Author Toolkit
My Must-Have Software & Services
Welcome to my Author Toolkit! Over the years, I’ve wasted thousands of dollars on software and services that didn’t work. This page is a curated list of the exact tools I use and personally recommend to write, publish, and market my books. I’ve tested them all so you don’t have to.
WRITING & EDITING ESSENTIALS
Grammarly Premium
The essential final check before hitting publish. It catches 10x more errors than Word’s spellcheck and provides suggestions for clarity, tone, and engagement. I use the Premium version for its advanced style checks.
Benefit: Saves you hundreds on proofreading and prevents bad reviews. It’s the best investment for ensuring a professional manuscript.
Scrivener
The gold standard for long-form writers. It helps you manage your notes, research, outlines, and chapters all in one flexible, project-based interface. Perfect for both fiction and non-fiction authors.
Benefit: Organize your 100,000-word novel or complex research project without losing your mind. It’s a one-time purchase that lasts a lifetime.
EMAIL MARKETING & FUNNELS
AWeber
The email marketing platform I use and recommend most for authors. It’s incredibly user-friendly, has powerful automation, and a generous free plan to get started.
Benefit: Build your author platform and sell books directly to your fans. Their 365-day cookie is the longest in the business, which is a huge plus.
Go High Level
A powerful, all-in-one sales and marketing platform built for agencies and serious entrepreneurs. It replaces multiple tools like email, CRM, funnels, and scheduling in one dashboard.
Benefit: The ultimate tool for the "Authorpreneur" who wants to manage their entire business, from lead capture to course sales, in one place.
ClickFunnels 2.0
The industry leader in sales funnels. It’s a drag-and-drop builder designed to convert website visitors into paying customers (or email subscribers) with minimal effort.
Benefit: Stop relying on a static website. Build high-converting book funnels, lead magnet pages, and course sales pages in minutes.
KDP & MARKETING RESEARCH
Publisher Rocket
The single most important tool for KDP authors. It finds profitable keywords and categories that readers are actually searching for on Amazon.
Benefit: Stop guessing and start ranking on page 1 of Amazon. This tool pays for itself with the first book you launch.
Ubersuggest
The budget-friendly SEO tool I use for my author blog and website. It provides keyword ideas, content suggestions, and competitive analysis without the Ahrefs price tag.
Benefit: Get 90% of the data of the big SEO tools for a fraction of the cost. Essential for driving traffic to your author website.
Helium 10
While primarily for Amazon FBA sellers, I use their powerful keyword and product research tools to vet ideas for non-fiction books and analyze KDP competition.
Benefit: Gain an unfair advantage by using the most powerful Amazon research suite to dominate your niche.
WEBSITE & DESIGN
Bluehost
The web hosting provider I recommend for new authors. It’s affordable, reliable, and integrates seamlessly with WordPress (the best platform for an author website).
Benefit: Get your professional author website online in under 15 minutes for less than the cost of a cup of coffee per month.
SiteGround
SiteGround offers lightning-fast performance, top-tier security, and 24/7 expert support — making it perfect for authors who want a reliable and hassle-free hosting.
Benefit: SiteGround is worth the upgrade. It’s faster, safer, and more stable than most budget hosts.
Canva Pro
The most versatile design tool on the planet. I use it daily for social media graphics, ad creatives, author newsletter headers, and even quick mock-ups for book covers.
Benefit: Create professional-looking marketing materials without hiring a designer. The Pro version unlocks millions of stock photos and premium templates.
Disclosure: Some links below are affiliate links. If you choose to purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend tools that I use every single day and that provide massive value to my author business.