Hi, could you please provide more information about the main character features, the kind of covers you like, and what would you like to see in your book cover? The provided brief is missing some specific/key information needed to develop a coherent concept/design. Thanks.

Hello.
From Sandpaper to silk.
First things first. I don't know how you can expect designers to come up with a book cover for you when the brief is as sparse as the description you gave.
I am also very surprised that you have received 24 cover designs to date. Are the designers psychic ? do they have any idea whatsoever about the brief, or are they just shoving a random design together with the title of your book in the vague hope that it will do.? To me it sounds like a blind man throwing an arrow and expecting to get a bulls-eye. (with respect to any blind person!)
In order to get a book cover in the realms of your desires, a few things need to be addressed...

Technical design issues: Missing:
Is the book an eBook or is it for print?.
eBooks determine the cover size for online publishing, but if the book is for print, the dimensions need to be set for the printers. Standard sizes are available i.e. 5.25 x 8.5 - 6 x 9" etc etc. The size of the cover determines the bleed required for printing machines. so if you choose a 6 x 9 cover for example, the designer will add the required bleed for the printer.
Spine width: needs to be added to the dimensions of the cover as well, This can be worked out mathematically if you have the approx number of pages of your book. (Missing from the brief).

So now we come to the actual cover artwork...
Your brief states that it is a male going through a transition. nothing else.
so, perhaps you could give a description of him -
If I forwarded a cover with a sixty year old black man on it , and the story is about a 35 year old chinese man - I have just wasted my time.
Also what era are you talking about? 1800s- 20th century- modern day? Once again IF I am guessing what you want I could submit a cover of a Victorian gent with paper mills or something as a backdrop, and if your book is about a man who becomes a city trader in the year 2020 - once again I have wasted my time and yours. The more detailed the brief, the more helpful it is. If you envisage something you would like to seen the cover.- tell the designers, that's what we are here for.

You have spent a lot of time writing this book, a few extra minutes dictating a more comprehensive brief could be the difference between a bestseller or fading into obscurity. You CAN tell a book by it's cover.

PS. These discussion boards are here to help the authors and the designers get the most desirable end product. I am amazed that the designers haven't asked more questions ( with the exception of graphic desk.info (well done you ). The last point I would like to make is that if any of the designers ask questions, then the author or publisher of the book should at least try and answer them, as the questions are there for their benefit.
Thanks and regards

Martin@illuminati-design

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