Writers do not write out of the blue, there is an inspiration to it and some writing tools to use. This helps to come up with excellent writing.
Before the computer, there was the typewriter, and before the typewriter, there was pen and paper, and before pen and paper, there were plenty of other lost tools of writing — like clay, papyrus, wood, slate, parchment, and, of course, pens made out of reeds. https://blog.reedsy.com/writing-tools/
So what are the writing tools we can use in writing our piece?
According to reedsy blog, there are 21 Best Writing Tools of 2020 which serves as a guide for all writers like us.
1. Reedsy Book Editor
The Reedsy Book Editor is a free, online word processor that formats your book as you write. Its best function is that it lets you instantly typeset your manuscript and print-ready PDF files.
2. Draft
The draft is the online word processor not only keeps track of how many words you write per day, it can also email you daily reminders about your daily word count goals. It functions a lot like Google Docs: allowing you to track changes, collaborate via suggested edits, and make comments on the doc.
3. LibreOffice
LibreOffice is the open-source answer for people who want to try Microsoft without paying the price tag. Open source means that the software is built on code that anyone can inspect and enhance.
4. Mellel
Mellel is a writer's dream come true. It is not free (and note that it’s only for Mac). In return for the price tag, you’ll get more book-specific tools than other, perhaps more traditional word processors — such as outlining and bibliography-making functions.
5. Milanote
Milanote is an easy-to-use creative writing app to organize your research, ideas, characters, and outline in one place.
6. Evernote
Evernote is a great and easy-to-use option for writers who could do with a little more organization in their lives. The app lets you quickly jot down thoughts, record audio notes, save online articles you’re hoping to reference, and it will sync all of this information across all of your Evernote-installed devices.
7. Ulysses
Ulysses allows you to organize your thoughts into a well-written work. This is accomplished through features like customizable writing goals and deadlines, plain text enhancements, a distraction-free typewriter mode, bookmarks, outlining functions, and more.
8. Scrivener
Scrivener’s corkboard function is an absolute favorite for writers who rely on visual aid to help with outlining. The function looks like an actual corkboard, and lets writers pin notes to the board in chronological order. It offers templates for works such as fiction, essays, recipe collections, screenplays, comic books — which gives Scrivener another point for versatility.
9. Ommwriter
With soothing background noises, customizable keyboard noises, and peaceful backgrounds to choose from, Ommwriter could just be the “break” from everything else going on around you that you need to write.
10. To Doist
It’s the ultimate app for creating to-do lists — but these aren’t your grandma’s pen-and-paper lists with little checkmarks beside them (though we mean no offense to your grandma). It lets you get a daily or weekly overview of your tasks, prioritize the tasks that are most important, and even lets you assign tasks to other people if you’re working on a specific goal with other collaborators.
11. Marinara Timer
It offers customizable timers in case the 25/5 isn’t quite right for keeping you on track. Fun fact: taking a break to stand up or walk (or do anything but sit!) every hour is also a good way to protect your back if you sit hunched at a computer working for long stretches at a time.
12. Cold Turkey
With Cold Turkey, you can block yourself from accessing certain websites — or even your entire computer — for periods at a time, only allowing you to use the current document you’re working on.
13. Freedom
Freedom is the ability to sync your distraction-free periods across all your devices.
14. Noisli
This tool lets you choose from a range of soundtracks, such as rain, coffee shop, wind, lake, and more. You can mix several sounds at once, and choose the volume for each one.
15. Hemingway
The Hemingway app claims to make your writing “bold and clear.” It has a number of handy features like a word-counter and an automatic readability score. But its real use lies in the features that make suggestions to your prose.
16. Cliché Finder
Cliché Finder is exactly what it says on the tin: it combs through your writing in search of clichés and then highlights them for you. It’s not always necessarily a bad thing to use clichés in your writing, but when you do, you want to be purposeful about it.
17. Grammarly
Grammarly essentially functions as the spell checker tool from Microsoft Word or Google Docs, but here’s the great part: it’s a plug-in that will work wherever you happen to write. That means Twitter, Gmail, Google Docs, Facebook — anywhere. Plus it offers vocabulary or alternate word suggestions — for instance, it might suggest you replace “walking aimlessly,” with the word “wandering.”
18. ProWritingAid
ProWritingAid is a tool you can install that will proofread and spell check your material for you, no matter where you’re writing. It will also offer suggestions to improve your overall language — outside of just grammatical technicalities.
19. Livescribe Pen
If you prefer writing on paper, but dread the process of transferring your words to a computer, Livescribe will likely be right up your alley.
20. Ergonomic desk setups
It is a good idea for writers who spend long hours at the computer — or even writing in a notebook. This could be a standing desk, or even just a number of textbooks piled under your desktop so that your screen is eye level, resulting in less stress on your shoulders.
21. Computer Glasses
Because you blink far less when looking at a screen than you do otherwise, computer vision syndrome (CVS) is a condition people have been developing due to long stretches of staring at a computer. One way to help alleviate this — other than just making sure to take time looking away from your computer — is to invest in some computer glasses.
Maybe other than these writing tools, you have some which are helpful for writers.
I'm encouraging you to share the tools you've known by commenting on this blog. Thanks.
“I write because I have a message to share that would encourage, inspire and uplift someone out there” - SMN
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