Because using people and loving things is wrong…
Recommendations and resources for indie authors.
People we Love:
Nici @ Officility
Though we are whizzes at making graphics, running ads, and doing all the techie tasks required to publish books, we don’t love social media management. That’s OK though, because we hired the best. Nici Maritz is a dream hire for all the small tasks required in an author’s daily life, and we cannot recommend Nici enough! Check her out at https://www.officility.co.za/
Sandy Robson
When they coined the term renaissance man, they had Sandy Robson in mind. An actor (TV, Film, Voice, and Stage), graphic artist, writer, author, and all-around ridiculously talented guy, we convinced Sandy to throw his hat into the ring as a cover designer as well. Being pretty awful people sometimes, we gave Sandy two really difficult covers; he delivered covers that were PERFECT. I mean… just… PERFECT. Sandy is endlessly patient and supremely gifted – and if you are looking for an absolutely spectacular cover – you need this guy. (We really love Sandy a lot.) https://sandyrobsonbooks.com/cover-art-portfolio
J.D. Smith
People do judge a book by its cover. That’s why we recommend J.D. Smith at every opportunity. She’s professional, fast, affordable, seasoned and a multi-award winning cover designer. Check her out at https://www.jdsmith-design.co.uk/
Elizabeth Jennings (AKA Lisa Marie Rice)
Elizabeth Jennings is my fairy Godmother. Founder of the Indie Uncon Europe, Brainstorming in Matera, and The Women’s Fiction Festival, Lizzie is one of the kindest, most generous, women working in the Indie world. She also writes relatively steamy romance under the pen-name Lisa Marie Rice. If you are an author you need to follow Lizzie on Facebook, and if you are hankering for a (tax-deductible) trip to Italy, join her (and us) at the Uncon or at the yearly Brainstorming in Matera.
David Gaughran
Have you noticed how the world is bursting with publishing Gurus? David Gaughran never makes that claim – which is why he is required reading in our studio. From books, to (free) classes, to regular newsletters on every topic impacting authors, David has actionable information. Get digital with David Gaughran here: https://davidgaughran.com/
MojoHost
Ok, MojoHost is technically a service, but in this case it’s the PEOPLE who matter. I LOVE my web hosting company, and I am pretty sure that no one ever says that. Brad Mitchell and Jerry Golding noticed how many authors we were sending their way – so they built us our own server. If any of us is having a web problem, technical support will troubleshoot it for us in minutes. We pay almost nothing and get the best service in the world. We love Mojohost.
Products and services we use (and really really like):
Publisher Rocket
We own five licenses for this software, enough for every person on our team. Publisher Rocket lets you see into the back end of Amazon KDP. It can help you find keywords, categories, and even see what your competitors are up to. We use this software every single day – and we love it a lot. Plus, they have great customer service. This is a must have tool for any author who is serious about their career.
BookBrush
Most authors aren’t also graphic designers. And part of marketing your books is constant graphic design. So, what’s an author to do? Head over to BookBrush. It’s easy to use, intuitive, will let you make mock-ups of your book in every form, and even make videos. We love this software.
K-Lytics
For the nerds out there, K-Lytics is just the best. It has monthly industry reports on the Amazon ebook marketplace. It shows you the trends, tells you about new Amazon features and categories, and shows you the best places to position your title. On a monthly basis, Alex Newton (the founder of K-Lytics) does a deep dive into the most popular genres… from Historical Fiction through Romantic Suspense, TYA Fantasy through Mystery, Thriller, Suspense K-Lytics is a gold-mine of data to help you plot your career.
Reedsy
Do you know where to find seasoned publishing professionals who can actually help you bring your book to market (besides the BookWhisperer, of course)? Reedsy is filled with publishing professionals – from editors to cover designers, publicists through marketers, Reedsy has everything. Even me. Check it out. Reedsy.com
Vellum.Pub
If you don’t have a Mac, I’m sorry. This product isn’t for you. (I’ve heard good things about Atticus.)
But if you DO have a Mac, Vellum is one of those products that can change your life.
Vellum imports your word doc, and creates beautiful books in every format under the sun. The learning curve is barely a hill, the interface is absolutely intuitive, and the customizations are brilliant. We love Vellum, we have a pile of licenses, and we use it daily. Check it out at Vellum.pub
Adobe Suite
We have a love/hate relationship with Adobe. It’s expensive, not particularly user friendly, and has a steep learning curve. On the other hand, we use it every day, day in and day out.
For the normal work-a-day author, Adobe isn’t a necessary product to own. However, for agencies, cover designers, and publishers it is a can’t live without software suite. Adobe allows us to make killer graphics, build covers, work on graphic heavy print books, create video trailers, edit audio books and update PDF manuscripts. For us, Adobe Suite is essential – for you, maybe not!
