This week’s post comes from the wonderful Andrew Dare, our business operations manager. In this piece, he shares the top tools for new authors to grow their brand and business.

In today’s world, being a successful author requires more than just great writing. From managing your workload to growing a loyal audience and automating tasks, the right technology can make all the difference. In this post, I’ll dive into the best tools for authors to help streamline your work, increase efficiency, and expand your reach.

Asana: Organize Your Writing Projects

Do you have a crazy workload and nowhere to track your tasks? Asana is an excellent project management tool that helps authors stay organized and on schedule. With task lists, due dates, and team collaboration features, it ensures that nothing falls through the cracks. 

Why It’s a Must-Have

• Assigns and tracks tasks easily
• Creates project timelines
• Brings joy when completing tasks (If you know, you know)

For authors juggling multiple projects or even manuscripts, Asana provides a clear road map to get everything done efficiently.

Kit: Grow and Engage Your Email List

Email marketing is one of the most powerful ways to connect with readers and sell books. Kit (formerly Converkit.com) is a user-friendly email marketing platform designed specifically for people wanting an easy way to manage email lists. It helps you build and manage a subscriber list, send automated sequences, and track engagement.

Why It’s a Must-Have

• Creates sign-up forms to grow your audience
• Automates email sequences for book launches and newsletters
• Tags and segments your audience for better targeting

A strong mailing list is key for long-term success as an author, and Kit makes it easy to nurture relationships with your readers.

Substack: Monetize Your Writing with Newsletters

For authors looking to grow their audience and potentially monetize their writing, Substack is a game changer. It allows you to publish and distribute newsletters directly to your subscribers, with the option to offer free or paid subscriptions. We’ve also recently launched our own Substack Publication!

Why It’s a Must-Have

• Publishes long-form content easily
• Operates as a social media platform built for writers
• Connects directly with your audience

Whether you’re sharing writing tips, personal essays, or exclusive book content, Substack helps you build a dedicated community.

Showit: Create a Stunning Author Website

Every author needs a professional online presence, and Showit is one of the best tools for authors to build a custom website—without needing coding skills. With drag-and-drop functionality and beautiful templates, you can create a website that showcases your books, services, and brand.

Why It’s a Must-Have

• Is fully customizable with an intuitive drag-and-drop editor
• Gives you the ability to optimize for both desktop and mobile
• Integrates with WordPress for blogging

A strong website helps establish credibility and serves as a hub for your business.

Zapier: Automate Tasks

Running an author business means juggling marketing, content creation, and administration. Zapier connects your favorite apps and automates workflows, saving you time and effort.

Why It’s a Must-Have

• Automates tasks like email sequences and social media postings
• Connects over 2,000 apps to streamline your workflow
• Reduces manual work so you can focus on writing

With automation, you can free up more time for creativity while ensuring your business runs smoothly.

Final Thoughts

Using the right tools for authors can help you stay organized, grow your readership, and automate tasks, allowing you to focus on what truly matters—writing and sharing your work. Whether you’re looking to improve project management, engage your audience, or streamline your business, these tools will set you up for success.

Which tools do you already use? Let us know in the comments!