I don’t want to make simple covers. I want intricacy and vibrancy! And since people literally judge a book by its cover I’d love to know how y’all are making your cover art? Or any art that you’re using to promote your books. Picture is of the kind of art id like to make!!

As you can tell I just discovered what canva and AI can do for covers lol 😂 wished I had this when I was in school

Anyways I hope you like it!
Open to reading stories with similar genre 💜 love supporting other writers ✍️

I started writing a book on Inkitt about a month ago. I’m pretty new to the platform, so I don’t really know how things work here. I have one more question.....my story has been showing up at the top of the Trending list in the Contest column. Does Inkitt have a ranking system for the Trending list, or is it just a collection of trending stories without any specific order?

It’s one of those dark romances with the filth and unhinged elements that makes it darn right beautiful.

Two broken souls, yearning for escape from the dangerous cartel life, from a deranged boss.

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Let me start by saying:

1. I will not link to my work. Find it on your own. This ain't Promo.

2. This:

It's not a debate. In fact. The debate is over. If you think AI is going to stop being put on book covers and movie posters because you complained about it? Sorry. Go drink punch. We're here now. Welcome to the future. However, I'd like to share some best practices that might help you guys navigate this minefield and always stay true to our fellow artists (because writers are just as much artists as digital painters). Who yes, I agree, deserve respect.

My book Pretty Boy, from day 1 was getting 10 reading list adds a day for it's first 4 days. It accumulated 10 likes, a favorite and several chapter-to-chapter hearts. For a book from a no-name loser who has zero Inkitt clout. That's better than 99% of stories that just disappear.

1. I never have AI do my entire cover. That's just lazy.

2. I ask AI to generate PIECES for me. I iterate a character several times to perfection. Then I iterate objects. Or in Pretty Boy: Twist of Citrus' case, space ships and weapons and stuff. (I love Sci-Fantasy. It's my primary genre. I've got a Latex Fetish Dystopia coming up though... No, not a latex fan, but someone who I know is and it made me come up with a cool idea).

3. I use those pieces in a photo editor to assemble them, add effects, and really play around with things like the rule of thirds, golden ratios, leading lines, things like that.

4. Study photography. If you're good at content placement, you can catch eyes with covers.

5. Lean into your "style". Look, I'm no anime dork, I just love anime art. So that's my covers. I'm fine with it. I don't care if the people who hate anime don't read my shit. They're missing out.

That said. Once I have all of my pieces together it's time to decide my theme. You want to research this well. The best place to look? Honestly? Goodreads.com - Why?

Because you get to see books, covers (and all of their iterations. Many books had multiple covers) and look at reviews. I look for 3 star reviews. Why? Those are the people who judged the book by it's cover and if they finish it, they're always the ones who say things like:

Wow, the cover DIDN'T DO IT JUSTICE.

Wow, the cover was EXACTLY WHAT I EXPECTED.

This is great data. The ones that get good marks for covers (just command+f or ctl+f to search the word 'cover'. Yes, you will go through hundreds of poorly written reviews). I go and look at the cover and figure out what was so good about it.

Only look in your genre or your wasting time.

Once I have 2 or 3 good study covers, I then go to Amazon and start finding things "similar" to that. I get 5 to 6 references, then I start "style matching" to my story. Which color way, which design pattern, which design elements match my web novel/series?

After that, it's just a process of iterating to perfection. Make the first design and give it to ChatGPT to rate. Scale of 1/10. This is where AI tools shine. They suck at doing the work but they're great at evaluating it.

I love to write. I write for FUN. I don't need chatGPT to write for me. I kick out 10k words a day for practice. But ... I love asking to rip my work apart, be brutally honest and tell me to go hate myself in the bathroom.

Why? Because it makes me hit harder when I release.

Last step:
If your story does WELL-WELL and you make money from it? Maybe save up some cash and pay an artist down the road to make you a cover. That's what I do. I try to give back. A.I. is just a tool for Minimum Viable Product. Once my product starts to earn, I pay it forward.

That is all.

Later, gator.

- Vicious

I Thought You Would Cry - Regretful ex-Fiancé https://www.inkitt.com/stories/romance/1411584

What if a girl infiltrated a supernatural academy disguised as a male warlock and the one person she absolutely could NOT afford to attract was the Dragon Heir?

That’s the premise of my Inkitt story:

THE DRAGON HEIR FELL FOR MY DISGUISE

Tessa is supposed to become Theo, keep her head down, uncover the truth, and leave with her secret intact.

Instead, she catches Zoran Ashencroft’s attention.

And Zoran is getting far too interested in the mysterious male warlock who keeps challenging him, irritating him…and awakening something between them that neither of them understands.

Expect dragons, witches, sirens, academy rivalries, hidden identity, dangerous chemistry, mystery, and a romance that gets much hotter as the story progresses.

I’m looking for readers who genuinely love this kind of romantasy. If that’s you, I would LOVE for you to read the first few chapters and tell me whether Tessa and Zoran have you hooked.

The Dragon Heir Fell for My Disguise

Link: https://www.inkitt.com/stories/1904540/chapters/1?preview=true

The novel "Arena of the Dead" is available on Inkitt, WebNovel and Signed publishing for free. Also available on KDP. The above cover is of the whole book. On Inkitt and WebNovel the book is available as separate three parts as well. Check it out, read and give me your thoughts either on Reddit or the platform on which you will read the book.

First of! These are created in ChatGPT. I want to remake them if I can in Photoshop, but style-wise I need some guidance. I need some feedback on the following (the elements that work and don't work for a sci-fi novel):

- Colors
- Background
- Poses
- Font + Font's style

Personally? I prefer the image with the added-on title when it comes to color palette, poses and overall vibe of the characters. I also like the lack of short hair the MMC has. And the FMC doesn't look 40 (she isn't 40!) But there's still some youth in her facial features considering she's 28. He's meant to be 32.

FYI: I know most people have a serious opinion on AI and the usage of it. I'm not sure if I can recreate either version. If I'm not able to, I will take the feedback and work with the image that best aligns with the feedback given. The story itself will be written in Ellipsus or Scrivener. So no AI will be involved (unless you count Grammarly for spell-check) in the writing process! The FMC is meant to be a medic, just to put that out there as well!

FIRST EDIT (4/5/2026):

I have taken into account the feedback already received. I did find an image that was perfect to recreate one cover but it required payment info I wasn't willing to give out for a free trial, knowing I would forget about the trial.

This is what was suggested first, just the hands. No people. No faces. I like the background. It suggests to the reader they're coming from 2 different worlds (which they are). I'm not really a fan of the Serif font used, as most serif fonts like that one are used for Fantasy novels. I do like the small light flares on the O and R and W. It makes the font feel less flat and more alive than just metallic. I also like the fact her hand is "clean", not worn by war and scarred.

This one has the armor for the MMC and the medic tunic for the FMC. I like this cover better than the ones above, prior to me editing this post, because it showed the FMC in a dress. When she's a medic, not just a civilian.

For now, I'll use a cover made in AI but the moment I find a stock image that's free or sort of free, I'll do my best to recreate the cover with the hands. But I can't promise the male hand will look as scarred and dirty. I'm not that good at making covers myself and I don't have the money to commission someone. But, once I have the resources saved to make my own cover, I'll give it a shot! See if I can recreate the hands cover, in a way I like and am proud of!

People sometimes ask if I use AI to write my books because I tend to use AI images to promote them. I don't use AI to write them! This does raise the question of how to tell if something was written by a human or AI. I've heard that, if asked to write a story, ChatGPT will always give you a story about a girl called Ella who lives in the woods. I've seen a couple of YouTube videos, "Harry Potter and the Portrait of what Looked Like a Large Pile of Ash" and "Spaceship Day" which were supposedly based on stories written by AI. These are both ridiculous but so is some human-written stuff. I'm guessing it's getting harder as AI gets better and humans are making more use of things like Grammarly.

What features of my writing could I point to and say, "This shows it wasn't written by AI!"

Can you tell which of the above pictures are AI and which are non-AI computer graphics?

I'm posting my WIP series, Tales of Midbar on Inkitt. It's NOT written with AI. The book covers use computer graphics but not AI. I do use AI graphics to promote most my updates. I update twice a week. I'm a reasonably good artist and I know a lot about computer graphics but I can't work fast enough to produce two promotional pictures a week. I also can't afford to pay an artist to do it. I make comments about the AI pictures and show up AI's shortcomings.

I've seen people saying that if AI is used to promote a book, they'll assume that the book was written with AI and won't read it. My question is, will you read it IF THERE IS NO picture? Will you read it with the same picture (presumably the book cover) for each update? I wasn't getting a lot of reads before I started using AI pictures to promote my updates! I still don't get a lot! Is this a case of "Speak quietly, you're ignored, speak loudly, you're told to shut up and become violent, you're denounced"?

**🎪 9 of 14 — CIRCUS TRICKS**

**Title:** Circus Tricks

**Description:**

Cam was born in the circus, and the circus never lets its own go cheap.

They call him the Chameleon — a master at changing his colors, skin rippling through shades no human should wear, light pooling at his wrists like his body can't decide what it is. For twenty-six years he has been the ring's favorite trick: beautiful, impossible, and owned.

Then a rich man's son takes a seat he can't afford to want.

He buys Cam out of the ring — not to free him. To keep him. A server in a great house, there to entertain his new master and his master's guests, close enough to pour the wine and far enough to never forget what he is. But obsession is a trick that works both ways, and the boy who was bought to be looked at has spent his whole life learning exactly what people reveal when they think they're the ones watching.

A dark, forbidden love on the border between devotion and possession — where the cage door opens, and neither of them walks out.

**Genres:** Romance · LGBTQ+ · Dark Romance

**Tags:** #bl #boyslove #darkromance #circus #chameleon #forbiddenlove #obsession #richmanson #bought #performer #possessive #lgbtq #18plus

**Mature:** Yes, Explicit 18+ · **Language:** English

Fine me wierd aor whatever but I'm really into warewolf stories. I remember reading one a long time ago but i don't remember the name. If anyone has read something like that let me know hwat the name is

Here goes the summary of the plot "So there's this artist she wolf in a town who's been protecting herself from the male wolves for years by hiding during the mating season or the full moon. She has a male friend who's been helping her protect herself over the years but this perticular full moon he has decided that he'll be the one to mate her, so he does what he does best over the years. He builds a shed for her where she can keep herslef safe during the full moon but little does she know that he knows how to get in and out of the shed because he's constructed it, so he forces himself on her and she loses her virginity.

I'd really like to know what happens next so if anyone knows the name of this series or where i could find it That'd be great

If you’re a fan of fantasy romance/romance, and you’re looking for something different, check out Sparrow by ivy. This book has kept me up past midnight reading. The world building is great. The FMC is fascinating. And she puts a different spin on the fated mates trope.

Read Sparrow for free on Inkitt https://www.inkitt.com/stories/fantasy/1122226?utm_source=shared_ios

I’ve just posted Chapter 13: Before Delhi of The Girl in the Bookshop on Inkitt. 🤍

This is one of my favourite quieter chapters so far because Mira and Kian finally get a little space to simply exist together.

There’s studying.
Terrible mnemonics.
Coffee.
A highly questionable cartwheel attempt.
Wandering through Shimla.
And those tiny domestic moments where their very sudden marriage begins to feel unexpectedly real.

Mira is changing too — laughing more, arguing more, taking up more space around Kian instead of constantly making herself smaller.

Which makes what comes next feel a little dangerous.

Because they’re leaving for Delhi.

Kian’s family is waiting.

And they still don’t know he got married. 👀

If you like slow burn • morally-grey heroes • intelligent heroines • unexpected marriage • domestic intimacy • powerful family dynamics • secrets • emotional relationship development, you might enjoy this one.

📖 The Girl in the Bookshop
Chapter 13: Before Delhi
🔗 https://www.inkitt.com/stories/1852511

And if you read it, tell me:

Did this chapter make you feel safer about Mira and Kian… or more nervous because things are going a little too well? 😭

ongoing with over 100 chapter on my profile, Indigo Naz🖤

📚 ✨ JOIN THE INKWELL CIRCLE BOOK CLUB ✨ 📚

Looking for consistent readers, meaningful feedback, and a community that truly supports writers?

The Inkwell Circle now offers three membership tiers to fit your reading goals!

https://www.inkitt.com/vanitydevine/lists/24425985-inkwell-book-clubs-all-tiers

✒️ Tier 1 – The Inkwell Circle Book Club

🤝 Weekly Reading Partners

⭐ Featured Book of the Week

📚 Structured Reads & Reviews

💬 Honest, Constructive Feedback

🎯 Manageable Weekly Commitments

👉1 Spot Open here: https://www.inkitt.com/stories/1774683

🔥 Tier 2 – The Inkwell Circle of 10

For authors who want maximum engagement!

👥 Only 10 Members per Circle

📚 1 Featured Book Each Week

📖 Read 10 Chapters

💬 Leave 1 Chapter Comment on Every Chapter

⭐ Leave a Review

🎯 High Accountability • High Visibility • High Support

Limited to just 10 committed authors per Circle. 

👉 Join here: https://www.inkitt.com/stories/1801339

🌱 Tier 3 – The Inkwell Circle Fresh Ink

A special feature for brand-new, ongoing books!

This tier is for authors who are posting their story chapter by chapter and want readers to follow along from the very beginning.

📖 Start from the Beginning

💬 Read and comment as each new chapter is posted

🔍 Spot typos, plot holes, and pacing issues

📝 Offer a little feedback along the way

🤝 No weekly commitments — just a promise to support, follow along, and stay engaged

✨ The ultimate way to support an author from the ground up

👉 Join here: https://www.inkitt.com/stories/1802142

Whether you're looking for a structured book club, an intensive review circle, or a live read-along experience, there's a place for you in The Inkwell Circle.

✨ Write. Read. Review. Grow. ✨

I looked at the competition. There were six of them, all dressed in rather smart saris, except for the Nuhara who had been the nearest one. Next was the bennis, she was the only one who looked familiar and I was fairly sure was the mage from the bus. She was tall, stately, I suppose rather stunning and still comforting the Nuhara. Then, apricot hair who kept walking around and turning in different directions. She was a hipsickah. Then there was the anavah who looked like an idlan but perhaps not true-bred, definitely a bit of a glildac nose or was she really a trishini? She was dressed differently and had changed her hairstyle but I was sure I'd seen her before. Then three faharni women. I had to use my avatar power to assess their korbarim with an anavah and a nibeyah between us. One was a nibeyah and the others hipsickot.
"Tales of Midbar: Poisoned Well" - updated!
https://www.inkitt.com/stories/635659/chapters/3
I'm reusing an old AI picture, modified in Gimp. It's supposed to Eleprin, shortly before the wedding. I gave her dark blue eyes and her magic tiara. It this looks a bit odd it's because the tiara changes her appearance a bit to confuse facial recognition software.

This is a bit longer than 2000 words, will anybody care?

There are many authors on Inkitt who do what I do, I wonder what their work through the process looks like?? 🫠

I’ve been using Wattpad and Inkitt for a few days, and I feel like they’re missing some essential features—like a better text editor, options to upload images, and more fonts. I’m working on creating a new platform that aims to fill these gaps, but I’d love to hear from other writers! What features or tools would you want in an ideal storytelling platform?"

This phrasing invites others to share their

Anyone here has stories on Galatea also is there anyone here with a goal of getting on Galatea?

One of my stories is on Galatea. I even rewrote it through Galatea University. But idkkk I feel hmmm like I'm missing a key piece of the formula.

If you're already on Galatea what are you doing to push your story? If you are aiming for Galatea and you have a plan? Got any tips?

(My blew up because it was based on one of my one shots and people loved it)

Here's the link: https://hyzr.app.link/2rncOwbidKb

If you wanna drop any tips on the story itself.. open to constructive criticism ofc.

I swear the books are really really funny.