Author Buddy

Time and resources are always in short supply for most of us, but especially for authors. Gathering competitive insights—like compiling ASINs (Amazon Standard Identification Numbers) of competitors—is a critical part of running targeted ads and staying ahead in the industry. Unfortunately, this process is often manual, tedious, and daunting. Authors are forced to spend hours scouring Amazon for book details, a task that detracts from the creative and strategic work they should be focusing on.

Recognizing this challenge, I built Author Buddy, a tool designed to revolutionize how authors and publishers market their work on Amazon. As a software engineer passionate about creating tools that make complex tasks simple and accessible, I used Supabase and Next.js, integrating it with ShadCN UI and Tailwind CSS for a sleek, user-friendly interface.

What It Does

Streamlined User Experience

At its heart, Author Buddy is a tool that takes the hassle out of compiling an author's works from Amazon. Users start by signing up for an account and subscribing to unlock the app’s full potential. From there, the journey becomes effortless:

1. Input Author Page URL: Simply paste the Amazon author page URL into the app.
2. Generate Comprehensive Lists: The app extracts detailed information about the author’s books, including formats like ebooks, audiobooks, and paperbacks.
3. Sort and Organize: With the React Spreadsheet-powered viewer, users can sort their data by ASIN type, making it easy to focus on specific formats or organize the data as needed.
4. Download with Ease: Exporting the data as an Excel file ensures it’s ready for offline use, whether for research, personal tracking, or sharing.

Historical Insights

A standout feature of Author Buddy is its ability to track and store all user requests. This means users can revisit previous searches, load them back into the spreadsheet viewer, and continue working without starting from scratch. This history feature adds a layer of convenience and personalization that enhances the overall experience.

Tech Stack

Creating Author Buddy involved a combination of cutting-edge technologies, each chosen to deliver optimal performance and usability:

• Frontend: Built with Next.js, offering server-side rendering for fast, efficient performance, paired with Tailwind CSS and ShadCN UI for a modern and responsive design.
• Backend: Powered by Supabase, providing robust database management, authentication, and real-time capabilities.
• Interactive Components: The React Spreadsheet library enables dynamic data manipulation within the app, ensuring users have the tools they need to interact with their data seamlessly.

Why It Matters

For authors, publishers, having quick and organized access to a comprehensive list of an author’s works is invaluable. Author Buddy bridges a gap, transforming what was once a manual, time-consuming task into an automated and intuitive process. This tool empowers users to:

• Conduct in-depth research effortlessly.
• Keep track of various book formats and editions.
• Save time and focus on creative or strategic pursuits.

Looking Ahead

While the current iteration of Author Buddy delivers a robust suite of features, this is just the beginning. Here’s what’s next:

• AI Assistant: Imagine a virtual assistant that not only gathers data but also provides actionable insights, such as identifying trends or suggesting opportunities based on the author’s catalog.
• Automated Research: Expanding beyond individual author pages, future versions will enable users to gather and analyze related data, such as genre trends or competitive author comparisons.

Author Buddy represents my commitment to creating tools that empower users by simplifying the complex. It’s a project born out of a deep appreciation for efficiency and accessibility, and I’m excited to continue evolving it. Whether you’re an author, a publisher, or someone passionate about books, Author Buddy is designed to help you uncover insights and achieve your goals with ease.