Programs and Tools I Use
These are links to programs and tools which help me in the business of writing, just as much as the art.
Nota Bene: Some of these links are part of an affiliate program. This means if you click on the link and purchase the product, I will earn a small percentage of the sale. I never recommend something I haven’t tried out for myself. If it’s on this page, that means I trust the product or program and liked using it enough to want others to be aware of it. I hope they similarly work for you, but if they don’t fit the bill, you can easily research these services (or others like them) using your favorite search engine (google, duckduckgo, etc.). There are many products out there, and you should only use the ones which have the most value for you.
Web Design Tools
Website
I host my website (and get my domain) from Bluehost.com, which uses WordPress. I find the interface easy to use and customizable enough to accommodate my needs.
Mailing List
Emails subscribed to my mailing list (newsletter sign up here!) are handled using Mailerlite. I chose this service because they have a free option for authors with small subscriber lists, and are easily scalable as the list grows.
Downloads
In order to send my free short story “The Helping Hand” to folks who subscribe to my newsletter, I created a Bookfunnel account. They’re not free, but their rates are reasonable and their customer service is very good.
Publishing Tools
Formatting
To format my ebooks, paperbacks, and hardbacks, I use Vellum Press. Vellum is a Mac-only program which formats books across a variety of different ebook platforms and a huge diversity of physical book requirements. I use them for everything, including large print novels! There’s a cheaper version of Vellum that only covers ebooks (which you can upgrade for physical copies). I find the program simple to use and the design choices are elegant. At this time, I do not believe they are planning a version for the PC.
Book Covers
Currently, all my covers are created using Bookbrush.com. Bookbrush has a bit of a learning curve, but I truly enjoy the service and am quite happy with the results. They have a free trial you can register for before selecting a paid account. There’s also GIMP, which is a free opensource program for image manipulation, and another editing program online called Pixlr for the true homebrewers amongst us!
Fonts
I use Cinzel Decorativa by Natanael Gama for my titles. This is a free downloadable font.
Writing Program
I use Microsoft Word. I know people like Scrivener and other programs like that, but I don’t really see a need to buy an extra program right now.