Is it my cover's fault I don't get many read?

[Sunrhae]

Hi,

So I've spend a couple of years rewriting an old (kinda popular) webnovel of mine and relaunch this past week. I posted on my new page as well as the old one to get some of my old readers. But the views have been pitifully low.

In this sea of AI covers, I took time to work with an artist friend of mine to craft this cover.

Is the cover background? The general style? Or the fact it doesn't fit in the AI crowd that it isn't picked up more?

Some feedback on it would be appreciated! Thanks

Here the link: Isekai Ran

 

[Deathfunny]

Idk hopely the experts comes in to explain it, BTW I love the cover you ain't a clanker user imma read it.

 

[Sunrhae]

Idk hopely the experts comes in to explain it, BTW I love the cover you ain't a clanker user imma read it.

Thanks! We worked through at least 10 drafts before settling on this. This cover represents my whole saga and I'm pretty proud of it

 

[TheKillingAlice]

Hi,

So I've spend a couple of years rewriting an old (kinda popular) webnovel of mine and relaunch this past week. I posted on my new page as well as the old one to get some of my old readers. But the views have been pitifully low.

In this sea of AI covers, I took time to work with an artist friend of mine to craft this cover.

Is the cover background? The general style? Or the fact it doesn't fit in the AI crowd that it isn't picked up more?

Some feedback on it would be appreciated! Thanks

1. It's best to put your novel link in the post as well, when you ask about your novel. When you access the Forum via mobile, you don't see signatures.
2. I don't like the typography, but I often dislike how people do that, so that's whatever. If someone likes this image per se, I'd say it's up to taste. It's not bad, but nothing outstanding either.
3. Why does your signature say "Brand New Novel", when it's not, by your own description?
4. But let's actually look at what would be far more important in terms of first impressions. Your synopsis.

Minjoon walked away from the national team without hesitation.

What "national team"?

His sister needed bone marrow and he had to take care of his niece and nephew.

It feels like I'm just being hit with bullet points.

When he was isekai’ed alongside 11 strangers,

When did that happen?

he promised himself he’d come home– no matter what. Chosen to be a hero, Minjoon chooses a power rooted in shadows. At first, it helps him survive.

What about his sister and her children??

But the more he uses it, the more he realizes his shadow doesn’t just cut down monsters. It reaches into people; feeds on their desire and cuts truths they couldn’t bear to accept.

What fucking Shadow? What the hell is even going on?

His only anchor became Ran: an alcoholic who seems to understand what’s happening. She knows too much. She knows the rules, the lies, and his visions. And she knows what Minjoon will become if he keeps on feeding the darkness.

Doesn't really create interest. What's "an alcoholic who seems to understand what's happening"?

But Ran has no intention to leave this world that reminds her so much of hometown and happier times.

Huh? Why would she leave the world? And why would a world remind her of a hometown?

She just wants to indulge in decadence and never be sober enough to remember what she had lost.

I don't know why we care about this random side character, when we haven't been given real insight into our main Protagonist yet.

Between dream and reality, shadows and desire, Minjoon and Ran start a dangerous game with a simple price: How much of yourself are you willing to lose to get your wish?

And now some random mystery babble, I've used that before as well, but the problem is that your entire blurb text is confusing. You say quite a lot of things, but you have literally nothing to say. I have barely any clue what the story is about. So you didn't earn me caring about your mystery babble at the end.

What to expect:
- Cover and editing made by paid real people

I literally don't open a book to look at a cover. It's nothing to "expect" from a story.

- 3rd person omniscient

Okay. I guess. Doesn't really matter though, because it depends on how the author uses it.

- Large multicultural cast with multiple POVs

Nobody cares.

- Character driven story

Must be good characters, but fair enough. That is the first actually relevant factor.

- Chaotic group dynamics

Fair enough.

- Broken system

Define "system". Haven't heard anything about a system yet.

- No stats and level-up chasing

Okay? But he will still have to get stronger, so who cares about stats, it would still be the same thing, no?


Yeah, man, it's your synopsis, I'd wager. Cause it's shit.

 

[McPhoenixDavid]

I should not be here. I should listen to what the teacher is saying. But I'm still here.

Anyways, people on SH like shinny covers. Good covers... Not that it matters that much. I have seen stories with bad covers getting lots of views. I guess tagging is and Sypnosis is more important

 

[Sunrhae]

1. It's best to put your novel link in the post as well, when you ask about your novel. When you access the Forum via mobile, you don't see signatures.
2. I don't like the typography, but I often dislike how people do that, so that's whatever. If someone likes this image per se, I'd say it's up to taste. It's not bad, but nothing outstanding either.
3. Why does your signature say "Brand New Novel", when it's not, by your own description?
4. But let's actually look at what would be far more important in terms of first impressions. Your synopsis.

What "national team"?

It feels like I'm just being hit with bullet points.

When did that happen?

What about his sister and her children??

What fucking Shadow? What the hell is even going on?

Doesn't really create interest. What's "an alcoholic who seems to understand what's happening"?

Huh? Why would she leave the world? And why would a world remind her of a hometown?

I don't know why we care about this random side character, when we haven't been given real insight into our main Protagonist yet.

And now some random mystery babble, I've used that before as well, but the problem is that your entire blurb text is confusing. You say quite a lot of things, but you have literally nothing to say. I have barely any clue what the story is about. So you didn't earn me caring about your mystery babble at the end.

I literally don't open a book to look at a cover. It's nothing to "expect" from a story.

Okay. I guess. Doesn't really matter though, because it depends on how the author uses it.

Nobody cares.

Must be good characters, but fair enough. That is the first actually relevant factor.

Fair enough.

Define "system". Haven't heard anything about a system yet.

Okay? But he will still have to get stronger, so who cares about stats, it would still be the same thing, no?


Yeah, man, it's your synopsis, I'd wager. Cause it's shit.

Hey thanks a lot! You're absolutely right! I'll work on a new blurb and get back to you for some more feedback!

 

[JordanIda]

It's not the cover or anything you're doing or not doing.

The web novel movement, and sites like this one, are in severe decline. It is most apparent to people who are reposting work in search of a fresh audience. Every genre is saturated. Yours especially. Too much product, too few readers, and the audience is checking out.

I'm trying to repost work that had five times as many readers, just four years ago. Like you, I can directly compare the trend lines and the radical difference over just four years.

Even the big archive sites, FF.NET and AO3, are suffering severe declines in reader participation. Those places always had crappy community features, but they at least had big audiences. No more.

There are exceptions to the trend. Porn still draws readers. (Stroke stories will be the last to go.) Pop culture porn still sizzles. Thousands of "project hail mary" one-shot circle jerks have bloomed in the past three months. Most of it is AI-generated trash (which contributes to the decline by amplifying audience fatigue). Hail Mary Porn is already old, tired, and over-saturated. Already burning itself out.

Apart from smut, upselling still works to some extent. Established authors who've never left can ride their own momentum, post new titles, and get it read.

That's about it.

 

[Sunrhae]

1. It's best to put your novel link in the post as well, when you ask about your novel. When you access the Forum via mobile, you don't see signatures.
2. I don't like the typography, but I often dislike how people do that, so that's whatever. If someone likes this image per se, I'd say it's up to taste. It's not bad, but nothing outstanding either.
3. Why does your signature say "Brand New Novel", when it's not, by your own description?
4. But let's actually look at what would be far more important in terms of first impressions. Your synopsis.

What "national team"?

It feels like I'm just being hit with bullet points.

When did that happen?

What about his sister and her children??

What fucking Shadow? What the hell is even going on?

Doesn't really create interest. What's "an alcoholic who seems to understand what's happening"?

Huh? Why would she leave the world? And why would a world remind her of a hometown?

I don't know why we care about this random side character, when we haven't been given real insight into our main Protagonist yet.

And now some random mystery babble, I've used that before as well, but the problem is that your entire blurb text is confusing. You say quite a lot of things, but you have literally nothing to say. I have barely any clue what the story is about. So you didn't earn me caring about your mystery babble at the end.

I literally don't open a book to look at a cover. It's nothing to "expect" from a story.

Okay. I guess. Doesn't really matter though, because it depends on how the author uses it.

Nobody cares.

Must be good characters, but fair enough. That is the first actually relevant factor.

Fair enough.

Define "system". Haven't heard anything about a system yet.

Okay? But he will still have to get stronger, so who cares about stats, it would still be the same thing, no?


Yeah, man, it's your synopsis, I'd wager. Cause it's shit.

So I took your feedback to heart and realized that I was too vague and didn't really focus on what I'm writing which is Book 01. So I rewrote my blurb and I intent to go back to the original name for book01 instead of keeping the saga name.

So, it should be: Chasing Shadows - Book 01 of Isekai Ran

Here's the new blurb:

Minjoon is summoned to another world one week before donating bone marrow to his sister, leaving her children alone and his promise unfinished.

Taken alongside 11 strangers, he barely has time to process the isekai before a god’s avatar forces them to redesign their bodies and choose powers. Minjoon chooses shadows: subtle, adaptable, meant to keep him alive until he finds his way home.

They land in a forest in ruins instead of a kingdom. The summoning has gone wrong. and wiped out every drop of mana in the region, killing mages and anyone who uses magic. The only one left is the priest who summoned them, clearly not expected to draw so many heroes, but ready to use the heroes as leverage.

Stranded, hunted by waves of Urgs, magical wild beasts, and navigating a chaotic dynamic fractured by clashing cultures and worldviews, Minjoon and the group of wannabe heroes barely survive. They only manage to keep their life thanks to Ran. She’s a drunk who arrived first, chose no power, claims to have no magic, and is here only for the drama. Despite her claims, she seems to know too much about magic, this world, and keeps on pulling cocktail glasses and popcorn from her pockets.

As Minjoon grows stronger, his shadows backlashes, flooding him with visions of other people’s fears and buried trauma. To return to Terra, Minjoon must survive the forest, endure a group on the verge of collapse, understand the true nature of his shadow, and reach a city already preparing for conflict. As for Ran, as long as she enjoys herself nothing else matters.

 

[AstreiaNyx]

So I took your feedback to heart and realized that I was too vague and didn't really focus on what I'm writing which is Book 01. So I rewrote my blurb and I intent to go back to the original name for book01 instead of keeping the saga name.

So, it should be: Chasing Shadows - Book 01 of Isekai Ran

Here's the new blurb:

Minjoon is summoned to another world one week before donating bone marrow to his sister, leaving her children alone and his promise unfinished.

Taken alongside 11 strangers, he barely has time to process the isekai before a god’s avatar forces them to redesign their bodies and choose powers. Minjoon chooses shadows: subtle, adaptable, meant to keep him alive until he finds his way home.

They land in a forest in ruins instead of a kingdom. The summoning has gone wrong. and wiped out every drop of mana in the region, killing mages and anyone who uses magic. The only one left is the priest who summoned them, clearly not expected to draw so many heroes, but ready to use the heroes as leverage.

Stranded, hunted by waves of Urgs, magical wild beasts, and navigating a chaotic dynamic fractured by clashing cultures and worldviews, Minjoon and the group of wannabe heroes barely survive. They only manage to keep their life thanks to Ran. She’s a drunk who arrived first, chose no power, claims to have no magic, and is here only for the drama. Despite her claims, she seems to know too much about magic, this world, and keeps on pulling cocktail glasses and popcorn from her pockets.

As Minjoon grows stronger, his shadows backlashes, flooding him with visions of other people’s fears and buried trauma. To return to Terra, Minjoon must survive the forest, endure a group on the verge of collapse, understand the true nature of his shadow, and reach a city already preparing for conflict. As for Ran, as long as she enjoys herself nothing else matters.

Publishing web novels now is much more competitive than, say, during the covid when people had more time at home to read and there were fewer works to compete with. Your cover is fine. In fact, the cover is not a major deciding factor. It’s your synopsis, and even with the revised version I still don’t see much of a hook yet.

Take a step back and read it as a reader. Ask yourself: does the synopsis create enough intrigue for potential readers to want to read Chap1? I feel like you’re revealing too much of the plot but none of it really stands out as a refreshing concept that can separate it from the ever growing competition in the WN space.

 

[Sunrhae]

Publishing web novels now is much more competitive than, say, during the covid when people had more time at home to read and there were fewer works to compete with. Your cover is fine. In fact, the cover is not a major deciding factor. It’s your synopsis, and even with the revised version I still don’t see much of a hook yet.

Take a step back and read it as a reader. Ask yourself: does the synopsis create enough intrigue for potential readers to want to read Chap1? I feel like you’re revealing too much of the plot but none of it really stands out as a refreshing concept that can separate it from the ever growing competition in the WN space.

Thanks, I'll think about it and leave it aside for a few days

 

[TheDraconeaWriter]

I sure hope not. I've just created a basic cover for my book in Paint.

But for me, I feel it's all about consistency. If I were to look at my first chapter and the following chapters after that have a number way lower than the first chapter, then you really would need to look at that first chapter again and see if you can change anything. And yes, I have edited the first chapter before, because you will notice things when you reread certain parts.

Also, a good synopsis, people will want to know what they are reading.

And even then, you may find only a few people will want to read it. Just because you think it's great doesn't mean everyone will want to pick it up. I certainly think that may be the reason in my case, but maybe it will catch on as they move on to new stories.

 

[TheKillingAlice]

So I took your feedback to heart and realized that I was too vague and didn't really focus on what I'm writing which is Book 01. So I rewrote my blurb and I intent to go back to the original name for book01 instead of keeping the saga name.

So, it should be: Chasing Shadows - Book 01 of Isekai Ran

Here's the new blurb:

Minjoon is summoned to another world one week before donating bone marrow to his sister, leaving her children alone and his promise unfinished.

Taken alongside 11 strangers, he barely has time to process the isekai before a god’s avatar forces them to redesign their bodies and choose powers. Minjoon chooses shadows: subtle, adaptable, meant to keep him alive until he finds his way home.

They land in a forest in ruins instead of a kingdom. The summoning has gone wrong. and wiped out every drop of mana in the region, killing mages and anyone who uses magic. The only one left is the priest who summoned them, clearly not expected to draw so many heroes, but ready to use the heroes as leverage.

Stranded, hunted by waves of Urgs, magical wild beasts, and navigating a chaotic dynamic fractured by clashing cultures and worldviews, Minjoon and the group of wannabe heroes barely survive. They only manage to keep their life thanks to Ran. She’s a drunk who arrived first, chose no power, claims to have no magic, and is here only for the drama. Despite her claims, she seems to know too much about magic, this world, and keeps on pulling cocktail glasses and popcorn from her pockets.

As Minjoon grows stronger, his shadows backlashes, flooding him with visions of other people’s fears and buried trauma. To return to Terra, Minjoon must survive the forest, endure a group on the verge of collapse, understand the true nature of his shadow, and reach a city already preparing for conflict. As for Ran, as long as she enjoys herself nothing else matters.

It's definitely more understandable now, but it's faaaaaar too long. I tuned out halfway through, because there was nothing that hooked me. Be a bit more concise with it. But I respect the hustle.

 

[rileykifer]

I mean, 8 readers for a book with only 8 chapters is pretty good. I wouldn't worry about any of that, just be patient and keep posting consistently.

 

[Sunrhae]

I mean, 8 readers for a book with only 8 chapters is pretty good. I wouldn't worry about any of that, just be patient and keep posting consistently.

I guess I'm stressing out because I used to have 800 readers on the old version. But that was ages ago so the readership changed and the trends are different now

 

[Vermillion_Avex]

These are my thoughts:

- The characters in your image are too far away, I can't see the facial features of neither of them (couldn't even tell he had elven ears).

- If there's isn't a good reason to show the lower-half of a character (half-beast hind legs, high-tech legs, amputee), don't. Bring that image closer so I can see both of them better.

- Being that far away puts too much emphasis on your background, which is an eye-hurting bright red. Maybe make the saturation a little less aggressive?

- The watermark/texture on your background got killed by the compression/low-resolution that most images suffer when they become covers.

 

[Sunrhae]

These are my thoughts:

- The characters in your image are too far away, I can't see the facial features of neither of them (couldn't even tell he had elven ears).

- If there's isn't a good reason to show the lower-half of a character (half-beast hind legs, high-tech legs, amputee), don't. Bring that image closer so I can see both of them better.

- Being that far away puts too much emphasis on your background, which is an eye-hurting bright red. Maybe make the saturation a little less aggressive?

- The watermark/texture on your background got killed by the compression/low-resolution that most images suffer when they become covers.

Thanks! I'll try something!

 

[LeilaniOtter]

I have seen so many books with absolutely no covers at all, just the generic one you're presented with after creation, become smash hits and trend at #1 for days at a time. So, no, it isn't necessarily the cover at all. Sometimes the TITLE is what really sells it. "Isekai Ran" seems a bit...dull to me. It's got "Isekai" in the title, so right away you're going to lose a lot of readers who don't like isekai. *^^* It COULD be your title.

 

[Ararara]

Your cover is very, very pretty. Though maybe when it's zoomed out to the extremely-tiny SH level in the frontpage etc, it's hard to tell much apart from "the image is red, and there's a character in the image sitting / squatting". All the detail gets lost. I wouldn't be able to even deduce their gender. Maybe I need a new monitor... But still, it's a very nice cover! Definitely way better than the AI / paint slops. I like the bright red, makes it stand out among the others. The compression does it dirty.

I think the older title / short synopsis of the original story is way more clickbaity (and sounds more fun / unserious), attracting more attention. Not sure if that's more important than the cover, it might be. Looking at the current trending list, clicking on 20 random currently popular stories, they almost all have a blurb that's more like your old synopsis. Even the longer ones focus a lot on trying to "spice the story up" and make it sound as fun as possible. The current blurb is fine and serviceable, but it could be better!

We don't really need a summary of the two MCs' entire character backgrounds in the synopsis if you ask me, and it might even be counterproductive if the first X chapters are all "re-telling" the summarized information that was in the synopsis. (Not saying that that's what's happening here, but it's a common pitfall.) It kinda sounds like you condensed months of "plot" in the blurb. Like, even in chapter 30, there is stuff we know from the blurb that hasn't happened yet. In an ideal universe I think already chapter 2 or 3 leaves the blurb in the dust and it's all 100% new / unknown. There is not very much in this synopsis that succeeds at making the story sound "awesome" and "fun" and "exciting" and "cool" or "funny" or "sexy" or all the other basic, simple concepts readers care the most about. The cover certainly has a bit of that "OP domineering lord of death" vibe that is quite popular with covers where the MC is sitting on some kind of throne with powers of shadow / scythes / themes of blood etc. Though the synopsis was more abstract with emotional vibes. Two MCs made me assume it would be a romance story between them, then I was surprised there is no romance tag.

These are all opinions of a random bingereader.

Good luck! I'll give reading it a shot

 

[Sunrhae]

Your cover is very, very pretty. Though maybe when it's zoomed out to the extremely-tiny SH level in the frontpage etc, it's hard to tell much apart from "the image is red, and there's a character in the image sitting / squatting". All the detail gets lost. I wouldn't be able to even deduce their gender. Maybe I need a new monitor... But still, it's a very nice cover! Definitely way better than the AI / paint slops. I like the bright red, makes it stand out among the others. The compression does it dirty.

I think the older title / short synopsis of the original story is way more clickbaity (and sounds more fun / unserious), attracting more attention. Not sure if that's more important than the cover, it might be. Looking at the current trending list, clicking on 20 random currently popular stories, they almost all have a blurb that's more like your old synopsis. Even the longer ones focus a lot on trying to "spice the story up" and make it sound as fun as possible. The current blurb is fine and serviceable, but it could be better!

We don't really need a summary of the two MCs' entire character backgrounds in the synopsis if you ask me, and it might even be counterproductive if the first X chapters are all "re-telling" the summarized information that was in the synopsis. (Not saying that that's what's happening here, but it's a common pitfall.) It kinda sounds like you condensed months of "plot" in the blurb. Like, even in chapter 30, there is stuff we know from the blurb that hasn't happened yet. In an ideal universe I think already chapter 2 or 3 leaves the blurb in the dust and it's all 100% new / unknown. There is not very much in this synopsis that succeeds at making the story sound "awesome" and "fun" and "exciting" and "cool" or "funny" or "sexy" or all the other basic, simple concepts readers care the most about. The cover certainly has a bit of that "OP domineering lord of death" vibe that is quite popular with covers where the MC is sitting on some kind of throne with powers of shadow / scythes / themes of blood etc. Though the synopsis was more abstract with emotional vibes. Two MCs made me assume it would be a romance story between them, then I was surprised there is no romance tag.

These are all opinions of a random bingereader.

Good luck! I'll give reading it a shot

Thanks for the cover. I'll do a version with a close up.

Thanks for the feedback! I realised there was no way I could rewrite a blurb without being bias so, I'm asking my copy editor for help. At least, he has the necessary distance needed.

 

[JayMark]

It's not the cover or anything you're doing or not doing.

The web novel movement, and sites like this one, are in severe decline. It is most apparent to people who are reposting work in search of a fresh audience. Every genre is saturated. Yours especially. Too much product, too few readers, and the audience is checking out.

I'm trying to repost work that had five times as many readers, just four years ago. Like you, I can directly compare the trend lines and the radical difference over just four years.

Even the big archive sites, FF.NET and AO3, are suffering severe declines in reader participation. Those places always had crappy community features, but they at least had big audiences. No more.

There are exceptions to the trend. Porn still draws readers. (Stroke stories will be the last to go.) Pop culture porn still sizzles. Thousands of "project hail mary" one-shot circle jerks have bloomed in the past three months. Most of it is AI-generated trash (which contributes to the decline by amplifying audience fatigue). Hail Mary Porn is already old, tired, and over-saturated. Already burning itself out.

Apart from smut, upselling still works to some extent. Established authors who've never left can ride their own momentum, post new titles, and get it read.

That's about it.

That honestly feels like the way it is, the indie writer space is suffering right now, especially for newcomers. I'm only here because I haven't made a cent, and while that bothers me, it hasn't bothered me enough to quit.