How to Automate the Boring Work So You Can Focus on Writing
You didn’t become an author to spend your life formatting files and chasing emails. Let’s fix that—fast.
Heads up! This post may include affiliate links. That means if you grab a tool we recommend, American Writers Group may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Every recommendation is something we truly believe in—and many we use ourselves.
Why Most Self-Published Authors Burn Out (And How to Avoid It)
Let’s be real: self-publishing isn’t just writing.
It’s editing. Formatting. Emailing. File wrangling. Marketing. Back-and-forth headaches.
If you’ve ever caught yourself thinking, “There’s got to be an easier way…“—you’re absolutely right.
The secret? Automation.
(Not the scary kind. The “I just got 3 hours of my life back“ kind.)
Imagine If You Could…
- Format your book for Kindle, Apple Books, and print—without doing it three times
- Convert blog posts into email newsletters—automatically
- Send out ARCs and free chapters to readers while you finish the next scene
- Back up your files (and your sanity) with zero extra effort
You can. And we’ll show you how.
🧰 Tools We Love (and Recommend)
These are the tools indie authors in our community use and love—not because they’re flashy, but because they work.
✅ Draft2Digital – Format & Distribute in One Step
Skip the store-by-store grind. Upload once, and D2D handles formatting and distribution to major retailers.
✅ MailerLite – Set and Forget Your Reader Emails
Pair this with BookFunnel and you’ve got an effortless delivery system for freebie chapters, ARCs, and onboarding emails.
👉 Start free with MailerLite →
✅ Grammarly + Hemingway App – Make Editing Easier
Tighten up your prose without hiring an editor for every draft.
- Grammarly catches grammar and clarity issues
- Hemingway App helps simplify your writing so it’s easier to read
👉 Use Grammarly to polish your drafts →
👉 Try Hemingway App to make your writing pop →
✅ Vellum – Beautiful Book Layouts Without the Hassle
Vellum is the gold standard for print and ebook formatting—especially if you’re a Mac user.
✅ Fiverr – Hire Help When You’re Stuck
Need an interior formatter, cover designer, or marketing assistant? Fiverr makes it easy to find skilled freelancers without blowing your budget.
👉 Browse self-publishing pros on Fiverr →
Bonus Tools Worth a Look
Here are a few more favorites depending on your workflow style:
- Canva – Easy DIY design for promo graphics, social posts, and lead magnets
- KDSpy – Spy on the estimated sales of Amazon Kindle categories and find profitable niches
- Google Workspace – Great suite of software for writing, sharing, collaborating, and automating everything
- Otter.ai – Automatically transcribe interviews, webinars, and brainstorming sessions
- Dropbox – Backup your manuscript and never worry about file loss again
Start Simple: Your First Author Workflow
Not sure where to begin? Don’t stress about building some fancy system right out of the gate.
Here’s what I’d do if I were starting from scratch:
- Pick one task you always end up doing—like sending your latest chapter to your editor
- Find a tool that can take it off your plate—for example, set up Zapier to move your file from Google Drive to Dropbox and shoot off an email
- Give it a quick test, make sure it works, and you’re good. Next time? It just happens—no extra effort from you
That one small automation setup can save you a ton of pressure and stress.
And when you’re not bogged down in busywork, you’ll find it’s a whole lot easier to sit down and actually write.
Because let’s be honest—your energy should go into storytelling, not sorting files.
🎁 Free Toolkit for Indie Authors
Want the complete list of proven tools we’ve used over the past 8 years?
👉 Grab your free guide: “Publish Like a Pro: The Self-Publishing Author Toolkit Every Author Needs”
Inside you’ll get:
- ✓ Shortcuts for authors at every tech level
- ✓ Smart tools for every stage of your book journey
- ✓ Budget-friendly resources that don’t skimp on quality
It’s yours free—just enter your email.
🔍 Transparency note: We only recommend tools we’ve vetted or personally used. Some links are affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting more free resources for indie authors!
One Last Thing…
You’re not lazy. You’re not behind. You’re just doing too much manually.
Start small. Automate one thing this week. Then go write something amazing.
You’ve got this. And we’ve got your back.