3 Essential Tools for Wannabe Writers

Having the best computer, or writing software, or promotional program won’t magically make you a great writer - only writing and effort can do that - but having the right tools can make the process more fun and less draining. Having worked without any of the following options for a long time, I can tell you, they are not needed, but to me, they are proving to be a good investment. They have helped me feel more motivated to continue working on projects. The organization helps me stay motivated and more creative! The added freetime is priceless. Here's my take on a few options maybe you've been pondering.

Laptop

With this new laptop model - I’ve been a Microsoft user for years, this is my first Mac - there is a learning curve. I was afraid it would be complicated. It’s just different, not complicated. And setting it up was a breeze! I like how the keyboard is designed for writers to utilize it more comfortably, I like the back lighting of the keys for use in dim lighting, and I love that I can use it outside without the glare of the sun making it impossible to see the screen. It’s very light weight, making it easy to transport, and the battery life is long, so no worries about draining the battery at a critical moment. I did a lot of research to find what I thought would be the best laptop for me and MacBook Air is what I kept coming back to. I like to write with pen and paper, but my hands don’t work that well anymore, so a laptop is my better option. This one works well for me.

Writing Software

https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener/overview

I downloaded Scrivener, too - it’s software for writers. So far, I’m loving it! The first month is free, so you can play around and figure out if it’s for you, but the ability to organize projects is outstanding! I made files on my word processor program before trying Scrivener, to organize my writing projects and it’s entirely possible to do it that way, but cumbersome. I still lost track and had to scroll up-and-down a lot. Now I don’t have to do that; the software keeps track! The program basics haven’t been difficult to learn, and there appears to be extraordinary potential for powerful tools and options that I look forward to learning more about as I go. As a matter of fact, I am writing this on Scrivener. I’ve only had this program for less than a month, but already I’m finding it useful and indispensable.

Marketing Software

Canva is just brilliant and convenient! I have barely scratched the surface so far of the options available and I’ve already found it to be astronomically useful, from creating logos and headings to designing Facebook posts for promotion to creating videos and finding photographs from Pixabay and Pexels, as well as downloading your own personal images to use. Of course, all of this can be done online, or with your own software, but with Canva, the formats are already there, and all of my designs are saved in one place. It’s inspiring and motivating! There is also a free version available if you just want to try it out.

Of course, you don’t need any of these things to make you a good writer, I have just found them to be a beneficial part of making my own writing-life more efficient and pleasurable. Writing is hard enough, I think we deserve tools designed to make the process a little bit easier.

Thank you for reading - I hope you found this information helpful!