Last Updated on February 28, 2024
Have you got a great muse?
If so, lucky you! Most of us, however, have to rely on what we can access in the recesses of our brains and souls, and most of the time; we are working against deadlines – ours or those of our clients or teachers/professors.
My gig is freelance writing, but no matter what your genre – fiction, non-fiction, copywriting, articles, blogs, academic essays and papers – you need to take a look at some of the best apps, tools, and websites that can make the entire process efficient and your finished product exceptional!
For Productivity
Especially when deadlines are involved, you cannot afford to waste time. One of the biggest distractions is using your computer/desktop, for there is always the temptation to check email, favorite social media sites, Twitter, etc. No self-control? Check these out!
- Anti-Social: A great software that acts like a parental control when you activate it – you are effectively “banned” from access to your distractions. (I admit, I could have written this post twice faster if I didn’t spend that much time pinning writing quotes).
- Pomodoro is an app for those who know they work best with scheduled breaks. It will signal break times at intervals you pre-determine and sound the “alarm” when your chosen break time is up.
- For the truly serious, who also enjoy high risk, there is Write or Die. This app allows you set a number of words that you intend to write without pausing. Once that app is activated, you need to write, write, write! If you pause too long, sirens and colors begin to appear and the app begins to delete your words, beginning with the last one you wrote.
- WriteMonkey is the ultimate distraction destroyer for typical ADD writer. Basically, you will get a blank screen that looks like a blank page from old typewriter days – NOTHING else to look at!
For Collaboration
Writers love to connect and share, and there are great apps for this activity!
- Help Me Write connects writers of similar genres who can share their writing with each other and both make and take suggestions.
- Draft is a free app that allows writers to invite others to read their work and offer suggestions and ideas. It, too, connects writers of similar genres.
- For the truly stressed writer, out of ideas, facing a deadline, and in need of assistance, it is sometimes wise to use Trust Essays or another professional writing service. Doing this is certainly not a comment on a writer’s ability – it is a comment that, as is the case with any profession, there are good days and bad days. Accept it and move on!
For Creativity
For fiction, poetry, and assigned creative writing essays in school, there is far more than just good writing involved. Those “juices” have to flow! For writers who get “blocked,” there are some great apps. Personally, there are two I just love.
- Writing.com is actually great for any kind of writing, but for creative inspiration, I love their functions. The writer is presented with images, words, colors, small writing selections, etc., to stimulate creative thought – let it flow!
- iStop WritersBlock app is a really fun app that gives the user exercises to stimulate mental processes and flow of ideas.
For Composition, Grammar & Style
A lot of truly great “idea” people who should and do write still struggle with the basics of composition, and, yes, there are apps for these people too!
- Grammarly does a far better job than other word processing programs in detecting and correcting errors, and it automatically checks writing for plagiarism.
- AutoCrit Editing Wizards is a sophisticated “repair” app that will fix sentence structure, suggest improvements, and, of course, correct all grammar and mechanical errors