From trim size to typography, every detail of a book tells a story. At The Collective Book Studio, Design Director Rachel Lopez Metzger leads the visual direction behind titles that are as striking as they are thoughtfully made. With a foundation in the arts and a passion for design-forward publishing, she brings each project to life through a balance of creativity and collaboration. In this Q&A, she shares her path into book design, her approach to shaping standout titles, and what goes into creating a cohesive, compelling visual identity across the list.

What originally drew you to book design, and how did your path lead you to becoming a design director?

I’ve always had creative passions; In high school, I committed a lot of my time to pottery and working backstage in theater. Then I attended community college, where I took a graphic design class—from there on, I was hooked. I transferred to California College of Arts and Crafts, where I continued to gain an amazing design education. When I graduated, I knew that I wanted to work in book or magazine design. 

I started designing books in 2004 and have played many different roles since then. My first job was working at Weldon Owen as a designer. I then became a production designer, senior designer, and also worked as a freelance designer. After a year of freelancing, I landed at The Collective Book Studio as the Design Director. Here, I’m in charge of making sure our visuals are compelling and cohesive—from our website to book covers, and everything in between!

When you start working on a new Collective Book Studio title, what’s the first thing you look for in the manuscript or concept?

My focus totally depends on the kind of book in question. For a children’s book, I first look at the format: Will it be a board book, picture book, or some other creative form? Illustration style and trim size are also at the top of my mind. Compare that to a cookbook, where I tend to think first about the storyline of the recipes and how that will influence the book’s photography style. Every kind of book demands a different process, which is part of the fun.

Sounds like a lot of moving parts to consider. 

Yes, a huge part of my role is listening and collaborating. Not only do I need to synthesize what our team envisions for the book, but I also have to consider what will be sellable to our Simon & Schuster sales team. There are a lot of cooks in the kitchen, and I get to work with all of them!

What makes designing books at The Collective Book Studio feel distinct from other publishing environments you’ve worked in?

First, we are true partners with our authors. We work with a lot of first-time authors and some first-time illustrators, which means that part of my role is educating those new to the industry. Acting as a resource for our collaborators throughout the process is key to ensuring the whole team is on the same page. But the biggest difference for me is because we are an indie press, every book is a standalone project. With that comes the freedom and independence to work with authors and illustrators to establish the look and feel of the books we publish.

How do you think about the relationship between a single title and the broader catalog—both in terms of visual identity and the values the studio stands for? How do you ensure each book feels distinctly its own while still belonging to a larger whole?

Part of my process is to review the covers for a season to see how they can look cohesive while still having each title stand apart. We are lucky that each of our books inherently have such distinct visual identities! We work with so many different teams of visual contributors that it really helps keep our catalog diverse.

Is there a recent Collective Book Studio project that challenged or inspired you in a new way?

Working on The Fly Who Flew to Space, which became a New York Times bestseller, was a major milestone for me as a designer. I’ve also had the privilege of contributing to award-winning titles, including Nosh, a modern Jewish cookbook that received the 2024 Golden Poppy Glenn Goldman Cooking Award.

At an indie press, there’s always something new to tackle, whether it’s exploring formats like card decks or expanding our frontlist each year, all while collaborating as a small but mighty team.

When you look at our finished books on shelves or in readers’ hands, what feels most rewarding?

It’s a wonderful feeling when an author says that their book is exactly what they envisioned it to be. That tells me that the partnership we built with the author honored their creative vision, all while creating a beautiful book. Outside of work, seeing our books in the wild is always a special treat.