What’s Possible with Automation? Quite a Lot When You Get Out of Your Own Way

Or, as I like to call it, “Let’s Make Your Author Life Easier One Workflow at a Time.”

Nov 05, 2024

BACK FROM HIATUS. I mean, I didn’t really plan for it to a hiatus, it just sort of happened. Like, “Oops! I accidentally went to 8 countries in 8 weeks in Europe and when I came back I was deep in the throes of planning the largest indie author conference in the world.”

But I’m back. And despite the fact that Author Nation starts in less than a week, I have 13 weeks of glorious content queued up and ready to go. The actual wonderful thing is that while I was away, I rebuilt some things and have a whole new world to show you — Make.com. It’s… How can I describe this… Zapier’s nerdier little cousin armed with flow charts and graphs, who is a polygot and can speak multiple languages like API and arrays. (Basically, if automation tools had high school superlatives, Make.com would be “Most Likely to Complicate Your Life in a Good Way.”)

Why Should You Even Care About Automation?

For those that are new here, let’s reset. If “automation” makes you picture just scheduling posts or sending emails, think bigger. Sure, it can handle the basics—send this, post that—but it’s also about gaining serious control over the whole author business. Imagine a system that doesn’t just do the busywork but actually helps you see the full picture of your creative world.

Automation can:

Centralize Your Project Management
Whether you’re drafting a novel, collaborating with beta readers, or producing social media campaigns, automation keeps all your projects organized, on track, and in one place. Say goodbye to scattered tasks and hello to a system that breaks down complex projects (and keeps those deadlines from slipping through the cracks).
Give You Sales and Performance Insights
Want to track your earnings across platforms and understand your audience in real time? Automation connects you to your sales data, helps you spot growth opportunities, and brings real, data-driven insights to elevate your author brand. No more guessing what’s working—now you’ll know.
Simplify Content Creation and Planning
Plan your content strategy, create assets, and schedule releases all in one workflow. Whether it’s blog posts, social media, or entire marketing campaigns, automation gives you a seamless way to keep everything on track without juggling half a dozen tools.
Effortlessly Engage Your ARC and Beta Teams
Manage your ARC and beta readers without the endless email threads or spreadsheets. Automatically track their progress, feedback, and reviews so you stay on top of every stage without manually checking in.
Integrate Everything You Use in One Place
Bring tools like Scrivener, Google Docs, and Trello into a single dashboard. View your writing drafts, task lists, sales data, and social schedules side-by-side—so instead of switching tabs, you’re making things happen.

Automation isn’t just about saving time; it’s about gaining control, making better decisions, and freeing yourself from the chaos of managing it all manually. It’s the ultimate “set it and forget it” for your creative career—so you can get back to the parts that actually need you.

But wait — there’s more. It can also read your email and draft replies. Give you a day-by-day breakdown of your ideal schedule and task lists. ~~And make you a killer pistachio latte~~. Not that one yet. But soon, I think.

Buckle up, buttercups—here’s your roadmap for the next 12 weeks:

Week 1: The RSS Feed Magic Trick (Let’s finish that 4-part series, shall we?)
Week 2: Getting Started with Make.com
Week 3: Airtable for Authors: Organize Your Content, Track Projects, and Save Your Sanity
Week 4: Social Media on Autopilot: Using Make.com to Schedule and Post Like a Pro
Week 5: Zapier vs. Make.com: When to Use Which, and How to Switch
Week 6: Zapier’s Hidden Superpowers: Tables, Chatbots, and Advanced Tricks for Authors
Week 7: From WordPress to Ghost: A Case Study in Smarter Subscription Services
Week 8: How to Migrate from WordPress to Ghost Without Losing Your Mind (or Content)
Week 9: Make.com for Book Launches: Automate Your Promotions, Reminders, and More
Week 10: Building a Content Calendar That Updates Itself: Make.com + Airtable
Week 11: When Zapier Meets Make.com: The Ultimate Power Couple for Automation
Week 12: Ghost SEO: How to Optimize Your Site Without a Single Plugin

Each week, I’ll walk you through practical steps and the specific Zaps or scenarios (let’s call them recipes to keep it simple, okay?) to help you set up powerful workflows that actually work for you. You’ll be building your own team of automation “mini assistants,” one week at a time.

Shameless plug: Paid Subscribers get the downloadable blueprints that can be imported into systems like Zapier, Airtable, or Make.com. Founding Members also get 1:1 support from me via Voxer!

Imagine a Team of “Mini Assistants” Working for You

Every automation we create will be like hiring a mini-assistant. One to keep up with your social media, another to handle new subscriber emails, one for content deadlines. Basically, we’re building your author business a team—minus the payroll. By the end, these little systems will be doing the heavy lifting, and you’ll be free to focus on what you really want to be doing.

Like going to Europe for 8 weeks. Here’s a photo break from nerd stuff.

BTW - I also talk about being a Nomadic Writer managing business over at Vagabond Empires if that’s interesting to you.

Let’s Talk Automation Wishlists

If you could automate one task, what would it be? Maybe it’s social media, maybe it’s those welcome emails you always mean to send, or maybe it’s just making sure your newsletters are read without you playing “digital postman.” Whatever it is, let me know—I’d love to see what’s on your mind, and I’ll make sure we cover those ideas along the way.

So grab a cup of coffee (or your gin—I’m not judging), and get ready for a journey into the wonderful world of doing less.

I’m here to break it all down, step by step. Let’s make this happen.

Until next time,
Chelle