada is among the very best designers I have ever worked with.’

Rebecca Saunders

Fiction Publisher, Hachette Australia

‘It is always a joy to work with Nada. She is a consummate professional. Along with her brilliant and original design eye, and her sharp technical skills, Nada brings a deep understanding of the market and the commercial realities of publishing. Her informed and empathetic design response to each book she works on always results in a considered, beautiful, engaging and perfectly positioned cover.’

Diana Hill

Publisher, Echo Publishing

‘Nada is highly creative, organised, responsive, flexible, and extremely experienced in a range of design styles and book genres… her jacket designs have helped our books find readers and therefore many more sales.’

Sue Hines

Trade Publishing Director, Allen and Unwin

‘Nada is, quite simply, everything I need in a freelance designer. Disgustingly talented and thoroughly reliable.’

Alex Ross

Head of Creative, Penguin Books

‘Without exception, Nada’s designs elevate every concept to something outstanding.’

Sally Heath

Publisher, Thames & Hudson

‘Nada captured the essence of my novel in a single image. As that is what makes a reader pull a book from a shelf, I consider her contribution to the finished product invaluable!’

Jodi Picoult

Author, Perfect Match, My Sister’s Keeper

‘Nada is a brilliant designer to work with; totally following the brief but always delivering more than what’s asked for. It can be hard to convey what we need sometimes but Nada is committed to getting there, even on the trickiest cover designs. Flexible and a pleasure to work with, her creativity and talent shine through on every project.’

Kelly Doust

Publisher, Affirm Press

‘When the cover of my 13th book appeared on my screen, I burst into tears. She read the book, I whispered… Every carefully placed element spoke of the time, depth of connection and subtle sensibility Nada devoted to its design. The perfect cover becomes the magnet that draws readers to an author’s words… making it the most beloved of all my book covers.’

Joanne Fedler

Author, Unbecoming

‘Working with Nada was a delight. She combines the skill and vision of an artist with the absolute reliability of a professional. She delivered on time at every stage and early on several. The process of creation — from ideas to roughs to final product — produced a striking cover that I love. The cover conveys the spirit of the book with no risk of being lost amidst a sea of variants on a theme.’

Chad Musick

Author, Not My Ruckus

‘Whether the brief be “gaudy, disco cover for a musical impresario” or “the most delicate and beautiful literary cover you have ever conceived” Nada always sends through a variety of approaches with several contenders. The heartache and troubles are in choosing only one.’

Meredith Curnow

Publisher, Knopf, Vintage, Random House Books

‘From commercial women’s fiction to university textbook, Nada has again and again skilfully created a cover design that encapsulates the essence of the book and positions it effectively in the market. She’s one of the best cover designers working in Australia at present.’

Elizabeth Weiss

Publisher, Digital Publishing Director, Allen & Unwin

‘I’ve received countless emails and letters from readers telling me that they were initially drawn to Poet’s Cottage because of the stunning cover… Nada skilfully developed an image capturing not only the story but the mood and the themes as well… Poet’s Cottage also attracted reviews like “a book you can judge on its cover”.’

Josephine Pennicott

Author, Poet’s Cottage

‘I came to Nada looking for a different approach for the cover of my book The Far Mountains and have been utterly thrilled with where she has taken it… The moment I set eyes on it, I instantly knew it was exactly what I was looking for… The book’s artwork has been met with universal praise from early readers. So please do judge my book by its cover!’

Steve McGlauglin

Author, The Far Mountains

‘I love working with Nada. I have complete confidence that her approach to a cover will be original and sensitive and that she has a keen awareness of the market. Nada always remains calm and open to feedback from publisher and author. Having worked in-house, her understanding of the often complex process of cover approval within a publishing company is an advantage.’

Annette Barlow

Publisher, Allen and Unwin

My Process

Ready to give your book the design it deserves?

Let’s discuss how I can help bring your book to life.