Is it better to have no cover art or AI cover art?

[VertisGuguChalimoth]

I would like to start writing something soon and I am wondering about the pros and cons of doing either.
Of course in the future I will commission an artist but for the time being, I want to use a place holder.

 

[Macha]

It is better to have @Ed.Spain free cover art.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

Forums are non-representative. Even though a lot of people here will mention their very vocal disgust or fatigue from AI covers, they work as a placeholder.

 

[RepresentingPride]

It's better to have one, even if it's AI

 

[Tyranomaster]

Forums are non-representative. Even though a lot of people here will mention their very vocal disgust or fatigue from AI covers, they work as a placeholder.

To expand on this, there are people here on the forums who will say "I actively avoid reading anything with an AI cover." These people are the vast minority, and assuming everything else about your story is sound, you'll get far more readers with an AI cover than with no cover. I wrote an advice thread on this, but in today's day and age with AI covers being everywhere, not having any cover indicates to the average person that your story is heavily incomplete.

 

[Representing_Tromba]

AI can make some people not read your story as some see it as disingenuous and/or a sign of being written by AI. However, that is not the majority on this site. As long as you are the one writing it then it should be fine.

 

[Rezcore]

Have an ai cover, be open about it, tell them it's a place holder.

 

[ChubbyLiv]

You definitely need a cover art. It doesn't matter if it's AI, free stock image, or a stolen Pinterest pic. You need one.

Some readers are great artists, and if they love your novel, they might even draw a fan-art of your novel, which you can then use as your cover.

 

[Fairemont]

I went on Pixaby and grabbed some royalty free art and made some adjustments for mine.

 

[VertisGuguChalimoth]

It is better to have @Ed.Spain free cover art.

Ed.Spain?

Forums are non-representative. Even though a lot of people here will mention their very vocal disgust or fatigue from AI covers, they work as a placeholder.

Okay.

It's better to have one, even if it's AI

Understood.

To expand on this, there are people here on the forums who will say "I actively avoid reading anything with an AI cover." These people are the vast minority, and assuming everything else about your story is sound, you'll get far more readers with an AI cover than with no cover. I wrote an advice thread on this, but in today's day and age with AI covers being everywhere, not having any cover indicates to the average person that your story is heavily incomplete.

Incomplete as in lacking in proper progression?

AI can make some people not read your story as some see it as disingenuous and/or a sign of being written by AI. However, that is not the majority on this site. As long as you are the one writing it then it should be fine.

I see

Have an ai cover, be open about it, tell them it's a place holder.

Okay, I will write that in the synopsis.

You definitely need a cover art. It doesn't matter if it's AI, free stock image, or a stolen Pinterest pic. You need one.

Some readers are great artists, and if they love your novel, they might even draw a fan-art of your novel, which you can then use as your cover.

Has that ever happened before?

I went on Pixaby and grabbed some royalty free art and made some adjustments for mine.

Pixaby? I never heard of that. Okay I might try that.

Thank You for you responses.

 

[Fairemont]

It was the first time I'd ever heard of it, too. It's like stockphotos but art. Might be other compilation sites but it's the one I used.

 

[FieryLou]

Almost no one cares. If you are comfortable with it, use it. However, you should invest some time in it, and not just used the first one you get. Look out for quality. Example what you should NOT use(sorry for the author whos cover I just used) This is just slop.

 

[Deleted member 128077]

Almost no one cares. If you are comfortable with it, use it. However, you should invest some time in it, and not just used the first one you get. Look out for quality. Example what you should NOT use(sorry for the author whos cover I just used) This is just slop.
View attachment 38179

I don't understand. How is this picture "slop" The only clear AI ism is the blurry text at the top and bottom. Other than that, you can barely tell it's AI.

 

[FieryLou]

I don't understand. How is this picture "slop" The only clear AI ism is the blurry text at the top and bottom. Other than that, you can barely tell it's AI.

If this is a quality cover for you, then use it. Simple as that. I might just have higher standards.

 

[ThisAdamGuy]

In my experience, the people who complain about AI covers usually do so because they're pissed that you didn't commission them, specifically, to draw it for you. It's less about artistic integrity or whatever, and more about the money that isn't going into their pockets.

That being said, if your story ever gets to the point where you're actively trying to make money off of it, then you need to hire an artist and get yourself a real cover.

 

[Arkus86]

AI covers are not a good thing, but a decent AI cover is better than no cover at all - it might turn some readers away, but will likely draw in more than that, and a lack of a cover does not attract any readers to begin with.

 

[Golden_Hyde]

If you can afford to have someone to commissioning your cover, do it. If you can't but choose to wait until you can afford it, then wait. If you don't want to wait, then use AI, but of course with a bit of disclaimer

 

[Liv2263]

I am one of the few that love AI covers.Most writters can't afford to pay a artist even if they have the extra money to do so. Even if you do they would want commission every time your story is view. I don't think that is right. Plus if the artist doesn't give the author what they are asking for then you just wasted money for a cover you didn't want or not going to use. I ask the AI to make me a perfect cover for my stories and it listen and give me a perfect cover just what I asked for. People don't have a lot of money to toss around today so you need to find easier and sadly free way of getting a cover you want. I don't know how to draw to save my life. Now should you use AI for everything no. You shouldn't but if you are a very discorganized person then yeah you should since the AI would help take your idea and make a outline for you to you can keep all your idea in one place. I also use Sudowrite to.

 

[RepresentingPride]

If this is a quality cover for you, then use it. Simple as that. I might just have higher standards.

no, you're right, the quality is not good on this one, you can have better AI images easily

 

[CharlesEBrown]

With one (hopefully soon to be two) exception(s), literally half of my covers were stock images manipulated in PaintShopPro, and half began as AI images that were then manipulated in PaintShopPro. Adding covers pretty much doubled my readers over the first two weeks they were up, regardless of the genesis of the covers (though Digital Cowboy and True Blue went up with the covers so no change there!).

(The exceptions are Digital Cowboy Dane - based on Digital Cowboy - which has an AI image entirely generated by PocketFM's AI, and hopefully, Between Earth and Pyrroth - based on Between Worlds - which will be entirely generated by their AI if I can get the edits they want done)