Overview
Dianne Kelly had spent decades doing what many of us do: waiting. Waiting for the right partner, the right moment, the right version of her life to begin. At 49, she stopped waiting, and became a solo mum through double donor IVF.
Becoming Dianne is the memoir she wrote from the other side of that decision. Raw, intimate, and woven with journal prompts for the women reading it at 2AM, Googling IVF and silently hoping someone else has been where they are.
The book was ready. It just needed to look the part.
Healing House Publishing came to me with a manuscript that deserved more than a generic cover. It needed a visual identity that could hold the emotional weight of Dianne’s story and speak directly to the women it was written for.
Colour reproduction considerations came up early, and as we worked through the practicalities together — alongside Vanessa at Healing House Publishing — it became clear a fresh direction made sense. From there, we moved into concept development.
Project Goals
My role covered the full publication design scope: cover concept and design, interior layout and typesetting, and e-pub formatting. In other words, everything a reader touches — from the first glance on a shelf to the last page on a screen.
One significant part of the brief? Dianne didn’t come in with a strong cover direction. That’s not unusual. Authors are close to their words; the visual world of their book is often still blank. My job was to generate a breadth of concepts and find the idea that was right for her story — not just serviceable. Right.
the process
For the cover, I explored a range of directions — from purely typographic treatments through to concepts centred on Dianne’s own image. What we landed on was the one that did the most work: a butterfly, sitting in front of a silhouette profile of a woman, positioned just in front of the title text so it appears to lift off the page.
It wasn’t a decorative choice. The butterfly carries the full weight of Dianne’s journey — transformation, emergence, the extraordinary thing that happens when you surrender the timeline you thought you were living. The silhouette anchors it in the human. And the typography — a modern serif, bold yellow — cuts through the deep greens of the cover like clarity through grief.
She chose it without amendments. That’s the goal: a concept so right it doesn’t need negotiating.
Inside, the design gave the book breathing room. Each chapter opens on its own dedicated page, anchored by a quote that sets the emotional tone for what follows. The interactive elements — exercises, tips, reflection prompts — are contained in clearly styled breakout boxes, each with its own icon (a lightbulb for tips, for example) and a distinct typographic treatment, so the reader always knows when they’ve shifted from story to invitation. The typesetting keeps everything legible, considered, and cohesive across print and screen.
the outcome
Becoming Dianne published with a cover that stops people mid-scroll and an interior that holds up in both print and digital formats. The design signals exactly what the book is: serious, intimate, beautifully made — and written for women who are ready to feel seen.
For a memoir tackling IVF, solo motherhood, and the grief of an unlived timeline, that visual credibility isn’t just aesthetics. It’s what tells a reader this book was made for you before they’ve read a single word.
transformation
Dianne came to this project without a clear visual for her book — just a manuscript full of hard-won truth and a story that deserved to be held well. She left with a cover rich in symbolism, a design system that gives her words room to breathe, and a book that looks exactly as considered and courageous as the woman who wrote it.
print design wizardry
Whether you’re creating a memoir, a magazine, or an e-book, I offer comprehensive design services to bring your vision to life. With a keen understanding of the nuances of print and digital media, I can design everything from captivating covers to fully formatted, ready-to-print layouts. If you’re looking for professional book design that aligns with your brand or personal story, I’m here to help make your project a success.