Writing Tools: Great Programs for Making Book Ads By Susan Hanniford Crowley

This sweet teen vampire romance set in New York City is available in Amazon Paperback and Kindle! https://www.amazon.com/EverWarm-Susan-Hanniford-Crowley/dp/B09MYRBDXK/

Why is one of my books against a rainy background? I’ll get to that. While today’s post is mostly for authors, there is a part that the general public can appreciate.

There are various ways to be published: traditional with advertising included, traditional without advertising, and self-published. If your publisher doesn’t include advertising, then it falls to you. Knowing when to do it yourself and not is key!

It is worth it to have professional editing and a cover artist do your book cover. Book covers are tricky things with the different possible sizes and spines. It’s worth the money to pay these people. My editor also formats. My book cover artist is now working on the cover for the sequel to EverWarm.

Now for the programs. I’m going to talk about All Author, DIY Book Covers, and Canva.

All Author https://allauthor.com/ has many uses. First, it is another place to sell your books, and if that’s what you want pay for a membership. I have a free membership there which gives me some creation tools to work with. I’m going to tell you about my favorite.

Once you get your book covers (ebook and print) from your artist, you will want them to make book cards/ads for promotion on social media. I love All Author’s Magic Tool. First, you upload the ebook cover into your account. Their free account allows you to have four loaded. Then I go to Magic Tool and it instructs how to put your cover on a mockup of a print book or tablet. It has free options, but a lot more if you are a member. What you want to make is the PNG of your book in either print, tablet, or both. This puts your book cover on a transparent background. Save all the different versions you make to your computer. These are promotion gold. All Author also has premade backgrounds for every day and seasonal that you can choose from. A few are free. Most are for members.

DIY Book Covers https://diybookcovers.com/3Dmockups/#tabBody1 does the same thing as Magic Tool in All Author. It is free!

I use both for making mockups of my books that I can drag onto a photo and make my book ad!

Now the one I love so much that I bought a professional membership in is Canva https://www.canva.com/ I upload my books in their new paperback or ebook mock forms and drag them to a background. Add text! Canva has truly a lot to choose from and I make a lot of what I call book cards for Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and more. These can be used for ads too.

How did I make EverWarm’s book card/ad with the rainy day background?

I received the ebook cover from my cover artist.I used All Author’s Magic to make a paperback mockup in PNG so the background is transparent,I went on Canva, chose a background, dragged the uploaded mockup of my book, chose the Instagram size, and added text font to my words.

The key to getting good at this is practice. Visit the websites and play with their programs. I had a free account with Canva before paying for a membership.

For the public in general, there are loads of things you can make on Canva: flyers, resumes, birthday cards, bookmarks, newsletters, etc. Like I said check them yourself!

Go and enjoy the world. Remember there is always time to play!

Truly,

Susan
Susan Hanniford Crowley

EverWarm for ages 13-113 is now available at Kindle and Amazon Paperback. More to come.
Lady Fallon’s Dragons for ages 13-113 is now available at Kindle and Amazon Paperback, Nook, Kobo, Smashwords, BAM online bookstore sells the paperback, Scribd, and in paperback in the UK at Waterstones, also in Amazons around the world.
The Vampire with a Blanket of Stars, Arnhem Knights of New York, Book 3 is available in Amazon Print and Kindle, Nook, Kobo,  Apple, Walmart ebooks & Smashwords.Vampire Princess of New York, Arnhem Knights of New York, Book 2 available in Kindle and Kindle Unlimited!
Vampire King of New York, Arnhem Knights of New York, Book 1 now in Kindle and Print! Walmart Bookstore Online
Vampire in the Basement, Vampires in Manhattan, Book 4 available in Kindle.
Poseidon’s Catch(mythology romance) available in Kindle.
Mrs. Bright’s Tea Room (steampunk romance) available in Kindle.
A Vampire for Christmas, Vampires in Manhattan, Book 3 available in Kindle.
The Stormy Love Life of Laura Cordelais, Vampires in Manhattan, Book 2 available in Kindle and Print and Barnes and Noble Print
When Love Survives, Vampires in Manhattan Book 1 available in Kindle, Nook, Kobo, Smashwords, and iBooks (on Apple devices).