How to Write an Ebook for Free (with 30+ Resources)

Many of us dream of finally publishing a book, but we can’t always afford the best editing, design, or marketing services. In fact, even popular writing and editing tools can get too expensive. And when you finally reach the publishing step, you may not even earn the full percentage of your sales! So what’s the solution?

As it turns out, there are plenty of free programs and websites that can help you write and publish a high-quality book. While some offer basic features, others are packed with powerful tools to guide you through every step of the process.

In this article, we’ll show you how to write an ebook for free—from writing and editing to designing and publishing.

What Is an Interactive Ebook?

An interactive ebook is a type of digital book enhanced with interactive elements, such as videos, image galleries, animations, or even widgets and games. These elements transform ebooks from simple text files to engaging experiences that readers can enjoy. Imagine a travel guide with embedded Google maps or a children’s story with tappable animations.

You might think that interactive ebooks are expensive to create, but here’s the good news: it doesn’t have to be. With the right tools, you can create one for little to no cost. In fact, some software options are entirely free!

Free Writing Software

The first step in creating an ebook is writing it. So, you’ll need a reliable tool either for the writing process itself or for importing an existing manuscript file. Some of those writing tools can be expensive, so we’ve only compiled the top free ones for you.

1. Kotobee Author: If you want to create a fully featured ebook, then Kotobee Author is the best software for the job. This program has all the tools you need to produce a high-quality ebook file that’s ready for publication. Plus, it allows you to add interactive elements such as videos, image galleries, animations, book widgets, and mini-apps to your ebook.
2. LibreOffice: Similar to Microsoft Office, LibreOffice provides you with several apps and programs to carry out your office work. With the Writer app, you can create your ebook and format it completely free of charge.
3. Google Docs: If you have a Google account, you have free access to the Google Office suite, including Docs. As long as you have an internet connection, you can access your documents on Docs no matter where you are.
4. Wavemaker: Though they’re geared mainly towards fiction writers, Wavemaker’s book planning tools can be a great help even for non-fiction. Moreover, this web app can sync between devices using Google Drive, so you can pick up where you left off right away.
5. WriteMonkey: If you just need a simple tool to write your book with, WriteMonkey can be the perfect choice for you. Its interface is clean and simple, minimizing distractions so you get your writing done as quickly as possible.
6. Milanote: For ebooks with lots of visuals, Milanote can be a great writing and planning tool. You can easily organize your notes, images, and chapters and plan out the design of your ebook.
7. Evernote: Evernote is similar to Milanote, but with a focus on text rather than images. This means you can use this software as your writing tool, planning board, and even to-do list all at the same time.

Free Resources for Editing Your Ebook

After you finish writing, you should look for specialized tools that can help you self-edit your book. This step is crucial to ensuring that your ebook is clean, professional, and ready to be published.

Below, you’ll find some of the best tools for the job:

1. Grammarly: Grammarly is the most popular spell-check tool right now and for a good reason. Using the browser extension, you can spot spelling and grammar mistakes as well as any issues with your tone or writing style. Just keep in mind that you need to use an online writing tool like Google Docs to be able to use the browser extension.
2. Hemingway Editor: For serious line editing, try Hemingway Editor. This powerful website allows you to compare your text with the reading level of your target audience. Plus, you get advice on using adverbs, complex vocabulary, and other factors that affect reading comprehension.
3. ProWritingAid: ProWritngAid’s free grammar checker is a great option if you need a quick grammar-checking tool for individual sentences or small paragraphs. All you need to do is install the browser extension and then start checking your text right away in any of the supported writing apps.
4. Purdue OWL: Purdue OWL is an invaluable resource to check frequently for tips on following certain style manuals, such as the Chicago Manual of Style. You’ll never forget how to properly cite sources or write headings ever again!
5. LanguageTool: In addition to its AI-based grammar checker, LanguageTool also includes a paraphrasing tool. It supports 25 languages, making it an excellent choice if you need a tool tailored to specific languages.
6. Grammar Book: Do you need a one-stop resource for English grammar rules? Then check out Grammar Book! This website acts as a comprehensive English grammar guide for beginners and natives alike.
7. QuillBot: If you need more features, try QuillBot. With this tool, you can check your text for plagiarism, grammar errors, and even AI-generated content.
8. Duplichecker: Duplichecker is a plagiarism and AI content detector, and it does very well at both tasks. Even with the 1,000–word limit, you can still scan potentially risky paragraphs and avoid accidentally plagiarizing anyone else’s work (or even your own).

Important Read: All The Types of Editing Your Book Needs (With Examples)

Photo from Depositphotos

Free Design Tools and Interactive Content

Once you’ve finished editing, the next step is designing your ebook. While some book writing tools offer design features, not all of them do, especially not for free. For this reason, you’ll find many dedicated programs and apps that can handle certain aspects of ebook design, such as the book cover. Let’s go over each of them now!

Free Fonts

Did you know that you can use fonts other than Arial and Times New Roman in your ebook? Well, you can. And you don’t have to use premium fonts, either; you can find plenty of free options available online. Below are a few websites that contain free fonts for commercial use:

1. Google Fonts: Google Fonts contains a library of free fonts that can be used for ebooks. It has over 1,000 font families and is constantly growing, making it easy to add high-quality typography to your ebooks without the need for any special coding or software.
2. MyFonts: If you’re looking for premium (and free) fonts to use in your ebooks, you’ll find plenty of them on this website! Just make sure to read and understand the licensing terms of the fonts you want to use.
3. 101 Free Fonts: This website offers 101 free and unique fonts you can use for your ebook. They also have some great bundles if you’re looking to purchase multiple fonts at once.

Free Images

Photos serve many purposes in ebooks, such as breaking up long paragraphs of text or demonstrating concepts visually. So if you need some images for your ebook, you first need to find free ones. Here are a few resources to help you do that:

1. Unsplash: Finding free images for commercial use can be tough, and that’s why websites like Unsplash have become so popular. This site alone has thousands of free images to choose from!
2. Pexels: This is another great website where you can download copyright-free images as well as videos. As with Unsplash, make sure to credit the original photographer if you use any of their images.
3. TurboSquid: Many ebooks can benefit from having interactive 3D models, which you can find on TurboSquid. This website is home to thousands of 3D models available for download, many of them absolutely free.

Photo from Depositphotos

Free Photo and Image Editing Software

Whether you’re designing a book cover or optimizing a few images, there are excellent free tools to help you. Many of these programs offer functionality and quality that rival their paid alternatives. Below are the best photo editing tools you can use to enhance your ebook’s visuals:

1. Canva: Canva offers all the photo editing capabilities you need for your ebook, such as creating infographics and designing a great book cover. In fact, you can even create a picture book from scratch using this tool.
2. ILoveIMG: If you need to edit an image quickly, then give ILoveIMG a try. On this website, you can easily crop, compress, and even convert images to and from JPG.
3. GIMP: Need a powerful, free alternative to Adobe Photoshop? Look no further than GIMP, which allows you to create new illustrations or edit your photos however you like.

Free Editing Tools for Audio and Video

There are many reasons to include audio and video clips in your ebook. For starters, they can make concepts easier to understand while engaging your readers at the same time. Moreover, just like images, they can add interesting elements to your ebook and make it more fun to read. Below, you’ll find a few great tools for editing audio and video files free of charge:

1. Audacity: To get your audio files just right, try using Audacity. In addition to being free, this program has all the tools you need to produce high-quality audio files that are fit for your ebook.
2. Ocenaudio: If you don’t need all the complex features that Audacity offers, you can use Ocenaudio instead. The program comes with standard audio editing features, including applying and testing effects in real time.
3. Handbrake: This handy program allows you to produce and edit professional videos for free. In fact, you can even work on 4K HDR video files if you want to!

Photo from Depositphotos

Interactive Widgets and Mini-Apps

Lastly, your ebook might need an additional touch for it to be fully complete. Why not add some exciting book widgets and mini-apps? Besides having a broad variety of functions, these interactive elements can truly elevate the reading experience for your readers. To find these widgets and apps, check out the following resources:

1. Kotobee Mini-Apps: Kotobee Author comes with five free mini-apps by default: Calculator, Link, Ruler, Unit Converter, and Rich Text. These apps can make your ebook much more engaging for readers, especially if they need to perform calculations.
2. BookWidgets: With a 30–day free trial, you can download and use all kinds of useful ebook widgets from BookWidgets. From quizzes and flashcards to games like word search, you’ll find a wealth of widgets to add to your ebook.

How to Publish Your Ebook for Free

Now that your ebook is fully ready for publication, let’s choose a publishing platform. Most of these websites don’t charge you for publishing on them, but you may not earn 100% of royalties on every book sale. With that said, here are a few of the best websites to publish your ebook on.

1. Kotobee Books: Kotobee Books is currently the only publishing platform that allows you to keep 100% of your royalties. This means that publishing on this website is completely free! Better yet, Kotobee Books natively supports EPUB files, meaning you can easily publish interactive ebooks.
2. Google Play Books: With Google Play Books, you gain access to a large market of readers and earn 70% of all royalties (in supported countries). Moreover, unlike Amazon KDP, you don’t have to set a certain price to earn them.
3. Draft2Digital: Draft2Digital allows you to distribute your ebook to several retailers, which you can choose from. Better yet, you get to keep 90% of your royalties!
4. Kobo Writing Life: Kobo Writing Life is one of the most well-known publishing platforms amongst readers and writers alike. So consider this platform if you want to access a large reader base and earn up to 70% royalties back.

Instead of exporting your ebook and publishing it, you can also convert your PDF file into a URL you can share with others. This is a great option to consider if you only need to share your ebook with a small audience.

Final Thoughts

Self-publishing can get expensive very quickly, so it’s important to be aware of all the free tools you can take advantage of. With this list of ebook creation and publishing resources, you can create a great ebook without paying a fortune to self-publish it.

Of course, this list doesn’t cover every free tool out there. If you know of any more good ones, tell us about them in the comments!

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Read More

How Much Does It Cost to Publish a Book: Full Breakdown

How to Make an Epub File: A Guide for Beginners

What Is an Interactive Ebook? Everything You Need to Know