3 Tools Every Self-Published Author Should Try
The process of publishing your own book can feel like a dream coming to life, but also like you’re sitting at your computer at 2 a.m. wondering what on earth you’ve gotten yourself into. There are dozens of moving parts to the process, and it can feel really overwhelming. You go from wanting to be an author to becoming a project manager, production team, and marketing department.
The good news is that there are plenty of resources out there for you (cough cough, like Pelican Sail Press, cough cough) that can make the workload lighter and the results more professional.
Atticus – For Your Formatting Needs
The way you format your book is the difference between someone doing a double take when they realize it was self-published and someone tossing it into a free library assuming it was AI-generated. Strange margins, uneven fonts, e-reader oddities, or print editions that don’t line up correctly are distracting (and annoyingly frustrating) for a reader.
Formatting is the difference between a reader sympathy-buying your book and an agent taking you seriously.
An author who might’ve once paid $300 to their cousin’s best friend’s freelance formatting business can now do it themselves in an afternoon, and easily. It also allows you to keep full control of updates or future editions. The software is a one-time purchase (currently $147), which is far less than struggling with it for every new release — and worth it.
BookFunnel – For Your Delivery Needs
While writing a free novella to promote your upcoming release is fantastic, it doesn’t mean anything if your readers have to spend 20 minutes trying to figure out how to get the dang thing on their Kindle, give up, and move on to a different author. No need to lose fans here. BookFunnel creates a landing page that works across different devices. You can use it to send out advance review copies to a launch team (or even your beta readers) or to build an email list with freebies.
You can’t put a price on peace of mind, now can you?
Some things are just worth paying for. As of now, pricing starts at $20 per year.
Publisher Rocket – For Your Visibility Needs
Having a polished book won’t matter if no one can find it. Keywords are crucial for indie authors because they determine how your book gets seen. Use the wrong ones, and your book about a chef might only show up when someone searches for kitchen utensils. Publisher Rocket gives you data on what readers are already searching for.
For example, it might show that “cozy seaside mystery” has strong demand but less competition than just “mystery novel.” Paying attention to this and using the right keywords on your listing gives you the best chance of your book being discovered. Many indie authors credit this tool with helping them land on the Amazon bestseller list. As of now, Publisher Rocket is a one-time purchase of $199.
Visibility matters — a hidden masterpiece can’t sell itself.
Final Thoughts
Together, these three tools give self-published authors a better chance at success. One improves the final product, one builds a professional bridge to readers, and the last makes sure your book gets discovered. Writing the book should remain the hardest part — it’s what sets good authors apart from not-so-good authors. Imagine the only thing standing in your way from becoming a bestseller being a formatting error on page one of your book.
It’s not worth it.
This post is not sponsored.