I came across this article a few days ago on the WordCount blog on tech tools for writers, and it got me thinking about the tools that I use every day.
The nice thing about writing as a hobby/career is that it really doesn’t have to cost very much (which is nice because writers don’t really make very much.) :)
But there are the extras. And it’s fun to have them. These are the tools I use frequently:
Microsoft Word: MS Word and I have had rocky times in our relationship, I’ll admit. But I do like some of its features. I use their highlighter to mark areas of my first draft that I realize are disasters. This helps me to move past the disaster and finish my first draft. Half the time I don’t even analyze the troublesome section—I just mark it to figure out later.
Word’s Track Changes is a necessity when revising with an agent or editor and shows who made what changes or suggestions. I use Track Changes, myself, in my daily writing—clicking ‘review,’ then ‘new comment’ and adding comments in the margins where I have a question: ‘”Is Beatrice’s dog male or female?” is one comment I’ve got in my current WIP because I’m aware I’m being inconsistent. But it would have been time-consuming to chase down that detail during the first draft.
Not sure how to use Track Changes? Here is a link that shows you how to use Track Changes.
Countdown Timer: This timer is what I use to keep myself on track. What do I time? Everything. I give myself ten or fifteen minute intervals for checking in on social media, replaying to emails, or visiting blogs. I also set a timer for my writing time and make sure I keep working at least until it goes off.
Google: I have some sort of Google application up on my computer most of the day. I use Google’s free Gmail program (I reserved my name pretty early in the process so that I could have an email address that made sense and sounded professional…so I’m Elizabethspanncraig(at)gmail(dot)com.)
I also like Google’s calendar which I can update online. I frequently will copy/paste reminders to myself from actual emails I’ve gotten and just stick it on the Google calendar. It syncs with my phone and then I’ve got all the info I need when I’m out of the house, too.
I also use Google Reader to organize and read all the writing blogs I subscribe to. Here’s a post I wrote, explaining a little more about how I use Google Reader.
This post is getting long, so I’ll pick up tomorrow with some more tools—like One Note, Windows Live Writer, and even my favorite low-tech tools. :)
What are some of your favorite writing tools?
I love the Track Changes option in Word. I use Word a lot, for writing. I like it much better than OpenOffice, personally.
A tool I also use is the Write or Die desktop. (http://writeordie.com/). It gives you a full screen text editor, you can make it disable save until you have written a certain amount of words, you can disable backspace, and you can make it timed… And if you don’t type for a certain amount of time, it will start producing sounds of doom (you can pick one from a wide array: “Air Raid”, “Crying Baby”, “Evil Violins” and “Alarm Clock From Hell” to name a few). It’s pretty nifty.
You can also choose to use the online version (which is free, while the desktop version is $10), but I found it very limited.
I use Google Calendar to schedule all my writing time (and studying time), which works really well, too.
I use Evernote (http://www.evernote.com/ synched with my phone and Chrome Browser) to collect notes, handy websites, and what not in one place.
That’s it, I think!
Elizabeth – Word is the tool I use most often. There are a lot of other fine word processing packages, but I’m most accustomed to Word. My other most powerful tool is the Internet. If I’m in the middle of writing and I need to look something up really quickly, I quickly toggle to my browser and find what I want. I couldn’t imagine writing without it any more although I did many times before the Internet existed (well, commercially, anyway).
For writing, I use WORD.
For promoting, and all that it entails, I use: Excel, Photoshop, Windows LiveWriter, Notepad (for HTML editing), FireFox FTP, Tweetdeck, PowerPoint, and, of course, a paper calendar.
I use OpenOffice Writer. Almost the same as Word but free. And slightly better when things go wrong.
I couldn’t live without knowing my stuff was backed up so use Google Docs and Zumodrive.com, both free, to back up my files. I’ll also email my other email account with my day’s work attached. Hey, being paranoid doesn’t mean my laptop is not going to blow up.
I use Dropbox so I can move between PC and laptop as circumstances dictate. I also use the Document Map feature, which means I can hop around efficiently (and I write my notes to self there as well).
We have shared calendars with Google (but I confess I still prefer the handwritten appointments on the wall calendar in the kitchen–don’t have to open a program, and it’s faster)
Terry
Terry’s Place
Romance with a Twist–of Mystery
I’m going to have to back and read your post on google reader. I am so afraid of new technology I avoid it like the plague, but once I do learn something, it makes life so much easier. Thanks for helping with this process.
Karen
I rely on the Track Changes for editing for clients, as well as when I am working with the editor for my books. Makes the process so easy.
With all the tech tools available, I’m a bit hesitant to admit it, but two tools I still rely on are a pen and paper. Perhaps because that is where I started as a writer, I need to go back to it at times when I am stuck.
Dropbox sounds like a really handy tool, I’ll have to check it out!
Elizabeth, you’re welcome :D That’s what the comment section is for, right. ^_^
What I like about Google Apps is that it is online. It’s automatically backed up and you can use it from anywhere. That’s a major pro, although I wish it would work a bit less slowly. Right now it’s just a bit too laggy for me to remain patient… Which is why I still prefer to use Word, but I would prefer to use Docs over OpenOffice.
I forgot to add before, that for following blogs I tried Google Reader but found it very limited and even confusing at points… I started to use Feedly (http://www.feedly.com) instead (which I believe is also a Google Product), but it’s so much nicer to use. It gives you a magazine-like page of all the newest blogs, you can install a google Chrome plugin so that whenever a new one is posted, you get a “#” in your browser bookmark bar.
Also, to me it feels a bit less stiff than Reader and it gives you a lot more options for layout and organizing. Yay Feedly! (plus it gives you the option to publish the article you just read to about a zillion social media/bookmarking services although I don’t know if Reader does that too). I can’t wait for their Android App.
For HTML editing and such I use Notepad++ (http://notepad-plus-plus.org/) which is basically the same as Notepad, but is a bit safer to use for coding (Notepad is known to do some strange things with code…tun tun tuuunn) and it recognizes codes, gives you a BIG RED blinky if you missed a > or ) or even a , . (If you want to use it for writing, that’s fine too because it’s still just the same as Notepad) :p.
Lol, I’m afraid I could go on forever. I’m not easily satisfied and always try out other programs, even to just get familiar with the other options out there. :p
I love the countdown timer idea! As a writer AND editor I use all the tools you do, as well as spell and grammar check, also the “find and replace” Word tool – this helps when I’ve noticed a particular word and/or phrase I (or a client) is overusing, and the companion to that process is of course the handy dandy Thesaurus.com. And Track Changes is the best tool for an editor I’ve come across. Bar none.
I love the countdown timer too! I had no idea this was available!
Gary–Backing up is SO important! Good reminder. I’ll touch on some of my faves for doing that, tomorrow.
Manon–I think Google Docs might be rivaling Open Office as far as being a useful application.
Write or Die–I love it! Thanks for sharing. I use Evernote, too..very useful. I’ll have to include that in my post tomorrow.
Margot–I vaguely remember writing articles before the internet…and what a huge pain it was!
The Old Silly–Track Changes is just a must. I love it!
Alan–I use Notepad a lot, too! Too funny…I thought I was the only one. It’s so basic…maybe that’s why I like it.
Anna–It’s really handy. Nice productivity tool!
Terry–I hear a lot of good things about Dropbox.
I like my kitchen calendar, too. I think the reason I have to also have a phone duplicate is for when I’m away from the house and I’m asked if the kids are free on _____ date for _____activity, etc.
Karen–Google Reader is easy to use and a nice way to keep blogs organized. :)
Maryann–There are times where I have to get AWAY from the tech stuff in order to be productive. I love notecards and pencils for that. :) Good point!
Need to use the countdown timer.
1734? My sympathies, lol!! I thought I had a high count with just 38!
Alex–It’s really useful! :)
Manon–I’ve heard of Feedly, but haven’t checked it out…I’ll take a look! I always worry that I’m going to crash applications because of the number of subscriptions I’ve got (1734 and counting.) Google Reader is pretty slow to load, although I don’t know if it’s me or them! And some of Google’s other apps can be slow, too.
I had no idea there was a Notepad upgrade~! Hmm. I may have to check that out. I do like Notepad and use it a few times a day. Low tech appeal!
Thanks for all the tips! :)
Oh, I love messing around with applications, too! It’s a way to keep current, I think, and also a nice way to see what could be helping me make my complicated life easier. :)
I use an hourglass from Crate and Barrel and the timer on my phone like you use countdown timer. I have one calendar with big picture stuff for the next two years, a desk blotter calendar for the current month, and make a task list each night before I go to bed. How analog of me!
But I definitely use the change tracking tool in Word. I worked at Microsoft when it was first developed so we could pass on writing changes to translators before the final user manuals were finished. It started out as an internal add-on only.
I like the find and replace option on Word—probably because I use it so often.
Cricket–I think I’ve fallen out of the habit of making the task list each night…thanks for reminding me to start that again. Also, I like your 2-year calendar to get the big picture.
Manon–It’s for my tweeting and the search engine…I’ve gotten very good at skimming!
Jane–Find and replace is one of my favorite things, too. :)