I Suppose I Could Do Something Like This

 

or this

 if I didn’t hate promoting my writing.

I know this is naïve, some would say stupid, but I am uncomfortable mentioning to people I meet that I have published two novels and a children’s book. To me, it’s a form of bragging. Mentioning I’m a writer also makes them feel obligated to buy one of my books, pay me $5 to $15, even though they receive something in return. (Something of value, I hope.)

I grew up scrambling for money, and thanks to the work ethic my father instilled in me, I have never had to ask for money except when getting a mortgage. I don’t write to make big bucks, which is a good thing, considering the miniscule royalty payments I receive. I write because I love playing with words, telling stories, creating metaphors and other connections that give my brain an occasional shot of dopamine. If readers happen to find my work entertaining, I’m happy.

That being said, Sandra Beckwith, who gives all kinds of good advice to writers, recently shared her enthusiasm for MockupShots, the company that created (as a free introduction) the two Never Done promotions above. For a reasonable fee, they insert book covers in a variety of settings for use in ads or other promotions. Although I didn’t subscribe to the service, I did appreciate the idea, so just for the fun of it, I tried creating mockups of my own.

It quickly became apparent that if I ever need a mock-up promotion, I should leave it to the professionals.