When I began writing mysteries, I knew that a lot of the promotion would fall on me. What I didn’t know is that I’d have to pick up some new skills. Platforms like Facebook and Twitter are useless if you don’t have cool stuff to post on them. The thing is, I have the attention span of a gnat, which gives me a pretty shallow learning curve. Still, I’ve managed to pick up a few skills, and as I belly up to the promotion bar for FATAL CAJUN FESTIVAL, the fifth book in my Cajun Country Mystery series, I thought I’d share them with you. (BTW, see how I linked the title of my book to Amazon? That was skill #1!)
1. MAKIN’ GRAPHICS. Some people are truly skilled at this. I am not, which is why the photoshopped featured image in this post was created by my graphics guru, Hunter Martin, not me. (Fellow author Judy Penz Sheluk turned me on to him.) There’s always a point in time where my A.D.D. triggers impatience and I start screaming at the computer. But I have progressed far enough where I can make my own rudimentary graphics like those below. Why rudimentary, you say? Because I’m too cheap to pay for a cool background and too impatient (see above) to learn more than the most basic skills. Still, I can’t believe I know how to make these with Canva…
2. MAKING’ A SNIP AND SKETCH. I wish I remembered who turned me on to to the Windows Snipping Tool. I can’t link to it because it’s on each individual machine. (Type “Snipping Tool” into your taskbar. You can use it to “snip” something and turn it into a JPEG. It may not be available on older versions of Windows, though.) The updated version, “Snip and Sketch,” even lets you draw on your brand-new JPEG. I may do it with the dexterity of a preschool toddler handed crayons for the first time, but it allows me to turn this…
… into this. (Hah! I got in another hyperlink.) See if you can spot the ten hidden book covers before you look at the answer graphic. (Note: photoshopping the book covers into the original picture was again the work of graphics guru Hunter.)
3. SENDIN’ OUT A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER. You know how I mentioned screaming at the computer? There was a whole lotta that when I first started my newsletter. Well, technically my web designer, Catherine Respess, started it by creating the template. Still, after much cursing and tear-shedding, I embraced it and now-gasp!! – I actually look forward to sending it out. You can check out the most recent issue by clicking here. And you can sign up for it – which you should, because it’s pretty dang good – here. (Man, I am rocking this hyperlink thing!)
4. MAKIN’ VIDEOS. Videos were my bete noir until I discovered a site called Lumen5. Like Canva, you can do simple stuff for free. Given the aforementioned limits on my attention span, coupled with my cheapness, you will pretty much always get the same type of video from me. But still… I can’t believe I know how to make them! The thing is, I had trouble figuring out how to share them. Which led to…
BONUS “I CAN’T BELIEVE I KNOW HOW TO... make a Youtube channel! Yup, I made an Ellen Byron Youtube channel, which makes it much easier to share my videos. If you search for it on Youtube, you won’t find it, don’t ask me why. But if you click here, you’ll get there.
I’ve picked up a few other skills too, but my A.D.D. just kicked in and I have to go do something else. But since I’m so click-happy today, I’ll leave you with one more hyperlink that has zero to do with anything, but makes me so happy. Click… here! Wait for it…
Readers, what do you think of graphics, videos, and newsletters? Authors, what unexpected skills have you picked up?
Chicks on the Case 
Since I do my own covers, I’ve had to become better at graphic design too. I can’t say I’ve mastered the newsletter bit, but they do manage to go out. And I have yet to venture into videos. I am in awe of anyone with a YouTube channel!
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Marla, my reply ended up below. Sorry!
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Great post. Can you email me about Hunter? My skills are negligible in these areas, too, but you made it all look easy.
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Sure! Hunter is GREAT. I found him through Judy Penz Sheluk.
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Way to go. I love your work
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Thanks so much!
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You’re an inspiration, Ellen! I’ll need to learn all of this stuff for my next book, I know—and my editing biz also. I’m still recovering from a FB Live I did once at a Beach Boys concert that was a complete disaster. (People literally laughed at me—glad I could provide some amusement.) But I DID figure out how to work with our Chicks back-site from my phone!!!
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Very proud of you, Lisa. And you’ll have to teach me how to do an FB live!
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Um…I actually never tried it again!
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What a fabulous post, Ellen. One skill I never thought I’d have as an author is doing a weekly post featuring my cat, but Monday Morning Maria has become quite the popular thing! lol. Figuring out how to share it from Instagram to Facebook was a bonus, too. Now, I just have to hope she doesn’t start demanding royalties for the use of her image.
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J.C., I am SO impressed. I’m still trying to make a free way to share from Insta to FB work. And hey, poor Grumpy Cat has crossed the rainbow bridge. Maybe it’s Maria’s turn!
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Bet on it, JC!
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I love the way your mind works, Ellen! You’ve inspired me to go dig up Canva, which I’ve forgotten about completely (even though I’ve been paying for it – sheesh!)
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Go for it, Shari!
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Me too, Shari.
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Ellen, this is such good stuff! I’m taking notes here.
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You can do it, Kaye!
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You’ve long been my go-to person for inspiration about promotion, Ellen, and this post sets out some–but not all–of the reasons so very well! I wish I had your energy and drive to do all that you do. And congrats on the new book–coming out NEXT MONTH! Yippee!
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You’re too kind, Leslie. Believe me, there are days I really don’t want to do anything. And thanks for mentioning that FATAL CAJUN FESTIVAL launches September 10th!!
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Glad you are picking up new skills. We use the snipping tool quite a bit at my new job. I’ve never liked it before but now I’m loving it.
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The new version, Snip and Sketch is great! That’s how I was able to circle all the covers on an image.
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I think doing your own covers is way more impressive than starting a YouTube channel, Marla. I don’t even know how to share my channel!
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I’m still building my skills, but I’m learning all the time – especially from articles like this one. Thanks so much for sharing!
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So glad it’s helpful! I’ve learned a ton from my fellow authors. And then there are the things I’ve had to teach myself. Sometimes kicking and screaming, as my family can attest to!
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So many great tips here–thank you for sharing, Ellen! VERY excited for your next book launch. xo
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Thanks, C! Me too! xoxo
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Thanks for mentoring writers (like me) for whom all this is new and daunting. Good thing we don’t have to learn everything at once.
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It’s a pleasure, Connie. I loved your book. And I have to say, I wish I knew then what I know. I’m on my fifth book and I’ve only just embedded an FB pixel in my website. I don’t even know what it does. Luckily, Wix just sent an e-blast about that. #alwayslearning
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Great post, Ellen! I love your Find-the-Cover graphic — even though I wasn’t sharp enough to find them all! And thanks for the Red Hot Louisiana Band clip to get me moving. I think Gaynell and the Gator Girls should open for them at the Cajun Festival!!
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You’re rocking it like a NERD, Ellen! I like doing graphics and the computer stuff, but we own a printshop so when I get stuck on something, I have professionals at my disposal! I’m a big fan of Canva (but I can get by on the free version … so far, anyway) and I’m smackdab in the middle of transferring my So Seldom It’s Shameful Newsletter from MailChimp to MailerLite. They have some slick technology over there for cheap so once I finish with it (which may be sometime in 2025 at the rate I’m going), it’ll be pretty coolio!
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Becky, I know in my heart that your newsletter will set a standard I can only aspire to!
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You’re entirely too kind, but we always start out with high hopes, eh?
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Your Canva graphics are works of art compared to my sad attempts. I haven’t tried videos, but I’ve noticed especially on Instagram, videos draw attention. Even when I post a video of my dogs chasing each other, that gets much more attention than some of the artsy photos I buy from Shutterstock. I’m about to move my newsletter from MailChimp to MailerLite too. I’m amazed that I can get a newsletter out all by myself.
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Way to go, Keenan! I haven’t figured out how to share videos or links to Instagram. Teach me!
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I’m using Buffer now for most of my Instagram and FB posts and you can do links through them. Or you can create an Instagram post on your phone and then go into the post on your computer and add the link in a the comments. As for videos, start in your phone’s gallery and there’s a link to Instagram feed there. I just loaded “Digging for the perfect word” from my phone – a video of my dog scratching under the bookcase.
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But the link isn’t working on my Insta post “Deconstructing Mystery Fan Convention” so I don’t know what I’m doing. It worked when I loaded it on buffer.
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And the link works when Buffer sent the post to FB.
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I don’t want to pay $30 a month for Buffer. I’ll look for the video link on my phone. But it’s not videos on my phone I’d want to put on Insta. It’s the ones I make on Lumen5. They have a way to do it but it’s complicated and my brain goes on overload.
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Terrific post. And I’m listening to Zydeco Boogaloo right now and rockin’ it. There is SO much to learn and so little time to implement those lessons and still write. Lots better when they are fun and easy.
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I’m so glad you rocked out to Zydeco Boogaloo! And yes. The lack of time makes me NUTS!
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Ellen, It’s Monday and I’m exhausted. Please no more than one (maybe two) tips per entry. Kidding (kind of!) Loved the pup in sky in your revised photo. Too cute–Made my day 🙂
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Lol, Etta! Sorry. I loved the doggy in the sky too. Hunter has to point him out to me. I never found him!
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It is a challenge some days isn’t it if you are over 30? My favorite saying is “It’s a problem between the chair and the computer”. Great book cover!
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Thanks so much, Gayle!!
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Holy moly, you’ve got some mad skills, Ellen!! So many good ideas and tips here. And add me to the (long!) list of people excitedly awaiting FATAL CAJUN FESTIVAL!!
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Love ya!!
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Back atcha!!
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