As a blogger, a writer or a content marketer, you’re going to find yourself writing a lot. You may even free write for fun. Compiling all those words together will surely fill an idea bank. But it isn’t always easy to write after awhile, so to help with those fun, creative blocks, I’ve compiled a list of online tools for writing.
Writing online is a tough gig. It turns out that creating good content isn’t as easy as some writers might have you believe. Using online tools for writing doesn’t always help the effort either. Online publishing platforms often provide plenty of tools for writing, but implementing those tools can be a lot of hard work once you factor in everything that goes into creating a website’s content. Have you ever spent hours trying to figure out how to use a tool but still found yourself struggling?
Simplify the Writing Process with These Handy Online Writing Tools
Whatever your needs are, there’s a tool to help! The following tools will help you write more, stay focused, and get organized.
Free Writing Software ????
If you haven’t found the right writing tools yet, consider one of these free writing software options. There are so many word processors these days, so we’ve provided the pros and cons for each one to help you decide.
1. Google Docs (iOS/Mac/Online)
Google Docs is simple and doesn’t offer a ton of bells and whistles. Nonetheless, for writers who are easily distracted, the simplicity might be the key to focusing.
| Pros ???? | Cons ???? |
| • The automatic save function is a lifesaver for writers who often forget to save their work. Never lose another word of your work with Google Docs! | • There are no complex organization or planning functions. This might not work for writers looking to easily organize their ideas, characters, or plot. |
| • You can access your writing from anywhere because all documents are saved to the cloud. | • This might not be the best option for writers without a steady internet connection. |
2. yWriter (Windows)
If organizing is important to you, you’ll love yWriter. This free writing software allows you to organize your plot and character development with ease!
| Pros ???? | Cons ???? |
| • Organization features! Your writing can be organized by scenes, rather than lengthy chapters. yWriter offers the ability to drag and drop scenes to rearrange your writing any way you want. | • yWriter is only available for Windows right now, but a Mac OS version is on its way! |
| • Lots of stats data. Use this feature to keep track of your writing goals and progress. | • Some of the additional features can be distracting for writers who struggle to stay focused. |
3. FocusWriter (Windows, Mac OS, Linux)
FocusWriter is the ideal tool for easily distracted writers. Sometimes, technology can be awfully distracting. Having too many features in your writing program can be too much clutter to focus on writing!
| Pros ???? | Cons ???? |
| • A clean, distraction-free interface that lets you focus on what matters: your words! | • No additional features. |
| • Available for many operating systems. | • Not ideal for writers who need organization or for those who often research while writing. |
Free Writing Apps ????
If you like to draft on your phone or tablet, here are some writing apps you can use. Reach your word count goals even faster with these free writing apps!
1. Werdsmith (iOS)
Experience an on-the-go writing studio with Werdsmith. This app features an interesting interface that allows you to store your writing ideas.
| Pros ???? | Cons ???? |
| • Easy-to-access writing on the go! Write while you commute (by public transport) or while waiting in between meetings. No writing while driving, of course. | • The app is very simple. There aren’t any organization features. This means, for those who need organization, this app isn’t for you. |
| • Store your ideas and drafts in the cloud so you never lose any content! | • This is only available on iOS, unfortunately. |
2. Notes App (iOS)
The iOS Notes app is on most iOS devices, it’s easily available for a quick writing session anywhere, anytime… unless you have Android devices.
| Pros ???? | Cons ???? |
| • For iPhone/Mac users, this might be one of the easiest-to-access apps for drafting away from home! | • Only available on iOS. |
| • You can separate projects into different folders to stay organized. | • Limited features for tagging or labeling projects. |
| • You can easily co-write with other writers by sharing a note! | |
| • Your drafts seamlessly sync to your other iOS devices when linked. |
3. WebFX Flesch-Kincaid Readability Test Tool
SEO professionals and digital marketers tend to underestimate the importance of readability.
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Functional illiteracy means that “a person can read or write, but at a level that is inadequate for ordinary needs. This affects 781 million people worldwide and includes:
If you aren’t paying attention to reading levels, your content may be unintentionally inaccessible to a fair chunk of your audience. Aim for a Grade 5 to 8 reading level for most content.
Use the Readability Test Tool to test reading level by URL or by direct input. Get suggestions for making your content more readable.
4. Thesaurus.com
Every SEO content creator needs a good thesaurus. Finding synonyms and related terms can help you kill it in topical relevance without repeating the same few words over and over.AdvertisementContinue Reading Below
It makes your writing richer, varied, and more interesting to read.
I like OneLook Thesaurus, although they do warn:
“For some types of searches, only the first result or the first few results are likely to be useful. We urge you to click on a word to check its definition before using it in your Oscars acceptance speech or honors thesis.”
You’ve got to love librarian humor.
Conclusions
Writing online can be time consuming. Not only do you have to come up with the topic, write the article and find images for it but you also have to find relevant links to include. That’s why I love tools that save me time while writing.