I have a growing list of tools or services that I recommend. Most of these tools are built for authors like myself, though some may be useful to other fans of the site (like the Great Courses, for example).
Also keep in mind that sometimes I have two competitors in a similar niche (like Sudowrite and Novelcrafter, or ProWritingAid and Autocrit). This is simply because there’s no such thing as the perfect tool for everyone. Sometimes I might recommend one option for one person, and another option for someone else.
It all depends on your specific needs. I will try to emphasize in the descriptions below what my recommendation is for each one.
My Memberships
I currently have three memberships. Two for authors and another for fantasy readers. Here are links to the three memberships:
- Story Hacker Silver (One-time $7 Fee): A great place to get my prompts, my storytelling frameworks, and access to one of the largest AI writing communities online. The small $7 one-time fee is there to deter spammers, and make sure you’re willing to invest at least a small amount to improve your writing skills.
- Story Hacker Gold ($47/month): This is my flagship writing membership. You’ll learn how to write a book from start to finish using AI to help out where needed, my full 5 phase path to go from zero to book-in-hand, weekly group coaching from me, a developmental editor, and a graphic artist, plus a lot more.
- Knights of the Round Table ($5/month): This is my group for any fantasy reader who wants to connect with me. You get my entire library when you join, ebooks and audiobooks. Plus you’ll get regular access to me, the author.
Recommended AI Tools
Through my Nerdy Novelist YouTube channel, I talk a lot about the AI tools that are actually useful for authors. Here is a list of the tools I recommend the most.
- Sudowrite (Best AI Tool for Beginner Authors): An intuitive AI writing assistant that helps fiction writers brainstorm, draft, and edit their stories more efficiently, making it ideal for beginners.
- Novelcrafter (Best AI Tool for Advanced Author): A comprehensive AI-powered writing platform tailored for long-form authors, offering advanced workflow tools for brainstorming, drafting, and managing complex projects.
- Raptor Write (Best Free AI Tool for Authors): A free AI writing tool that provides authors with control over their creative process, supporting multiple language models and customizable prompts for flexible writing.
- ElevenLabs (Best AI Audio Generator): A leading AI text-to-speech tool known for its realistic voice synthesis, voice cloning, and versatile audio creation features for authors and content creators.
- Play.HT (Best Budget AI Audio Generator): An affordable AI voice generator offering high-quality, natural-sounding voices and extensive customization options for various audio projects.
- Originality.AI (Best AI Detector): An industry-leading AI content detector with high accuracy in identifying AI-generated text, helping authors ensure originality and avoid plagiarism.
- ProseWrite (Best AI Dictation Service): A powerful dictation tool for writers that provides real-time, context-aware editing to streamline the writing process and enhance creative voice.
Art-related Services
In addition to a few AI art tools, there are also some book cover services I recommend for authors. Here is a list of tools or services I recommend.
- Miblart (Best for Book Covers): A professional book cover design service known for its talented designers and collaborative approach, delivering high-quality, custom covers for authors.
- GetCovers (Best for Budget Book Covers): A budget-friendly cover design service offering quality book covers at low prices, ideal for authors seeking affordable yet attractive designs.
- Midjourney (Best AI for General Art): An advanced AI art generator that creates visually stunning images from text prompts, popular for its painterly style and artistic versatility.
- Ideogram (Best AI for Graphic Design): A cutting-edge AI text-to-image tool renowned for its ability to generate images with detailed text elements, making it ideal for graphic design projects.
Tools for Authors
In addition to the AI tools listed above, here is a list of all the other tools and services I recommend for authors.
- Publisher Rocket (For Author’s Keywords/Categories): A research tool that helps authors find the best keywords and categories for their books, optimizing discoverability and sales on Amazon.
- Atticus (Best for Formatting): A user-friendly book formatting tool that enables authors to create professional-quality ebooks and print books with ease.
- Plottr (Best for Plotting): A visual story plotting tool that helps authors organize and outline their novels using timelines and templates.
- ProWritingAid (Best for Grammar Checks): A comprehensive grammar and style checker that analyzes writing for errors, clarity, and readability, suitable for all types of manuscripts.
- AutoCrit (Best Editing Tool for Long-form Writing): An editing platform tailored for long-form fiction, offering in-depth analysis and feedback to improve pacing, dialogue, and story structure.
- Campfire (Best for Author Worldbuilding): A robust worldbuilding tool that assists authors in developing detailed settings, characters, and lore for their stories.
- World Anvil (Best for Tabletop and Hobbyist Worldbuilding): A platform designed for worldbuilders and tabletop gamers to create, organize, and share intricate worlds and campaigns.
- Book Sprout (Best for Author Book Reviews): A service that helps authors manage advance review copies and gather reader reviews to boost book launches.
- PublishDrive (Wide Distribution for High-selling Catalog): A distribution platform that enables authors to publish and manage high-selling book catalogs across multiple retailers.
- Draft2Digital (Wide Distribution for Full Catalog): A user-friendly distribution service allowing authors to publish their entire catalog to a wide range of digital retailers.
- Mailerlite (Best Email Service for Most Authors): An email marketing platform favored by authors for its ease of use, automation features, and affordability.
- StoryOrigin (Best Author Management for Beginner Authors): A platform offering tools for new authors to manage email lists, promotions, and reader magnets with simplicity.
- BookFunnel (Best Author Management for Expert Authors): A robust service for experienced authors, providing advanced tools for ebook delivery, reader management, and marketing automation.
Favorite Educational Resources
Personally, I’m a big fan of life-long learning. Here are some of the educational resources that I’ve most enjoyed.
- The Great Courses Plus (Best for Overall Learning): A subscription-based platform offering access to thousands of lectures across diverse subjects, taught by leading professors and experts. Use this link to get 25% off all monthly, quarterly, or annual plans.
- Skillshare (Best for Niche Skills): An online learning community focused on creative and entrepreneurial skills, featuring project-based classes and a vibrant peer community.
- Masterclass (Best for Individual Success Stories): A streaming platform delivering high-quality courses taught by world-renowned experts and celebrities in various fields.
- Heroic Premium (Best for Self-Improvement): A social training platform blending ancient wisdom and modern science to help users optimize performance and achieve personal growth.
- Russell Brunson’s Books (Best Marketing Information): A collection of marketing books offering actionable frameworks and strategies for building and scaling online businesses, including:
- Secrets of Success (Best for Business-related Self-Improvement): A resource dedicated to business and personal development, providing insights and strategies for achieving success in various professional endeavors.
- AMMO Foundations (Best Marketing Info for Authors): A marketing resource tailored for authors, focusing on foundational strategies to effectively promote and sell books.
