Successful Writing Habit #7 – Top 3 Writing Tools
I use numerous tools when I am writing however I wanted to share my Top 3 Writing Tools that I use on a regular basis and could not be without.
#1 My Laptop
There are certain things I nee
d in order to write. A laptop is essential when I write as I can save drafts and easily make corrections to what I have written. An added benefits is that I can share my work via email or print multiple copies when I need to get feedback. My laptop is my portable writing tool that I can take anywhere. My preference is for all things Apple and my Mac is personalized with a outside protective cover and stickers. I use a keyboard protector because I often write at Panera Bread and don’t want crumbs or messy fingers to disturb my keyboard.
#2 Online Tools
Most of my research tools I use are online. I use an online dictionary and thesaurus to check words and context. I have bookmarked favorite sites that I can get to in a second. Pinterest is a site I visit often for inspiration and writing prompts. Favorite author sites are bookmarked as I am always reading for relaxation and I like to keep up with what a favorite author is doing. Wikipedia has information on so many things and I like the way they lays things out that I often click there to get additional information on a topics or people.
Everyday I browse news site, Yahoo is a favorite place I go to find out what is going on in the world. I primarily use Google for research but recently also started used Bing. The beauty of using online tools is the that I can quickly find out about something without leaving my computer. There is also drawback to this as I can get distracted. I have to set limits on when I will use my online tools and how long or I won’t get any writing done.
Youtube is an important research tools for authors wanting to get better in an area of writing, promotion or building their website. I got to Youtube to get ideas on promotion as there are so many self-published authors providing great tips on book marketing. (I will be sharing my Tops Author on Youtube in a future post.). Facebook and LinkedIn have groups and posts that are useful in writing.
#3 Paper and Pen/Pencil
I still use a notebook and writing pen/pencil to make sure I never miss a thought or idea. I may be on the train and something may spark my interest or out with friends and something comes to me that I need to write down. I use a variety of different sized notebooks for that tasks and sometimes my phone to capture notes. One time I was riding in Uber and the driver was sharing highlights from the city we were in. I took out my phone and took notes.
Other articles you may be interested in:
Successful Writing Habit #6: The Character Sketch
Successful Writing Habit #5 : The Outline
Successful Writing Habit#4: Use a Calendar
Successful Writing Habit#3: Accountability
Successful Writing Habit #2: Set Goals
Successful Writing Habit #1: Never Give Up
Would love hear about your essential writing tools in the comments section below.