A no-drama framework for picking tools that fit your workflow, your budget, and your tolerance for dashboards.
Most authors don’t have a “tech stack.” They have a tech pile.
It starts innocently. You buy one tool to solve one problem. Then you add another because the first one “doesn’t do email.” Then you add a third because the second one does email but makes you feel like you’re filing taxes in a haunted house.
None of that means you’re bad at business. It means software companies are very good at selling hope and very bad at explaining reality.
This post is the reality.
If you want to see tools in action before you commit, start with a product tour: Product tours (Tech Tools)
Step 1: Name the job (not the tool)
Tools are not goals. Jobs are goals.
Pick the job you’re trying to get done right now. Examples:
- “Collect emails and send a welcome sequence.”
- “Sell direct and deliver files without chaos.”
- “Track launch tasks so I stop dropping balls.”
- “Schedule content so I’m not posting like a raccoon at midnight.”
- “Connect my tools so I’m not copy/pasting the same info everywhere.”
If you can’t name the job, you’re not ready to buy a tool. You’re ready to clarify the workflow.
Step 2: Define what “success” looks like (in plain English)
This is the part most people skip, which is how they end up paying for software they never use.
Write one sentence:
“This tool is a win if it helps me __.”
Examples:
- “This tool is a win if I can send onboarding emails and tag readers automatically.”
- “This tool is a win if I can sell bundles and deliver files without manual work.”
- “This tool is a win if it helps me see what’s working without learning a new language.”
That sentence is your filter. If the tool can’t do the thing, it’s not your tool.
Step 3: Pick three non-negotiables (not twelve)
Most “tool research” gets messy because people turn it into a wish list.
Keep it tight. Pick three non-negotiables.
Common ones for authors:
- Easy enough to maintain monthly
- Doesn’t require custom code
- Integrates with my email platform
- Supports my product types (ebooks, bundles, subscriptions)
- Lets me export my data (so I’m not trapped)
- Has support/documentation that isn’t a treasure hunt
If you choose more than three, you’re trying to control uncertainty. Software will still surprise you. You just want to surprise yourself less.
Step 4: Identify your constraint (the thing you won’t admit matters)
Every author has a constraint. Pretending you don’t have one is how you end up with tools that look impressive and feel miserable.
Pick the one that matters most right now:
- Time (you need “works fast,” not “infinite customization”)
- Budget (you need best value, not fanciest)
- Brain bandwidth (you need simple and forgiving)
- Team (you need permissions, handoffs, and clarity)
- Automation (you need tools that play well together)
Your constraint is not a weakness. It’s a design requirement.
Step 5: Watch the tool in real life (before you commit your money and your sanity)
This is where product tours earn their keep.
A product tour answers the questions sales pages avoid:
- What does the dashboard actually look like?
- What does setup actually require?
- Where do authors typically get stuck?
- What workarounds are normal?
- What does it not do, even though it’s hinted at?
Browse the product tour library here: Product tours (Tech Tools)
While you watch, only capture these three things:
- One feature you will actually use
- One setup step you’ll need to repeat
- One limitation you need to accept (or run from)
That’s enough to make a decision.
Step 6: Run the “maintenance test” (the part that saves you later)
This is the question that separates “good tool” from “tool you abandon in six weeks.”
Ask yourself:
“Can I keep this running when I’m tired, busy, and annoyed?”
Because you will be tired, busy, and annoyed. That’s not pessimism. That’s Tuesday.
Here’s what usually fails the maintenance test:
- Too many steps to do a basic task
- Too many settings that break things quietly
- Too much manual cleanup
- Too much “you just have to be consistent” energy
- Too much dependency on one person who “knows the system”
A tool that only works when you’re at peak motivation is not a tool. It’s a hobby.
Step 7: Decide, commit, and stop shopping
Tool shopping feels productive. It is not productive.
Pick the tool that fits the job, the non-negotiables, and the constraint. Then commit to using it long enough to get real value.
If you want a rule of thumb:
- If it’s a foundational tool (email/CRM, storefront), commit to 90 days.
- If it’s a support tool (scheduler, project tracker), commit to 30 days.
And cancel anything that overlaps. Your future self will thank you.
If you’re stuck between two tools, ask this
Most “which tool is better” debates are actually “which tool fits my reality.”
Ask:
- Which one matches my workflow today (not my fantasy workflow)?
- Which one is easier to maintain?
- Which one lets me export my data if I leave?
- Which one will still make sense six months from now?
If you want a second opinion, bring the question into Campus. You’ll get better answers there than you’ll get from affiliate blog posts.
Join the community here: Go to Campus
Start Here (use this if you’re brand new)
Quick-start plan (15 minutes total):
1) Watch one product tour for a tool you already use: Product tours (Tech Tools)
2) Pick one webinar replay that matches a current problem: Weekly webinars + replays
3) Read one book club summary and steal one idea for this week: Book Club Summaries
Ready to jump in?
Browse the product tours here: Product tours (Tech Tools)
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