What kind of covers would you use if Lit. supported covers?

[AG31]

All of my Lit. stories are also on Smashwords, and all have the same sort of cover - maroon with a title and author in beige/gold script. There aren't many like it, but it's the kind of cover that I, for one, immediately open (unless it's over $5).

I also open covers featuring torsos of men in suits or in nothing, depending on the blurb. Like, I'd stay away if the word "billionaire" appeared.

I stay away from covers featuring indistinguishable scantily clothed females gazing out or at someone with a "come hither" look. Would any of you choose those? If so, what's the rationale?

 

[onehitwanda]

I'd use black and white high-contrast photos of Bad Dragon tentacle dildos and some sort of very brutalist font like Hattenschweiler, likely in blood red or ichor-green.

Mainly just to fuck with @EmilyMiller though.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I'd use black and white high-contrast photos of Bad Dragon tentacle dildos and some sort of very brutalist font like Hattenschweiler, likely in blood red or ichor-green.

Mainly just to fuck with @EmilyMiller though.

You can fuck [with] me anytime, hun .

Em

 

[AchtungNight]

I’d probably use artistic representations of my female characters. They’re the main draw for me in writing my stories. They could be giving “come hither” looks, but would not necessarily be scantily clad. I’m the kind of man who finds form-fitting full plate armor sexier than a chain mail bikini, after all. I like smart practical sexy women. There’s also a lot more than sex going on in my stories- take the fight scenes and character interactions in Inside Out and Ruleskirter for example- if you think I’m all about the sex, you’re making mistakes.

Failing the ability to find good artists, or acceptable photographs for the characters based on celebrities, I’d go with the first kind of cover you describe. Just text, blank space. Readers’ imagination can fill in gaps as necessary, same when I vaguely describe characters or make them otherwise unacceptable to the critics.

 

[yowser]

Cover design is one of those dark, alluring arts. Done well, it can indicate what lies within, and of course the main goal is to attract attention (not that that is any concern of Lit authors.)

Besides those who have more regularly published works to show, the only place here for covers are in the beta series area, almost unfindable. I would like greatly to be able to have my covers seen somewhere more prominently....

 

[EmilyMiller]

Lit does support covers. Just for series:

The Coleoidphilia Trilogy:

Angels & Demons:

The Kiss:

All drawn by the lovely and talented @djrip

Speaking of which, I need one for Eden’s Explorations .

Em

 

[SyleusSnow]

Doesn't the new story series thing allow cover images?

I'd use the standard "romance novel cover" style for stories. I have a halloween story idea where a genius woman geneticist uses CRISPR technology to splice together DNA from athletes, movie stars and Nobel laureates to create her own perfect man, but he comes out as a monster who she loves anyway. Working title: "Pumpkin Splice"

 

[AG31]

Cover design is one of those dark, alluring arts. Done well, it can indicate what lies within, and of course the main goal is to attract attention (not that that is any concern of Lit authors.)

Besides those who have more regularly published works to show, the only place here for covers are in the beta series area, almost unfindable. I would like greatly to be able to have my covers seen somewhere more prominently....

I'm definitely going to look into Cambridge Tales

 

[AG31]

Lit does support covers. Just for series:

I like your covers a lot.

 

[MillieDynamite]

Nice looking ones, LOL.

 

[AchtungNight]

Great covers, djrip and Emily Miller!

I would feature male characters on some cover art also, depending on the story. Tom Ford was in the original Vanity Fair cover photo that inspired “Fear, Lust, and Vanity” after all. Commando Clarke should be on the cover of “Debrief”. I would definitely want to put Kratos in addition to Freya on the cover for my God of War story too. And my avatar Doug Ramsay can go on the cover of the tales that feature him. If djrip takes commissions, I may consider giving him some work. If AO3 allows illustrations. I’ll let him know.

 

[MillieDynamite]

This is the cover for my latest story published here, for the version at pay sites.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Doesn't the new story series thing allow cover images?

It does, but they're only small images, so you have to keep the "covers" very simple with minimum graphics. The FAQ has the pixel size somewhere.

 

[MelissaBaby]

My DIY series covers.

 

[MelissaBaby]

And a few promos I made for some of my stand alones.

 

[AG31]

My DIY series covers.

View attachment 2281690

I'm so happy to see so many covers that I really like here on Lit. Shouldn't be a surprise. But I don't like any covers in Smashwords or Shameful Book Deals or Excite Spice. Well, hardly any. I must have liked some...

 

[JaxRhapsody]

And a few promos I made for some of my stand alones.


View attachment 2281695View attachment 2281696View attachment 2281698View attachment 2281699

If it wasn't for the Lowes in the background, I'd have sworn that was our downtown White Castle. It was the biggest in the country for a lil while.

 

[JaxRhapsody]

I don't do covers, although I don't know how to make them either. Trying to use Tapas, I was forced to use them, thus downloaded Canva as suggested. After spending thirty minutes to an hour to make one; Tappas wouldn't even accept the cover from the suggested app, that's mandatory to publish there.

Anyway... I've made two. I'd post them but the files are "too big". Fucking stupid.

 

[samhasstories]

I wish I could say I'd use some mysterious and mesmerizing visual that would hint at the deeper truths contained in the work. But ultimately I'm a simple man, with simple stories - so probably just an image of a woman (or group of women) with big boobs.

 

[AG31]

Unrelated to this thread I happened upon two drawings, that could be book covers. https://www.literotica.com/i/the-floating-world-artwork
@electricblue66

 

[MediocreAuthor]

How nice of you to ask!
I just got this cover made for Rescuing the Fallen, and I'm super proud of it.



Giving a face to Barbara makes my heart break for her even deeper

I think some of the viewers thought that I should choose a more attractive model for Barbara, but I disagree. Barbara is attractive (as is this woman) but she is self-conscious about her looks. He's embarrassed of being a ginger, and James treats her as a whipping-girl, because she isn't as attractive as her step-sister. This image is PERFECT imo.

 

[ElectricBlue]

How nice of you to ask!
I just got this cover made for Rescuing the Fallen, and I'm super proud of it.

Giving a face to Barbara makes my heart break for her even deeper

I think some of the viewers thought that I should choose a more attractive model for Barbara, but I disagree. Barbara is attractive (as is this woman) but she is self-conscious about her looks. She's embarrassed of being a ginger, and James treats her as a whipping-girl, because she isn't as attractive as her step-sister. This image is PERFECT imo.

Freckles! Who doesn't like a girl with freckles?

 

[MediocreAuthor]

Freckles! Who doesn't like a girl with freckles?

Well some of the people who checked out the cover.

And James, apparently (one of the villains of RtF)

 

[Constories]

I just came up with this for my LW burn the bastard story.



Ugh... Seeing it blown up this big, I need to do something about that low resolution rifle. Otherwise though, I'm happy with it.

 

[TadOverdon]

Portraits.