These amazing online tools are already helping indie authors launch, grow, and scale their self-publishing empires! Don’t keep treading water, and instead, leverage these platforms and become a bestselling author!
Writing a book – especially your first book – can be hard.
Publishing and marketing it?
That’s a whole new level of overwhelm.
But here’s the good news—there are some powerful online tools that can make the entire process easier, from brainstorming and writing your story to getting it in front of the right readers and building that all-important fanbase.
If you’re an indie author looking to streamline your writing, publishing, and marketing, you don’t have to do it all alone.
In this post, I’m sharing five must-have tools that will save you time, reduce stress, and help you build a successful author career. Let’s dive in!
Develop & Plan Your Story with SudoWrite!
When it comes to crafting compelling stories, strong characters, and engaging plots, SudoWrite is a game-changer for indie authors.
This AI-powered writing assistant helps take your story ideas to the next level by offering creative suggestions, enhancing descriptions, and even helping with dialogue.
How does this amazing app work?
Let’s say you’re struggling with plot holes or need help fleshing out your characters, SudoWrite can generate ideas, provide scene suggestions, and offer detailed feedback.
And with tools like the “Brainstorm” feature, you can instantly generate fresh ideas for twists, conflicts, and world-building elements.
Whether you need help developing a character’s backstory, refining your prose, or overcoming writer’s block, SudoWrite acts like a brainstorming partner that never runs out of creativity.
Author’s Note: As a veteran author coach and author, I am adamantly against anyone using generative AI to write anything that is supposed to be original, especially their books, but this is not that. This tool specifically helps improve your storytelling. Period.
Improve Your Writing Craft with ProWritingAid!
So much better than that other editing tool that begins with a G, this AI-powered tool was actually developed with creative writers in mind by an author who wanted to help other authors improve their skills.
ProWritingAid will teach you how to improve your writing style, sentence structure, readability, and pacing, helping you become a better writer with every draft.
One of its standout features is the comprehensive reports, which highlight passive voice, overused words, sticky sentences, and structural weaknesses, which allow authors to fine-tune their prose, making their writing clearer, more engaging, and more polished.
The tool also offers in-app suggestions for improving flow and consistency, which can be incredibly helpful in self-editing before sending a manuscript to a professional editor.
For indie authors committed to honing their craft, ProWritingAid is an invaluable companion that will help you produce a stronger, more polished book.
Author’s Note: While ProWritingAid is a powerful writing assistant, it should never replace the expertise of a professional editor. Automated tools are amazing, but they lack the nuanced understanding of storytelling, tone, and voice that a human editor provides. For a FREE sample edit by Yours Truly, CLICK HERE.
Build Your Stunning Author Website with A2 Hosting!
A2 Hosting is a lesser known but absolutely amazing website hosting company…but oh, it’s so much more…
Even if you’re still in the brainstorming phase of your author journey, you still need to set up an author website that looks professional and grabs your ideal readers’ attention.
Why is this so important so early on?
While self-publishing your books through KDP is now the fastest, easiest, and best way for authors to launch and grow writing careers and keep much more of their hard earned money in their pockets (compared to trad pub), it should be used as a step in the direction of eventually selling your books from home.
And the longer you have your site up and running and spend time every week adding new and fresh content to it, the more time it has to rank high on Google searches.
Years ago, I partnered with one of the best web hosting services, A2 Hosting, and now, exclusively for my inner circle (that includes you!), A2 offers an amazing service where they will take your information and build you a WordPress site in just a few days.
Then, all you have to do is customize and brand your website and launch it.
Author’s Note: Here’s an Easter Egg for you – it’s my Cheat Sheet on how to get A2 to build your website just because you read this article!
Create Viral Worthy Faceless Social Content with AuthorScale!
Marketing your book on TikTok can be a game-changer, but creating video content consistently can be overwhelming, especially if you don’t want to show your face, lip sync, or dance like a fool (like me!).
AuthorScale is a brand new and innovative tool that helps indie authors generate viral-worthy faceless content in seconds, making it easier than ever to tap into the power of #BookTok without spending hours creating content.
This amazing tool uses AI to turn your book’s themes, quotes, or blurbs into engaging short-form video slideshows with dynamic visuals, text overlays, and trending sounds.
When the team at AS showed me how their platform works recently, my jaw hit the floor!
All you have to do is upload the Word doc version of your manuscript and AuthorScale’s proprietary AI platform will generate scroll-stopping video slideshows using storylines, character arcs, and dialogue pulled directly from your manuscript.
If you need more incentive to sign up for this mind blowing online tool now, you should read THIS ARTICLE about just one of the authors who went viral with their AuthorScale generated slide shows and earned $10,000 in book sales in less than one week after posting hers.
This amazing tool uses AI to turn your book’s themes, quotes, or blurbs into engaging short-form video slideshows with dynamic visuals, text overlays, and trending sounds.
When the team at AS showed me how their platform works recently, my jaw hit the floor!
Author’s Note: You can check out my recently uploaded slide show for my 8th novel, Presumed Dead here to see how they turn out. Then, CLICK HERE to sign up for your own AuthorScale account and use coupon code CKAYE50 to get a huge discount on your annual or lifetime subscription!
Share Your Books with Thousands of Readers with PublishDrive!
Getting your book into the hands of readers worldwide is one of the biggest challenges for indie authors, but PublishDrive makes it effortless.
Among many other tools they offer, their powerful book distribution platform allows authors to distribute their books to hundreds of bookstores and online retailers, as well as thousands of libraries with just a few clicks.
With PublishDrive, you can reach major platforms like Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Google Play Books, and even libraries like OverDrive and Bibliotheca…all from a single dashboard.
Instead of managing multiple accounts and uploads, PublishDrive streamlines the process, saving you time and ensuring your book is available everywhere readers are looking.
For indie authors who want wide distribution without the headaches, PublishDrive makes it easier than ever to expand your book’s reach and grow your readership.
Author’s Note: Normally, I discourage indie authors from “going wide” with their first book, mostly because of the time and energy involved with learning and managing multiple platforms. But with PublishDrive, I’ve changed my tune a bit as this tool helps you get your book on all the most popular book distribution websites all from one platform.
In Conclusion…
Why should you listen to me and my advice about all these online tools and how they can help you conquer self-publishing and become a self-publishing superstar?
Especially when, yes, as a partner to all these businesses, I do get paid a teensy weensy commission if you happen to sign up for paid plans (but not much and not if you just take a peek)?
Two reasons.
One, I have been working in the publishing industry for nearly twenty years now, and because of my huge online presence, I’m constantly being approached by this brand or that service wanting me to promote their stuff. But I only partner with businesses I know from personal experience help me as an indie author and/or help my coaching clients and only those with stellar reputations and proven results!
Two, every tool mentioned in this blog post are ones I have not just shared with my social media following and email subscribers. I trust each of them so much, I’ve incorporated them into my coaching program, so all my clients get the benefits these businesses offer authors.
If you want help successfully launching your book and your indie author career this year, and you believe in the power of investing in experts who can help you exponentially scale your publishing business, let’s chat!
I only work with go-getters and action takers, but if you are ready, willing, and able to invest in your future as a profitable and successful indie author, click the button below now to schedule your FREE Self-Publishing Strategy Session with me as soon as today!
