Fundamentals of Design Workshop

Even writers need to know design.

Authors write, first and foremost. But there will come a time in every author’s career when they will need to communicate something visually.

As an author, you will likely want to…

  • Make graphics for social media (to announce book sales, tours, etc)
  • Create swag (bookmarks, stickers, postcards, etc)
  • Update online branding (twitter header, author logo, etc)
  • Create/manage a website

This workshop is crash course in design, outlining the fundamentals of good design and providing you with the tools necessary to handle many of your own marketing needs. It combines everything I’ve learned in my 13+ years as a professional designer, with insights catered specifically of authors.

Workshop registration is on hold.

Check back soon.

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In this workshop you will…

Discover the five key fundamentals of good design

Learn to identify a purpose and goal for any design project

Explore how hierarchy aids in legibility of content and message

Receive a crash course in basic color theory

Master the art of selecting harmonious color palettes

Learn how typography and font selection influence designs

Explore how smart spacing creates balanced, legible pieces.

Unlock access to a design resource database tailored specifically to authors

Gain the knowledge (and confidence) to tackle your own design projects

Get a free downloadable cheat sheet summarizing everything you learn in the course.

Have the option to add on a personalized critique from Erin when you finish the course for an additional $25. (This completely optional feature supplements the course materials and lets you test out what you’ve learned if/when you feel so inclined.)

Who is this workshop for?

All authors at all stages. Whether you are an aspiring author, a new debut, or a veteran, and whether you publish traditionally or indie, “Fundamentals of Design” will provide you with the tools to create eye-catching, legible, and purposeful designs to promote yourself and your books. The course materials aim to empower you, the author, so that you can handle many basic design tasks without having to hire a designer. (I’m an author myself. I know how precious our budgets are.)

That said, this course will not teach you how to use programs such as Photoshop or Canva. Plenty of tutorials on this subject already exist online, many of them free. 

About your instructor

Erin Bowman is the critically-acclaimed and Edgar Award-nominated author of numerous books for children and teens. Before transitioning into writing, she worked as a web designer and mobile app designer for brands such as MTV, VH1, Kashi, and Royal Caribbean. Today she continues to work as a freelance designer in addition to handling her own design needs as an author. 

How is it taught?

“Fundamentals of Design” is a self-guided, five-unit workshop that can be completed at your own pace. With the $79 course you will: 

  • Gain immediate access to course materials.
  • Work through lessons made up of essays, videos, and visual examples that will introduce you to the five fundamentals of good design and show you how to apply them to your own projects.
  • Access a Design Resource Database tailored specifically for authors.
  • Download your “Design Fundamentals Cheat Sheet” — a handy guide that summarizes everything you learn in the course. 
  • Access to the above materials does NOT expire.

A $25 optional “Add-On Critique” can be purchased once you’ve completed the main course.

  • This completely optional feature supplements the course materials and lets you test out what you’ve learned if/when you feel so inclined.
  • You send in JPGs of a design project you’ve tackled and receive a personalized critique from the instructor.

Registration is on hold

Workshop access is currently paused to new members.Check back soon.

Already registered? Your Account