As much as the motto “it’s what you write, not how you write it” is true, specific writing tools and technology can be so useful. Some writers might be blessed with the instinct to stay focus, organized and motivated every single day; raring to take on another day full of writing. For the rest (and probably the majority) of us, we need a little push some days.
These tools, apps, and gadgets could prove to be super beneficial, making your day of writing more productive and helping you to stay on track of everything.
A notepad and pen
We’ll start with the right, old-fashioned trusty tools – a notebook and a pen. Don’t ever underestimate the power that these useful writing tools have. We recommend always having a notepad and functioning pen on you at all times. You have no idea when an idea will pop into your head, you’ll run into a great source, or something crazy happens. Life is full of unexpected occurrences; as a writer, you shouldn’t ever let them go undocumented.
Make sure your notepad is durable, maybe even waterproof – imagine the heartbreak a spilled coffee would cause? Some people just work better with a physical pen and paper, and that’s completely fine. A notepad and pen won’t break, run out of battery or distract you with social media.
Super portable laptop
This is like an ultra-useful modern-day notepad…with countless more features. Every single writer needs something to actually write on, over the decades we’ve tried out multiple different tools. Undeniably, the computer comes out on top.
Investing in a laptop that you can carry around with you everywhere, allows you to get stuck into your work whenever and wherever you feel like it.
Of course, look for a laptop small and light enough to make it easy to travel with, but don’t compromise on power or capacity.
A jam-packed phone
Honestly, a great phone could be the best investment you ever make as a writer. As far as technology for writers goes, a phone is probably the greatest tool.
It fits right in your pocket, you carry it everywhere, and the benefits it brings for writers are immense. If you’re a writer, you’re automatically a creative person – which means you’ll have random bursts of ideas. You’ll also know how irritating it is to forget about the brilliant idea by the time you’ve made it to pen and paper.
With your phone, you can just enter your idea into notes. Or start writing away…you never know when you’ll feel in the writing zone.
Apps and services
In addition, phones and laptops allow you to download apps. These apps for writers will enhance your work, improve your productivity and organize your day better. The problem is, there are hundreds of apps out there available for you to try out. How do you know which one is right for you? We’ve listed a few of our favorite paid and free writing apps and a few writing services that’ll definitely make your life much easier.
- Zoho Writer – A free alternative to Microsoft Word. Perfect for anybody who wants to write on the go, but doesn’t want to splash the cash.
- Evernote – You’ve probably heard of this one, it’s absolutely wonderful for taking notes. Great for when you’re researching for a book, article or blog post.
- Ulysses – A fantastic app for all the blog writers out there. It allows you to focus directly on content rather than layout or formatting. It also has a feature which will enable you to publish work from Ulysses directly to WordPress.
- Mindnode – Everybody knows that mind-mapping is a great way to force your creative ideas out. Well, there’s now an app for it. You can also use this app as productivity, “to-do” type app too.
Top Essay Writing – A great service that you can delegate your urgent projects too. Top Essay Writing is on the market for quite a while and is known to have moderate prices.
Grab My Essay – Another cool service that will take any urgent projects and do all the research and writing for you.
Browser extensions
As a writer, you should also be utilizing the extensions on your browser. If you’re not currently using Chrome, we can’t recommend that you switch enough – it has multiple benefits but also gives you an extensive choice of extensions that benefit writers immeasurably. Here are the ones we would truly struggle without.
- Grammarly – even the best writers miss a small grammar mistake, make a typo or accidentally place a comma where it’s not supposed to be. Not to worry, Grammarly will check it over, way more thoroughly than the average spell-check. It also automatically checks emails which is such a useful feature…which we are grateful for and still consider among the best extensions out there.
- Web Timer – Used to help productivity, giving you a chart on what and how you spent your day online (it can be a hard pill to swallow).
- StayFocused – This productivity extension blocks certain websites so that you stay focused on your work.
Coffitivity
Coffitivity is a wonderful invention, created by freelancers, creatives and entrepreneurs. The idea spawned from something all writers can relate to – how productive you are in coffee shops. Coffitivity is an ingenious idea that boosts your creativity and productivity by playing the sounds from coffee shops.
All writers want to spend their days productively and end their days with excellent work. Writing tools have made this even more likely. Or maybe you’re just procrastinating right now from doing your writing by researching the best writing apps. Either way, these are our top picks.
Conclusion
Attention is the currency of professional growth. It makes us work better, faster, and with more determination. Finding the tools that make your own writing more efficient is a long path, which all writers need to embark on. Good luck!
Steven Mehler — A seasoned blogger at Top Writers Review. The topic of his interest is technology, which he regularly writes about. Steve has a Master’s Degree in communication.
