I’ve been writing for approximately a decade. Enough time that I’ve settled on some resources that help me in that endeavour.

These are the seven most useful writing tools I’ve found so far.

1. Scrivener

Scrivener is one of the first writing programs I bought, and you could argue it’s the most important one. A powerful program, it’s where I write the bulk of my chapters and do most of my editing. I even use scrivener to write my blog posts and my short stories, keeping them in two separate Scrivener files to make it easier to keep track.

After using Scrivener this long, I can’t be sure that I remember the early days clearly enough to say whether starting out with it was easy, or difficult. Yet, though I’m far from using Scrivener to its full capacity (even now), my memory is screaming at me that the basics weren’t too hard. And basics were all I needed.

Now and then I’m required to do something I lack the know-how for. That’s when I learn and, through that process, one more facet of Scrivener unlocks. I’d be remiss not to tell you I’ve spoken with writers who felt the original learning curve too steep, though.

I appreciate Scrivener keeping all my files for a manuscript together, and well organised. Chapters, characters, settings, notes, ideas, to-dos, images and even copies of webpages.

In the Scrivener file for my novel, ‘The Strange Brew’, I had a few webpages for magic, ghosts, and some about Queensland architecture, for example. For a vampire novel that is almost ready to publish, there’s a webpage about a particular song, fashion trends in 1997, plus historical information about the broad area the story takes place.

It means I don’t have to keep going to my browser to search for the same information again.

Folders and chapters are found listed in the left-hand column in Scrivener. Then, if you scroll down, that’s where you can add your resources and character information.

Normally where the image is you would see your writing, unless you’ve specifically clicked on an image or a webpage save. If you clicked open the ‘planning’ folder (the blue folder at the top left) you’d see a mass (or mess?) of files - my to-dos, future ideas, marketing ideas, lore to do with the fantasy aspects of my manuscripts, and more.

Scrivener offers the ability to plot or summarise your chapters via what they call their ‘corkboard’. While many authors I know are happy with that capability, I use another app for plotting, which I’ll discuss below.

For me, the way Scrivener organises things makes more sense than how I began, which was using Pages on iMac (akin to Word for Microsoft users) where everything need to be kept in a folder. To be clear, if you are doing fine on Pages or Word and have no desire to change, then carry on. The most important thing is that your method works for you.

Let me repeat that:

The most important thing is that your method works for you.

Here is a list of other Scrivener options. It’s far from exaustive.

They include:

Comments and footnotes. I use those for personal notes and reminders. I mark suggestions or comments from Beta readers that I haven’t decided whether to action yet. Or I remind myself to check particular events against my story’s timeline. It’s not uncommon for me to come across amusing footnotes such as, ‘That doesn’t seem right.’ Or even, ‘WTH?’ or ‘Bloody hell, what a mess!’ If I’m on a roll getting plenty of words down, I don’t want to rock the boat by stopping to Google or fact check so I quickly add a footnote so I can see where to return and finesse, or correct, it.
Compiling and exporting in a variety of ways, even as ebooks.
There are templates you can download and add to Scrivener from various sources, though my most used is basic and comes with the program.
You can have as many documents within your Scrivener file outlining your story, ideas or to-dos as you like. Mine get filled with boring reminders about what I need to get done, which makes it similar to my footnoting, except all the to dos are together in an easy to view list.

The Scrivener software is available through Literature and Latte. There are Mac and Windows versions, plus an app for the iPhone which I barely use but could be handy for some people.

There are plenty of webinars, reviews, how to’s, and forums about using Scrivener features. These are found on Literature and Latte’s website or via a web search for content made by other keen users.

Scrivener offers a 30 day trial which I think is a suitable length of time to really try it out. Prices change so I won’t list them, but you can find more information here: www.literatureandlatte.com.

Note that you buy a license rather than subscribe (I love that!). But licences for Mac and Microsoft are sold separately. Also, while Scriveners regular updates are free, when Literature and Latte do major upgrades to the software, you pay again, albeit at a discounted price.

In terms of what you get, it’s currently very fair.

2. Plottr

Moving on to Plottr, this is an app I discovered recently (a year or two ago). Its entire focus is plotting out a story and, good news for me as a series writer, you can plan out series installments easily.

Plotting is a complex process and I always end up re-plotting part way through writing my first draft, anyway. Re-plotting, or filling in holes (as I think of it), is easier to do with this app. You can drag chapters or scenes around. Then, when you’re done, you can export a copy of your plot to take into Scrivener or to use with other writing programs.

Plottr offers a variety of templates built in. It includes mysteries, romance, even a cosy mystery template. Or you can go your own way and start with a blank slate.

There are sections in Plottr for character development, places (setting), and notes.

Plottr currently offers a 60 day trial. Once again, it’s not subscription based. Yay. Find more info here: www.plottr.com.

{Don’t forget to share your favourite resources in the comments below.}

3. Grammarly or Pro-writingAid or Hemingway App

If you write, chances are you’ve heard about apps like Grammarly, ProWritingAid, and Hemingway App (and there are plenty of others). Some writers avoid them altogether, which is perfectly fine, but I use them at certain points in my process.

What these apps do is scan through your words, looking for mistakes or areas of improvement. From spelling, grammar, and over-used words, to plagiarism and more. The programs I mentioned do not offer exactly the same suite of services. I can’t give a thorough rundown of all the differences in this short post, so I’ll have to leave it to you to try them out.

I will say, though, Grammarly has a modern look and is lovely to use. ProWritingAid offers more options, but it has a usable yet older, clunkier look.

I’m currently using Pro-Writing Aid after sticking with Grammarly for a couple of years. This time next year I could have changed again. I always have Hemingway app as well.

While I understand those writers who choose not to use them at all, for me these apps are helpful for picking up more engrained or repeated mistakes. That’s important for me because my habits can be quite strong and difficult to break. It helps save me money, too. If I had unlimited resources, I could employ someone for multiple checks. But I don’t—most of us don’t—so these programs have their place.

This is when I use them:

I don’t break out ProWritingAid every day or even every week. But if I’m about to send my work (whether a chapter or the complete manuscript) to a third party, then I like to run it through a software to tidy things up a bit.

When I’m sending a chapter to a writing group or a friend to read, or if I’m submitting to a competition or a prospective agent or publisher (before I’ve completed the full editing process, and a proofread) those are useful times for a tidy.

Another time I use it that deserves a few words, is before I send my work for editing. It’s much easier on an editor if 60% of their work isn’t finding stupid mistakes that I should have found for myself.

There’s an important caveat to using these apps. They are not humans; they are far from perfect, and some suggestions will be wacky indeed. You, as the author, need to have your wits about you and spend time to work through the changes recommended, really considering each suggestion.

Plenty of mistaken suggestions come up, and it’s you who ultimately says yay or nay to them. Don’t get confused and think the app is in control.

To reiterate: NEVER run your chapters through a writing program and just automatically accept all its suggestions. No one will like the results of that.

Grammarly, ProWritingAid and Hemingway App are all priced differently and are mainly subscription based.

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4. The Dictionary and Thesaurus

Whether printed copies, apps on your phone or computer, or searching on an internet browser, this is important. Particularly the thesaurus.

I frequently know there’s a better word, but have trouble ‘finding’ it amongst the busy rumblings (or rubble?) of my brain. So I work with a dictionary and thesaurus on my desk as well as using an app called ‘Dictionary’ (it’s free).

Use of a thesaurus has to come with a warning similar to the one I gave for the grammar apps, though. You should remain conscious about your choices. Just because the thesaurus gives you exciting new options, it doesn’t mean all are valid ones.

Choosing the correct word for the moment, genre, character, and your voice is an art. It’s all up to you as the writer and you will make mistakes. I have many times and I will again. There is no magic wand to wave to get this right one hundred per cent of the time. But you build your writing skills gradually and learn from mistakes.

5. Sit-rise desk or desk-topper

I spend a lot of time writing, which means a lot of time sitting. Added to that, many of my hobbies are sedentary and I also have some health issues like migraines, to contend with. So, the last thing I need is to sit still for hours and have my back, shoulders or neck seize up and cause pain.

To change up and move more, I use a sit-stand riser on top of my desk. They are cheaper than buying a whole desk that will rise, but they provide the same benefit. My writing sessions often start with standing, then sitting, and continue to alternate.

Fortunately, the trend of worrying over the danger of sitting on our butts for too long is passing. Not that I’m saying there’s no truth in it. Just that the truth is more likely found in the balance between standing, sitting, walking and other movements.

A quick anecdote, so skim if you just want the meat to this post. When I got a pretty new desk with a white finish at the beginning of 2023 I sold the black sit-stand riser I’d been using. It was a purely aesthetic choice and I’m owning up to that. That riser dragged the look of my gorgeous new desk right down.

But I soon missed it, so I’ve recently got a new one in a lighter colour—not so jarring to the eye. I admit, aesthetically, it’s still not 100% pleasing. But it falls between looking good and being practical. There’s that middle ground again.

I have to be careful of my cat with this new sit-stand riser, though. It’s larger, covering more of the desk, and making it difficult to see underneath it while set in a standing position. Just after I got it, I closed it up on my cat. It could have been a tragedy but, fortunately, he’s slinky and just squished himself down under it as I closed it up. I learned my lesson. And I think he did as well.

Sam sitting ON the desk rather than being squished under it.😅

You can buy sit-stand desk risers from various stores.

6. Pomodoros

Writing pomodoros are timed sessions, sometimes called sprints. Whether you use an app designed for pomodoros or the timer on your phone doesn’t matter too much. Although the apps allow more customisation options.

The most common session and break lengths seem to be twenty-five minutes writing with a five-minute break or fifty minutes writing with a ten-minute break, followed by longer breaks after a few sessions. But it’s really up to you.

Writing in sessions can help you knuckle down and get it done. When the timer begins, train yourself to forget about everything else. All those things you need to do, want to do, or anything that’s worrying you. Nope. Just write!

One more timing method I’d like to mention will appeal to some and not others. Ambience pomodoro videos that are found on YouTube. An image, often a pretty or striking one, is paired with sound that is relaxing and/or helps you to focus. It might be sound effects, music, or both.

In the ambience pomodoros, the timing is integrated for you with sprint times and breaks in one. But you can always choose any ambience video and set a timer to go with it separately.

Ambience videos come with myriad gorgeous images.

If you’re wondering, ‘yeah, but why?’ the answer (for me, at least) is that certain noises can distract and stress me. This is a way I’ve found to control that, and it also leads into my seventh resource suggestion.

My current pomodoro app is called Flow, and you can see an example of an ambience pomodoro here, and a regular ambience video here.

7. Headphones

Once again, this won’t be for everyone, but (noise cancelling) headphones were a game changer for me. Through of a combo of my neurology and anxiety, I have trouble with noise. Again, this is just an extra way for me to control the levels and types of noises around me to keep the focus on my plotting, editing or research.

Headphones can help drown out barking dogs, mowers, sudden noises that might give you a fright, and people in your neighbourhood who think it’s handy to use their car horns to say ‘hi’ and ‘bye’ and ‘I’m here’.

I would also recommend headphones if you have young kids and work from home—but only if you’re not the primary caregiver at the time as some noise cancelling is truly extraordinary. I would hate for you to miss anything important with your little ones, such as them waking up and calling for you, or if they’ve hurt themselves. Safety first.

Noise cancelling headphones work really well with YouTube ambience videos, too. ;)

I use Audeara A-02 headphones (and previously used the first version, info for both here: www.audeara.com). I also have back up ear buds—I think they’re Beatz.

~~~

To summarise

Scrivener
Plottr
Grammarly, ProWritingAid, and Hemingway App
Dictionary and Thesaurus
Sit-rise desk or desk topper
Pomodoros
Headphones

Hopefully, some of these suggestions have given you food for thought. I can already think of other resources I want to share with you, so hang tight. I’ll work on a follow up post.

In the meantime, please let me know what resources have helped you in the comments and don’t forget to subscribe to my email list here.

Happy writing, lovelies. ☺️💗

Note: None of these resources were offered to me by the creators to try or review beyond the free trials available to everyone.

My top seven writing resources