5 Digital Tools You Should Try When Self-Publishing Your Next Book
For fledgling or independent authors, self-publishing can be a creatively-fulfilling endeavor. But this does not necessarily mean that such an undertaking comes without any challenges, all of which we explore in our post “Writing Challenges All Writers Face (and How to Overcome Them)”. For instance, just starting the first draft can already be a monumental challenge since it can be quite overwhelming to confront a blank page. Other self-publishing writers may also struggle with setting aside time to finish their work due to other obligations.
However, self-publishing can definitely be rewarding. All you need to do is properly prepare for it. One way you can do so is by streamlining the process as much as possible. Here are 5 digital tools you can try so you can do just that when self-publishing your next book.
Notion
To stay on top of your writing and publishing tasks, consider the powerful and user-friendly project-management tool Notion. With it, you can break down your tasks into to-do lists, set notifications for deadlines, and organize everything using a clean and drag-and-drop interface. The software's handy ‘database’ feature is a pre-made block of information and can be converted into a layout of your choice. This can help you arrange your chapters and references into a table format. There’s also the option to convert it into a calendar or timeline to set start dates and deadlines for writing, formatting, and publishing. To attest to the efficiency and ease of use of Notion’s design, author Alex MacCaw—who founded the B2B marketing tool Clearbit—even used the program to successfully complete his book.
Grammarly
Proofreading and editing can take you so much time. To streamline your workflow without interrupting your thought process, try the writing tool Grammarly. Its browser plugin and downloadable app on PC automatically correct any grammatical or punctuation errors as you go. You can also tailor the suggestions according to the writing style you want to achieve—so if your book has a specific tone like convincing, casual, or knowledgeable, it can guide you along.
InDesign
As a self-publisher, you're in charge of the format and layout of your book. Adobe’s InDesign program makes it easy for anyone to format publications on their own. The program has layout guides that help you align page elements in a clean and presentable way. With InDesign, you can get a professional-looking book using easy-to-learn features.
Scribd
It isn’t easy to find readership and a stable platform without a publisher. Fortunately, this online document-sharing platform makes it much easier for readers to find your book. Scribd catalogs books according to genre and format, ensuring that your book is easily searchable for readers perusing your genre. The platform also pays authors the price of one whole book whenever a reader has gone through at least 30% of your work. Ten reads that cover 15% to 30% of your work count as one book sold. With its lucrative business model and efficient marketing setup, even established names like Stephen King use Scribd as their platform of choice.
Refind
After you self-publish your book, the next step is to market it and reach more readers. Refind is one tool that can help maximize your efforts. It does so by simply bringing your marketing content to readers who find it relevant.
Self-publishing your book can be an enormous feat. Since the success of your self-published book largely rests on your efforts, these digital tools can ease and streamline your workflow.