Local Resources/Groups
CentraLit Magazine
Creative Endeavors Writing Group
Soon to Be Famous Illinois Author Project
Writing
Ellipsus
Evernote Note Taking App
Helping Writers Become Authors
How to Format a Manuscript: Reedsy & Masterclass
Jerry Jenkins: How to Write a Book
The Novel Factory
Pressbooks Public/Inkie.org
Scrivener
The Writer’s Online Toolkit
Writing Careers: The Business Behind Becoming an Author
Editing
8 Questions Your Editor Will Ask You
Canva
Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA New Author Guide)
Grammarly
Hemingway Editor
Power Thesaurus
ProWritingAid
Self-Editing Basics
Barcodes
My Indentifiers
Simply Barcodes
ISBNs
isbn.org
isbnforbooks.com
isbnservices.com
Other Online Tools & Resources
Book Launchers Blog
Creative Commons
IngramSpark Academy: How to Self-Publish
Public Domain
Reddit Groups: r/PubTips & r/selfpublish
Reedsy
selfpublishing.com (Article on self-publishing companies)
What Writers Should Know about Copyright
Combating Publisher Fraud (Penguin Random House)
Free* Self-Publishing Platforms
(*editing, cover designing, marketing, and on-demand printing may still cost money)
Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing/KDP
Author Solutions
Barnes & Noble Press
Draft2Digital
Findaway Voices (audiobooks; free to upload; earns commission on your books)
Kobo (International publishing)
IngramSpark (Best way to get libraries to buy your books)
Indie Illinois/Inkie.org
Lulu
StreetLib (international publishing; monthly subscription is free to upload up to 5MB; earns commission on your books)
For Apple Books, it is free to upload your book but you must be a Mac user to publish directly to the Apple Store. You can use an aggregator if not:
Smashwords (owned by Draft2Digital)
PublishDrive (charges monthly subscription)
Paid/Subscription-based Self-Publishing Platforms
AuthorHouse
Blurb
BookBaby (Children’s Books)
Book Launchers (for nonfiction)
The Book Professionals
DiggyPod
Lulu Junior (kits for children)
The Paper House Publishing
PublishDrive (charges monthly subscription)
Beta-Reading & Advanced Reading Copies (ARCs) for Pre-launch Reviews/Promotion
How to Solicit and Act on Feedback from Beta Readers
Ask local library workers and teachers! (Get in touch with Char or Cris to read/beta-read and review your book for free: csistek@centralia.lib.il.us or ccawthon@centralia.lib.il.us)
Beta Reader Groups on Goodreads:
goodreads.com/group/show_tag/beta-readers
goodreads.com/group/show_tag/beta-reader
goodreads.com/group/show_tag/beta-reading
Advance Reviews:
BookSirens
NetGalley
Edelweiss+
Marketing
Create an author website with contact information! If we can’t find and contact you, we can’t work with you! At the very least, create a LinkedIn profile.
Libraries! (Author Fairs/Signings/Talks, Local Author Collections)
Marketing to Libraries
Little Free Libraries
Author Directions: Your Guide to a Successful Book Launch
Author Marketing Experts
BookBub
Amazon/Goodreads Reviews
Goodreads Giveaways (note that this will cost money)
Illinois Author Directory (email Bonnie Matheis at BMatheis@ilsos.gov)
Local vendor fairs and flea markets (e.g. Locust Street Historic Fair) (Make an author table that wows!)
Locally owned and independent shops (e.g. The Ugly Bucket and Puppies Centralia Bookstore in Centralia or Ink & Artistry LLC in Mt. Vernon)
Social Media (#BookTok community on TikTok, #Bookstagrammers community on Instagram)
Author Newsletter
Literary Podcasts
Pre-order incentives/giveaways (such as sending bookplates with your autograph on them to those who pre-ordered your book)
Updated 11/19/2024
