How to Find the Writing Tools and Self-publishing Apps Writers Need to Satisfy Readers’ Expectations Like the Top Authors

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1. Discover solutions to your writing problems.

   For every writing problem you will encounter, someone has already figured out a technological solution. In 1962, in his book Profiles of the Future, Arthur C. Clarke wrote, “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”
   
   Want some of that magic? Research which apps will solve your writing problems. For example, to reduce cost and avoid embarrassing errors, every book needs a thorough self-edit before hiring a professional editor. That’s why I use ProWritingAid*.

2. Embrace today’s writer-friendly self-publishing solutions.

   You no longer need to learn how to code to produce eye-catching digital and print books. For example, Both Amazon’s KDP and Draft2Digital* accept doc/docx (Microsoft Word) and PDF files.
   
   Yesterday, I uploaded a book for free to Draft2Digital. Today, I’m ordering at cost an author’s copy for less than half the retail price. I can then make updates before doing a wide distribution to several retailers.
   
   This technology made it easy and inexpensive to self-publish, and D2D’s support team quickly answered my questions.

3. Look professional with a high-quality book cover.

   It’s a fact: readers judge books by the covers. You have only a few seconds to grab your audience’s attention. Find a professional designer who can aim your book toward the target shoppers by clearly communicating the title and genre.
   
   For example, fiverr.com and upwork.com list dozens of cover designers, and both provide rates and reviews. Before you hire a designer, make sure you know what you want by diligently researching the competition (e.g., covers, titles, and sales), and that’s a perfect use of Publisher Rocket*.

4. Use the writing and self-publishing apps that fit your needs.

   Many writers routinely use Microsoft Word, and both KDP and Draft2Digital accept doc and docx files. Apple users have Pages, which can export the document in a Word file format. Google Docs also outputs Word formatted files.
   
   My favorite writing app is Scrivener because it has a superb editor, an excellent outliner, and a digital corkboard. Those writing tools help me organize entire writing projects, and I can output files in a wide variety of formats.
   
   For self-editing, I converted from Grammarly to ProWritingAid* a few years back because the online and desktop app gave me the ability to edit Scrivener documents without copying and pasting.
   
   Also, I use a combination of Canva Pro, Affinity Photo, and Affinity Designer to create and edit images, including book covers. By the way, I also use Canva Pro to create book-trailer promotions.

5. Adopt the mindset you’re managing a writing project.

   With any project, you have a set of tasks to complete and issues to resolve. Top authors are familiar with the cycle: write, publish, and promote.
   
   The Secret: plan your work and work your plan.
   
   You can track your progress with a spreadsheet (Apple Numbers, Microsoft Excel, and Google Sheets). Also, Scrivener has built-in tools for tracking the status of each scene (e.g., No Status, To Do, In Progress, First Draft, Second Draft, Final, and Done).