Separate Illustration Trials From Release Assets

Keep illustration trials in a separate working area and promote a specific version into the release assets only after it has been checked for its intended manuscript slot. Record the selected file, source brief, and approval. A visually finished image is not automatically the image that belongs in the book.

Give each manuscript slot a stable identity

An illustrated chapter may contain several images with similar subjects. Assign an identifier to each intended slot before generating alternatives. Connect the identifier to the paragraph, figure purpose, and planned placement so an image can be evaluated against a specific need rather than a general impression of quality.

For example, two images of a desk may serve different roles: one establishes a fictional setting, while another explains an organizational method. Without a slot record, the more attractive image can be selected for the wrong purpose simply because both files share a similar descriptive name.

Keep trials visible without treating them as approved

Store experimental versions with enough information to identify the request that produced them. Label their status clearly and keep them outside the collection used for the publication handoff. This lets the team compare alternatives without making every downloaded image a candidate for accidental export.

Do not rely only on a folder called final. A file can be moved there before its factual details, crop, or relationship to the text have been reviewed. The selection record should name the exact version and the checks that support using it in the specified slot.

Review selection and production readiness separately

Choosing a concept answers whether the image communicates the intended idea. Preparing it for publication adds other questions about resolution, crop, placement, and readability. Mark these decisions separately so approval of a concept does not silently become approval of an unfinished production file.

If the chosen trial needs correction, preserve the original selection rationale and identify the corrected version that replaces it. Compare the correction with the approved concept. A technically cleaner export can still lose the feature that made the image useful in the first place.

Make manuscript placement traceable

When the image enters the layout, record which file was placed and where. Check that the visible figure matches the approved version rather than an earlier trial with a similar filename. A small identifying difference may be difficult to notice after the image is reduced on the page.

Keep the caption and any alternative description connected to the selected asset. Replacing the picture without updating its associated text can leave the publication describing details that no longer appear. Review those elements together whenever the selected version changes.

Retire superseded release candidates explicitly

If a later revision replaces an approved image, mark the old candidate as superseded and identify its replacement. Preserve the old file when useful for project history, but remove it from the active handoff list. The objective is an unambiguous choice, not the destruction of every earlier experiment.

Check for linked copies in the manuscript or export workspace. Moving a file between folders does not necessarily change what the editing application uses. Verify the actual placement and regenerate the output from the intended source before considering the replacement complete.

Build the release package from the approved inventory

Assemble the final assets from the explicit list of approved versions, then compare that list with the exported book. Identify missing figures, unused approved files, and unexpected images. Each discrepancy needs an explanation before the package is treated as complete.

Retain origin information for generated and human-created artwork and use the relevant KDP formatting checks for the final output. Those records answer different questions from aesthetic selection. A reliable handoff makes the relationship among purpose, chosen version, approval, and publication placement clear enough that another editor can continue the project without guessing.