Writing can be tough. Sometimes it’s hard to find the right words, you struggle with grammar and punctuation, it’s time-consuming, and it can be overwhelming.
A good writer is always looking for new ways to improve their craft. Whether it’s by finding new writing tools or reading up on the latest novel techniques — writers are never content with where they are.
If you find yourself wasting too much time in your field, here are 8 must-use writing tools to help you improve and achieve more.
Why Do You Need To Use Writing Tools
There are several reasons why you should use writing tools.
- To increase your productivity. Writing tools can save you hours of work that you could use doing other simple tasks.
- It helps to save time and energy when you are working on your project. With writing tools, it’s easy to set time slots to do actual work. Spend time doing what’s important.
For example, you can schedule 30 minutes for keyword research, one hour for actual writing, and an extra hour for editing.
- It’s a great way to build a great portfolio, which will open doors to jobs you’ll love. There is a misconception that writing tools are only for the younger generation. However, most writing tools streamline the writing process.
- Using writing tools can also help you find the most effective way to express yourself. Speaking your ideas is as important as writing them.
- It can improve your skills in spelling and grammar.
- To avoid plagiarism.
How To Find The Best Writing Tool For Your Needs
The best writing tool depends on the nature of the task and the purpose of the content. Different types of writing tasks require different styles, approaches, and writing tools:
Content strategy is an important part of a successful business. It’s crucial to know the kind of content you need for each different target audience and purpose because no one tool can do it all.
As a small business owner and entrepreneur, you can stop wasting time by using an AI writing tool so that you can save precious hours working on the important stuff.
For example, if you have to create content for different social media accounts, finding time to write copy can be time-consuming.
Instead of spending time drafting social media content for Facebook, LinkedIn, and all social media platforms, an AI writing tool can help you avoid wasting time and focus on what’s important.
If you’re writing a blog post, break down the process into smaller tasks. Carrying out research, creating an outline, and compiling notes can be done in one day, writing the draft, the next day, and other tasks like editing, adding images, and optimization on the final day.
With an AI tool, you cut the process of writing your blog post in half because the hard stuff is taken care of.
All you have to do is batch create content. You can achieve this by breaking content goals into small tasks.
Choose the social media platforms you will focus on. If it’s creating Facebook Ads, schedule one to two hours and ensure within that time you avoid other distractions. How much time you will need depends on Within that time you should be productive.
Writing tools are some of the most effective time management techniques that can help you do small tasks, such as writing up emails or web copy. They not only increase productivity but also help you focus on the next task. You can access some of these tools from your cell phone and use them while you’re on the go.
What Are Some Of The Most Popular And Useful Writing Tools
Here are five of the most useful writing tools I’ve ever used. They’re all free—one is even free and open-source—and they’re all available online.
Microsoft Word
Most people use Microsoft Word or a similar program to write. You can find a free version online if you don’t want to spend the money on something like Microsoft Office. You can also buy software that is compatible with Word, like Google Docs and Open Office.
While I’m not here to tell you how to run your business, if you use this software, I recommend that you purchase some sort of antivirus protection for it.
Other Microsoft Word Alternatives You Could Use Include
Google Docs
Another alternative to Microsoft Word is Google Docs. It is a word processor that works in your web browser. It offers a lot of the same basic functions as Word, and it’s an excellent tool for writing long documents with multiple collaborators.
Unlike Word, though, it’s completely free and totally online. That means you can get to it from any computer with an Internet connection. You can also use it offline.
LibreOffice
If you want a free and open-source then LibreOffice Writer is a full-featured word processor that works on Windows, Mac OS X, or Linux computers. It’s basically an open-source version of Microsoft Word that comes with all the features you need to write everything from a letter to a novel.
1. Evernote
If you have a PC or Mac, Evernote is another must-have tool for writers.
It lets you save notes on your computer in any format you want—text files, photos, scans of handwritten photos, and many other documents.
It makes it easy to bring your notes, tasks, and schedules together. Things you save or capture in Evernote are automatically synced across all your devices. And you can add to your notes using voice recognition, handwriting, or photos, so they’re always up-to-date.
It can also act as a to-do list that allows you to schedule a few things, phone calls, or that one task that you know is quite important.
And because everything’s in Evernote, you don’t have to worry about where anything is. You can find what you need right away, whether it’s on your computer, phone, tablet, or the web.
And if something changes while you’re looking at it, say you get a call reminder or a new appointment, all the other places where that information appears are updated too. It’s like a calendar app that allows you to schedule important tasks.
Note: Evernote is not free unless you’re willing to pay for it. The premium version of Evernote offers premium features and extra capacity, but if you’re looking for a completely free solution, consider using OneNote instead.
2. Thesaurus
I know what you’re thinking: “I don’t need one of those. I’ll just look up the word I need.” Sure, but if you’re like most writers, there will be times when you rely on these tools for inspiration for how to embellish your writing or make it easier to understand.
If you are looking for a synonym or antonym of a certain word, then a thesaurus is a great tool that can help you achieve your goal. It can be found online or in book form at any library in the world.
3. Grammarly
If one of your personal goals is to improve your grammar, then Grammarly is the best writing tool. It’s good for catching grammatical errors while checking for sentence structure and flow.
Spell checker for catching your spelling errors; you should use it even with the word processor’s spell checker because they don’t always catch the same things. (They’re also useful when writing to someone whose native language is not English and of course, most of us aren’t bilingual.)
4. Wordtune
Wordtune is an AI tool that helps organize your thoughts in words. It is a simple add-on to Google Docs and Microsoft Word. If you work on a computer, it can help you write more confidently and effectively.
With Wordtune, you don’t need to study grammar or memorize rules. It can help you understand what you mean by checking your writing for clarity and concision.
5. Hemingway Editor
Hemingway Editor is a free online software tool that helps you write better. It catches common errors and makes suggestions for improvement. You can download it from the official website Hemingway Editor
The tool works in your browser and does not require installation. It suggests shortening sentences, removing adverbs, etc. In short, it helps you improve readability and write more concisely.
The Hemingway App rewrites your draft to make it simpler and more concise. Hemingway can:
- Show you a readability score for your text, so you know how easy it is to follow.
- Shows you if you’re using active or passive voice.
- Highlight difficult words and sentences so you can improve them.
- Find overused words and phrases, letting you know when you’re being too repetitive.
6. Copyscape
Copyscape is a plagiarism checker online available. It’s fast, simple, and easy to use. You can search for text or upload a document to be scanned.
In a matter of seconds, you will be given a complete report on how many times your work has been used on the Internet and visited. Copyscape also shows you where your work has been used, so you can contact the webmaster and copyright holder directly to ask permission to use their work or to get credit for use of it.
Most importantly, Copyscape will tell you whether someone else has published text that is substantially similar to yours.
This means that Copyscape can detect if another author used your exact words without attribution by changing a few letters or adding punctuation, such as ellipses.
7. Calendly
If you’ve ever tried to schedule a meeting with more than one other person, you know how much of a pain it can be. You have to go back and forth and find a time that works for everyone, and often you still can’t agree on a date.
You could use an online scheduling tool like Calendly to eliminate a lot of the back-and-forth. Instead of trying to find a time that works for everyone, all you have to do is send them the link to your meeting calendar and tell them when the timeslot is available.
No more emails going back and forth trying to find a time when everyone’s free.
The platform supports Google Calendar, Outlook, and Apple’s iCal, so it works with almost every calendar application out there.
You can also use Calendly to manage your own personal schedule, of course, so don’t worry about using it just for business meetings—it’s great for setting up dinner dates or other get-togethers, too
8. Google Drive
Google Drive is a great tool for writers. Not only does it allow you to write in the cloud, it allows you to collaborate with a group of people and make changes to documents in real-time.
It allows you to work on documents anywhere, with virtually any device, without worrying about compatibility issues or having to transfer files around. This makes it an essential tool for anyone who wants to achieve more in less time.
This means that no one needs to email around their drafts and attachments anymore. You can simply log in, check out the document, make your changes, and then publish them.
You can also use Google Docs to create and share presentations, work on spreadsheets or even create quizzes that your students can complete online. This can all be done from within your browser, so there’s no need to download anything else.
In conclusion
Writing tools can make your writing process more efficient and help you achieve what you want to get done. But, there are so many on the market that it’s hard to know which one is best for you.
That’s why we put together this list of five must-use writing tools. These will be sure to give your productivity a boost while helping keep things organized in ways that work for you. Who knows? Maybe they’ll even inspire new ideas or discoveries about how you like to do things better than before!
Which of these would be most helpful for your needs?