top of page

Must-have publishing resources for authors (updated July 2024)

The saying “you don’t know what you don’t know” is so true when it comes to publishing, whether it’s self-publishing or traditional publishing. Authors are writers first and foremost. They know the craft of writing, but it’s all the other steps—revising and editing, publishing, and marketing—that can be daunting, even to the most seasoned among them.



I’m always gathering vetted resource links that I can recommend to authors. So this post is just that! I’ve categorized the links by topic, so no matter where you are on the journey, or no matter your publishing path, you’ll hopefully find something helpful here.

 

For full disclosure, none (yes, none!) of these links are affiliate links. I don’t receive any kickback for promoting any of these websites or services. (All categories, subcategories, and links are in alphabetical order.)

 

Marketing


Apps

Booky Call (book discovery app)

Story Origin (cross-marketing promo app)


Email

Book Funnel (secure delivery of ebooks + email list builder)

Newsletter Ninja (author newsletter services)

Prolific Works (secure delivery of ebooks + email list builder)


Reviews + Awards


Services

Book Launchers (nonfiction self-pub services + marketing)


Social Media

Social Champ (social media post management)


Websites


Publishing – General

Author Services/Service Directories


Other

Canva (online graphic design tool)

Self-Publishing


Book Cover Design


Distribution Platforms


Indie Author Organizations


ISBNs

Bowker (official site to purchase ISBNs)


Metadata

Publisher Rocket (keywords/categories)

 

Traditional Publishing


Prep for Submission

How to Write a Novel Synopsis - Jane Friedman (blog from publishing industry expert)


Queries/Agented Submissions

Duotrope (for querying agents/editors, including for poetry and visual arts) Manuscript Wish List 

Unagented/Open Submissions

Authors Publish (free magazine)

Poets & Writers (database)

The Writer's Center (list of open submissions)

Writer’s Digest Books (guides to the writing market)

 

Writing & Editing


Craft


Style Guides

Associated Press Stylebook (subscription required)

Chicago Manual of Style (subscription required)

Modern Language Association (MLA) Handbook (subscription required)


Tools & Software

Merriam-Webster DictionaryPlottr (novel plotting software)


---

Notice a link that doesn’t work? Have a link that you think I should add? Let me know!

Comments


BACK TO ALL POSTS

bottom of page