The ultimate list of self-publishing resources for indie authors
Last updated: April 2025.
There are a lot of steps in the self-publishing process. During the years I’ve spent supporting authors, I’ve come across a wide range of tools, programs, and communities that help make those books and writing careers possible. Now it’s time to share them.
This is an ever-evolving and growing list of tools and groups that transform the dream of a book into a reality for self-published authors.
I have opinions on most of them. But this is not the place for my thoughts, and I won’t try to sway you in any direction. Instead, this is a list of options, a starting point before you ask, “Is this right for me?”
This information is for those who want to become a self-published author, writers considering self-publishing, and traditionally published authors who are considering self-publishing.
What you’ll find in this list of resources
Self-publishing programs and tools for
Writing and Planning
Creating Manuscripts and Books
Creating Graphic Design and Visual Content
Self-Publishing Platforms
Self-Publishing Communities and Organizations
Self-Publishing Marketing Platforms
Indie Book Reviewers and Book Bloggers
Large Review Sites
Small Review Sites
Acknowledgements
Self-publishing programs and tools for writing and planning
When you’re ready to move on from handwriting your manuscripts, worldbuilding, and plot, it’s time to go digital. These digital programs and tools are built for writing. The following tools have been used by various authors with varied success. Always do your own research before using them to ensure they align with your brand ethics and budget.
Aeon Timeline
A project planner application that can support novelists with tracking story planning, novel outlining, and worldbuilding in one place.
Website: www.aeontimeline.com
Atticus
Writing software with a book formatting tool that includes customizable templates. Work from other programmes can be imported into Atticus.
Website: atticus.io
Campfire
A reading and writing platform for genre fiction, Campfire has writing software that allows writers to plan, write, and publish work to the site.
Website: www.campfirewriting.com
Dragon NaturallySpeaking (DNS) or Dragon for PC
A speech-to-text software, DNS is used to transcribe the spoken word into a written document.
Website: www.nuance.com
Google Docs and Google Sheets
A word processing program and a spreadsheet program developed by Google.
Website: docs.google.com
Grammarly
An English language software tool. The free version reviews spelling and grammar. Grammarly Pro provides more features for a price.
Website: www.grammarly.com
Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel
A word processing program and a spreadsheet program developed by Microsoft.
Website: www.microsoft.com
Novlr
A writer-owned creative writing platform that tracks writing progress and writing goals while offering access to a community of writers.
Website: www.novlr.org
Plottr
A visual planner tool specifically built to assist writers with planning their story plot, story outline, and developing a story bible.
Website: plotter.com
ProWritingAid
An English language software tool. The free version reviews spelling and grammar. Paying for ProWritingAid Pro provides more features.
Website: www.prowritingaid.com
World Anvil
A set of worldbuilding tools that help writers create, organize, and store their worlds while sharing with fellow users and team members.
Website: www.worldanvil.com
Self-publishing programs and tools for creating manuscripts and books
Before you publish, your book needs to be transformed into a manuscript or the format required for publishing in your chosen medium. The following tools have been used by various authors with varied success. Always do your own research before using them to ensure they align with your brand ethics and budget.
Calibre
A free, open-source eBook management system, Calibre supports conversion between a wide array of eBook formats and provides an in-built editor.
Website: calibre-ebook.com
Scrivener
An application that includes writing software, editing tools, organizing systems, and templates for specific formats.
Website: scriviner.app
Sigil
A free, open-source editing software for e-books in the EPUB format.
Website: sigil-ebook.com
Vellum
An application for the Mac that formats eBooks (with Vellum Ebooks), paperbacks, and hardcovers (with Vellum Print).
Website: vellum.pub
Self-publishing programs and tools for creating graphic design and visual content
From website graphics to social media promotion graphics and printed merchandise, self-publishing means you have to self-promote. The following tools and programs have been used to create designs for a variety of content. The following tools have been used by various authors with varied success. Always do your own research before using them to ensure they align with your brand ethics and budget.
Adobe Express
A cloud-based graphic design platform and content creation tool developed by Adobe.
Website: www.adobe.com
Canva
An online graphic design platform that provides tools for creating a range of online and print designs, including book promotion graphics. There is a basic free version and a paid Canva Pro with access to all the different features and images.
Website: www.canva.com
Photoshop
Adobe Photoshop is a photo editor with image editing tools and part of the Adobe range. Mainly used to edit photographs and create images.
Website: www.adobe.com
Pixlr
An online, cloud-based photo editor with image editing tools.
Website: pixler.com
Self-Publishing Platforms
When you’re ready to self-publish and distribute your book, it’s time to look at self-publishing platforms.
The following sites have been used by various authors with varied success. Always do your own research before signing up to use these sites to ensure they align with your brand ethics and budget.
Amazon KDP
From eBooks to paperbacks and hardcovers, Amazon KDP (Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing) offers a POD (Print On Demand) service that publishes your books and sells them directly on Amazon.
Website: kdp.amazon.com
Apple Books
A built-in Apple application, Apple Books offers e-book and audiobook publishing for self-publishing authors.
Website: authors.apple.com
Author’s Republic
Specializing in audiobooks, Author’s Republic works with authors to find narrators, record an audiobook, and audiobook distribution.
Website: www.authorsrepublic.com
Barnes and Noble Press
The booksellers Barnes and Noble now offer self-publishing for eBooks, paperbacks, and hardcovers through their Barnes and Noble Press.
Website: press.barnesandnoble.com
BookBaby
Promoted as a one-stop shop for self-publishing, distribution, and marketing, BookBaby uses Amazon KDP POD (Print-On-Demand) to publish books and offers support with editing and book cover design.
Website: www.bookbaby.com
Draft2Digital (D2D)
A POD (Print On Demand) self-publishing service, Draft2Digital can publish and distribute eBooks and printed books.
Website: www.draft2digital.com
IngramSpark
A POD (Print On Demand) self-publishing service, Ingram Spark can publish and distribute eBooks, paperbacks, and hardcovers.
Website: www.ingramspark.com
Itch.io
Originally a platform for independent developers to host, sell, and distribute digital content, indie authors have found success using the site to sell eBooks.
Website: itch.io
KOBO
Specializing in eBooks and audiobooks, KOBO or Kobo Writing Life is Rakuten Kobo’s self-publishing platform for independent authors.
Website: www.kobo.com
Lulu
A distribution and POD (Print-on-demand) service, Lulu specializes in eBooks, paperbacks, and hardcovers.
Website: www.lulu.com
Novlr
A writer-owned creative writing platform that tracks writing progress and writing goals. The paid Pro account supports eBook publishing.
Website: www.novlr.org
Smashwords
An ebook retailer that hosts annual sales events. Acquired by Draft2Digital in 2022, those who plan to sell through the Smashwords site must register at Draft2Digital.
Website: www.smashwords.com
World Anvil
Alongside free worldbuilding tools that help writers create, organize, and store their worlds, the paid version offers digital publishing software.
Website: www.worldanvil.com
Self-Publishing Communities and Organizations
Part of being a writer in the modern day includes community. There are existing communities that exist to build your knowledge, find like-minded writers in your genre/niche, and help you to start growing your audience. There are lots of existing communities for authors and writers. Creating a complete list would take far too long and be outside the remit of this blog post. Instead, this list focuses on self-publishing groups, communities, and organizations.
Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi)
A global, non-profit organization that promotes and provides assistance to independent authors from indie authors. There are three levels of paid membership.
Website: www.allianceindependentauthors.org
BookBub
A book discovery site. Becoming a BookBub Partner allows authors to access marketing tools and promote their books to readers on the site.
Website: www.bookbub.com
On the social media platform Facebook, there are a variety of self-publishing groups. Self Publishing Support Group is a community of self-published authors with over 166,000 members offering advice.
Indie Book Spotlight
Run by indie author Rebecca Crunden, Indie Book Spotlight is on most platforms, most notably Bluesky and Discord. A community of indie creatives has grown up around this account with regular uplift posts, book promotions (when invited), and memes.
Linktree: rjcrunden
On the social media platform Reddit, there is a community around the subreddit known as r/selfpublish with over 176,000 followers. Other subreddits focus on genre and sharing writing prompts.
Scribophile
A writing critique site with potential beta readers. Members offer critiques and gain points that allow them to share their own writing.
Website: www.scribophile.com
The Society of Authors
The UK trade union of authors, writers, illustrators, and literary translators. Membership means access to legal advice, contract reviews, and workshops.
Website: societyofauthors.org
Self-Publishing Marketing Platforms
Once your book is ready, or nearly ready, you’ll want to market it. There are various platforms that support book marketing in different ways.
The following sites have been used by various authors with varied success. Always do your own research before signing up to use these sites to ensure they align with your brand ethics and budget.
BookFunnel
A cross-promotional marketing platform for authors. Features include ARC (Advance Reader/Review Copy) management, reader magnet delivery, and facilitating author collaborations like group promotions or author newsletter swaps.
Website: bookfunnel.com
BookSweeps
A cross-promotional marketing platform for authors. Features include list-building promos, highlighting social media posts in the BookSweeps Directory, and other book promotion management.
Website: booksweeps.com
Prolific Works
Previously known as Instafreebie, authors give away an ebook for free and receive the email address of the recipient for their mailing list.
Website: www.prolificworks.com
StoryOrigin
A cross-promotional marketing platform for authors. Features include building mailing lists, facilitating newsletter swaps, and collaborating with other authors for group promotions.
Website: storyoriginapp.com
Indie Book Reviewers and Book Bloggers
Social Proof is vital to finding success in self-publishing. Social proof is when other people share, promote and review a product. This second-party promotion speaks much louder than you, the author, saying “please buy my book.” The modern version of word-of-mouth promotion includes book reviews and book influencers talking about your book to their audience. If you plan to include book reviews and influencers in your book promotion, look for a reviewer or book blogger whose audience includes the kind of people who would love your book.
Large Review Sites
The following sites have been used by various authors with varied success. Always do your own research before signing up to use these sites to ensure they align with your brand ethics and budget.
Amazon
The Amazon Author Central allows authors to create an Author Page and sell books directly from the Amazon shop. Those who purchase from Amazon can also leave a book review.
Website: www.amazon.com
Booksprout
Automate your ARC (Advanced Reader/Review Copy) process and find reviewers.
Website: www.booksprout.co
Goodreads
A book community and review site owned by Amazon. Authors can create an author profile to add their books to the site and receive reviews from readers.
Website: www.goodreads.com
Indie Story Geek
A website for readers, reviewers and authors to share indie reads, including small press, self-published, or web serials. Self-published authors can add their books and share review copies while meeting readers and bloggers.
Website: www.indiestorygeek.com
LibraryThing
A free book tracking platform with a community of readers and reviewers. Every month, LibraryThing’s early reviewer programme gives away thousands of new and forthcoming books.
In 2018, LibraryThing took over running Litsy, a social media platform for booklovers.
Website: www.librarything.com
Website: www.litsy.com
NetGalley
A platform that allows authors to share an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy or Advanced Review Copy) eBook or audiobook with reviewers, bloggers, and librarians.
Website: www.netgalley.com
The StoryGraph
A platform for personalized book suggestions and reviews, The StoryGraph is free to use and includes a wide community of users. The StoryGraph Plus has extra features like custom pie charts, extra stat filters, and more.
Website: www.thestorygraph.com
Small Review Sites
The following sites have been used by various authors with varied success. Always do your own research before signing up to use these sites to ensure they align with your brand ethics and budget.
Book Review Directory
The Book Review Directory offers editorial reviews. The site also hosts a list of book bloggers who can review your book for free.
Website: bookreviewdirectory.com
BookSirens
Primarily a platform that will share and promote your book for a fee, BookSirens also hosts a list of bloggers. A list can be accessed by typing in the genre you write or the genre of the book you want to be reviewed.
Website: booksirens.com
The IndieView
Established in 2010, The IndieView shares indie book reviews from around the web. There is also a collated list of indie book reviewers who regularly post reviews and don’t charge a fee. Users can look through the list to find a reviewer who reads their genre.
Website: www.theindieview.com
Voracious Readers Only
Indie authors can use Voracious Readers Only to find up to twenty reviewers for free. There is an application process and readers who show interest in your book can be added to your email list.
Website: www.voraciousreadersonly.com
Acknowledgements
As with stories and books, I couldn’t have made this without help from others.
Thank you to Rebecca Crunden and Dax Murray for providing useful information through their social media and online guides.
Rebecca Crunden, also known as Indie Book Spotlight, is a self-published author who writes a variety of genres. Find out more at linktr.ee/rjcrunden
Dax Murray is a self-published author who writes revolutionary fantasy; sapphic romance. Find out more at dax.ink
If you have any recommendations for self-publishing resources that should be included in this list, please get in touch.
Please note: the resources listed on this blog do not automatically mean that they are endorsed or recommended by Mary Wyrd.