Tools And Resources For Authors And Writers
Please note: Some of the links are affiliate links which means I make a small amount of money if you click through. I use all these services myself and only recommend those I trust, so I hope they are useful and you can always google them if you don't want to use my link. Thanks!
For Writing
- A lot of writers love to use Scrivener to write there books. Gone are the days of the typewriter. Everything is digital. Scrivener is amazing writing software with brilliant drag and drop functionality so you can write out of order and then just switch things around later. The cost is $45.
- If you want to optimize your Scrivener usage, e.g. understand which fields do what when you compile your files, then I recommend the Learn Scrivener Fast training which is brilliant and can shortcut the learning process considerably.
- If you prefer to dictate your first drafts, I would recommend Dragon Dictate. Its available in Home, Premium and Professional versions. Pricing will vary but its worth it.
For Editing
- Grammarly is number #1 on my list. Once I finish a draft of a chapter, with one click it with Grammarly. This tool picks up some of the most obvious issues, like usage of commas, typos, and repeated words. I’d rather my editor and proofreader start from as clean a manuscript as possible. Saves you time and money in the end.
- Important Tip: Always use professional editors and proofreaders to review your work. This is just one area you should not skip. Here is a list of my recommended pros.
For Publishing
- I use professional cover designers. Here are some options.
- I format my eBooks with Vellum Software, which creates beautiful eBooks.
- Choosing the right sub-categories and keywords is one of the most important aspects of self-publishing. To assist I use a reasonably-priced reports from K-lytics to determine the data to use for new books and also re-positioning older ones. Find out more about K-lytics reports.
- An important part of self-publishing is the Keywords you use in your advertising on platforms like Amazon, Facebook, or other self-publishing platforms. I recommend using KDP Rocket for researching keywords.
For Marketing
- Email blasts campaigns are a great strategy to promote you books.
- BookBub is the heavy-hitter.
- FreeBooksy
- BargainBooksy
- Red Feather Romance
- NewInBooks
They all have options for wherever you are on your author journey.
- I recommend that authors who are serious about a long-term writing career should have a self-hosted, professional looking website. For myself, I use Hilson Designs web services.
- Podcasting is new kid on the block. More and more authors are using this strategy. Even myself, I publish a weekly podcast on my self-hosted website at DrHLBarner.com. Check it out.