My Favorite Tools for Writing, Designing, and Self-Publishing Books
Are you dreaming of publishing your own book—maybe a guided journal, a vision board workbook, or a vibrant children’s picture story book?
From writing and editing to designing and formatting, the journey can feel like a lot. But with the right tools, it becomes manageable—and even fun.
In this post, I’m sharing the best tools for self-publishing books, all of which I personally use and recommend for anyone creating with passion and purpose.
Best Tools for Writing Your Book
1. Google Docs
Best for: Quick drafts, collaboration, cloud storage
Simple, free, and surprisingly powerful—Google Docs is my go-to for writing on the go. It autosaves your work and makes it easy to share with editors or beta readers.
2. Scrivener
Best for: Outlining and organizing long projects
If you’re working on a chapter book, a how-to guide, or even a vision board script with multiple sections, Scrivener is your best friend. It gives you a flexible workspace with corkboards, split-screen views, and a deep structure.
🔗 Check it out on Amazon – This is one of my favorite outlining tools for book projects. (affiliate)
3. Notion or Evernote
Best for: Planning, organizing ideas, building content calendars
These are digital notebooks that let you brainstorm and build your book in pieces. Great for visual thinkers or multi-project authors.
Top Tools for Designing Book Interiors & Covers
1. Canva (Free or Pro)
Best for: Cover design, vision board layouts, low-content books
Canva is intuitive and flexible for non-designers. Use it for creating covers, page spreads, and even printable worksheets. The Pro version unlocks premium templates, branding tools, and transparent PNGs—great for polished design.
2. Affinity Publisher
Best for: Intermediate to advanced book design
A powerful and affordable alternative to Adobe InDesign. Perfect if you want to fine-tune spacing, layout, or prep files for IngramSpark.
3. Book Bolt
Best for: KDP-ready interiors like planners, trackers, and journals
Specifically built for self-publishers, Book Bolt helps you create interior pages and test how they’ll look when uploaded to Amazon KDP. Bonus: keyword research and niche category suggestions are included.
Formatting & Typesetting Tools I Recommend
1. Atticus
A clean and modern tool for writing and formatting all in one (great alternative to Vellum for PC users).
2. Reedsy Book Editor
A free, browser-based tool that helps format professional-looking interiors for fiction and nonfiction.
3. Adobe InDesign
Best if you want complete design control, especially for children’s books or full-color layouts.
Where to Publish Your Book (My Favorite Self-Publishing Platforms)
1. Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing)
Best for: Print-on-demand paperbacks, eBooks, and journals
Amazon KDP is the most popular and beginner-friendly platform for indie authors. It’s free to use, easy to set up, and gives your book access to millions of Amazon customers worldwide.
2. IngramSpark
Best for: Hardcover books, wide distribution (bookstores, libraries)
IngramSpark is a powerful platform if you want to distribute your book beyond Amazon. It’s especially useful for hardcover printing and library distribution.
3. Lulu
Best for: Spiral-bound books, workbooks, and specialty formats
If you’re creating a vision board workbook or a fill-in-the-blank style journal, Lulu’s spiral option is worth exploring!
💡 Bonus Tip: ISBNs
If you publish through Amazon KDP, they’ll assign a free ISBN. But if you’re using IngramSpark and want more control over your distribution (or want your name as the publisher), you may want to purchase your own ISBN through Bowker.
Final Thoughts
Writing and publishing a book is a journey—but it doesn’t have to be complicated. With the right tools and platforms, you can bring your ideas to life and share them with the world in your own unique way.
Whether you’re crafting a journal, a vision board workbook, or a children’s picture book, remember this:
Your creativity is valid. Your voice matters. And your dream of becoming an author is 100% possible.
Take it one step at a time, use what works for you, and most importantly—enjoy the process. You’ve got this. 💛
Let’s Keep Creating Together!
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🔗 Bonus Resources I Use
Start a blog for your author platform: I use Bluehost to run my site. It’s reliable, affordable, and beginner-friendly—plus it comes with a free domain.
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Book tools, supplies & gear: You can check out some of my favorite bookish tools and writer goodies on Amazon or This product.
Pin this for later and come back anytime you need a creativity boost or publishing pep talk!
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
This post may also contain additional affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase—at no extra cost to you.
Abyy Sparklewood
Abyy Sparklewood is a self-help and children's book author passionate about inspiring creativity, self-love, and soulful transformation. When she's not writing, you’ll find her tackling DIY projects, shopping, or dining out with her husband.
