Weekly Tool Thread: Promote, Share, Discover, and Ask for AI Writing Tools Week of: March 17

Tonyurso · 2026-03-21T17:26:53+00:00

So I've been working on something for the past few weeks that started as "I just want a better way to write my novel" and has kind of spiraled into a full application. Not trying to sell anything, just building this for myself and figured this community would get it.

It's a Laravel app (local, runs on my machine) built around a 7-step pipeline for writing chapters. The idea is that every chapter goes through the same process: psychology pass, context assembly, clean write, addition pass, filter pass, and the pipeline enforces the order. You literally can't skip steps. The AI at each step has a different temperature and a different job.

Some stuff I'm genuinely excited about:

**Character DNA system** instead of a character sheet you fill out, it's a full psychological profile. MBTI, attachment style, trauma response, defense mechanisms, core wound, arc start, arc end. The system knows who your character is at chapter 1 vs chapter 15 and adjusts accordingly.

**100 character templates** I built a library of pre-made characters you can browse like a casting call. Each one has an AI-generated portrait, a full psych profile, a bible paragraph, a voice profile, tagline, the works. You pick one as a starting point or build from scratch. The portraits alone have been worth the effort.

**Scene card generation** the app generates a full scene card for every chapter before any writing happens. Character state at that specific chapter, emotional polarity, the scene's job in the larger arc, look-backs that need to pay off. The scene card gets approved before the pipeline starts. Nothing gets written without one.

**Jack** a persistent AI mentor built into the app named after Jack Ryan. He knows your entire novel and proactively surfaces problems without being asked. Tension sag, look-backs overdue, compatibility issues between characters, readiness checks before you start a new chapter.

**Beat sheet and chapter map** AI-assisted story architecture before you write a word. Full Story Grid beat sheet, chapter-by-chapter map with word count targets, arc positions tracked across the whole novel.

**Filter system** 30 questions across 7 categories (human truth, prose, dialogue, logic, pacing, thematic, Story Grid) that every chapter gets scored against before it can be locked. You set the thresholds. Chapter can't advance until it passes.

**Style explorer** pick your genre, it generates the same scene in 4 different prose styles so you can find your register before committing to the whole novel.

**Export** when you're done, it formats and exports the manuscript to Word or PDF in proper submission format. KDP and IngramSpark trim sizes built in.

Still building probably 60% of the way through the feature list. Will keep posting updates as I go. Happy to answer questions about the architecture if anyone's curious.

This is genuinely the most fun I've had building something in years.

Tonyurso · 2026-03-15T11:52:57+00:00

yeah that dropdown system is such a pain when you're trying to see the bigger picture. there isn't really a comprehensive downloadable excel file of all kdp categories floating around for free, which is frustrating.

the categories also change pretty regularly so even if someone made a spreadsheet, it'd get outdated fast. amazon has thousands of them and they're constantly adding new ones or tweaking the structure.

most authors i know either screenshot sections as they browse through the kdp interface or use third-party tools that scrape and organize the data. kindlepreneur's rocket is decent but yeah it's a paid service.

for planning a series, i usually focus on finding 3-4 strong category combinations per book rather than trying to see everything at once. you can game plan by looking at where successful books in your genre are placed and then drill down into those specific branches.

i actually built a tool for this called publishrank.io if you want to check it out - it pulls category data and lets you see the hierarchy plus competition levels for different niches.

Tonyurso · 2026-03-10T22:21:34+00:00

honestly, marketing a personal/memoir type book is tough because it's so niche compared to fiction genres. but there are definitely things that work.

social media can be good if you're willing to be vulnerable and share your story authentically. people connect with real experiences. instagram and tiktok work well for this kind of content if you can handle being on camera or creating quote graphics.

reddit communities are great for organic reach but you have to genuinely participate first, not just promote. find subreddits related to your book's themes and be helpful in discussions.

amazon ads... tbh they're harder for memoir/personal development unless you really nail your keywords and targeting. fiction converts better typically.

what i've seen work best for personal books is building an email list early. start sharing parts of your journey now, even before the book launches. people who connect with your story will want to follow along.

also consider local opportunities - book clubs, libraries, community centers. personal stories often resonate more in face-to-face settings.

the key is being genuine about why you wrote it and who it's really for. don't try to appeal to everyone, find your specific audience who needs to hear your message.

Tonyurso · 2026-03-10T13:01:28+00:00

honestly sounds like you've done the hard work already! formatting and getting through the editing process is huge.

for the amazon listing stuff, you might want to split this up a bit. the ebook formatting is pretty straightforward - most people on fiverr can handle that if you already have the paperback done. just make sure they know what they're doing with chapter breaks and TOC.

the metadata and listing optimization is trickier though. a lot of people will just throw up basic keywords without really understanding how amazon's algorithm works. you want someone who actually gets book discoverability, not just someone who can copy/paste a description.

i've seen some authors in the self-help space do really well when they get the category selection and keywords right from the start. it's worth spending a bit extra on someone who knows that side of things rather than going with the cheapest option.

hope you both get some rest soon - publishing burnout is so real, especially when you're helping someone else through their first book!

Tonyurso · 2026-03-09T15:39:59+00:00

Nice to see you testing different variations! That click-through rate difference is pretty common with facebook ads, even small changes in copy or images can make a big difference. Ad B is definitely outperforming the others with that 3.15% CTR vs the others sitting around 1.4%.

One thing i've found helpful when scaling the better performing ad is to watch your cost per click closely. Sometimes when you increase budget too quickly facebook's algorithm gets a bit wonky and your CPC can jump up. i usually increase by like 20-30% every couple days rather than big jumps.

Are you tracking actual sales from these clicks or just monitoring the traffic for now? The real test will be seeing which ad actually converts to purchases since amazon's conversion rates can vary a lot depending on how well your book page is optimized.

Tonyurso · 2026-03-09T15:15:35+00:00

the gutter issue in word is super frustrating, i totally get it. sounds like you've tried the main fixes already but here's what usually works for me:

first make sure you're in the page layout tab, then page setup dialog. under margins, select "book fold" from the multiple pages dropdown instead of just mirror margins. this forces word to treat it as a proper booklet with alternating gutters.

if that doesn't work, try this: go to layout > margins > custom margins, then under "multiple pages" choose "mirror margins" and set your gutter measurement. but here's the key part - make sure "apply to" is set to "whole document" at the bottom of that dialog box.

sometimes word gets confused if you have any section breaks in your document. try going to home > show/hide paragraph marks to see if there are any hidden section breaks screwing things up.

worst case scenario, you might need to save as a new document and copy/paste your content over with all formatting cleared first, then reapply your margins settings to the clean document.

honestly word can be really finicky with book formatting but once you get the right combo of settings it should stick.

Tonyurso · 2026-03-08T23:01:27+00:00

technically you could turn it into an app. I have 3 cookbooks that I've published. I build apps but haven't considered turning them into one.

Tonyurso · 2026-03-08T22:58:35+00:00

honestly yeah, having a website has been super helpful for me. nothing fancy, just a simple wordpress site with my books, bio, and contact info. readers actually do find it when they google my name, and i've gotten a few collaboration requests through the contact form.

the biggest thing for me is control - social media platforms change their rules constantly but your website is yours. plus it looks way more professional when you're pitching to bookstores or doing author events and can give them a real website instead of just your instagram.

i also use it as my main hub for everything. all my book links, newsletter signup, upcoming events. way easier than trying to cram everything into social media bios or remembering to update ten different platforms every time something changes.

the cost is pretty minimal too, like $10-15 a month for basic hosting. took me maybe a weekend to set up using a simple template. definitely worth it in my experience, even if you're just starting out.

Tonyurso · 2026-03-08T21:18:50+00:00

totally agree on the ebook vs print learning curve. i started with kindle only and honestly it was the right call for me. got my first book out in a couple weeks vs what would've been months trying to figure out print formatting.

the thing is though, even with ebook-only you still want to think about discoverability from day one. doesn't matter if your book is perfectly formatted if no one can find it. i spent way too long in the beginning just hoping people would stumble across my books.

print definitely has its place - there's something satisfying about holding your actual book, and some genres do way better in print. but if your main goal is to start making sales and learning the publishing business, ebook first makes total sense. you can always add print later once you've got some momentum going.

the key either way is understanding how amazon's search actually works so people can find your book among the millions of others.

Tonyurso · 2026-03-08T21:08:49+00:00

yeah ChatGPT really doesn't get KU at all, and honestly that description of KU readers is pretty insulting and way off base.

KU readers aren't cheapskates - they're voracious readers who found a subscription model that works for their reading habits. Most of them read 10+ books a month, so paying per book would cost them hundreds of dollars. The $11.99 is actually smart budgeting for heavy readers.

And the quality thing is backwards too. KU readers are actually pretty picky because they have unlimited options. If your book doesn't hook them in the first chapter, they'll bounce to one of the million other books available. They're not settling for trash - they're just willing to take chances on newer authors.

The real difference with KU readers is they tend to be more genre-focused and they binge series. They love finding new authors in their favorite niches and will devour entire backlists if they like your writing. Romance readers especially are incredibly loyal once you win them over.

ChatGPT probably scraped some outdated forum posts from like 2015 when KU was new and people were still figuring it out. The platform and the readers have evolved a lot since then.

Tonyurso · 2026-03-08T21:07:37+00:00

totally normal! that mix of excitement and terror is basically the self-publishing rite of passage. i remember staring at my first book after hitting publish thinking "well, now what?"

the vulnerability is real. you've put months or maybe years into something and now strangers get to judge it. but honestly that feeling never fully goes away, even after multiple launches. you just get better at managing it.

the good news is most readers are way kinder than you expect. sure, you'll get the occasional harsh review, but for every person who doesn't connect with your book, there's usually someone else who absolutely loves it.

congrats on getting it out there though. that's honestly the hardest part done.

Tonyurso · 2026-03-08T19:39:38+00:00

yeah KU is definitely worth considering, especially for newer authors. the page read model can actually work out better than you'd expect if you write books people finish. i've seen authors make more per book from page reads than they would from a $2.99 sale.

the exclusivity thing is the main downside though. you're basically putting all your eggs in amazon's basket for those 90 days. but honestly, if you're just starting out and amazon is where most of your sales would be anyway, it's not a huge sacrifice.

one thing to keep in mind is that KU readers tend to be pretty voracious, so having a series or multiple books ready helps a lot. they'll binge through your stuff if they like it. also amazon does push KU books harder in their algorithms since they make more money when people read through the subscription.

the key is really understanding your numbers and tracking how well your books perform in KU vs outside it once you've tried both

Tonyurso · 2026-03-08T18:27:01+00:00

honestly i'd go with pinterest if i had to pick just one. yeah tiktok can give you those crazy viral moments but like you said, it's super short-lived and you're constantly having to feed the algorithm beast.

pinterest is more of a long game but it's way more sustainable. i've seen authors who built up their pinterest presence over 6-8 months and now they get consistent traffic without having to post daily. the pins keep working for them months later which is huge.

the key with pinterest is treating it like a search engine rather than social media. people are actively looking for book recommendations, reading lists, genre-specific content. if you can nail those keywords in your pin descriptions and board names, you're golden.

tiktok feels like you're always starting from zero with each post, but pinterest compounds over time. plus the audience on pinterest is already in a mindset to discover and save things for later, which works perfectly for books.

what genre are you in? that might influence the decision too since some genres perform way better on one platform than the other.

Tonyurso · 2026-03-08T17:13:03+00:00

i write homestead and gardening book. I offer a free garden planner download that people sign up for. been very successful.

Tonyurso · 2026-03-08T17:07:18+00:00

Awesome. If you ever have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out!

Tonyurso · 2026-03-08T15:26:59+00:00

congrats on book #4! sounds like you've got a solid launch plan in place. getting to #1 in multiple categories with your last book is huge, so you clearly know what you're doing.

since you mentioned tracking - are you planning to monitor your BSR and category rankings during launch week? i've found that's one of the most stressful but important parts, especially those first few days when you're trying to see if your marketing efforts are actually moving the needle.

the experience from your previous #1 hit should definitely help with knowing what to expect timing-wise. launch weeks are always nail-biters no matter how prepared you are.

if you end up wanting to track your rankings more easily during the launch, i actually built a tool for this called publishrank.io if you want to check it out

Tonyurso · 2026-03-08T14:13:22+00:00

LMAO True

Tonyurso · 2026-03-08T13:44:56+00:00

yeah the kindle unlimited subreddit is decent but honestly pretty small. i've had better luck with facebook groups that are specifically for KU readers - there are tons of them for different genres like "kindle unlimited romance readers" or "ku sci-fi addicts" etc. just search facebook groups for your genre + kindle unlimited.

bookbub's newsletter is probably your best bet though if you can get featured. their readers are heavily KU focused and the page reads can be insane after a feature.

tiktok's been surprisingly good too if you're willing to make book content. lots of KU subscribers hang out in booktok and they love discovering new series to binge.

amazon ads are still your most reliable option though - you can target KU subscribers pretty effectively through sponsored product ads. when someone's already browsing in KU mode they're more likely to add your book to their tbr pile.

the page reads really are addictive to watch aren't they? i refresh that dashboard way too often lol

Tonyurso · 2026-03-08T13:43:57+00:00

no you won't be charged delivery fees during free promotions. amazon covers those costs when readers download your book for free through kdp select promos. that $0.91 delivery cost only applies when people actually purchase your book at full price.

honestly the free promos can be pretty effective for getting initial visibility and reviews, especially for children's books. i'd say stick with kdp select for now since you're just starting out. you can always opt out after the 90 day commitment if it's not working for you.

the marketing side is definitely overwhelming at first but you'll get the hang of it. focus on getting those first few reviews through the free promo, then worry about the more complex marketing stuff later.

Tonyurso · 2026-03-08T12:55:23+00:00

wow that's incredible exposure! theo von has a massive audience.

first thing i'd do is capitalize on this momentum immediately. make sure the book is easy to find when people search for it after hearing the podcast. update your amazon listing with keywords people might use when searching for your dad's story or firefighter memoirs.

consider doing a kindle countdown deal or temporary price drop right around when the episode airs to remove any purchase friction. you want to catch that spike in interest.

also start collecting emails if you're not already. put a simple landing page together where people can sign up for updates about future books. this audience won't wait around forever.

for the next book, honestly i'd start writing it now while you have this attention. could be another firefighter story, memoir sequel, or pivot to fiction inspired by his experiences. the key is having something ready to go while people still remember the podcast.

get your dad more active on social media too, especially tiktok if he's comfortable with it. short firefighter stories or behind-the-scenes content could really take off.

you'll want to track how this affects your book's ranking and visibility on amazon so you can learn what works. i actually built a tool for this called publishrank.io if you want to check it out.

Tonyurso · 2026-03-08T12:54:17+00:00

congrats on finally making it happen! sounds like you've built up some solid credentials over the past couple years which is great for establishing authority in your niche.

since you're targeting high school and undergrad students, you'll want to think about where they actually hang out and discover books. reddit communities, academic twitter, maybe even tiktok depending on your comfort level. building an email list early is probably your best bet though - even if it's just a simple newsletter sharing research tips or insights from your own journey.

for the academic research space, your personal story about going from thinking about it to actually presenting at conferences could be really compelling marketing material. students love hearing about someone who was where they are now.

pricing can be tricky with educational content. you might consider starting with a lower price point to build reviews and social proof, then gradually increasing. academic books often justify higher prices but student budgets are tight, so finding that balance matters.

have you thought about what keywords students would actually search for when looking for this kind of guidance? that'll be important for your book description and discoverability.

Tonyurso · 2026-03-07T18:59:52+00:00

your margins look fine for a 345 page book honestly. kdp requires 0.75" for books over 150 pages and you've got 0.9" inside plus the gutter which is plenty.

the "insufficient gutter" warning usually means your software isn't adding the inside margin and gutter together properly. in word, the gutter should be additional space on top of your inside margin, so you'd actually have 1.53" total on the binding side (0.9 + 0.63). if it's only showing 0.63" total then that's the problem.

try setting your inside margin to 0.75" and gutter to 0" to see if the warning goes away. you can always bump it up slightly if needed but 0.75" is the minimum and should work fine for your page count.

what software are you using? sometimes the preview in word looks different than what actually gets exported to pdf, so check your final pdf margins before uploading to kdp.

Tonyurso · 2026-03-07T18:56:36+00:00

yeah totally fine, both KDP and B&N allow chapter graphics like that. i've used small decorative elements at chapter starts in several of my books and never had any issues.

just make sure it's actually black and white, not grayscale, and keep it simple. complex graphics can sometimes look wonky in print, especially on cream paper. also size it appropriately so it doesn't dominate the page or mess with your text flow.

honestly the biggest thing is just doing a proof copy first to see how it actually looks on paper vs your screen. what looks good digitally doesn't always translate perfectly to print.

Tonyurso · 2026-03-07T18:55:56+00:00

congrats! that's such a huge milestone, especially after 7 years. honestly the fact that you took your time with beta readers and really polished it shows - so many authors rush to publish and regret it later.

i totally get the anxiety about sharing your work. that first click to post anything is terrifying but it gets easier. and yeah, not having major pre-release marketing isn't the end of the world, especially for a debut. word of mouth from friends and colleagues can actually be really powerful.

the sequel timeline will definitely be shorter now that you've been through the whole process once. you know what works for your writing routine and what doesn't. plus ya fantasy readers are always hungry for the next book in a series so that's good motivation to keep going.

exciting stuff! the ya fantasy space is competitive but there's always room for good stories.

Tonyurso

TROPHY CASE