10 + 1 Invaluable Tools for Every Writer
I am a writer. I’ve always been a writer!
I started taking writing courses back in the ‘80s (by correspondence—that’s snail mail) and published my first children’s mystery story in Lighthouse Magazine soon after. I went on to publish many works, including fiction and nonfiction, for both children and adults before opening my copywriting business in 1997.
Over the years, I’ve worked with start-ups and national brands to write their marketing messages and website content. I also taught creative writing for beginners and advanced levels at our local college for several years. Today, I continue to write copy, marketing content, and fiction—and I ghostwrite for those who remain nameless. I lead writer’s retreats in my home and teach private students virtually in my creative writing program.
Over the years, technology has changed and made it easier to write. I no longer have to type every word on my old blue Remington, ensuring that I don’t have more than five corrections on a page—the computer era was obviously a huge blessing. And I don’t have to write longhand in pencil, but I still prefer to—with my special Blackwing 602s.
So, my writer’s toolbox has changed over the years, and I wanted to share my top 10 tools with you. If you’re a “writer who writes,” then you’ll want to check these out.
- Scrivener
The go-to app for writers of all kinds, used every day by best-selling novelists, screenwriters, nonfiction writers, students, academics, and more. Scrivener won’t tell you how to write—it simply provides everything you need to start writing and keep writing. https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener/overview
- reMarkable
A tablet that replaces your notebooks and printouts with a digital device that feels just like writing on paper. Converts your handwriting to typed text. No distractions. More focus. https://remarkable.com/
- Blackwing 602 Pencils
Many writers prefer writing in longhand with a good pencil. The iconic Blackwing 602 was the pencil of choice for John Steinbeck, Chuck Jones, and countless others. It features a firm and smooth graphite core that helps deliver its promise of “Half the Pressure, Twice the Speed.” https://blackwing602.com
- Between You & Me
Confessions of a Comma Queen, by Mary Norris, 2015
Mary Norris has spent more than three decades working in The New Yorker’s copy department. In this book, she brings her vast experience, good cheer, and irreverence, to help the rest of us in a boisterous language book as full of life as it is of practical advice. https://tinyurl.com/33udx2rn
- Woe is I
The Grammarphobe’s Guide to Better English in Plain English (Fourth Edition), by Patricia T. O’Conner, 2019
This is a revised and updated edition of the iconic grammar guide for the 21st century. I also own the 1996 edition—it’s been a constant writing companion for decades. https://tinyurl.com/2j3vuxx9
- Chicken Soup for the Writer’s Soul
Inspiration for Writers, by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Amy Newmark & Susan M. Heim, 2013
From budding bloggers to bestselling novelists, your fellow writers share their best advice, writing tips, time management strategies, and personal ups and downs in the business of writing. These stories will motivate you, entertain you, and keep those words flowing! https://tinyurl.com/ydw29ku3
- Notta
Excellent audio and video transcriptions powered by AI. Use Notta to automatically transcribe and summarize your meetings, interviews, and recorded notes into text. https://www.notta.ai/en
- Headline Analyzer
This free tool helps you write better titles. It quickly tells you the emotional marketing value of your headlines so you can rewrite them to improve them. You’ll discover which emotion impacts your readers: intelligence, empathetic, or spiritual.https://www.aminstitute.com/headline
- Canva
A free online graphic design platform that provides tools to enhance your written content for creating beautiful social media graphics, presentations, posters, infographics, résumés, and more. Use the whiteboard feature to get your ideas flowing. https://www.canva.com
(Note: If you want to see just how cool Canva can transform your plain text into creative art, check out this version of The Writer’s Toolbox.)
- Grammarly
Ensure everything you write comes across how you intend. Eliminate grammar and spelling errors and detect plagiarism. https://www.grammarly.com
- BONUS: Writing Resources & Contests
Many resources are available to help you improve your writing. Here are a few of my favourites.
CBC Writing Contests: https://www.cbc.ca/books/literaryprizes
Creative Writing Program: https://writeagreatstory.com
Literary Market Place: https://literarymarketplace.com
NaNoWriMo: https://nanowrimo.org
Power Thesaurus: https://www.powerthesaurus.org
Soulful Writer’s Retreat for Women: https://soulfulwritersretreat.com
The Measure of Things: https://www.themeasureofthings.com
Writer’s Digest: https://www.writersdigest.com
Writer’s Market: https://writersmarket.com
