Career Spotlight: Meet Illustrator Beste Miray

By Tianna Hunt | March 10, 2022

As a part of Charm’s career spotlight series, Beste Miray, an art director at a New York publishing institute was interviewed. Miray is a passionate designer whose work can be found on her website or her other social media pages. 

The statements below were written by her as a response to the questions asked. They have been edited for length and clarity.

What do you do?

Beste Miray: I'm an art director who has been working in publishing for the past eight years. Five of these years [were spent] in Istanbul (a city in Turkey) with multiple publishing houses and the last three in Melville House, Brooklyn.

What credentials are needed to pursue the job you have?

BM: Typography is a must to work in the publishing world in the design field. So I'll say graphic design education is necessary.

Could you tell me your story and how your experiences shaped the career you are currently in?

BM: I had a short internship in the first year of college in one of the oldest publishing houses in Istanbul, İnkılap Yayınevi. I got involved in every aspect of publishing and I loved holding a book whose cover I designed in my hands. I graduated from college with a graphic design degree right in the middle of the big digital boom. I opted out to work in advertising or web design and went into a multidisciplinary design studio. I have always enjoyed creating/producing something tangible. Working with product designers and architects in the same office taught me about the “design experience” and curiosity of the “object.” As a graphic designer the “book” felt like the ultimate “object” to concur. After figuring out that I wanted to design books I worked in an ad agency. Their client base was mostly big museums in Istanbul. I got the chance to work on museum catalogs with bigger budgets than a publishing house. I got to explore different printing techniques, etc. After that, I started as an art director at a publishing house and my career kinda took off from there. When I moved here (America), I couldn’t get my art director position back for a few years. I worked as an art and production assistant, which was helpful to adjust with the printing producers in the U.S.  Since last summer I've been working as an art director in Melville House designing book covers, interiors, overseeing company brands, etc.

What is your goal when creating a book design? How do you want the viewer to feel?

BM: I don't believe the cover of a book should explain the book. The author has 500 pages to tell their story and asking a designer to now make an image to explain all of that is an impossible task. I want the reader to be curious about the book enough to grab it from the shelf or click on it.

How does a book cover or page style contribute to the value of the story?

BM: I think a good design helps the book to reach its potential audience. I don’t go for “sell more,” but I try to stand out for the potential reader who will appreciate the book.  I like to think that my job is to intensify the reading experience.  Making a book cover is a part of a marketing job, but I can still pick a paper that might compliment the feeling of the book it gives. 

Could you walk me through a day in your professional life?

BM: My Tuesday starts with a production meeting. We overview the current and next season’s projects. It is always good to know how things are going in the editorial team if the author is keeping up with their timeline or the copy edits are late, etc. In a small publishing house, any small detail that goes wrong might affect the big schedule, and you might have to move things around. After the big meeting, the managing editor and our production assistant gather around how to tackle the day. I read manuscripts and start working on the cover design. The sales team let me know if this is a potential best-seller, and if I should consider the other books that will be displayed on the same shelf. In the end, the book is a product you are selling. 

Is this a career you believe teens could thrive?

BM: There is always this debate that the print is dying. I don't believe it. The way we do things may change but the principles of designing a book, a big chunk of information, will be needed forever. Like any other industry publishing also needs younger people and their perspectives. 

Have you been able to explore other creative fields through book designing?

BM: I guess I'm dabbling with calligraphy and illustration more than before now.

What advice do you have for teenagers who are interested in this field?

BM: I can't think of anything other than usual for publishing. A good, clean portfolio with personal projects is always great. I get postcards from designers with their portfolio details on them. I like them more than a cold email, but that is a personal choice I guess.