This week, I wanted to share a peek into my writer’s toolbox! I’ve found these resources to be incredibly useful, whether I’m trying to fight my way out of a writing slump or attempting to organize my thoughts. I hope to do a more detailed rundown on how I use each of these tools sometime soon, but for now, I hope you can find something useful here!
Scrivener
(Scrivener, featuring a dystopian I wrote years back. I blurred out the text in this scene for your benefit, trust me.)
Elevator pitch: Keep your writing organized with virtual notecards, split-screen typing, and sections divided on a scene-by-scene basis for easy revision.
My favorite feature: The target word count generator. Give it a date, give it a target word count for the project, and Scrivener will tell you how many words you need to write each day. If you go over or under, it’ll recalculate tomorrow.
Price: $45, but there’s a one month free trial.
Elevator pitch: Not just for DIY crafts! Use this social network to organize storyboards and get inspiration for your latest project.
My favorite feature: Secret boards. Not ready to share your ideas with the world? No problem.
Price: Free!
For an idea of how to use Pinterest as a writer, check out my profile. I hope you find some inspiration!
Spotify
Elevator pitch: Build your own writing soundtracks and create “idea music” for brainstorming.
My favorite feature: Does Two Steps From Hell count as a favorite feature? (Seriously, just try not writing to their music. I dare you.)
Price: $4.99 a month for students, $9.99 a month for everyone else, and free if you don’t mind listening to ads.
Kate Monk’s Dictionary of Names
Elevator pitch: Need a name? It’s here. Need a name from an obscure country or period of time? Yep, still here.
My favorite feature: I’m terrible with last names, so the surnames lists save my life on a regular basis.
Price: Free!
Books
Elevator pitch: Okay, so you know what these are. But when I’m in a writing slump, the cure is to stick my nose in a book and remember why I love words.
My favorite feature: After I read a good book, I like to check out the author online. It’s so much fun (and for me, so inspirational) to read about their writing process and journey to publication. This never fails to motivate me!
Price: Varies
I hope these suggestions were helpful! If you have any other resources, I’d love to hear about them in the comments!