If you’re an author working on fiction, memoir, or nonfiction content books, you’ve probably come across tools promising to make self-publishing easier. One that gets mentioned often is Book Bolt. But here’s the key: Book Bolt isn’t designed for full-length, content-rich books. It’s built for low-content publishing.
And while that might sound irrelevant to you as a writer, there’s a strategic use case here—especially if you’re building an author brand.
Having helped over 8,000 authors write, market, and self-publish over the last 10 years, we know what tools are worth the price tag.
Let’s talk about what Book Bolt actually does, why it works best for low-content books, and how authors can use it to complement and market their primary works.
Book Bolt review and overview:
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What Book Bolt does best
Book Bolt is an all-in-one platform for creating and publishing low-content and no-content books on Amazon KDP. When it comes to books, not all are just for reading.
That means low content books can include:
- Journals
- Planners
- Activity books
- Puzzle books
- Logbooks (habit trackers, meal planners, budget logs, etc.)
- Coloring books
For these types of books, Book Bolt has a lot of information for how to sell them, including:
- Keyword and niche research (using Amazon sales data)
- Cover and interior design (via a drag-and-drop tool with ready-made templates)
- Puzzle generation (for crosswords, sudoku, mazes—Pro plan only)
- Listing optimization for Amazon KDP
That said, Book Bolt is not a tool for writing or formatting novels, nonfiction books, essays, or content-heavy guides. It won’t help you with editing, structure, or long-form interior layout like Vellum, Atticus, or Scrivener would.
So why should content authors care?
As a content-rich writer, you might think Book Bolt isn’t for you—and that’s mostly true. You won’t find the tools you need to market your book effectively or even write a good book.
But here’s where it can be useful:
Use low-content books to support your main titles
1. Companion journals
If you’ve written a self-help, coaching, or wellness book, you can use Book Bolt to create a guided journal that matches your message.
For example, if your book teaches emotional resilience, create a “30-Day Resilience Journal” with prompts or blank spaces for reflection.
2. Workbooks or trackers
If you wrote a health, finance, or productivity book, you can publish a tracker logbook or planner to help readers implement your content.
3. Fiction tie-ins
Fiction authors can create character-inspired journals, travel notebooks, or puzzle books for fans of their series. It’s not just merch—it’s another way to keep readers engaged.
4. Email list incentives or print-on-demand merch
Use low-content books as giveaways, upsells, or exclusive bonuses for email subscribers and superfans.
In all of these cases, Book Bolt speeds up the design and publishing process, especially if you’re not a graphic designer. You can go from idea to published companion journal in hours.
What does Book Bolt cost?
This is a great book software that actually has a free trial! It’s three days. So give yourself a weekend and give it a shot and see if it’s what you’re looking for.
If it is, here’s what you’ll end up paying:
- Newbie: $9.99/month or $89.99/year
- Pro: $19.99/month or $199.99/year (adds puzzle book creation tools)
For authors who only need to make one or two branded journals or planners, you may only need it for a month or two—making it affordable and low-risk.
Real user feedback
It’s important to keep in mind what real people think about a product or service. The reviews can help you understand certain nuances of the product so you can determine if it works for you or not. Here are a few things from real users online:
“The closest thing that can describe Book Bolt is a Swiss army knife. It’s not just one piece of software, it’s five rolled into one.”
From authors using it for tie-ins:
“I created a gratitude journal that aligned with my book on burnout recovery. It was easier than I expected and helped boost my email sign-ups.”
And a word of caution:
“It’s not for writing books—don’t expect it to replace Atticus or Scrivener. It’s for filling the gap between merch and meaningful companion content.”
And here are a couple more with variety:
Ultimately, it’s important to remember that this is an accessory tool for your main book projects. But if you want to have a go at low-content books, this is for you!
Book Outline Generator
Choose your Fiction or Nonfiction book type below to get your free chapter by chapter outline!
Book Outline Generator
Enter your details below and get your pre-formatted outline in your inbox and start writing today!
CONGRATULATIONS
Thanks for submitting! Check your email for your book outline template.
In the meantime, check out our Book Outline Challenge.
