PERFECT YOUR ART
from Anne Montgomery
Writers Need toPerfect the Art in their posts if they want to sell books. Authors tend to think inblack and white. We are words-on-paper people who weave our worlds for readersin print. However, when sharing book posts on the Internet, we need to dobetter in regard to the art we use, me included.
Think of how much timeand effort you spend choosing cover art for your books, an often-laborious taskthat has us second-guessing our choices, even the moment after we hit the sendbutton giving the final go ahead.
In the Huffington Poststory, “Yes, We Really Do Judge Books by Their Cover,” Smashwords founder MarkCoker said, “A book’s cover is the first thing a potential reader sees, and itcan make a lasting impression. Our brains are wired to process images fasterthan words. When we see an image, it makes us feel something. A great cover(can) helps the reader instantly recognize that this book is for them.”
The same idea holds truefor blog posts. The picture you share is what catches the reader’s eye, notyour clever verbiage. So, if you post a fuzzy photo or one that looksamateurish, the chances of readers getting to the meat of your post lessendramatically.
Authors should want to beperceived as professionals, even if they’re writing that novel in the wee hoursafter the kids are put to bed and before that ear-splitting alarm signals it’stime to head off to their day job. Shoddy artwork instantly symbolizes theblogger is an amateur.
“But I’m not aphotographer,” I can hear you mumble.
No worries, because welive in the world of Google images. However, it’s extremely important that whenyou scan those images, looking for just the right fit for your post, you do asafe search. It’s simple. Just enter in the type of picture you’re looking for,then click on images. On the tool bar, you’ll see Settings. Click and scrolldown to Advanced Search. At the bottom of the page you’ll see Usage Rights.Because you’re an author selling books, you’ll need to choose Free to Use orShare, Even Commercially. Then go back to your images. While the choices aresignificantly pared down, the images remaining are free to use, without therisk of running afoul of the art’s owner, an adventure that might includelawyers and lawsuits and a big hit to your wallet.
Whensearching for images online, it’s imperative that you only use pictures thatare marked Free to Use or Share.
You must then size yourart. Often, authors post art that’s too small, leading to those blurredpictures. And remember, different social media platforms require differentsizes of art. What looks great on Twitter might be blurred Facebook. For anin-depth look at sizing for various social media platforms, check out https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/social-media-image-sizes/.
Before taking your ownpictures to post, locate images you’d like to emulate online. Then read DavidPeterson’s “ Six Classic Design Elements for Outstanding Photographs”: http://www.digital-photo-secrets.com/tip/2679/six-classic-design-elements-for-outstanding-photographs/.
Note that it’s the littlethings that can ruin a picture. Take food photos, which are notoriously toughto shoot. Is the tablecloth the food rests on wrinkled? Is there an errant dabof catsup on the plate? Are there shadows covering those scrumptious cookies?“The Serious Eats Guide to Food Photography” might help: http://www.seriouseats.com/2015/03/beginners-guide-to-food-photography.html.
For those of you who are,like me, a bit older, try not to be scared off by the technology. Over the course ofyour lives, you learned new things. You got better at them with practice. Thesame applies here.
If you peruse thewebsites of well-known, successful authors, you’ll see the art is first rate.You’ve labored vigorously to perfect your writing. It makes sense than, if youwant people to find your books, you’ll do the same with those images you’reusing to market your work.
Please allow me to give you a brief intro to my latest women's fiction novel for your reading pleasure.
The past and present collide when a tenacious reporter seeks information on an eleventh century magician…and uncovers more than she bargained for.
In 1939, archeologists uncovered a tomb at the Northern Arizona site called Ridge Ruin. The man, bedecked in fine turquoise jewelry and intricate bead work, was surrounded by wooden swords with handles carved into animal hooves and human hands. The Hopi workers stepped back from the grave, knowing what the Moochiwimi sticks meant. This man, buried nine hundred years earlier, was a magician.
Former television journalist Kate Butler hangs on to her investigative reporting career by writing freelance magazine articles. Her research on The Magician shows he bore some European facial characteristics and physical qualities that made him different from the people who buried him. Her quest to discover The Magician’s origin carries her back to a time when the high desert world was shattered by the birth of a volcano and into the present-day dangers of archeological looting where black market sales of antiquities can lead to murder.
Former television journalist Kate Butler hangs on to her investigative reporting career by writing freelance magazine articles. Her research on The Magician shows he bore some European facial characteristics and physical qualities that made him different from the people who buried him. Her quest to discover The Magician’s origin carries her back to a time when the high desert world was shattered by the birth of a volcano and into the present-day dangers of archaeological looting where black market sales of antiquities can lead to murder.
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Anne Montgomery has worked as a television sportscaster, newspaper and magazine writer, teacher, amateur baseball umpire, and high school football referee. She worked at WRBL‐TV in Columbus, Georgia, WROC‐TV in Rochester, New York, KTSP‐TV in Phoenix, Arizona, ESPN in Bristol, Connecticut, where she anchored the Emmy and ACE award‐winning SportsCenter, and ASPN-TV as the studio host for the NBA’s Phoenix Suns. Montgomery has been a freelance and staff writer for six publications, writing sports, features, movie reviews, and archeological pieces. When she can, Anne indulges in her passions: rock collecting, scuba diving, football refereeing, and playing her guitar.
Learn more about Anne Montgomery on her website and Wikipedia . Stay connected on Facebook , Linkedin , and Twitter .
