10 Apps to Help Publish Your Book and Why They Are Beneficial
Publishing a book involves a lot of moving parts—editing, formatting, marketing, and distribution. Fortunately, there are several apps and tools available to make the process smoother, faster, and more professional. Whether you're self-publishing or preparing for a traditional publishing route, these 10 apps can assist in various stages of the publishing journey, from manuscript creation to marketing and distribution. If you are struggling to publish your book, book a 60-minute consultation with author Antonia Royal-Whitmore who has published over a dozen projects.
1. Vellum
Why It’s Beneficial:
Vellum is one of the best apps for self-publishers when it comes to book formatting. It takes the hassle out of converting your manuscript into a polished, professional-looking eBook and print-ready format. With its easy-to-use interface, you can quickly format your book for Kindle, iBooks, and paperback print. Vellum also allows for a beautiful design of chapter headings, font choices, and more.
2. Canva
Why It’s Beneficial:
Canva is a powerful, free graphic design app that authors can use to create stunning book covers, marketing materials, and social media graphics. The app comes with a wide range of templates, fonts, and images, so even those without graphic design experience can produce professional-quality designs. Whether you're making a book cover or social media banners, Canva makes it accessible.
3. ProWritingAid
Why It’s Beneficial:
Before you publish, your manuscript needs to be polished, and ProWritingAid is an excellent editing tool. It helps improve your grammar, style, readability, and structure. The app can scan your document for overused words, repetitive sentence structures, and even pacing issues, making it an indispensable tool for self-publishing authors.
4. IngramSpark
Why It’s Beneficial:
IngramSpark is a self-publishing platform that allows authors to publish both print and eBooks globally. With IngramSpark, you can distribute your book to over 40,000 retailers, libraries, and online bookstores, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and independent bookshops. It provides professional-quality print options, including hardcover, paperback, and paperback with color inserts.
5. Draft2Digital
Why It’s Beneficial:
Draft2Digital is an easy-to-use self-publishing platform for authors who want to distribute eBooks to a wide range of retailers. It handles everything from formatting your eBook to ensuring it's distributed to Amazon, Apple Books, Kobo, and many others. Draft2Digital also provides an author-friendly dashboard and royalty tracking.
6. BookFunnel
Why It’s Beneficial:
BookFunnel is a powerful tool for distributing your eBooks and gaining reviews. It’s perfect for offering free or discounted copies of your book in exchange for email sign-ups or reviews. BookFunnel allows for easy delivery of eBooks to readers on any device and includes custom landing pages for promotional campaigns.
7. Mailchimp
Why It’s Beneficial:
Mailchimp is one of the most popular email marketing platforms, and it's essential for authors looking to build a mailing list. By using Mailchimp, you can create and manage email campaigns, share updates, offer exclusive promotions, and keep readers engaged with your upcoming releases. This is crucial for self-published authors trying to maintain communication with their audience.
8. BookBrush
Why It’s Beneficial:
BookBrush is a unique app specifically designed for authors to create promotional materials and ads. It provides easy-to-use templates for making social media ads, book banners, website images, and 3D book covers. It’s perfect for authors who want to create professional marketing materials without the need for a graphic designer.
9. Smashwords
Why It’s Beneficial:
Smashwords is one of the largest ebook distribution platforms, offering global reach to libraries, retailers, and indie bookstores. As a self-published author, Smashwords makes it easy to upload and distribute your eBook to major platforms like Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, and Kobo, and it also allows authors to create coupon codes for discounts.
10. BookLaunch
Why It’s Beneficial:
BookLaunch is a marketing tool for authors who want to set up a professional-looking book landing page and manage pre-orders or launches. With this app, you can easily create a website for your book, offer readers a way to sign up for updates, and even send them exclusive content or bonus chapters.
Final Thoughts
From formatting your manuscript to distributing your eBook, and marketing your book, these 10 apps provide essential tools to help streamline the publishing process. Whether you’re self-publishing or just looking for ways to manage the complex elements of book publishing, each of these apps offers unique benefits that can make your author journey more efficient, organized, and professional.
By using the right apps, you can focus more on writing and creating and less on the logistics and technicalities of publishing.
Which apps have you found helpful in your publishing journey? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Remember, you don’t have to publish alone. Book your author consultation today! https://www.publacklibrary.org/publishingserevices
Other FREE author resources:
40 ways to market your book download:
https://www.publacklibrary.org/shop/p/40-ways-to-market-your-book
Publishing Checklist:
https://www.publacklibrary.org/shop/p/publishing-checklist
How to Organize Your Book
https://www.publacklibrary.org/shop/p/how-to-organize-your-book-pdf-1
