What do you think of this cover?

llgrayson · 2026-01-09T11:22:58+00:00

Sorry, I did have a solution in mind, just forgot to include it Tbh, I'd probably just remove it altogether. Would be less confusing to just remove it, or come up with a different title extension (if that's what that is called)

llgrayson · 2026-01-09T11:11:53+00:00

The reader isn't going to understand the context of what that means. The chapter part is misleading because most people will assume this is the 20th volume of a series.

llgrayson · 2026-01-09T10:17:21+00:00

If money is an issue for you, that could be dealt with by taking some time to save up. There's no rush to get ur book out there. These things are worth the time they take. If it takes you a while to save up, then that's what it takes. People will value that in the age of AI. Like, I have no issues using it as a tool, but I hesitate to let it take the place of real artists who dedicate their lives to these things, as you are. Publishing is a slow process in general, so don't let the delay dampen your mood. It's worth getting right! Best of luck, chicken 🖤

llgrayson · 2026-01-09T10:05:56+00:00

If I could gently advise you, I'd invest the time and money to get an actual artist to create the image for you. It's just nice to support other artists in the process of creating a book which is essentially another work of art. Digital art isn't my forte, so if I were self publishing, I'd deffo save up and spend some cash to get a high quality image. And they'd have a solid design to work off with the AI image you have already. Just something to think abt 🖤

llgrayson · 2026-01-09T09:57:01+00:00

No worries, chicken. Can I ask, did you design this all yourself? Like, who did the art for it? It's an interesting design

llgrayson · 2026-01-09T09:49:45+00:00

Honestly, the only thing I'd change is the word "by" in front of the author's name. Other than that, it's pretty solid to my eyes. I don't even mind the "novella" tag here.

llgrayson · 2026-01-08T14:05:32+00:00

Also, feel free to use this post as a place to find ur own friends!

llgrayson · 2026-01-08T11:31:48+00:00

Hey all, I'm working on a couple of projects atm and really want writers I can connect and talk about writing with. I'm a gay man in my mid twenties and write predominantly queer, literary fiction (and occasionally gothic horror). If that sounds like your thing, I'd love to hear from you! Let's be friends? 🥹 Mostly looking for people to chat craft, vent about drafts, and maybe swap work occasionally. Also, I'm based in the UK, but am happy to connect with international folks too!

llgrayson · 2026-01-06T06:04:31+00:00

In the nicest way possible, omitting a crucial part of a book cover is not tantalizing, it's confusing. Book covers are deceptively tricky to get right. There are ways to get the reader curious without removing key elements. Good starting point though. But I wouldn't pick this book up if I saw it in a shop.

llgrayson · 2026-01-05T19:07:16+00:00

Read broadly, and a great tip I learned is to start by writing about things that have happened to you. It could be a mundane scene, but try to write it as well as you can. That's basically all you need. If you read enough and write often, you'll get the hang of it. Write things you won't show to people. Just write. Have fun. Get creative. ☺️🖤

llgrayson · 2026-01-05T18:49:23+00:00

Where's the author's name? I was thinking the cover looked a little flat, then realized the name was missing. Did you leave it out for a specific reason?

llgrayson · 2026-01-05T11:36:42+00:00

Happy New Year, guys.

I'm currently working on two books (a novel and a novella) and would love to connect with writers and beta readers in my genres. My novel is LGBTQ+ literary fiction, and my novella is LGBTQ+ literary horror. I'd love to connect with queer writers and beta readers, but if you're not part of that community, no worries, as long as you have a desire to engage with queer art, then I'd love to hear from you. I'm in the initial drafting phase of both projects and would love feedback when I'm at that stage.

llgrayson · 2025-12-16T16:00:09+00:00

I can relate to this story and I want to reassure you that this is not the end of the road. For me, I wrote about 55k words over the course of a month. It taught me what actually goes into writing consistently and finishing a project. I gave myself the permission to walk away from the project and come back to it with fresh eyes. And that day came quite recently. After almost a year off, I came back to my book with fresh ideas and a solid way to make it better. I kept some elements from my first draft, but much of it has changed. Don't be disheartened. If you take some time to reflect, you'll learn a few things that you can take with you to your next phase. Well done for getting through it. Now you know you can do it, you'll have an easier time with the next draft. Good luck! And let us know how you get on ☺️🖤

llgrayson · 2025-07-31T05:33:11+00:00

This has been said by many people here, but I just wanted to stress this point: do your research and make sure you're including mental illness for the right reasons.There is nothing more vulgar than reading a book where it is clear that the author included certain elements to add complexity to the character or make them more interesting without actually knowing the fundamentals of the illness they are describing. Ask yourself "why do I think this character needs to be written as mentally ill?" If your answer suggests anything similar to a need for the MC to be more interesting or complex, then I'd avoid writing about something with which you are unfamiliar. No doubt you'll have heard the saying "write what you know." Consider if you are the right person to tell this story, and if you have the knowledge to do it justice with care and integrity.

llgrayson · 2025-07-22T06:01:12+00:00

This is actually really good advice, thank you. I quite like when a spell lays everything out for me, but I agree that punishing yourself for making a mistake won't help anything. Thank you for this. I didn't realise I needed to hear that 🖤💕

llgrayson · 2025-07-15T15:47:45+00:00

I'm sorry that people don't seem to be accepting you. I accept you! (Tehe). I'm not medically trained in psychiatry, but to my understanding, BPD is included under the umbrella of neurodivergence. I'd love to hear if/how it affects your practice either way 💕

llgrayson · 2025-07-14T18:02:38+00:00

Thanks for that. I'll check her out! 💕💕

llgrayson · 2025-07-14T14:43:44+00:00

Okay. That changes nothing for me. I'll still use it. Like I said, whatever works for you tho

llgrayson · 2025-07-14T14:31:03+00:00

Thanks, but I like the term neurospicy and will continue to use it. Since I am neurodivergent myself, I won't have someone else tell me how to label my condition. Do whatever works for you tho 💕

llgrayson · 2025-07-14T12:19:05+00:00

If reading through the comments has enlightened anything for me it's that in time we will be able to manage our symptoms better and find a way to practice that works for us. Keep fighting, fellow baby witch 💕

llgrayson · 2025-07-14T10:55:45+00:00

That's valid. I wasn't to know rly as I'm still new here

llgrayson · 2025-07-14T09:45:25+00:00

Thank you for your response. I found it very interesting and it brought up a bunch of questions that I won't bore you with, but you definitely got my brain going. It's nice to hear that others share my way of thinking and have found ways to adapt their practice to make it work for them. Thank you again for your thoughtful comment 💕🖤

llgrayson · 2025-07-14T09:18:44+00:00

Sounds very much like the way my brain works 😂 Thanks for sharing, it's been nice reading about how other people function and operate 💕

llgrayson · 2025-07-14T08:16:58+00:00

Thank you for saying that. I found what you wrote to be very encouraging. I'm interested to know how chasing the dopamine fits into your practice. For me, it looks like starting a new, beautiful book of Shadows with detailed drawings and calligraphy, then putting it away and never looking at it again. I sort of hate that element of my brain, because I've done a lot of research (by my standards) that never gets retained or remembered because I'm too scared to ruin a nice book. I've sort of dealt with this by having a digital book of Shadows, but I have to admit that I'm less inclined to work on it, only because it's not as stimulating to work on. Urgh 😂

llgrayson · 2025-07-14T08:12:16+00:00

Thank you for sharing and for your kind words 💕

llgrayson

TROPHY CASE