If you are writing a book, you are just one step ahead of the rest of us. You can’t buy your way into being an expert. There are no shortcuts to real expertise. But what you CAN do is make yourself an expert on-line. Here are 3 of the best tools for building your writing skills for offline or online work”
There’s no doubt in my mind that the best general book writing software around is Molson. It’s what I use every day, and the reports are quick and easy to make. Molson is also widely used by other published authors.
1. Scrivener
Scrivener is the ultimate book-organization tool.
It allows you to view your notes, research, outline, and writing all in one place, and you can print your whole manuscript with the click of your mouse.
There’s a bit of a learning curve, but Scrivener comes with tutorials, and many other such aids are easily found online.
It may look overwhelming at first (I’m still learning it myself), but it’s worth the time and effort.
Just give yourself time to get familiar with the basics.
Pros:
- Virtual corkboard feature for note cards organization
- Drag & drop outliner
- Works with Windows, Mac, iPad, and iPhone
- Easily applicable within Microsoft Word and many other programs
Cons:
- Steep learning curve*
*I benefited from great teaching programs like Learn Scrivener Fast, plus Scrivener itself comes with a built-in tutorial.
Price: $49 for Mac and $40 for PC
Click here to buy Scrivener.
2. Google Docs
Google Docs is a great collaborative tool. My team and I are literally a thousand miles from each other, and we use this program virtually every day.
It’s a free, standard word processor that allows multiple people to work on the same document simultaneously. I’m working on this document in Google Docs right now.
Just as with Track Changes in Word, an agent or editor or accountability partner can help fine-tune your work-in-progress in Suggestion Mode. You accept or reject the suggestions, and you can both comment in the margin.
Other advantages:
- Easily share your work-in-progress via email or a link
- Access from any device
- Free
Cons:
- Performance slows when tracking changes on documents of 80 or more pages
- Unable to toggle between Tracked Changes and Final Version without accepting all the changes
Price: Free
Click here to start using Google Docs.
3. Freedom
Freedom allows you to temporarily block apps, websites, and social media across all your devices so you can focus on writing (don’t worry, people can still reach you in an emergency).
You can even schedule the app to work automatically when you need it most — when you’re writing.
If you’re like me, you’ll be glad for the freedom from online distractions where “just a few seconds” turns into hours of unproductive net surfing. Freedom can help you focus and increase your productivity.
And it works on all devices.
Cost: $6.99 per month, $29 per year, or a $129 lifetime fee.
Want to block distractions while you write?
Click here to get Freedom.
4. ProWritingAid
ProWritingAid offers grammar, style, and writing suggestions as you write—for you to accept — or reject — at the click of a button.
It integrates with the apps and programs you use most, like:
- Google Docs
- Google Chrome
- Microsoft Word
- Scrivener
Other pros:
- Detailed explanations
- Built-in Thesaurus
- Context-focused grammar checker
- Free version
Con:
- You need a premium account to access its best features
Price: $50 for 1 year, $75 for 2 years, $100 for 3 years, or $175 for life
I recommend trying the free version first.
Click here to get more info on ProWritingAid.
5. Grammarly
Similar to ProWritingAid, Grammarly can help fine-tune your writing.
It automatically checks spelling and grammar, whether you’re writing a book or an email.
The premium version also:
- Checks sentence structure
- Monitors word choice
- Guards against plagiarism
- Examines style
- And much more
Other pros:
- Free version
- Google Chrome plugin for easy use on the web
Cons:
- No Scrivener integration
- Doesn’t work on mobile devices
- You need a premium account to access its best features
Cost: $29.95 per month, $59.95 per quarter, or $139.95 per year.
Try the free version first.
Click here to get Grammarly.
Publisher Rocket (Book Marketing App)
How do you know if your book will sell? Wouldn’t it be nice to know if there is a market for your book before you start writing? How do you find the most readers on Amazon for your published book?
For all of these questions, Publisher Rocket has an answer.
Read our full Publisher Rocket review here.
Publisher Rocket a book marketing research tool that helps you understand what readers actually want and how to connect with them with your books. Here are some things you can discover in Publisher Rocket:
- What phrases Amazon buyers are actually searching for.
- The psychology of how readers choose to buy books.
- How much money readers are spending on certain niches and topics.
- How much money specific books are making per month (for example, books that might be competing with yours).
I’ve personally used Publisher Rocket to take mid-list books to #1 bestseller status on Amazon. It’s an amazing tool, perfect for anyone working on a book.
Pros of Publisher Rocket:
- Find out how much other books in your genre make
- Get metrics on how to become a #1 Bestseller
- Excellent learning resources and support
Cons of Publisher Rocket:
- Learning curve
- Limited to book marketing
Cost: $99Get started with Publisher Rocket here »
7. Evernote OR Ulysses OR Bear (Note Taking)
When I’m writing for a long time, I like to get up and go for a walk. Sometimes, I wish I could continue writing while I walk. Other times, I find myself brainstorming ideas while I’m not at my computer, typing it up on my phone, and then wanting to easily move what I wrote to my laptop without having to go through the hassle of emailing it back and forth to myself.
That’s where note taking apps like Ulysses and Evernote come in.
Ulysses, Evernote, and Bear are note taking apps that allow you to sync between all your devices, so you have what you need wherever you are, ideal for jotting down ideas or thinking through your book while you’re out and about.
While Scrivener recently released an iOS app which allows you to sync between devices, their process is clunky and requires you to purchase both the mobile and desktop apps. These note taking apps make the process much more seamless.
Like Scrivener, they all have a binder-like sidebar that allows you to move documents around. None of them are designed specifically for books, so they may take a little configuring to make it work for you, but once you have one set up the way you want, it’s very intuitive.
And while I hate Markdown, a markup language that allows you to format your text, I actually like the paired-down formatting options Ulysses and Bear give, especially for brainstorming. Overall, I wouldn’t convert from Scrivener to any of these apps, but as supplements, they work great.
Pros of Evernote:
- Sync notes between devices
- Write as you go
- Capture ideas
Cons of Evernote:
- Free plan is limited
- Becomes clunky as you get more notes
- Better for note taking than managing a large writing project
Evernote Cost: Free with Paid optionsGet started with Evernote here »
Ulysses Cost: $45
Note: Ulysses is only available for Mac, either in the App Store or from their website.Get started with Ulysses here (Mac only) »
Bear Cost: $1.49 monthly / $14.99 yearly
Note: Bear is also only available for Mac, either in the App Store or from their website.
Conclusion
You are an aspiring writer. But you don’t have the time or money to build your own website, pay for editing services, hire an army of editors and proofreaders, or develop your own marketing strategy. You need a book writing service that will produce professional content that will get you an agent, publisher or possible endorsement by someone in the writing world. Should I write my book without an editor? This is the question that haunts every writer.