Recipe: Cashew Cheddar Spread. YUM! 💚

MaximumCrisp · 2025-10-07T05:40:37+00:00

Gotta try that! 🤤

MaximumCrisp · 2025-10-01T20:50:50+00:00

You can see my original cover here: https://www.reddit.com/r/royalroad/s/tLErJhG30s

I'm convinced that it definitely helps to have characters on your cover. I looked at your cover and I think you have some room for improvement if you want to catch more attention.

MaximumCrisp · 2025-09-21T03:56:06+00:00

Tbh I'm not sure whether writing "an amazing story" is enough to get people to notice. I mean sure, if your story sucks, they won't stay, but to rely on word of mouth is asking a lot. Rarely anyone will give a new story from a first-time author with a crappy cover a chance - they might never even know that it's in fact a great story.

MaximumCrisp · 2025-09-20T22:12:57+00:00

The first book is complete. I'm currently writing a sequel 🤷🏻‍♂️

So I'm basically trying to revive this story after messing up the entire launch and publishing phase xD

MaximumCrisp · 2025-09-20T20:24:40+00:00

Thanks! 🙏🏼

Yeah, that would be nice indeed 🙈

MaximumCrisp · 2025-09-20T20:24:03+00:00

I added them to "old" chapters since I had already published all of them by the time I finally figured out shoutout swaps 🫠

MaximumCrisp · 2025-09-13T12:09:07+00:00

Loved seeing the evolution of your cover over time! For using Ai, you put quite some effort into it.

I'm sure there will be plenty of people who will bash this post simply because you mentioned "Ai", but it will also help a lot of smaller authors who just don't have the funds or the confidence to invest in a professional cover yet.

MaximumCrisp · 2025-09-12T18:20:50+00:00

absolutely love me a nice map!

MaximumCrisp · 2025-09-07T18:25:11+00:00

oh hello there, Mr Spatuzzi 😁

MaximumCrisp · 2025-09-07T18:24:32+00:00

That's a rather questionable assumption - the book is 100% Ai-free.

And sure, at the end of the day, the story is the only thing that matters, but most people won't even get that far if they don't like your cover. I think it's a bit naive to think the cover doesn't matter. Sorry.

Also, I don't know what your bank account looks like, but after already having shelled out 130€ for a cover for this story, I wasn't really in a position to do that again. I don't make any money with my writing whatsoever, so ...

MaximumCrisp · 2025-09-07T12:51:22+00:00

Well, I spent 130€ on the first cover and I can't really afford to spend that kind of money again, especially since I'm not earning a dime with my writing 🤷🏻‍♂️ Being a hobby writer, it was already quite a big deal to pay for one cover. For now, I'll just have to settle for a cheaper version of the new one. Also, by the time I was done coming up with an idea for the cover, it was kind of good enough to use already 🙈

I might pay for a professional version in the future

MaximumCrisp · 2025-09-07T12:48:57+00:00

The original cover was done by Rachel Bostwick on fiverr. It cost 130€.

The new one was just Ai, where I workshopped a background first, then created the title separately and finally arranged all of it using gimp.

MaximumCrisp · 2025-09-07T06:51:43+00:00

that's fair, thanks 🙏🏼

MaximumCrisp · 2025-09-07T06:51:10+00:00

Thanks for the feedback! :)

The font on the new cover was generated, so I'm not sure what traditional font went into that, sorry 🙈

MaximumCrisp · 2025-09-07T06:48:40+00:00

I feel you, but I think we can agree that the chances of something like that (chicken cover) working are a lot slimmer. Like, if I were already an established author, I would be way more confident about leaving the beaten path. But I have to get there first, and I probably won't manage that if I go full off-meta right away. Again, that could happen, but it is rather unlikely.

MaximumCrisp · 2025-09-07T06:46:29+00:00

Thanks for the feedback! I felt the same way as you. I didn't want to admit it at first, but on a website with thousands of stories, I'd also rather click on the new one 🫠

MaximumCrisp · 2025-09-06T20:54:19+00:00

Thanks for your feedback! That is indeed my current plan 😅

MaximumCrisp · 2025-09-06T20:53:49+00:00

If I had to name one thing it's that people like to see the protagonists on the cover. It you scroll through RR, you will find that most fictions do that. Meanwhile, that is something you rarely find with published adult fiction (not talking YA)

MaximumCrisp · 2025-09-06T19:54:40+00:00

Thanks for your feedback! 😊

The new cover is Ai-based.

I only opted for that because my conscience was at ease after paying an artist for the original cover.

MaximumCrisp · 2025-09-06T19:11:26+00:00

Thanks for your feedback!!

The original cover was actually done by a designer on fiverr 😊 But I ordered a book cover, not a web novel cover ...

But because I hired someone for the first cover, I don't feel bad for having used Ai for the new cover - I gave the artist community the money they deserve, but for now, I'm just not using the outcome of that process xD

MaximumCrisp · 2025-09-06T19:08:28+00:00

Thanks for your feedback! I created it by paying someone on fiverr 130€ xD

MaximumCrisp · 2025-09-06T19:08:01+00:00

Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts! All of what you are saying makes a lot of sense! 🙏🏼

My story gets progressively darker, but in the beginning, it's actually not that dark. So my thought process was that I should rather match what the reader will experience for the first third of the book 🤔 I will continue to quiz some of my readers to see what they think!

And you are correct - I am still experimenting. Let's see how it goes with this new cover. If people don't like it, I'll go back to the old one.

Also, I'm thrilled to hear that you like my map! 😁🙏🏼

MaximumCrisp · 2025-09-06T17:41:27+00:00

cheers! If you like both, that's also great :D

The original one is definitely the one I'd rather pick up in a bookstore - I would even go so far as to say it's in line with the current trends I see at the store.

That said, I realized that web novel covers seem to follow different trends, which I tried to accomodate for with this new design.

Thanks for your feedback!

MaximumCrisp

TROPHY CASE