Updated 12 November 2026
When I first wrote this article, I was looking for new and inexpensive ways to create social media posts about my junior fiction books. The covers were colourful, but the inside was just text. My nephew dutifully posed for me with each new release, but even with a gorgeous and patient model, there are only so many photos you can take of a kid holding a book.
I’m not a graphic designer, so I made use of templates and apps created by people much smarter than me. The process was simple enough to repeat, and it gave me a different way to show the characters and stories.
Start with what you already have
I had illustrations of my characters and, of course, plenty of words. Instead of trying to dream up a completely new campaign, I took quotes from the books and paired them with the relevant character images.
Two glasses of wine, my iPad and Apple Pencil and I got to work. Using a template in Canva, I put a quote beside a character and saved it as an image. The result gave people a glimpse of the story, rather than another photo of the cover.
You can use the same thinking with other work. A product detail, a line from something you’ve written or a photo showing how you make something could be the starting point. Look for an interesting part of what you already have.
Add a little movement
Next, I created a short animated introduction for the character. The drawing itself didn’t move, but the template brought movement to the post. I then combined the introduction and quote images in Quik to make a short video.
Those were the tools I used at the time. Apps, prices and features change, so the useful part to take away is the process: combine a few strong images and short pieces of text, then use movement to help tell the story.
Choose an editor that lets you arrange images, add readable text and control the timing. Check its current export options and any costs before building the whole thing. If you add music, photos or illustrations, make sure you have permission to use them for the way you intend to share the finished post.
What I would try with AI now
If I were tackling the same book-promotion project now, I’d bring AI into the process. I could give it a few passages from my own book and ask it to suggest short, spoiler-free quotes, captions and ideas for a character introduction. I’d check every quote against the book and keep the character’s personality intact.
An AI image tool could help explore backgrounds or create a scene inspired by the story, using artwork I have the right to adapt. A video tool could help animate a scene or assemble a short trailer. I’d keep a close eye on character consistency and make sure a polished-looking result hadn’t changed something important.
For sound, I could experiment with an AI-generated instrumental track, a character-inspired song or a voiceover using a permitted voice. The brief would describe the mood, pace and audience. Then I’d check the words, pronunciation and fit, along with the commercial-use rights, before sharing it.
You could start with: “Here is a passage from my book and a description of the character. Suggest three ideas for a short promotional video, with on-screen text and a music mood. Use only this material, avoid spoilers and don’t invent quotes.” That gives you something concrete to work from without handing over the creative decisions.
Keep it easy to watch
A quote that looks good on a large screen might be tiny on a phone. Preview the finished post at the size people will actually see it, and leave each image on screen long enough to read.
Keep the words brief, give them enough contrast against the background and avoid adding so many effects that the message gets lost. If there’s speech, include captions. The post should still make sense to someone watching without sound.
Give it a go
Was my original video perfect? Of course not. But it brought some movement and interest to my books and gave me another way to introduce the characters.
You don’t have to make something elaborate to try a different approach. Pick one image, one idea and a few words. Make a version, watch it back and see what you can simplify. You just never know what will catch someone’s eye.