Tools for Authors and Writers

Jackson Pollock using paint as a tool.

Here is my gift of tools for writers who want to publish ebooks, or print on demand.

 Please feel free to rate or add input to sites you feel are helpful.

ebooks, paperbacks, editing software, books, tools for writers

INFORMATION ON EXISTING TOOLS FOR WRITERS

Advanced Authors or Do it Yourself Indie Publishing

Author uploads files (Mobi, Epub, HTML, PDB, PDF, RTF, LRF, plaintext, worddoc etc. ) directly to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Sony, Apple, Diesel and a multitude of foreign sites that can also translate to other languages. This allows author the most “commission split.” Author provides camera ready format to each different site (all have a variety of size and pixel requirements) Author is savvy enough to either hire an editor or contract with artist to complete cover art. Author determines price points and manages own “platform.” Authors talk about their platform as their whole brand that includes blog-site, website, social marketing, attending conferences, public speaking, blog tours, and face to face marketing. This Advanced author is usually a midlist author who has more than four novels and has been published traditionally. Author might have copyrights reverted back from books published prior to 2008 and they are now uploading and selling old “backlist” books as e-release. Ebooks can boost visibility and sales direct to author.
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Moderate Skill levels for Authors needed to use:

Split your profits direct with a publishing site while they provide conversion software

Publishers who will convert your word doc file completed for free into all ebook formats:

Smashwords owned by Mark Coker

Takes a percentage of sales with no upfront costs. Uses their converter called “meatgrinder” from a word doc file that has no text boxes, no tab spaces into all formats. Not simple to get a clean enough file to fit Smashword’s format. Book is live published worldwide in a week. Smashwords’ own website is not reader friendly nor optimized to attract readers to purchase direct.

LuLu another site that offers independent publishing and an Author “store”

Bookbaby $99 or $199 plus monthly $19 conversions, editing, cost for corrections a little steep


No skill needed, the publisher charges for the uploading and takes a cut of sales:
Ones that charge fees or are considered vanity publishers: TATE, Dorrance Chronicle,,Iuniverse Outskirtspress, Author House, IPRC, Independent Publisher, Hayhouse, Authorsolutions, Author solutions is $2000- 3000 super pricey Sillowaypress Upublish, Spannet, Berhahn, Continuum, justbookingJustbooks, instantpublisher, bookmarket, Baen, and a couple hundred more...

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Blogging sites that are free and easy: Blogger owned by Google and Wordpress privately owned

Wordpress is more user friendly owned by Matt Mullenwag ( also owns buddypress and Akismet)

The reason why authors will choose these as opposed to their own website the posting is fast and Google will rank a blogspot (Blogger site) better than a new website. Author controls content and can sell Adwords, make links, create page rank and link directly to Amazon, B&N, Sony, Diesel and Apple. Author makes a little side money from the blogs.

 Createspace (owned by Amazon) is a pay site that is cheap. Authors can print on demand a book paperback only and ebooks by coordinating with Amazon (Kindle Direct) for little or no cost. Create Space offers a smorgasbord of services needed: cover art, full editing, blogs, chat rooms, advice, some goofy scams.

Penguin’s Bookcountry allows authors to find agents, Harper Collins has Authonomy Authonomy. Etc.. Traditional publishing houses (Big Six) already have their own e-publishing, promotion sites and market only their own contracted author media.

Author promotion sites: Redroom, Red Room charges a small annual fee and is a well-respected author website

Also: Absolutewrite, Authorsden, and Salon are a few others to review and compare.

Online editing as we all know is not infallible. Word’s understanding and auto correct can give a write a false sense of spelling.

Editing online software:

Grammarly annual fees

Prowritingaid FREE

Whitesmoke software pricey