5 Powerful Upgrades to Your Writing Software

by Dave Chesson, @DaveChesson

For every challenge a writer faces, there is a helping hand available in the form of a tool or app.

While no tool is a replacement for talent or creativity, there are plenty of options available to make your writing process smoother and more productive.

From comprehensive writing suites packed with powerful pro features, to smaller scale solutions to a single specific problem, there is software available for every need.

We’ll now take a look at five of the best writing tools available, and explore exactly how they can benefit your personal writing process.

Scrivener

Have you ever been frustrated by the limitations of standard writing software like Microsoft Word or Google Docs?

While these tools can be suitable for simple writing projects, they are often far from ideal for longer works, such as full-length books.

Scrivener is a powerful writing application absolutely packed with features. Some of the key benefits offered by Scrivener include –

• The ability to store and access your research within the same environment you write in
• An easy to use outlining mode to have a ‘big picture’ overview of your book
• Free community created resources, such as Scrivener templates
• Powerful editing and revision options for longer works

Scrivener is one of the most comprehensive and fully featured book writing software applications on the market. You can also enjoy a fully featured 30 day free trial and a range of Scrivener discounts if you decide the software is right for you.

Hemingway

While there is no substitution for a talented human editor to polish and perfect your writing into the best form possible, Hemingway is probably the closest thing.

Using Hemingway allows you to –

• Objectively assess the readability of your text
• Identifies your use of the passive voice and whether it’s excessive
• Highlights hard to read sentences
• Shows which of your phrases have simpler alternatives

Hemingway is an excellent middleground between self-editing and using the services of a professional. No matter whether you’re writing a lengthy book, or a simple blog post, Hemingway will make your work closer to the concise prose of its namesake.

Self Control

One of the biggest problems for many modern writers is distraction.

We live in an age of constant information overload. It’s never been easier to procrastinate and lose focus on our writing.

This problem is compounded by the fact that we often write on internet connected devices. This is often necessary for cloud collaboration or research during writing.

If you sometimes struggle to stay focused, help is at hand. Self Control is a simple tool which allows you to –

• Specify a list of websites or other online destinations you wish to block your access to
• Set a period of time where you won’t be able to physically access these distractions
• Take your willpower out of the equation. Even if you delete Self Control, you still won’t be able to access the specified distractions for the specified duration.

If you struggle with staying on task during your writing sessions, a tool like Self Control may be the enforced focus you need.

Write Or Die

If you struggle to hit your word count targets, or find a lack of motivation holds you back from achieving your writing goals, Write Or Die is one of the most unique solutions available.

The software offers a simple writing environment which allows you to set targets such as a period of time to write for or a desired word count.

Where Write Or Die makes things interesting is the way it motivates you to achieve your aims. For example, you can set Write Or Die to –

• Reward you with a pleasing image, such as a cute kitten, when you hit your target
• Punish you with a negative image, such as a spider, if you fall behind your target
• Kamikaze mode. This actually begins to delete your work if you fail to keep pace

Not every writer will enjoy or benefit from the extreme approach to motivation taken by Write Or Die. However, if you ever struggle with productivity, it’s an out of the box approach worth exploring.

Quora

Quora offers a wide range of benefits for writers of every type. It’s an excellent tool for both research and promotional purposes.

By using Quora, you can –

• Receive expert answers to any question you have. This can provide valuable factual info for your writing, or allow you to get a real human perspective on any experience imaginable, to add richness and depth to your characters.
• Answer questions you have knowledge on. As a writer, you are certain to have valuable insight into a wide range of topics. By answering questions on Quora, you not only help others, but also promote yourself and your work at the same time. A genuine win/win.

If you spend some time browsing through Quora, you’ll soon see the wealth of information available. It’s a great place to find inspiration for your writing while benefiting in a positive and helpful community.

Writing Software Summary

The world of writing software is packed with options for every need and taste.

You can use –

• Scrivener for powerful writing organization, research and formatting
• Hemingway for concise and impactful text
• Self Control to eliminate distraction and stay focused
• Write Or Die to provide an extreme injection of motivation
• Quora for information, inspiration and value-giving promotion

I’m always on the lookout for new writing tools, so if you have a favorite you think other writers would love, please feel free to share in the comments.

Dave Chesson teaches authors advanced book marketing tactics at Kindlepreneur.com. He likes sharing in-depth, actionable guides, such as his recent guide to effective book cover design. His free time is spent in Tennessee with his wife and children.

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