Before I discovered AI tools, my mornings often began with a heavy dose of busy work—responding to emails, writing pitches, tracking media updates, and juggling multiple calendars. I was already running on empty when I got to the creative tasks I love, like brainstorming with my clients or connecting with the media. I needed a way to reclaim my time, and that’s when I started experimenting with AI.
Over the last two years, these tools have become an indispensable part of my daily routine, allowing me to focus on what really matters: helping authors succeed. Below are seven AI tools I use daily to streamline processes, boost productivity, and make my job less stressful. I have no financial incentive to recommend these tools—they’re simply the ones that have worked best for me. From writing marketing copy, analyzing audience data, coordinating team meetings, and more, the following AI tools can help streamline processes, boost productivity, and save valuable time for more creative and strategic work.
ChatGPT: Your Marketing Assistant
ChatGPT (openai.com/chatgpt) is a highly versatile writing tool that can simplify content creation. ChatGPT delivers quick, well-structured suggestions if you need help brainstorming titles and subtitles, drafting jacket copy, writing ad headlines, or social media captions. For example, you might ask, “What’s a catchy headline for an ad for this book?” or “What’s a friendly tone email to invite readers to a virtual author Q&A?” By providing a solid draft, ChatGPT lets you focus on refining the content rather than starting from scratch. You can use Claude or Gemini as an assistant as well. I just prefer ChatGPT because I started using it first. Also, definitely use the paid version. It’s the best $20 per month you can spend.
Grammarly: Polishing and Perfecting Your Prose
Grammarly (grammarly.com) has always been a handy helper, but it has had an AI glow-up. It ensures your writing is polished, professional, and error-free. Beyond simple grammar and spell checks, it also helps refine your tone, adjust style, and maintain consistency across various documents. For instance, you can run your book descriptions or press releases through Grammarly to ensure clarity and engagement. It even offers suggestions for improving readability and flow, giving you confidence that every piece of content you publish meets high-quality standards. Grammarly for Gmail also helps with managing emails. I also really like the tool for Gmail. It suggests simple responses and saves time.
SparkToro: Smarter Audience Insights
Understanding your readers and knowing where to reach them is critical for successful marketing and publicity campaigns. SparkToro (sparktoro.com) helps you discover where your target audience spends time online, what hashtags they follow, and which influencers they trust. For instance, if you’re releasing a new mystery novel, SparkToro can show you the social media accounts your readers follow most or the podcasts they frequently tune into. With this knowledge, you can focus your marketing efforts where they’ll have the most impact—whether partnering with a specific podcaster or targeting a popular genre-related subreddit. It is a bit expensive at $50 per month, but I heard from the co-founder that they are working on more pricing options.
Gamma: Beautiful Presentations and Documents, Simplified
When pitching your book to potential collaborators or creating polished marketing decks, Gamma (gamma.app) takes the guesswork out of design. This AI-powered tool can transform your content into visually stunning presentations and documents with minimal effort. For example, let’s say you need a sales sheet or a media kit. You simply provide the text, and Gamma handles the layout and styling. The result is a sleek, well-structured document or presentation that looks like you hired a professional designer—without the time or expense. I use it to create pitch decks for books rather than using old boring press releases. Gamma also designs all my presentations.
Canva: Easy, AI-Enhanced Design
Canva (canva.com) has long been a favorite for designing marketing materials, but its AI features—such as Magic Write—can also help speed up content creation. Imagine needing social media captions for a series of Instagram posts promoting a new cookbook. Canva’s Magic Write tool can generate several caption ideas, letting you choose the one that fits best. Once you have your captions, Canva’s intuitive interface helps you quickly add them to visually appealing graphics. This streamlined workflow saves hours that would otherwise be spent on manual design and writing. I use Canva for smaller graphics and Gamma for longer documents and presentations.
Zoom AI: Effortless Meeting Summaries
Virtual meetings are a cornerstone of publishing today, and Zoom AI (zoom.us) makes it easier than ever to keep track of what happens during those calls. Rather than frantically taking notes while trying to stay engaged, you can rely on Zoom’s AI-generated meeting summaries. For example, after a weekly team check-in, Zoom AI provides a concise summary of key decisions, action items, and next steps. This ensures nothing slips through the cracks and gives everyone a clear record to refer to, saving time and reducing misunderstandings. More features on the horizon also sound exciting.
Perplexity: Fast, Reliable Research
When you need quick, accurate information—market trends, relevant statistics, or niche insights—Perplexity (perplexity.ai) is my go-to AI-powered research assistant. Suppose you’re working on a press release for a historical fiction novel and need to verify some details about the time period. Rather than combing through multiple sources, Perplexity delivers concise, well-cited answers, enabling you to gather accurate information in a fraction of the time. This helps ensure your content is both credible and compelling. Perplexity has replaced Goggle for me. Instead of giving me a long list of links, it gives me the answer I need with the sources.
From drafting and editing to audience research, design, and meeting management, these seven tools demonstrate the power of AI for independent publishers. ChatGPT accelerates the content creation process, Grammarly ensures polished prose, SparkToro sharpens your audience strategy, Gamma and Canva make professional design simple, Zoom AI streamlines meeting notes, and Perplexity provides fast, reliable research. By integrating these tools into your workflow, you’ll save time, reduce stress, and have more freedom to focus on the human side of publishing: crafting stories, building connections, and growing your business.
Fauzia Burke is the founder and president of FSB Associates, a leading digital PR firm specializing in book publicity. A seasoned digital marketer and publishing consultant, she has over two decades of experience helping authors and publishers navigate the ever-changing media landscape.