Writer's Resources
Some of my favorite writing stuff…
I think I spend more time talking with beginning authors about the tools I use when writing than I do the actual process of writing. To save time on having to answer questions about the tools I use when writing I’ve assembled a few of my favorites below.
I’m always interested in hearing the experiences of others and how you felt about my recommendations. So contact me and let me know if this section was helpful to you.
MY FAVORITE WRITING TOOLS
If I could yell this out at the top of my lungs I would tell all budding or new writers, “Use Scrivener!” This application is “always” at the top of my list of recommendations. Scrivener is so much more than just a simple piece of writing software. What I really love about it is that it not only helps with the organization of your projects but the output as well. There’s a “Drafts Snapshot” section, drag/drop functionality, and ability to personalize the workflow to your liking. The best part is that it is only $45.00. Click here to purchase the Mac version and here for the Windows version.They’ve also created an app version for the iPhone and iPad.
LEARN SCRIVENER FAST!
There is a bit of a learning curve with Scrivener but you will not regret the rigor of mastering it. Once you’ve got just a few of its tools under your belt you’ll be off and running. The beauty of Scrivener is that you don’t need to “know it all.” If you’re like me, video courses are extremely helpful. The best one I’ve found thus far is an online tutorial service called Learn Scrivener Fast. It hosts a training library of several short videos that take you from novice to master at your own pace. I highly recommend Learn Scrivener Fast to avoid the circuitous root I initially took when I started using Scrivener.
THE EDITOR THAT NEVER SLEEPS
I run all of my work through Grammarly, an online editing service. I use it so much that I just leave it open in my browser while I’m writing. I like Grammarly because its algorithm shows you your most egregious writing errors (i.e. typos, sentence structure, dangling modifiers etc.). Grammarly is like having a really inexpensive virtual assistant/editor on call day or night.
MEET MY VIRTUAL ASSISTANT
I’m not one of those authors who is followed by an entourage, flanked by a personal assistant and tailed by an extremely organized secretary. No, I am not. I employ a piece of organizational software that has managed to meet “all” of those needs an more. It is called Daylite. For some of you Daylite will be overkill. I’m admitting that upfront. For others who love getting their hands dirty in scheduling, calendar archiving, pipeline planning, automated task reminders, etc., this application is going to rock your world. Whatever you can imagine you would need from a virtual assistant, Daylite provides it. Although I don’t use every single one of its features, I can assure you that Daylite is guaranteed to meed most, if not all of your organizational needs. Click here for a FREE Trial of Daylite.