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Post by Optimism is my Phil-osophy on Aug 25, 2021 3:58:57 GMT -5
I'm trying to imagine what a good cover for my book Matt Litory and the Multiple Intelligences would look like. In fact, I even thought about changing the title because of the cover: The Litory Intelligence. For those who haven't read, the target audience is teenage men and young adults.
Please help me with conceptual cover ideas. It doesn't need artwork, just a description of what you'd find cool, or even examples of other covers that you think would match. I'm thinking about self-publishing... So hiring someone to do the cover myself is an option I'm already considering.
Plot: When Matt Litory meets princess Darlle and the American Spy, Jonatan, he gets involved in a thrilling plot that involves governments, huge scientific companies and Servelege, a an apparently terrorist group that wants to take every technological in order to fulfill Echellon’s plan. During this journey, Matt, Darlle and Jonatan find out that they are connected in more ways that they can imagine and their life is full of secrets that connects them to this entire universe of competition for power.
I really had a lot of fun writing the manuscript. I hope readers have fun too. There are several mysteries that readers need to discover for themselves, and plenty of room for theories. But, I actually created a story behind the story, which I would be glad to find out who would be the first to put the puzzle together, so to speak.
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Post by Optimism is my Phil-osophy on Aug 25, 2021 8:51:30 GMT -5
The previous version of this book, (which had a different name and a very different story), had the following cover. What do you guys think about it? What would improve on it?  |
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Post by the panopticountolaf on Aug 25, 2021 9:37:40 GMT -5
In fact, I even thought about changing the title because of the cover: The Litory Intelligence. For those who haven't read, the target audience is teenage men and young adults. I really like the new title! It keeps all the best elements of the original title while making the whole thing a bit less... well, whole. I must admit I never got the chance to read the story while it was published here, so I don't know anything about what these "multiple intelligences" are, but one idea that came to mind is perhaps an image of a human brain, divided into sections with each one representing one of the "intelligences"? I might try to make a mockup to show what I mean. One last thing: Optimism is my Phil-osophy, you are a wonderful writer. Don't pigeonhole yourself by saying it's only for boys, because I know that your work is something that everyone can enjoy. I wish you best of luck with publishing  |
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Post by the panopticountolaf on Aug 25, 2021 10:09:23 GMT -5
Something like this is what I had in mind. (Apologies for the eyesore-ness of it all. I made this in five minutes.)  |
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Post by Optimism is my Phil-osophy on Aug 25, 2021 10:43:38 GMT -5
In fact, I even thought about changing the title because of the cover: The Litory Intelligence. For those who haven't read, the target audience is teenage men and young adults. I really like the new title! It keeps all the best elements of the original title while making the whole thing a bit less... well, whole. I must admit I never got the chance to read the story while it was published here, so I don't know anything about what these "multiple intelligences" are, but one idea that came to mind is perhaps an image of a human brain, divided into sections with each one representing one of the "intelligences"? I might try to make a mockup to show what I mean. One last thing: Optimism is my Phil-osophy , you are a wonderful writer. Don't pigeonhole yourself by saying it's only for boys, because I know that your work is something that everyone can enjoy. I wish you best of luck with publishing  Oh, thank you so much... In fact, I really appreciate these words... I'm reviewing the text and wondering if it's interesting and if I really know how to write in a way that I can express my imagination while pleasing others . When I tried to establish a narrow target audience it was because I was trying to apply what I read in some writing help books. I don't know how much I agree with these books... And I really believe that people of all ages and genders will enjoy it... And thanks for praising my creative writing. In fact, I would very much like to find a method to get other people to read what I've written. A method that didn't involve me being on social networks all the time... I don't like traditional social networks... This forum and tumblr are the only places I express myself on the internet. And not with photos and memes. I really didn't want an exhibition of myself, just my work and maybe some of my opinions every now and then. And I don't aspire to be a best seller either. I just wanted people like you here on the forum to have a physical book of mine.... But not just you... People who are like you but I've never had any contact with, not even on the internet. It's hard to explain my feelings, but I think artists in general would be able to understand me... |
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Post by Optimism is my Phil-osophy on Aug 25, 2021 10:49:18 GMT -5
Something like this is what I had in mind. (Apologies for the eyesore-ness of it all. I made this in five minutes.) Thanks so much for the suggestion... Wow, you made it in 5 minutes!! Amazing... Thank you so much! I will really think about it |
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Post by the panopticountolaf on Aug 25, 2021 10:52:38 GMT -5
Thanks so much for the suggestion... Wow, you made it in 5 minutes!! Amazing... Thank you so much! I will really think about it I might PM you a second version that I'll spend more time on... this one feels a little stale to me. I'll let you know when I've got something new. |
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Post by Optimism is my Phil-osophy on Aug 25, 2021 10:59:12 GMT -5
Thanks!!
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Post by Optimism is my Phil-osophy on Oct 14, 2021 10:55:53 GMT -5
Well, after considering the opinions given here especially the panopticountolaf 's opinion (thanks so much for your ideas!!!), finally my cover is being finished. I haven't received the final file yet, but it won't change much of what's presented here. So, get ready... And then give your opinion. The artist behind the cover is Ulysses Alves (https://www.99freelas.com.br/user/UlyssesAlvs_Art) |
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Post by bear on Oct 14, 2021 12:04:47 GMT -5
jean, my #1 advice to you as a writer is that you write in your native language. there are certain literary giants who found themselves at a level of mastery where the only further step they could take was to write in an adopted tongue -- i'm thinking, for instance, of Beckett and Nabokov -- but for the vast majority of writers, it is essential to use your mother tongue if you want to create something with lasting value that will resonate with a great number of people. i did in fact read some of your story when it was first posted here, but i could not possibly have given a critique of it -- it would be like trying to discern if someone was a good painter based on something they painted with their feet! or, more generously, their non-dominant hand.
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Post by the panopticountolaf on Oct 14, 2021 13:04:16 GMT -5
 The artist behind the cover is Ulysses Alves (https://www.99freelas.com.br/user/UlyssesAlvs_Art) This cover is wonderful — kudos to Ulysses! I agree with what Semboolance said: the font is a really nice contrast with the crisp and clean lines of the cover art. I can't stop smiling right now. Congratulations.  |
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Post by Skelly Craig on Oct 14, 2021 13:14:51 GMT -5
Hey Jean, to me the cover still looks like an early draft, and it's not something I would ever pick up based on the cover alone. It looks like a business brochure or some leaflet that's given out to people who already know what's inside. As it is, it doesn't tell me anything about what your story could be - the only thing it does is illustrate the word "intelligences" from your title, and in a very distracting way. If you really want to stick with this idea, I highly recommend you (or your illustrator) simplify it significantly... Get rid of the confusing floating mind map around the brain, and just go with the brain in front of the suited guy.
I hope my perspective is of use to you, because I have not read your story, so I can only judge your book by its cover.
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Post by Optimism is my Phil-osophy on Oct 14, 2021 13:54:45 GMT -5
jean, my #1 advice to you as a writer is that you write in your native language. there are certain literary giants who found themselves at a level of mastery where the only further step they could take was to write in an adopted tongue -- i'm thinking, for instance, of Beckett and Nabokov -- but for the vast majority of writers, it is essential to use your mother tongue if you want to create something with lasting value that will resonate with a great number of people. i did in fact read some of your story when it was first posted here, but i could not possibly have given a critique of it -- it would be like trying to discern if someone was a good painter based on something they painted with their feet! or, more generously, their non-dominant hand. Thanks for the advice, bear . In fact, Dante had said the exact same thing, and I agreed with him. Here is the cover in Portuguese. I rewrote everything in my native language.
bear , And coming to think of it, thank you for being nice to me not to criticize my English while I was writing. This really could have caused me a writer's block. And thanks for admitting that you were reading. I mean... You are a nice guy after all. |
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Post by Optimism is my Phil-osophy on Oct 14, 2021 16:03:36 GMT -5
Hey Jean, to me the cover still looks like an early draft, and it's not something I would ever pick up based on the cover alone. It looks like a business brochure or some leaflet that's given out to people who already know what's inside. As it is, it doesn't tell me anything about what your story could be - the only thing it does is illustrate the word "intelligences" from your title, and in a very distracting way. If you really want to stick with this idea, I highly recommend you (or your illustrator) simplify it significantly... Get rid of the confusing floating mind map around the brain, and just go with the brain in front of the suited guy. I hope my perspective is of use to you, because I have not read your story, so I can only judge your book by its cover. In fact, I insisted on the confusing mind map, because the brain alone made me feel disgusted. I don't think it's going to be a great sales success... So, I think I prefer a cover that I can be satisfied with at least, which is the case. The story is difficult to define through an image, and the word "Intelligences" (originally it was an expression "Multiple Intelligences") is what really guides the whole plot. |
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Post by Skelly Craig on Oct 14, 2021 17:14:58 GMT -5
You could go for a more minimalist brain (perhaps from a side view) to make it less disgusting to you. But you're right, if you are satisfied with the cover, then that counts for a lot (as readers who share your sensibilities will also likely enjoy your story).
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