99designs: write a book-cover brief that designers can use

99designs offers book-cover design services. It provides a route for authors seeking a visual identity for a book, but a successful cover begins with decisions about the book itself. Your intended reader should be able to recognise the kind of reading experience on offer before examining every detail of the artwork.

Write a cover brief a designer can use

For an invented mystery novel, describe the reader, mood and central tension without prescribing a collage of every scene. Provide the final title, author name, intended formats and printer specifications when known. Review each concept at thumbnail size and in a larger view: a striking illustration may still leave the title unreadable. Before accepting delivery, confirm the files, font and image permissions, and print requirements. A beautiful preview alone is not a production-ready paperback cover.

Separate visual approval from production readiness

Check what is included in the chosen arrangement, how revisions work and which files you will receive. Ask about licences for fonts, photography and illustration, especially third-party material. Test a proposed design at thumbnail size and as a printed proof where appropriate. A dramatic image is less helpful if the title disappears on a phone or essential text sits outside the printable area.

Official source: 99designs.