Vellum | Create beautiful books

Vellum is an excellent tool for authors who want a seamless way to format professional-quality eBooks and print books. Its intuitive interface allows writers to import Word documents and instantly convert them into polished manuscripts with features like automatic chapter breaks, customizable styles, and professional design options. Vellum supports beautiful typographic enhancements, ornamental breaks, and formatted chapters that meet industry standards for self-publishing on platforms like Amazon KDP. Although it is exclusive to Mac users and comes with a premium price, the time-saving convenience and quality output make it an ideal choice for authors planning to publish multiple books.

Lulu | Online Self-Publishing Book & Ebook Company

Lulu is a great platform for writers looking to self-publish their work, offering a range of affordable services. It allows authors to print and distribute both physical and e-books, with no upfront fees and the ability to print on demand. Lulu provides free features like design templates, pricing calculators, and tools to help authors estimate costs and potential profits. For those looking to sell their books, Lulu's global distribution network reaches major retailers, including Amazon, and offers additional sales through its own marketplace. This makes it an excellent choice for writers seeking an accessible, cost-effective route to self-publishing.

Sudowrite | Best AI writing partner for fiction

Sudowrite is an AI-powered writing assistant tailored for fiction authors, offering a suite of tools to enhance creativity and streamline the writing process. Features like brainstorming for character and plot development, the "Story Engine" for guided drafting, and tools for vivid descriptions make it a valuable resource for storytelling. It includes a free trial and affordable subscription options, starting at $19/month, making it accessible for writers at all levels. With its ability to provide actionable feedback and streamline revisions, Sudowrite is an excellent companion for authors aiming to refine their craft and bring stories to life.

Grammarly | Free AI Writing assistant

Grammarly is an excellent tool for writers seeking to refine and polish their work. Its real-time grammar correction and intuitive interface allow writers to spot and fix errors as they type, improving the quality of their writing instantly. The free version provides basic spelling and grammar checks, while the premium version offers advanced features like plagiarism detection, tone analysis, and vocabulary enhancement, making it ideal for writers of all levels. The software's affordability and cross-platform accessibility ensure writers can work efficiently, whether drafting an email or preparing a manuscript.

Rytr | Free AI Writer, Content Generator & Writing Assistant

Rytr.me is an affordable and intuitive AI-powered writing assistant designed to help writers streamline content creation. It offers diverse use cases, including generating blog posts, marketing copy, and story ideas, while supporting over 30 languages. Rytr's features include tone customization, SEO optimization, and built-in plagiarism checks, ensuring originality and quality. Its free plan allows users to create up to 10,000 characters monthly, with affordable premium options for unlimited content creation. Writers can benefit from its ability to save time and inspire creativity, making it an excellent tool for crafting publish-ready work

PreWriter | AI Content Tool that Empowers Writers

PreWriter.ai is an AI-powered content creation platform designed to help writers streamline their creative process. It excels in generating research-backed content suggestions, grammar recommendations, and SEO-friendly writing. PreWriter's tools enable writers to focus on personalizing and refining their work rather than spending extensive time on initial drafts or research. The platform is also multilingual, making it suitable for localized and international audiences.

Users can start with 20 free tokens to test its features, and the pricing is competitive for those looking to boost productivity. By combining natural language processing and SEO insights, PreWriter supports content that resonates with readers while adhering to best practices​.

Speechify | Text to Speech Reader & AI Voice Generator

Speechify is a powerful text-to-speech platform designed to help writers, students, and professionals transform written content into natural-sounding audio. Its free plan includes basic text-to-speech features, while the Premium plan, at $139 per year, offers advanced functionalities such as high-quality voices, multilingual support, and faster listening speeds. Key features include the ability to create audiobooks, sync content across devices, and adjust reading speed to enhance productivity. With its versatile offerings, Speechify is particularly beneficial for multitaskers, accessibility needs, and those looking to maximize their time and comprehension while preparing or consuming content​.

Autocrit | Built to Make You a Brilliant Writer

AutoCrit is a powerful editing tool tailored specifically for fiction writers, offering a variety of features to enhance your storytelling and writing quality. It stands out with its genre-specific editing, enabling you to compare your manuscript against industry benchmarks for genres like romance, thriller, or sci-fi. Its advanced tools, such as the Story Analyzer, provide feedback on plot progression, character arcs, and pacing, helping writers address potential weaknesses.

AutoCrit also offers interactive reports on areas like adverb usage, word repetition, and strong writing techniques. Its formatting capabilities support seamless export to EPUB or PDF, ready for digital or print publishing. Subscription plans start at $30 per month, with annual discounts available, making it an affordable and efficient option for writers aiming to polish their manuscripts to professional standards.

Google Books

Google Books is an excellent tool for writers and readers alike, offering access to a vast library of over 10 million free public-domain books, government publications, and works made available by copyright holders. This platform allows users to explore books by searching within them and view snippets or sample pages for copyrighted works. Writers can leverage the Partner Program to make their books discoverable globally, driving visibility and sales.

Unlike Google Play Books, which focuses on selling eBooks and audiobooks directly to consumers, Google Books primarily serves as a discovery and promotional platform for literary works​.

Google Play Books

Google Play Books is a dynamic platform that allows writers to publish and distribute eBooks directly to a global audience via the Google Play Store, accessible on Android and iOS devices. It supports flexible pricing, including promotional options like free or discounted sales periods. Unique features include auto-narrated audiobooks, enabling authors to convert English or Spanish eBooks into audio format seamlessly, broadening accessibility and audience reach. While there are no upfront costs, Google retains a percentage of the sales revenue as commission.

Unlike Google Books, which is primarily a search and discovery platform for book content, Google Play Books focuses on direct eBook sales and distribution.

Apple Books | Read, listen, discover. All in one app.

Apple Books for Authors is an excellent platform for writers looking to publish their work across eBooks and audiobooks. Offering a flat 70% royalty rate regardless of price and no exclusivity requirements, Apple Books provides an affordable and straightforward publishing route. Their intuitive tools streamline the publishing process, from formatting to promotion, allowing authors to maintain full control over their pricing and reach. Additionally, the platform offers insightful sales reporting, audiobook opportunities, and pre-order strategies to boost initial visibility upon launch. Apple Books' commitment to supporting writers makes it a versatile choice for self-publishing.

ProWritingAid | The Storytellers Toolkit

ProWritingAid is a grammar checker, style editor, and writing mentor in one package. Say goodbye to typos, passive voice, awkward sentences, and more when you use ProWritingAid’s free editing software on your writing. ProWritingAid is a self-editing tool that helps you feel confident in your writing, by providing instant analysis and improvements. Alongside a grammar checker and paraphrasing tool, you get 25+ writing reports to ensure error-free, engaging, and memorable writing. How It Works ProWritingAid provides grammar corrections and style improvements you can either accept, deny, or click to learn more about. You can customize your dictionary and style guide and personalize your settings to receive relevant suggestions that are tailored to your writing style and goals.

KDP | Kindle Direct Publishing from Amazon.

Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is an excellent platform for writers seeking to self-publish their work and reach a global audience. It allows authors to publish eBooks and paperbacks for free, with no upfront costs, while offering print-on-demand services to eliminate inventory worries. KDP's royalty options are particularly appealing, with up to 70% earnings on eBooks priced between $2.99 and $9.99 in eligible regions. Additionally, KDP Select enables access to Kindle Unlimited readers, increasing exposure and potential revenue.

Authors benefit from tools to track sales, manage pricing, and leverage promotional features like Kindle Countdown Deals. While competition on the platform is significant, KDP's global reach and built-in marketing tools make it a top choice for self-publishing authors looking to maintain creative control and connect directly with readers.

Publishdrive | Self-publishing platform with a global reach

PublishDrive is an excellent resource for writers seeking a streamlined, global publishing solution. It offers authors access to a vast distribution network covering hundreds of retailers and libraries worldwide, helping writers maximize their reach and visibility. One of its standout features is the subscription model, which allows authors to retain 100% of their net royalties—especially beneficial for those with high sales volumes. PublishDrive also offers advanced analytics and marketing tools, enabling users to track sales performance and implement targeted promotional strategies effectively. Additionally, its book conversion services simplify the technical side of publishing, making it easier for authors to focus on their writing.

Kobo | eBooks, Audiobooks, eReaders and Reading apps

Kobo is an excellent platform for writers looking to publish their work due to its wide-reaching global presence, competitive royalties, and accessible promotional opportunities. Through Kobo Writing Life, authors can publish directly and retain higher royalties—up to 70% on qualifying sales compared to other platforms like Amazon. Kobo also offers access to Kobo Plus, a subscription-based program similar to Kindle Unlimited, allowing readers to access your books via monthly subscriptions, with authors earning based on engagement rather than just sales numbers. Additionally, Kobo provides tools like straightforward pre-order setups, promotions, and merchandising opportunities to boost visibility. While affordable, this platform allows you to market your books internationally in up to 190 countries, reaching diverse audiences that may not shop solely on Amazon. Kobo’s flexible publishing model and ease of access make it a strong choice for any author looking to expand their publishing opportunities.

Ingramspark | You Have a Story. Share It with the World

IngramSpark is an excellent choice for writers aiming to publish and distribute their books widely. It specialises in both print-on-demand and eBook distribution, offering options for paperback, hardcover, and eBook formats. IngramSpark stands out by providing global reach to bookstores, libraries, and retailers beyond Amazon, thanks to its extensive distribution network. Their services include tools for book design, marketing support, and a robust self-publishing platform. While there is a setup fee, their affordable pricing is offset by access to a vast range of distribution channels and resources to help writers successfully self-publish their work

Barnes & Noble | The Internet's Largest Bookstore

Barnes & Noble Press offers an intuitive and accessible self-publishing platform for writers looking to bring their work to readers. With options for both print and digital publishing, authors can take advantage of features like competitive royalty rates and global distribution. Barnes & Noble's system is straightforward, allowing authors to retain creative control while leveraging a large, established marketplace to reach audiences. Additionally, the platform offers free publishing services with only a percentage of royalties taken from sales, making it an affordable option for both new and experienced authors. With user-friendly tools and direct access to the Barnes & Noble bookstore network, Barnes & Noble Press is a strong choice for writers aiming to publish efficiently and successfully.