Photo by Russ Hendricks
Writer Tools to Infinity and Beyond
Writers may not realize it, but they have an arsenal of tools at their fingertips. Yes, that’s right. Writers who are locked and loaded with tools make their workday easier and a lot more efficient. The tools support research, grammar, punctuation, search engine optimization, easy readability, and more. These tools enable writers to provide quality content to their clients. Which, as all professional writers know, is the end game. Below are some helpful tools writers use on a daily basis to stay focused, organized, and at the top of their game.
1. Hemingway Editor
With a name such as Hemingway, you know this tool is all about written words. The colorful editor points out problematic areas, so the final copy is clean and readable. What more could you ask for? The editor uses several colors to highlight grammatical issues. These include long sentences, hard to read sentences, and passive voice.
Once the content is scanned, a display shows the number of issues and an explanation for each color. If you hover over a highlighted word, you’ll see a suggestion to improve readability. The editor also shows the readability grade level and the number of words. It’s a handy application that takes the guesswork out of whether your copy is ” to be clean or not to be clean”. That’s the question you want answered.
This article was scanned by the Hemingway Editor. If you could have seen the scan, it was a rainbow of colors. This app is well worth the time it takes to copy it into the template and let the editor do its thing. A good thing about Hemingway is the ability to make adjustments within the template. Once you get a “good to go” with all white content versus colors, copy and paste it to its destination.
2. Scoop.it
When you connect with Scoop.it, be ready to tap into many areas to get real deal information useful to word gurus. Content curation, analytics, content promotion, selecting software, strategy, webinars, and content production. These areas are worth taking a look at. Use them to hone your writing and to learn the best practices for optimizing your content.
There’s also info for finding that sweet spot between producing quantity versus quality. Why? It’s easy; so writers continue to provide clients with quality content and still have a decent ROI. Writers whose job it is to create content will find Scoop.it to be a hidden cache of informative nuggets. Can ya dig it?
3. Marinara Timer
Writers must stay organized; it’s part and parcel of being successful. It’s the glue that makes the words stick with clarity. Whenever a writer isn’t organized, it’s chaos, which doesn’t support a creative atmosphere. Writers absorb thousands of words during research. Then, it’s taking those words to create cohesive, informative, and easy to read content. Researching and writing take a toll on the body. This is why it’s important that organizing the workday should include short breaks.
The Marinara Timer is not about how to prepare the rich sauce to pour over a bowl of spaghetti for lunch or dinner. It is about scheduling work along with a series of breaks taken throughout the day or night. Writers sometimes get on a roll and don’t take time out to refresh the brain cells. After hours of researching and then writing the content, guess what? You’re tired. This is when the Marinara Timer wants you to step away slowly from the computer screen. With the timer, you determine the amount of time to work and for breaks.
4. Noisli
Writers know from firsthand experience that relaxation while working supports creativity and productivity. The Noisli app creates a virtual oasis of sights and sounds that put your brainpower in high gear. You’ll be cruisin but not snoozin. The app is designed to do two things. The background changes from one soft hue to another. This is referred to as chromotherapy, which generates a serene visual work space. Noisli also produces soothing sounds that that help reduce stress. Writers know low stress levels allow us to focus on the project at hand.
5. Todoist
A writer’s daily regimen is comparable to that of a juggler because they have so many tasks in the air at one time. Several tasks include searching for work, submitting work, and applying for new projects. Writers must reply to queries, check grammar, check for plagiarism, and meet deadlines. Use Todoist to schedule these tasks and remove the stress of remembering and end writing a lot of notes. The Todoist task manager organizes projects, appointments, deadlines, submissions, and other workday tasks. It’s like having your own personal assistant.
As in any craft, tools are vital to complete a project on time and with correct information. Think about it. If a plumber showed up to fix a leaky faucet with nothing but a business card, he or she wouldn’t be able to do the job. It’s the same with successful writers. Writers have the knowledge, experience, and background to write on many topics. A vital part of a writer’s job is using online tools to manage their day. Tools also help define the topic, refine the quality, and confine errors to zero.
Vickie F began her freelance writing career in 1998 while working full time. She wrote informational articles for several websites. Her online experience also includes work as a content researcher for bed and breakfasts around the world, copy editor, and online community manager.
As a managing editor, Vickie was responsible for hiring freelance writers, critiquing work, mentoring new writers, supervising over 100 writers and monitoring forums. As a senior managing editor, Vickie supervised over 25 managing editors with overall supervision of several hundred freelance writers, updated website contract, hired and removed writers, and was responsible for writers creating coursework.
