Author Tools & Resources

Writers! Awesome Tools & Resources for Writing Your Book

One of my aims is to help empower writers to understand the latest technology and keep up with the current trends. With new resources and services popping up each day, it’s hard to stay on top of it all.

Just this morning I spoke to a retired writer who was feeling overwhelmed by the current technology and Internet tools that he hears about and reads about, but doesn’t truly understand or see the value in.

Over the next few days I am going to give an overview of some of the online tools, resources and sites that as a writer I use regularly and find incredibly helpful in my writing, publishing and promoting. I will cover each one briefly, including links to the best explanations I can find on how to use them effectively.

If you are ever feeling unsure on how to use one of these resources and wish to learn more, please don’t hesitate to get in touch and I’ll help you out where and when I can.

1. Writing a Book

1. Reedsy Prompts

If you are struggling to write regularly, Reedsy’s creative writing prompts contest might be just the accountability you need. It’s super fun and if you are competitive, it comes with a prize.

2. Online Cloud Storage

Some people are diligent enough to back up their writing and work on an external hard drive or USB pen. For the rest of us, online cloud storage such as Dropbox and Google docs allows us not only to back up our work in case of any computer disasters, but also to retrieve the documents from any computing device, anywhere in the world. No longer do you have to juggle multiple copies of the same file; just work with one master file and edit it from anywhere. (Oh yeah, you can also use it to collaborate with others – perfect!)

Links:

Dropbox (You get 2 GB free)

Google Docs (1GB free)

iCloud is also available for those using Apple products.

3. Evernote

Jot down notes wherever you are! Evernote is a free note taking system that is great for us writers to sketch out outlines and jot down ideas for later use. Use it on your smartphone or computer, on the go or mulling over a cup of coffee at you local coffee house.

4. Visuwords

On Visuwords, look up words to find their meanings and associations with other words and concepts. Visual diagrams show you how the connections and associations are made, helping you to expand your vocabulary, fast.

How about you? Do you have any great tools or resources for writing a book to share that we could all benefit from?

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post: Awesome Tools & Resources for Writers | Part 2: Querying a Book