Free book publishing tools
Author website guide
Your author website needs four things, and none of them is a blog you will abandon in March.
Writing advice communities answer this question the same way every month: the website is a storefront with proof, not a museum. Four sections, one checkout path, one rule.
Checked:
✓Homepage: book + one clear goal✓About: credibility we can check✓Contact: real and simple✓Skip: abandoned blog or essays
The four sections that move books
A book page with a real sample, an about page that shows the author behind the book (not a logo), a contact link a prisoner could use, and a single primary goal on the homepage. Every other page you plan before launch has a much lower return.
If the first novel is not out yet, publish the website with a free tool page or pre-order details instead of an empty blog. Community reports consistently rank 'website with zero content' as one of the top small-author regrets.
- One primary CTA per page — never three
- Sample chapters beat marketing copy
- Book covers and metadata consistent with the listing
What to check before the site links the book
Websites sell checks. If your site's CTA says 'ready to publish', the free checks should already be run: manuscript format, EPUB validity, cover geometry, metadata completeness. A site linking to an unfinished listing hurts more than no site at all.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a website for KDP?
Not required, but it is the only channel you fully own. Start minimal: homepage + book page + about + contact can be done in a weekend.
What should my book page contain?
The cover, a real excerpt, format availability, and the link to the marketplace listing. Community wisdom: a printable sample beats fluff — so validate the EPUB first, then link the sample.
Should I blog on my author site?
Only if you enjoy it. For most, a few evergreen guides that answer the questions readers ask (like the ones in this directory) bring more traffic than a posts schedule.
Is a free tool page useful on an author site?
Yes — free tools are the most common way small publishing sites earn authority and links. The free publishing tools hub is a ready-made, well-tested collection.
Was this publishing guide or tool helpful?
Link a book worth the click.
Run the free publishing checks and build the website around a listing that closes the deal.