As indie authors, we have to do a little more legwork than traditionally published writers, especially when we’re on a budget. Drafting the book is only part of the equation. Once it’s written, edited, and ready for publishing, you have to format, decide on a platform to publish with, make your own book cover, and promote it. So much to do, so little time…

But there are plenty of tools out there to help you as an indie author. Before you shell out your hard-earned cash for social media managers, cover artists, or pricey promotors, take a look at Canva.

Canva is a free graphic design website and app with great tools for authors. You can also upgrade to a pro account ($12.99 a month) to get access to all the best stock images and amenities Canva has to offer. But don’t worry, even if you can’t afford the pro version yet, there’s plenty of free content to keep you busy. 

Feeling overwhelmed? Canva has a Learn tab on the homepage with tutorials for all aspects of Canva, so you can master content creation in no time.

Keep reading to see how you can use Canva as an author!

*Note: This is not an ad and does not contain affiliate links. I do not make any commission from Canva, just sharing this impressive tool with my fellow writers!

Social media posts 

As an author, you no doubt have a social media presence. Instead of downloading dozens of apps to make the perfect post, reel, or story, you can use Canva as a one stop shop for your social media posts.

With Canva, you can create Instagram and Facebook posts so you know they will look perfect once you upload them! You can do a simple image or create slides using images and text. Upload your own images or use Canva’s huge library of stock photos to create your own unique artwork to tease your WIPs. You can also make engaging and eye-popping stories to increase your engagement.

Under the Create a Design tab, select Facebook or Instagram post or story, and start creating.

Feeling uninspired or crunched for time? Use the easy templates to create your post in minutes.

Book Cover Maker 

One of my favorite aspects of Canva is the free Book Cover Maker. Making book covers can be annoying, because you can spend all this time making one, then when you upload to your platform half of it is cut off.

With Canva’s Book Cover Maker, you don’t have to worry about that! In the Create a Design drop down menu, you can select print book or ebook cover instead of the generic book cover to make sure it’s the perfect size. You can also input your own specs if you need a specific size.

The sky is the limit here! Create your own images and add to your cover with your text or use one of their many book cover template options to help you! You’ll get a professional looking book cover in minutes, and for free! 

Video for book trailers

If you’re like me, you wonder how authors on socials make such awesome book trailers Wonder no more!

Canva allows you to create videos for mobile, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and LinkedIn, just to name a few. You can also create videos for your stories on socials as well. On the home page, click on Video under the What Will You Create? banner and a list will pop up for different video types. Once in creation mode, you can choose from dozens of templates, like Explainer Video or Event Announcement (perfect for release date teasers!).

Don’t feel like a Scorsese just yet? Check out the tutorials for making videos under the Learn tab on the home page.

Content Planner 

One issue I have with Instagram is you can’t schedule posts. But Canva has a Content Planner that allows you post content on most socials (Facebook, Insta, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, etc.). You can schedule up to twenty-five posts in a 24-hour period. However, I must note this feature is only available with the Pro plan.

To start with the Content Planner, scroll down on the left side of your screen and click on the planner icon. This will bring up the current month. Click on the day you want to schedule, select the time, then enter your text and images, and post! 

Before you can post, however, you must connect your Facebook and Instagram Business accounts (you can’t do this with a personal Instagram account—it must be a business account). To learn how to link your accounts, click here. 

The scheduler can certainly make life easier for you as an author, especially if you post on multiple social platforms.

Logo and banners for website

If you’re serious about being an author, you know you need a website. Canva can help you create super cool logos and banners for your website which are more customized than what you can make in most website editors. 

Under Create a Design, select Logo or Blog Banner. This will bring up templates, just like with all the other features, so you can browse to find inspo, or use a blank page and create your own unique design. 

Make your website as unique as you are with these fun and easy design components of Canva. 

Design a planner for all your deadlines

This is a design feature I recently learned about on Canva, and I think it’s a great one! It can also save you money not having to buy an expensive planner. 

Under Create, choose Planner, and create your own to help you keep track of all your deadlines, release dates, and other notes for your author business. There are many templates here to choose from, like daily, weekly, yearly, project planners, and to-do lists, among others. Once you choose a template, you can customize until your heart’s content! 

Business cards, posters, flyers 

Promotion is one of the hardest and most time-consuming aspects of being an author (besides writing and editing of course!). If you have in-person events you’ll be attending or hosting, you can create business cards (because being an author is a business), posters, or flyers to promote your newest work. 

You can also post the posters and flyers digitally on social media. 

Like all the other design templates on Canva, go to Create, select your design type, and get to creating! Use a blank page or one of the many templates available. 

You can print your own, and for business cards, you can order straight from Canva if you wish with free shipping, and it’s only $10 for fifty cards. Click here to learn more about business cards from Canva. 

Brand Kit

Looking to brand yourself as an author? Canva has a Brand Kit that will enhance your online presence with a few clicks of a button. 

With the Brand Kit, you can create logos, color palettes, and font, so you can keep your aesthetic streamlined across your socials and your website. You can completely create your own or use templates you can customize. With a free account, you can only customize your brand colors, so if you want all the features of the Brand Kit, you’ll have to upgrade to Pro.

You can access the Brand Kit on the left side of the screen (above the Planner link). Or, once you have chosen design type, scroll down the left side of the screen (where images and text are located) and choose Styles. This will also bring up the Brand Kit.

As indie authors, we need all the help we can get. Canva is a useful tool that help you with the business/promotional end of being an author. 

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