20 Free Self-Publishing Tools for New Authors

The self-publishing world can be overwhelming. With traditional publishing, you have a team of people to do almost everything for you. But with self-publishing, you are on your own.

There are a lot of tools for self-publishing authors to use. However, trying to find them all and weed out the bad ones could take forever.

I created this list of the best free self-publishing tools for new authors to save you a lot of time (and money!).

Free Self-Publishing Tools

*As an Amazon affiliate I earn a teeny tiny commission if you make a purchase. (And I mean tiny!)

1. Grammarly

Grammarly is a writing tool that checks for errors and offers suggestions. It’s like a supercharged spell checker that goes beyond basic grammar and punctuation mistakes. Here’s a breakdown of its free features:

• Grammar, spelling, and punctuation
• Citation suggestions
• Tone detection

*Pro Tip: Don’t rely on Grammarly alone to catch mistakes. It cannot replace proofreading by the human eye.

2. ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid is another AI-powered writing assistant similar to Grammarly. It focuses on helping writers improve their grammar, style, and clarity. Here’s a closer look at what the free version offers:

• 500-word count limit
• 10 rephrases per day
• 3 AI Sparks per day (Used to rewrite, enhance, summarize, expand, or continue writing)
• Grammar, spelling, punctuation
• Word Explorer and Thesaurus
• Document typesetting

3. Canva

Canva is a graphic design platform that allows you to create all sorts of visual content, from social media posts to presentations and even printable materials. It’s known for its user-friendly interface and wide range of features, making it a popular choice for both beginners and experienced designers.

The free version of Canva offers a surprising amount of functionality to get you started:

• Design tools: Canva provides a drag-and-drop editor that makes it easy to create designs, even for those without design experience.
• Templates: You’ll have access to a vast library of free templates for various purposes, including social media posts, presentations, posters, infographics, and more. These templates provide a great starting point and can save you time.
• Free media library: Canva offers a large collection of free stock photos, videos, graphics, and audio tracks that you can use in your designs.
• Fonts: While there are some premium fonts available, the free version gives you access to a decent selection of fonts to choose from.
• Collaboration: You can collaborate with friends or colleagues on your designs by sharing them and allowing them to edit.
• Basic storage: Free accounts get a limited amount of storage space for your designs.

However, there are some limitations with the free version:

• Watermarks: Designs created with free elements might have a Canva watermark on them. To remove the watermark, you’ll need to purchase the element or subscribe to Canva Pro.
• Limited free elements: While there’s a good selection of free content, some fonts, photos, videos, and other elements are reserved for paying users.
• Limited storage: As mentioned earlier, the free tier has limited storage space for your designs.

Canva is one of the best free self-publishing tools for authors because you can design book covers and create images to promote your book on social media and your website.

4. Diy Book Covers

DIY Book Covers offers free professional-looking book mockup images that you can use to market your book. It’s simple to use: pick a template, upload your book cover image, and the mockup or graphic will be completed for you. Then all you have to do is download the image.

5. Hemingway Editor

The Hemingway Editor is an online tool named after the famous author Ernest Hemingway, known for his clear and concise writing style. It aims to help you improve your writing by making it bold and clear, similar to Hemingway’s prose. It’s a valuable tool for self-editing.

Here’s what the free version offers:

• Readability analysis: It identifies complex sentences, overuse of adverbs, and passive voice constructs.
• Color-coded highlights: Similar to the paid version, sentences are highlighted in different colors to indicate potential trouble spots:
  • Yellow highlights pinpoint long or complex sentences that you might want to break down for easier reading.
  • Blue highlights flag adverbs that could be replaced with stronger verbs for a more concise style.
  • Green highlights indicate passive voice usage, which can make your writing less engaging.
• Focus on strong verbs: By highlighting adverbs, the free version encourages you to use strong verbs instead, making your writing more impactful.

6. Shaxpir

Shaxpir (pronounced exactly like “Shakespeare”) is a writing software program designed for fiction authors. It caters to the entire writing process, from brainstorming ideas to structuring your story and finally putting words on the page.

The main feature is the Manuscript Builder, which is a drag-and-drop feature that allows you to easily rearrange chapters, scenes, or any part of your manuscript, making it flexible for restructuring your story as it develops.

Here’s what the free version, Shaxpir 4: Everyone, offers:

• Complete Writing Tools: Even the free tier provides all the essential tools you need to write your story, from brainstorming to final drafts.
• Manuscript Builder: The free version allows you to utilize the drag-and-drop functionality for structuring your manuscript.
• World-Building Notebook: You can develop your story’s universe and characters within the free plan’s notebook section.
• Margin Notes and Annotations: Add notes, ideas, or references directly within your manuscript in the free version.
• Concept Art Integration: This allows you to incorporate visuals like concept art for characters, locations, or scenes into your project.
• Story Connections: Establish connections between different elements of your story within the free tier.
• Goal Setting: Set goals for your project and keep track of your progress.
• Check Your Spelling: There’s also a built-in spellchecker to catch any typos.

While there are a lot of free self-publishing tools for authors out there, this has the most features I have ever seen in a free version.

7. FocusWriter

FocusWriter is a free tool designed to help you write without distractions. It provides a clean, minimalist interface that hides menus and options until you need them. Just move your mouse to the edge of the screen to access features like formatting and spell check.

Here’s a breakdown:

• Multiple File Formats: Open and save documents in plain text (.txt), Rich Text Format (.rtf), or OpenDocument Text (.odt) for compatibility with other programs.
• Goal Setting: Set daily word count or time goals to stay on track.
• Sprints and Breaks: Use the built-in timer and alarms for focused writing sprints and well-timed breaks.
• Multi-Tasking: Work on multiple documents simultaneously and switch between them with ease.
• Multilingual Support: Write comfortably in your language with support for over 20 languages.

8. GIMP

Since images are regular tasks for authors now, you may find you need an image editor. GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) is a free open-source program available for multiple operating systems. It’s an alternative to Photoshop, which is quite expensive.

GIMP offers:

• High-Quality Photo Manipulation: GIMP offers powerful tools for photo editing, from basic retouching and restoration to creating artistic composites.
• Original Artwork Creation: Unleash your creativity with GIMP’s tools to transform images into unique works of art.
• Graphic Design Elements: Design icons, user interface components, mockups, and more with GIMP’s graphic design capabilities.
• Scriptable Image Manipulation (for Programmers): GIMP’s framework allows advanced users to create custom image manipulation scripts using various programming languages.

9. KDP Cover Creator

KDP Cover Creator is a free tool offered by Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) platform specifically designed to help authors create covers for their ebooks and paperbacks. It caters to users with a range of design experiences, from beginners to those with some knowledge.

Here’s a closer look at KDP Cover Creator:

• Easy to Use: The interface is user-friendly, allowing you to create covers without needing professional design software.
• Templates and Layouts: KDP Cover Creator offers a variety of pre-designed templates and layouts for different genres, giving you a good starting point.
• Image Options: You can choose from their image library or upload your own cover image.
• Customization: While using templates, you can customize elements like titles, fonts, and colors to match your book’s style.
• Formatting for KDP Requirements: The tool ensures your cover meets KDP’s specific size and formatting requirements for both ebooks and paperbacks.

Here are some things to keep in mind with KDP Cover Creator:

• Limited Design Flexibility: Compared to professional design software, KDP Cover Creator offers a more limited range of customization options.
• Stock Images: While the image library is helpful, some images might be overused, making your cover look generic.

Overall, KDP Cover Creator is a valuable tool for authors who want to create a decent-looking cover for their self-published books on a budget. It’s a good option for those who are new to design or prefer a simple and quick cover creation process.

However, if you’re looking for more creative control or a unique cover design, you might consider using a professional designer or exploring other design software options.

10. PicResize

Chances are that you’re going to have an image that needs to be resized. PicResize allows you to resize, crop, and edit your images online for free.

Some of their features include:

• Crop Images: Adjust your image size and aspect ratio.
• Resize Pictures: Use the cropping tool to cut your pictures to the size you need.
• Enlarge Images: You can double the size of your pictures.  
• Convert Images from JPG to PNG: Convert your images, save, and download in many file formats.
• Resize Images for Social Media: You can resize your images for Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

11. TinyPNG

TinyPNG is great for reducing image sizes for your author website. Image sizes are reduced by up to 80% with minimal quality loss, leading to significantly faster page loads. Optimized images use less bandwidth, making your website more efficient and potentially reducing costs.

12. Kindle Previewer

Kindle Previewer is a free desktop application offered by Amazon specifically designed for authors and publishers. It allows you to preview exactly how your ebook will appear when downloaded and read on various Kindle devices and apps.

Overall, Kindle Previewer is a valuable free tool for self-published authors and publishers using KDP to ensure their ebooks are formatted correctly and provide a seamless reading experience for customers on various Kindle devices.

Here are the key benefits of using Kindle Previewer:

• Visualize Your Book: Preview your ebook’s layout, formatting, and overall look across different Kindle devices and orientations (portrait or landscape).
• Ensure Readability: Check how your text and images appear on various screen sizes and font settings to ensure a good reading experience.
• Enhanced Typesetting Preview: If you’re using Amazon’s Enhanced Typesetting features for your ebook, Kindle Previewer allows you to specifically preview these elements like tables, images, drop caps, and links.
• Catch Formatting Issues: Identify any formatting inconsistencies or errors before publishing your ebook.
• Fast and Efficient: Preview your ebook quickly and easily without needing to upload it directly to Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) each time.

13. Reedsy Book Editor

Reedsy Book Editor is a free online tool designed to help authors with the formatting and editing process of their manuscripts. It acts as a middle ground between basic spell checkers and professional editing services. Here’s what Reedsy Book Editor offers:

• Manuscript Formatting: It helps with formatting your manuscript according to industry standards, including proper chapter breaks, headings, and indentation. This ensures your book looks professional and is ready for submission or self-publishing.
• Copyright Protection: You can insert copyright information directly into your manuscript using the editor.

While Reedsy Book Editor doesn’t offer in-depth editing services like grammar checks or stylistic suggestions, it’s a helpful tool for:

• Formatting for Different Platforms: The editor can format your manuscript for various ebook platforms like Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) or Apple Books.
• Preparation for Self-Publishing: If you plan to self-publish your book, the Reedsy Book Editor can help ensure your manuscript is formatted correctly for different platforms and online retailers.
• Basic Manuscript Organization: It helps organize your manuscript with proper structure and layout, making it easier to navigate and revise.

14. Sigil

Sigil is a free and open-source ebook editing software specifically designed for PCs. It allows you to create and edit ebooks in the ePub format (both ePub 2 and ePub 3), a popular format compatible with most ebook readers.

Key features of Sigil include:

• User-Friendly Interface: Sigil boasts a simple and intuitive interface, making it easy to learn for beginners.
• Multiple File Formats: Work with text, images, and even videos within your ebook project.
• Advanced Customization: For more control, Sigil allows you to directly edit HTML and XML code to adjust the appearance and layout of your ebook.
• Editing Tools: Sigil offers a variety of editing tools to improve your ebook, including:
  • Built-in spell checker
  • Stylesheet management
  • Index editor for creating complex indexes
  • Automatic table of contents generation

However, it’s important to note that Sigil focuses primarily on editing existing content rather than offering advanced writing features for composing an ebook from scratch. Also, as of now, it’s only available for Windows PCs.

15. DoPDF

doPDF is a free and user-friendly tool that lets you convert any printable document into a PDF file. After it’s installed, it acts like a virtual printer. You’ll find it listed alongside your regular printers in your “Printers & Faxes” or “Devices and Printers” settings. Then you can convert to PDF in two ways: print to PDF or use the conversion wizard.

doPDF has many features:

• Universal: You can convert any type of printable document to a PDF
• Quick and Easy: All you need to do is select what document to convert and where to save it. doPDF quickly creates the PDF and opens it in your default PDF viewer.
• Add-in for Microsoft Office: During installation, you can install the novaPDF add-in for Microsoft Office. This allows doPDF to offer one-click conversion to PDF from Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, Visio, and Outlook).
• And so much more! https://www.dopdf.com/dopdf.html#section-features

16. Amazon Author Central

The Amazon Author Central feature is essentially your author dashboard on Amazon. It allows you to manage your author profile and connect with readers, all for free. Here are some of the things you can do in Amazon Author Central:

• Create and Edit Your Author Profile: This is your chance to prove yourself as an author! You can add a bio, upload a profile picture, and even include links to your website or social media profiles.
• Claim Your Books: Make sure all your published books are listed under your author profile. This helps readers discover your work more easily.
• Track Your Book Sales and Rankings: Gain insights into your book’s performance on Amazon. You can see sales figures, track ranking in various categories, and monitor customer reviews.
• Connect with Readers: Respond to customer reviews and answer questions readers might have about your books. This is a great way to build relationships with your audience.

Limited features include:

• Update Book Information: While you can’t directly edit the content of your book through Author Central, you can sometimes request corrections to basic information like title, author name, or blurb.
• Run Author Promotions: Occasionally, Amazon might offer special promotions or marketing tools exclusively for authors enrolled in Author Central.

17. Book Royalties Calculator

Understanding your royalty rate is key to estimating your earnings from book sales. Book Royalties Calculator is a free calculator that helps you visualize and compare potential profits from different publishing routes. Simply enter your book’s details, and the calculator will estimate how much you might earn from each sale, considering factors like printing costs and royalties. You can also compare profits from traditional publishing, self-publishing, or hybrid models.

18. Word and Page Count Calculator

Setting a word count goal is helpful when you’re tracking your writing process. Breaking down your general word count into smaller chunks helps you set realistic goals.

The word and page count calculator helps you determine how many words and pages your book should have based on industry standards. It also estimates how long it will take for you to write your book.

19. ISBN Bar Code Generator

ISBNs act as unique identifiers for your book in the global marketplace. They’re important for bookstores, libraries, wholesalers, and online retailers to track, order, and sell your book. Without an ISBN, it’s highly unlikely your book will be listed or distributed through these channels. Also, it allows you to track your book’s sales and royalty payments more easily. Distributors and retailers use ISBNs to report sales data to authors and publishers.

With that being said, this ISBN bar code is a great free tool for self-publishing authors. It adds a specific ISBN code to a barcode image that you can use on your book cover.

20. Book Description Generator

The Book Description Generator utilizes ChatGPT’s AI technology to create captivating and attention-grabbing descriptions based on your existing draft or keywords. It will create a book description that’s both visually enticing and packed with information, increasing your chances of hooking new readers and selling more copies.

Here’s how it works:

• Start with Your D’raft: Simply paste your current book description, no matter how rough.
• AI Inspiration: Click the “Improve with AI” button and choose “Fiction” or “Non-fiction” to let AI generate new possibilities.
• Craft Your Perfect Description: AI generates a fresh take on your description. Seamlessly pick and choose the best elements to include in your final version.

Conclusion

Find more writing tips in these posts:

• Drafting a Book: Everything You Need to Know About Writing a First Draft
• Finding Your Dream Team: Where to Find Beta Readers
• How to Write a Fiction Novel in 10 Steps