creative writing toolkit

Bill Platt and Rob Howard here. We are the founders of The Creative Writer’s Toolkit and we are excited to show you something really incredible.

We have been quietly working behind the scenes, developing a powerful piece of software that uses an advanced AI-Engine ( Artificial Intelligence ) — developed and funded by Microsoft, MIT, and other researchers around the world — to help writers such as yourself streamline the creative writing process.

From coming up with an idea, to outlining that idea, researching the topic, and finally writing each chapter...it can be a slog.

And if you’re new to writing or you simply struggle with completing a book, the entire process can be incredibly frustrating.

In the old days we had to use many different tools to get our work done — tools for idea generation, tools for outlining, tools for spelling and grammar check, and more.

We would also have to spend hours researching our topics in order to deliver interesting and valuable content to our readers.

We have been in the writing game for a long time, and we are always on the hunt for new and better ways to do things.

It is always our hope to find ways to streamline our tasks and to increase our efficiency.

The end-goal we sought to achieve, of course, was to create more books at a much quicker pace.

We instinctively understood that if we wanted to make more money as authors, then we would need to create and publish more books as fast as humanly possible to do.

Finally, after more than a dozen years of searching for something exactly like " The Creative Writing Toolkit ," we were able to bring the idea to life ourselves.

Now, we have available to us one powerful and awesome tool to replace all of those other tools we had to use previously — making it easier and far less time consuming to complete any book we and you might want to create.

This is a powerful, AI-driven software that combines a wide range of content generation, text analysis, and editing tools within a single application.

With " The Creative Writer’s Toolkit ," you will get things like a grammar checker, an idea generator, non-fiction book outliner, an introduction maker, a research tool, a chapter draft maker, and more.

(This video was recorded two weeks before we were launch-ready. As a result, it does not show the full list of 23 "Writing Prompts" currently available with the Nonfiction Module.)

Our software utilizes an AI-engine developed and funded by companies and people such as Microsoft, Elon Musk, MIT, and a whole bunch of other individuals and organizations around the world.

Although the AI-engine is capable of producing some really valuable text content, we found it to be a real challenge to use in the beginning.

If you get just one variable wrong, the AI-engine might produce some really strange, quirky and completely-useless content.

There was a huge learning curve for us to figure out how to make this work for our very specific needs.

As it turned out, there are a number of very specific variables we need to set inside the AI-software, and we have to add "Writing Prompts" to help give direction to the software to deliver the kinds of content we actually want to get from it.

We found the process to be very similar to that of working with a food recipe. We needed to add two cups of this, half of cup of that, two tablespoons of this, and a pinch of that...

When we were finally able to put everything together in the right way, the AI-software was pretty much able to give us the exact kind of content we wanted, on a pretty realiable basis.

Amazingly, if we don't like the output we get the first time we submit our "Writing Prompts" to the AI-engine, we can just submit the information again to get a different and often better response from it.

We spent nearly two months working with the AI-software to determine what we needed to do to get the content we wanted from it.

We learned what was essential and what would be optional.

We discovered what would be necessary to include in our "Writing Prompts" and what parts of the prompt we could edit to give us the more specialized content we really wanted.

Once we wrapped our heads around what could be done and what we needed to do to make it happen, then we determined how we could set things up, so that you could do the same — without the huge learning curve we had to endure.

Our software will let YOU CHOOSE specific, pre-defined " Writing Prompts " from a drop-down at the top of the software screen.

We don't want to overwhelm you with the sheer volume of data required to get the output from the AI-engine, so we just show you the bit of the " Writing Prompt " that you can edit and customize.

Once you do the edits necessary to customize your request, you just need to submit your request by clicking " Run " inside our software.

Using the AI-engine was difficult for us in the beginning...

For you, however, the process will be super easy, because we have done the hard work of figuring out what we need to give the AI-software in order to get useful results from it.

When you start our " Creative Writing Toolkit " software, there are just four steps:

(This video shows how the Nonfiction Module can speed your writing tasks.)

The Nonfiction Module Includes:

Contrary to most AI-writing tool providers, we do not charge monthly fees to use our software.

Once you have chosen which software package option you would like to purchase, we will not require any future payments from you.

However, we do offer optional up-sells, and those are also just one-time costs:

The company that is offering us access to their Artificial Intelligence software does require a really tiny, ongoing payment to use their API.

They don't charge by the month.

Instead, they charge according to how much you use their software API.

The costs of using their API is absolutely dirt cheap — 2 cents per 750 words of output.

As soon as you set up your account with them to gain access to their API Key, they will give you $18 worth of Usage Credits — FREE of charge.

The initial $18 worth of Usage Credits will give you the ability to pull about 675,000 words from their AI-software — equal to just more than 13 full-length, 50,000-word books.

After you have used your $18 worth of FREE Usage Credits, you will be on a pay-as-you-go arrangement with them...

At that point, you can deposit a few dollars into your account, as often as you need to do so to keep using their AI-backend software.

The Fiction Module was far more difficult to work out than the Nonfiction Module.

But, with a lot of trial-and-error, we were finally able to pull it off.

When we stepped up the "Creative Writing Toolkit" software to tackle fiction projects, we had to scale up the complexity of the "Writing Prompts" we were creating for this module.

We are very happy with the results we were able to achieve with our Fiction Module.

Should you choose to purchase access to the Fiction Module, you will be able to use our software to generate fiction content in nearly any genre ( except erotica or a few other topics... See the FAQ #6 below for more specific details ).

These are not our rules.

The company whose API we are using to access their AI-software has these rules in place, to ensure that other people don't accidentally get inappropriate content in their output.

Our Fiction Module Includes...

For many of you, "The Creative Writing Toolkit" will be an absolute game-changer...

Should you choose to purchase the Fiction Module in addition to the Nonfiction Module, you will find the "Creative Writing Toolkit" to be an absolute godsend...

Our ground-breaking "Creative Writing Toolkit" software has been specifically designed to make the creative process easier...

Although it won't write an entire book with a click of your mouse, it will help remove a lot of the roadblocks that cause us to stumble when we are writing our books...

It will take the difficult tasks of outlining or plotting a book, creating a character profile, or creating a book description, and completing those individual tasks with a just a few clicks of our mouse.

If you are looking to get a lot more done in much less time, our "Creative Writing Toolkit" will be the one tool that you will always want to have available when you are ready to start writing...

Currently, you must be using Windows 8.1, 10 or 11 , in order to use this software.

We are currently in Beta-release.

With future updates, we hope to make this software also available for Mac and Linux computers.

We are also considering the option of making the software available for Apple and Android tablets.

I want to emphasize that it is our goal to make this software available for other platforms, but we will not make any promises as to a specific time-table for those updates.

You must be using Windows 8.1, 10 or 11 , to use this software.

We have two (2) purchase options for you to consider...

Q1: What are the software requirements for using this software?

A1: You must be using Windows 8.1, 10 or 11 , to use this software.

Q2: You keep referring to the AI or Artificial Intelligence? Are you suggesting that the software is equal to a human intelligence?

A2: Absolutely not.

The AI-Engine we use within our software is NOT conscious or sentient .

It is clever and smart, but it is still just software.

Q3: What is the deal with the API Key? Why do I need that?

A3: The company that is providing us access to their AI-software (Artificial Intelligence) requires users to get an API Key, by setting up a FREE account with them.

The company requires a verified email address and a verified phone number , in order to set up a Free account.

The goal on their side is to track use and to have the tools necessary to address abuse of their software.

Anyone who violates the rules described in FAQ #6 may have their API Key terminated, thereby preventing the abuser from using their system again in the future.

They request a phone number with account registration, because few people have access to more than one or two phone numbers.

Q4: Are there any costs associated with using the API Key?

A4: There are costs, but they are super inexpensive.

The cost of using the AI-engine that our software relies upon is 2 cents for every 750 words of text output .

When you set up your Free Account, they will give you $18 worth of Usage Credits, which translates into about 675,000 words of text output — the equivalent of more than 13 full-length, 50,000 word books.

Once your Free Usage Credits have been exhausted, the company will allow you to pay-as-you-go.

Rather than sending you a bill, they will allow you to make small deposits into your account to offset the 2 cents per 750 words cost associated with using the part of the software.

Q5: Why do you say there are no ongoing costs with this software, when there are in fact ongoing costs?

A5: Because there are two distinct and critically-important layers to our “Creative Writing Toolkit” software:

• The AI-Engine ( Artificial Intelligence ) is built and maintained by a third-party provider.
• The Writing Prompts we have built are there to ensure that we can get from the AI-Engine the exact kinds of content we want it to produce. The Writing Prompts are comprised of “ basic recipes ” instructing the AI-software what kind of content it should produce on your behalf. Without the recipes, it will be a lot more difficult to get the kind of content we want out of the AI-interface. If you had to create your own "Writing Prompts" for the AI-engine, it might take you several weeks or months to figure out how to get the quality of material out it that we are able to get out of it with the “ Creative Writing Toolkit ” software. We also provide a Software-Interface that bridges the AI-Engine to the Writing Prompts we have created, to simplify the tasks in front of you.

We do not require any paid subscriptions or ongoing costs, in order for you to use OUR PART of the software-build.

The third-party company who provides us the AI-Engine does charge ongoing costs, but their prices are super inexpensive and pay-as-you-go, as described in FAQ #4 — 2 cents per 750 words of text output.

Q6: What restrictions, if any, apply to the use of this software?

A6: The company who provides us the AI-Engine prohibits users from knowingly generating – or allowing others to knowingly generate – the following categories of content:

• Hate: content that expresses, incites, or promotes hate based on identity.
• Harassment: content that intends to harass, threaten, or bully an individual.
• Violence: content that promotes or glorifies violence or celebrates the suffering or humiliation of others.
• Self-Harm: content that promotes, encourages, or depicts acts of self-harm, such as suicide, cutting, and eating disorders.
• Sexual: content meant to arouse sexual excitement, such as the description of sexual activity, or that promotes sexual services (excluding sex education and wellness).
• Political: content attempting to influence the political process or to be used for campaigning purposes.
• Spam: unsolicited bulk content.
• Deception: content that is false or misleading, such as attempting to defraud individuals or spread disinformation.
• Malware: content that attempts to generate ransomware, keyloggers, viruses, or other software intended to impose some level of harm.

Q7: How is your software different from your competition?

A7: There are five (5) things that make our software considerably different than that of our competition:

• No Subscription Pricing. Once you buy our Software, our Genre Modules, or our Writing Prompt Expansion Packs, we will not expect any further payments from you.
• We currently offer the following "Genre Modules": Nonfiction Module and Fiction Module. Every "Coming Soon" tab you see within the software represents another Genre Module that we are planning to build. When those additional modules are available for purchase, we will notify you within our membership website, by email, and within the software that they are ready for purchase.
• Our "Genre Modules" are specifically designed to produce a specific genre of content. The Nonfiction Module will help you to complete tasks that all nonfiction writers may have to address at some point. The Fiction Module has been designed to help fiction writers tackle specific tasks that they may have to deal with when writing their books.
• Our "Writing Prompt Expansion Packs" extend the functionality of your specific Genre Modules , helping you to tackle other challenges you might be facing within your writing journey.
• In effect, our "Creative Writing Toolkit" software is one single tool, with multiple other tools under the hood .

Q8: Can we see some examples of content that your software has generated?

A8: Sure thing. Here are a few examples to whet your appetite...

Please note that we DID NOT EDIT any of the output from the software. What you see in the examples below is exactly what the software gave to us.

Nonfiction Module - Indepth Information about improving the curb appeal of your home.

Nonfiction Module - Draft Chapter about improving the curb appeal of your home for under $500.

Nonfiction Module - Chapter Outline about keeping young children entertained during a long road trip.

Nonfiction Module - Create a Nonfiction Introduction about teaching your children good manners.

Nonfiction Module - Create an Absurd Analogy about eating dinner at the Roadhouse Steak House.

Fiction Module - Define a Location, based on given information.

Fiction Module - Craft a larger Fantasy Story Plot.

Create a Basic Mystery Plot. (On the third item, I would think it should have been "slaying Sam in his bed.")

Q9: Are there any up-sells?

A9: We have two (2) completely optional up-sells available.

Q10: What if I have other questions that you have not yet addressed?

A10: If you have any questions about this offer, please contact our support team at: "support ~at~ creativewritingtoolkit.com". We will be happy to answer your questions.

If you decide that this software does not live up to the promises we have made for it, then please ask for a refund of the money you paid for the product.

Simply send Bill Platt an email to * support ~at~ creativewritingtoolkit.com *, to request your refund.

Please allow me up to 72 hours to process your refund , as I do occasionally have a life outside the Internet.

Also be advised that if you file a dispute with PayPal, instead of giving me a chance to process your refund directly, my Money-Back Guarantee will become null-and-void, and I will fight your dispute with the intention of winning the dispute.

There is no need for either of us to be ugly about this. If you are not satisfied with this product, simply ask for a refund and allow me time to process your refund request.

P.S. If you have any questions about this offer, please contact our support team at: "support ~at~ creativewritingtoolkit.com". We will be happy to answer your questions.

The Creative Writer’s Toolkit: 7 Tools You Can’t Write Without

by Matt Herron and Joe Bunting | 41 comments

So you want to write fiction or memoir. Where do you begin? And what creative writing tools do you need to accomplish your writing goals?

I’m afraid there’s no right answer to get started as a writer. Each writer comes to fiction in their own way. Whatever it is that draws you to a good story—a gut wrenching plot twist, a heroic protagonist, a likeable villain, a happy ending—is great because it helps keep your passion for storytelling alive.

But when it comes to the actual writing, the composition and craft, all the supposed experts in the field disagree on the right approach.

What a beginner needs is a good schooling in the basics, the foundations of creative writing.

In this series, I’ll go over the common tools experienced writers use to write great books so that you can get moving in the right direction.

7 Creative Writing Tools Every Writer Needs

But before we get to the basic tools you need, we have to know what tools are at a writer’s disposal. For a beginner, this is as good a place to start as any.

1. Books!

If you want to write books, you’ve got to read books . A whole freaking lot of it.

Start by reading any and every short story and novel you can get your hands on. Don’t worry about taking notes or thinking too much into the stories. Just read. Chances are, you’ve already done a lot of it. All writers come to writing through reading first.

Spend as much time as you can spare browsing new book stores, used book stores, and ebook stores. Free ebooks are a great resource that cost very little and they’re all over the place. There are a lot of great free titles out there, especially some of the classics that are in the public domain. Check out Project Gutenberg  if your budget is tight.

Not sure what to read? Here's a list of ten books every writer should read based on genre .

2. Notebooks (or a Notetaking App)

Carry notebooks with you as often as you can. I like the solid dependability of a large Moleskine Classic , but buy whatever kind of notebook pleases you the most. This is your happy place.

And if you're not a notebook person, consider downloading a notetaking app to your phone or mobile device. You can use Evernote or Notion, but personally I just use the native Notes app on my iPhone. Wouldn't it be better to be writing, even if you're just doing it on your phone, rather than playing a phone game or scrolling through social media?

Immediately make a habit out of journaling. Write every day, even if it’s just about the weather or what you had for breakfast.

This is a judgment free zone, so don’t worry if what you write sucks or doesn’t make sense. Just fill the pages, and when you get to the end of that notebook buy another one, and then another, and then another.

When it becomes harder not to write than it is to write, you’ve accomplished your goal. You’ve made writing into a habit.

3. Software

Journaling is all well and good, but it’s not very productive.

Once you start writing stories you’ll want to use a word processor. We’re beyond typewriters, so I don’t mean those. I mean word processing software .

With the rise in ebooks, doing things digitally first makes a lot of sense and saves you extra work anyways. Don’t commit yourself to the pain of writing longhand in the 21st century. Though writing longhand has its own therapeutic benefits, typing on a keyboard is much faster.

We have lots of book writing software we love at The Write Practice, but here are my top three:

• Best Word Processor for Writers: Scrivener.  Scrivener changed my life as a writer. It’s easy to use, easy to keep organized, infinitely flexible, and for those long-term thinkers, you can compile straight to any format, including ebook formats that are ready to publish on Kindle and various other ebook platforms. It has character and setting sketch templates (we’ll go into more detail about character and setting sketches in the next two articles), it autosaves your work, and it rarely ever crashes (unlike the options above). I could go on for days about Scrivener. Instead, I recommend you check out The Write Practice's review of it here .
• Best Editing Tool: Google Docs . Google Docs allows you to quickly share your writing with editors and other writers. I do almost all of my writing and initial rewriters in Scrivener. But when it comes time to share my drafts for feedback, I move over to Google Docs because the real-time editing and suggesting features makes the process so much easier. Check out Google Docs here.
• Favorite Publishing and Book Formatting Tool: Vellum , but it's Mac only (close second: Atticus ). Vellum allows you to take what you've written and create beautiful books quickly and easily. I personally have used it to design several of my books and client books, and I know so many other writers who use it to publish their books too. Check out Vellum here. There's just one problem: it's Mac only! So for the PC users, and if you want to experiment with the new kid in town, there's Atticus, which is a cloud based book formatting tool that has some upcoming features that might just make it better even than Vellum. Check out Atticus here.
• BONUS Best Book Promotion Tool: Bookfunnel. Once your book is published, Bookfunnel allows you to create instant landing pages to deliver your book to readers. They also have a native reading app that allows people to read your book once they have it, saving them from painfully migrating it to their Kindle or other reading app. Bookfunnel is useful for delivering your book to beta readers or your launch team, offering a free book or short story for email subscribers, doing book promotions with other authors, or even selling your book. I've gotten thousands of new readers through Bookfunnel and it's a great tool! Learn more about Bookfunnel here. 

My advice here is the same as with Notebooks, above: use whatever makes you happy. You’ll be spending a lot of time here.

4. An Author Website and Email List

If you're ever going to  publish  your writing one day, you need to have an author website, a place where readers can find your work and sign up for your email list so they can be the first to hear when you publish new books.

Now, I know the idea of setting up a website can feel scary, but we've made it easy for you with this guide,  10 Steps to Building an Author Website . It will walk you through everything you need to do to build a great author website.

Don't forget your email list. It's honestly  more  important than the website alone, because it's the  best  way to stay in touch with your readers and share your work with them. Our favorite email newsletter tool is Convertkit. You can check out Convertkit here.

5. Grammar and Style Guides

Every writer needs a firm schooling in grammar do’s and don’ts as early as possible.

English grammar can take a lifetime to master, which is why there are these handy style guides you can keep around and reference while you’re doing your work.

These guides, plus a dictionary and a thesaurus (I like dictionary.com for those), are a must have for every writer’s toolbox.

I've written in detail about these three essential style guides for writers . But for easy linking, here they are again:

• The Elements of Style by Strunk and White
• The Star Copy Style by The Kansas City Star
• Writing Tools by Roy Peter Clark

On top of learning about grammar and style from these books, you can use grammar checking tools like Grammarly and ProWritingAid to make the editing process easier. Personally, we prefer ProWritingAid at The Write Practice. You can check it out here (and get a discount with the code WritePractice20 ).

Need more grammar help?  My favorite tool that helps find grammar problems and even generates reports to help improve my writing is ProWritingAid . Works with Word, Scrivener, Google Docs, and web browsers. Also, be sure to use my coupon code to get 20 percent off:  WritePractice20

6. Study of Craft

Now that you’ve studied grammar, read the kind of fiction you want to write, kept a journal, and found the right software, you should take a step back and study the craft of writing fiction by reading some nonfiction books on the subject.

I’ve read dozens, but these are the ones that have taught me the most:

The best memoir on the subject.

An absolutely indispensable guide to writing. Talk about nuts and bolts, this book has it.

Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell

James Scott Bell is a bestselling author and renowned teacher of writers. This book also introduced me to the LOCK method, which is a really handy tool.

I included this one because, while it’s extremely biased towards indie publishing, it provides an excellent overview of the modern publishing landscape for both fiction and nonfiction.

7. Writing Groups

Writing groups are my favorite tool of all. They’re a great way to meet other writers and put your skills to the test. Being a part of a writing group and workshopping your stories is, in my opinion, the absolute fastest and most surefire way to learn how to write fiction. Hundreds of MFA programs across the country agree.

Writing groups provide:

• Moral support . Other writers understand when you complain that writing is hard.
• Like-minded people . Share your hopes and dreams with like-minded people.
• Feedback . The invaluable critique that comes with workshopping manuscripts. They will give you honest feedback even when you don’t want to hear it.
• Healthy competition . Seeing other people produce work is the best motivation for a writer who is not writing.

I love writing groups and believe that every writer should have one in the early stages. Check Meetup.com  or your local bookstore for one you can join, or join ours.

For years, we've been helping writers connect and get feedback on their work in our community, and we'd love to have you. Learn more about joining our writing group here.

However, one warning: if the writing group you find turns out to be a back-patting session, bail immediately. You’ll never learn anything if no one has the courage the tell you the truth, especially when it hurts.

How about you? What creative writing tools do you find are essential for your writing?  Share in the comments section .

(Note: Some of the links above are affiliate links. Thanks!)

Now that you know what’s in the beginner’s toolbox, what do you do to practice? Here are five options.

• Read a novel or short story
• Write in your notebook
• Read a book on craft
• Study a style guide
• Find and attend a writing group

When you’re finished, share in the Pro Practice Workshop here .  Not a member yet? Join us here !

Matt Herron

Matt Herron is the author of Scrivener Superpowers: How to Use Cutting-Edge Software to Energize Your Creative Writing Practice . He has a degree in English Literature, a dog named Elsa, and an adrenaline addiction sated by rock climbing and travel. The best way to get in touch with him is on Twitter @mgherron .

Joe Bunting

Joe Bunting is an author and the leader of The Write Practice community. He is also the author of the new book Crowdsourcing Paris , a real life adventure story set in France. It was a #1 New Release on Amazon. Follow him on Instagram (@jhbunting).

Want best-seller coaching? Book Joe here.

41 Comments

1,2, and 3. I do these three anyway, but this is a nice reminder to flap open a book and grab a pen. Thanks for the information.

I have a few of these tools in my kit. Journaling is the main one. I have so many of them that my house might collapse at any minute. For years, I have been in a critique group. We meet weekly. Two of the four of us has published a book or four. One of us got an MFW in the Bennington program. All of us have are members of the Squaw Valley Summer Writing Program. This helps.

I like reading as a tool. I like to read “everything”. Well, not everything — just everything. Of course, there are favorites. (Never begin a sentence with “Of course”. Never use fragments. Break the rules once in awhile).

Grammar is my “Bète noir”. I’ve tried for years to get it write, have looked at small but concise books on grammar. Nothing works. I’m bad at it. I’m good at spelling, or, once was. Our spell checker is a fluke.

Write. Write. Write. And, read.

ps Oh, and I keep notebooks to paste in stuff that pleases the eye.

My essential writing tools are:

1) Word. 2) Spotify 3) Critique Circle 4) The Write Practice 5) The Emotional Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi 6) Ink by R.S. Guthrie

7) Robert’s Rules of Writing by Robert Masello

and most important of all, my Muse, my best friend, and my Ideal Reader: Jennifer.

Five and seven on your list sound interesting. I will have to investigate those!

Ink is another in that vein. Have you read it, yet?

No I haven’t! I will look unit that one too!

Hope you enjoy it, too. If you become fans, tell Angela & Becca, R.w.Foster sent ya, and tell R.S. that Wayne did. 😀

I haven’t heard of 5, 6, or 7—thanks for sharing!

You’re welcome. Hope you get use out of them. 🙂

I looked up Critique Circle and joined. It’s just what I need. Thanks!

You’re welcome. If you get confused, look up Whiplash & Momzilla (they are moderators), or want to know who gives good critiques, looks up Emmylou515, Jenb, Missvato & Tami-verse. They’re good people.

R.w., thank you again, You probably saved me weeks or months of trial and error. Your inside scoop is greatly appreciated.

You’re welcome again. Oh, and keep an eye out for Kholoblici. He’s a shady character, always trying to virtually cook the newbies. 😉

I hope you like it, and welcome. 😀

I have started number five! Any writing club is great! Especially in October when you can do creepy and scary and it fits the season! Horror is a great topic.

I’m one of those people that always has 1-3 books going at any one time. Currently I’m reading The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, by Michael Chabon, and My Temporary Life by Martin Crosbie. I regularly write in my journal and work on plot elements for some short stories. My novel needs a major overhaul, and I think I’ll better able to accomplish that when I’ve spent time studying the style and craft of writing. The Write Practice is the only writing group I participate in, and it has been very helpful. I do have a call in to a local writers’ group, to see what they’re all about.

Go check out that writer’s group! And if that doesn’t work out, look on meetup for others nearby 🙂

I love On Writing, so I’m going to give Writing Fiction a go. Thanks for the list of implements for our toolboxes!

Writing Fiction taught me a ton, and it has a bunch of great writing prompts and exercises, plus sample stories. Enjoy that 🙂

I definitely need to start journaling, I’m going to get started today !

Excellent info, Matt. I live in Amarillo, TX and love me some Austin. Hook ’em, Horns!

I’ve completed four novels over the years and lost my literary agent last fall before we got a chance to sell my book. I’m debating whether to continue the traditional route, or go indie.

The life-changing all of everything you listed is my weekly writing group. Writing is such a lonely, solitary process, Wednesday evenings are most favorite. I get together with four other, amazing writers who teach me so much, support me all the way and help me be a better writer.

Just requested Writing Fiction from the library, and I will go find my “morning pages” journal. It’s been rather neglected this week… Thanks for the inspiration!

I’m a content marketer and personally I’m using this writing platform named Wording Lab. I like how the layout is kept simple, without any flashy-distracting advertisements.

They have this tool called the Tone Analyzer, which helps to analyze if your writing sounds too positive or negative. True enough, I copied and pasted a couple of news article to test out the function, and all of them were found to be neutral! (which is what news articles are supposed to be i believed!)​

Anyway, if you guys are interested, the website is:

http://www.wordinglab.com

Great tool. Thanks for the link.

For the ones who are struggling to write, I recommend this Mac app and website http://www.placetowrite.com It’s called “Haven – Creative Writing Tool” and it helps writers overcome writer’s block and stimulate creativity.

Great recommendations Matt! If you’re writing shorter articles or papers, i would recommend steller.com to add some visual aspects and publish where your audience will read it.

I would like to suggest http://www.truenovelist.com . It is similar to Scrivener in that it allows you to organize your scenes, chapters, and notes and rearrange them at will, but it is online only so you can access it anytime and anywhere.

It is also free, so I think it would be a great addition to the toolbox of any writer!

Has anyone any experience with a technical documentation program called Flare by MadCap Software? It is an alternative to FrameMaker and quite powerful, but hard to learn. Useful, I think, for heavy non-fiction.

Thank you for sharing this wonderful article! Four years ago I also left my job as a marketing manager in Sydney to do something I’d always dreamed of: writing and editing romance novels full time. Anyways, here are also my 8 best tips and tricks for those wanting to follow a similar path http://catehogan.com/tools_for_writers/

This list definitely needs some updating! Reedsy’s Book Editor is an essential element to add to any author’s toolkit — write, format, and produce your book into various ebook formats, all from one beautiful, easy to use interface. Best of all, it’s free! They even promise to add more functionalities like collaboration and track-changes in the future. If you’re serious about writing a book, try it out for free: https://reedsy.com/write-a-book

Cool list! The problem with word processors like Microsoft Word is that, though they have hundreds of features, they’re not built for writing books; they’re built for writing anything and everything. So when it comes to formatting or typesetting, it’s a pain. I also recommend taking a look at our Reedsy Book Editor, since it combines a simple, Medium-like writing interface with powerful formatting and typesetting, allowing you to export a flawless ePub and a print-ready PDF for free: https://reedsy.com/write-a-book

much better version of the Kansas City Star style guide:

http://www.kansascity.com/entertainment/books/article10632713.ece/BINARY/The%20Star%20Copy%20Style.pdf

Try the Writers’ Reverse Dictionary ( http://writersdictionary.com ). With it, you can find a word with its definition. Pretty neat, huh?

Great guide Matt! I would also check out TheRightMargin (goal driven writing app, great new alternative to word processors) and featured in product hunt today: https://www.producthunt.com/tech/therightmargin

And for writing groups, a new Slack for Writers called Writer Hangout: https://writerhangout.typeform.com/to/gw9HF4

Another software addition:

Typen — a writing app http://typen.co

Check it forbes

I use a voice recorder instead of taking notes.

I get most of my ideas at night – even in dreams – and the damn pens often don’t work, or worse, I think they did but they didn’t.

Just make sure you can feel which button(s) to press. The keys on the little Sony IC unit I had were not laid out intuitively, thus, fumbling.

It’s also best to have a recorder from which you can transfer mp3 voice files directly to a computer. You can even use voice to text software to at least get a draft of what you’ve written. It’s easier than play, type, play, type, rewind, play type…

Have you had a chance to try Power Thesaurus ( http://www.powerthesaurus.org )?

I recently helped launch a new tool for online writing, designed for medium/long-form: https://eddtor.com . Loved this article’s Study of Craft section!

Great post. I’ve been wanting to put more time into writing and this is a very timely blog for me. Thanks!

Some of this I agree with—for sure. But I am a firm believer that with enough practice, one can learn only to write decently, not great. To be a superb writer, you need to have instinct, intrinsic style, and God-given ability.

Interestingly, you only see this type of reinforcement in writing. For example, I’ve never seen so many workshops, and conferences, and articles about how to become a great artist. Writing—like art—I feel you either have ‘it,’ or you do not.

The problem with blogs and articles such as this is making everyone believe that, by practice, one can—and in some cases—should be a writer. To me, this only muddies the waters, as it were; this is why there are a million mediocre and poorly written books on Amazon; everyone thinks they’re a writer.

But I digress, this is just one man’s opinion.

Good article, though. I will be looking into Scrivener. 🙂

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• How To Create a Character Sketch Using Scrivener - […] thanks to Matt Herron, whose back today for another great lesson on the basics of writing fiction. Thanks […]
• Learn Creative Writing with Scrivener • M.G. Herron - […] The Creative Writer’s Toolkit: 6 Tools You Can’t Write Without […]
• The Writer's Toolbox - publishingwithkindle.com - […] Read the full article here: The Creative Writer’s Toolkit […]
• Tools of the Trade — THE BASICS | janice l. dick - […] in what they consider the essential tools of the trade. I found a terrific article on this at https://thewritepractice.com/creative-writing-tools/.…
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• Essential for My Craft | A Scripted Maze - […] This entry is in response to Joe Bunting’s post at The Writing Practice. […]
• 8 Great Tools for Writers: My Freelance SecretsCate Hogan - […] The Creative Writer’s Toolkit: 6 Tools You Can’t Write Without: A literal list of tools, software and tricks of…
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Blog • Perfecting your Craft

Last updated on Feb 07, 2023

The 23 Best Writing Tools of 2024: A Guide for Writers

Before the computer there was the typewriter, and before the typewriter there was pen and paper, and before pen and paper there were plenty of other lost tools of writing — like clay, papyrus, wood, slate, parchment, and, of course, pens made out of reeds. (Fun fact: the name “Reedsy” is inspired by the “reed pen,” which was used as early as 800 B.C. for documentation).

As you can tell by now, the act of writing has been a part of human culture from the days of chiseling stories onto the walls of caves — and as we have evolved, so have our writing tools . In fact, today’s writers and storytellers are spoiled for choice when it comes to deciding which tools to use.

The following list details our favorite writing tools and resources for taking any idea through to its written conclusion. If you want to cut straight to the chase and find out which is the right writing app for you, we recommend taking this quick 30-second quiz.

Which writing app is right for you?

Find out here! Takes 30 seconds

Otherwise, let's dive in!

Writing tools

We all know Google Docs and Microsoft Word, so we’re not going to waste your time giving those two a run-down in our list. Below are four other word processors you might not know about, and that are worth checking out.

1. Reedsy Book Editor

Cost: Free Does “fake it ‘til you make it” ring true to you? Well, the Reedsy Book Editor is a free, online word processor that formats your book as you write. See your drafts automatically turn into a professional-looking, ready-to-publish manuscript — and allow this glimpse of your work as the final product spur your motivation to write.

It comes with an automatic spell-checker — and a built-in goal reminder system to get you back into shape if you find that you're falling behind on your writing schedule! Another one of the Reedsy Book Editor’s best functions is that it lets you instantly typeset your manuscript to EPUB and print-ready PDF files.

Check it out if: if you want a writing tool that takes care of formatting and conversion for you.

FREE WRITING APP

The Reedsy Book Editor

Set goals, track progress, and establish your writing routine in our free app.

Cost: Free Do you like a helpful tap on the shoulder, reminding you about something you need to do? Well, you’ll likely enjoy Draft then, because the book writing software not only keeps track of how many words you write per day, it can also email you daily reminders about your daily word count goals. (Of course, if this sounds a little too “hands-on” for you, you can always turn the reminder function off).

Other than that, Draft functions a lot like Google Docs: allowing you to track changes, collaborate via suggested edits, and make comments on the doc.

Check it out if: you like Google Docs, but want an even simpler interface. 

3. LibreOffice

Cost: Free Yes, we did say that we wouldn’t mention Microsoft Word, because by now everyone knows that it’s a useful writing tool. But we didn’t say we wouldn’t mention its free counterpart: LibreOffice .

LibreOffice is the open source answer for people who want to try Microsoft without paying the price tag. (Open source means that the software is built on code that anyone can inspect and enhance). Plus it’s compatible with all of the regular file types people are used to, such as  .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, and .pptx files.

Check it out if: you like a classic word processor — and moreover, a free one.

Cost: $50 (or try a 30-day free trial) The people behind Mellel don’t just know word processing — they also know catchy, memorable marketing. Their description of why writers should choose Mellel starts like this: “Mellel is a writer's dream come true. To start, it is exceedingly boring: it just works, day in and day out, reliably. An enormous number of people used Mellel to write and they all report that their journey with Mellel was boring and uneventful. As well it should. In other words, it does all the mundane bits, and leaves the creative stuff to you.”

Mellel is not free (and note that it’s only for Mac). In return for the price tag, you’ll get more book-specific tools than other, perhaps more traditional word processors — such as outlining and bibliography-making functions. And, judging by the witty, funny copy on Mellel’s website, Mellel makes the process of writing much more fun than they let on.

Check it out if: you’re a Mac user who wants more than the Pages app offers.

Organization tools

Plotters tend to finish their writing projects quicker than pantsers — simply because when they hit a wall, they have their notes or outlines to reference, allowing them to jump straight over that hurdle and hit the ground running. P.S. You can grab a free template for your book outline here in this comprehensive guide to outlining .

The following resources will help you keep your thoughts organized so that any bouts of writer’s block don’t slow you down.

5. Milanote

Cost: Free for basic plan or $12.50/month for premium. Milanote is an easy-to-use creative writing app to organize your research, ideas, characters and outline in one place.

The vast majority of novelist-oriented writing software is organized around the idea of a linear document. But for most people, writing isn’t linear — because thinking isn’t linear. Writing is about gradually getting a jumble of ideas into shape, and Milanote's writing app matches the way writers think.

Check it out if: you're a plotter who likes a flexible workspace to organize ideas and see a birds-eye view of how your story outline is coming together.

FREE RESOURCE

Get our Book Development Template

Use this template to go from a vague idea to a solid plan for a first draft.

6. Evernote

Cost: free for basic plan or $9.99/month for premium. Its cute, little green elephant logo aside, Evernote is a great and easy-to-use option for writers who could do with a little more organization in their lives.

The app lets you quickly jot down thoughts, record audio notes, save online articles you’re hoping to reference, and it will sync all of this information across all of your Evernote-installed devices. What’s also handy about the app is the collaborative aspect of it: you can create shared accounts, so that multiple people can access saved documents at once.

Check it out if: you’re prone to getting great ideas while on the go, and need somewhere to make sure you don’t forget them by the time you’re home.

Cost: $5/month or $40/year (or try a 14-day free trial) While it’s ultimately a writing tool, one of the best assets of comprehensive programs like Ulysses or Scrivener are their organizational features. At the end of the day, whether you’re writing a blog post or a full-length novel, the seed of an idea doesn’t get too far without the ability to organize that idea into a cohesive piece of writing.

And that’s exactly what Ulysses allows you to do: organize your thoughts into a well-written work. This is accomplished through features like customizable writing goals and deadlines, plain text enhancements, a distraction-free typewriter mode, bookmarks, outlining functions, and more.

Check it out if: you’re working on a lengthy piece of non-fiction, like a blog post or essay. (For a comparison of Scrivener vs. Ulysses, keep reading!)

8. Scrivener

Cost: $45 (or a 30-use free trial) Literature and Latte ’s word processor is a popular writing tool — also, in large part, thanks to its organizational capabilities that seamlessly allow writers to turn fragmented ideas into a fully realized book/script/research paper/or whatever else you’re writing.

Scrivener vs Ulysses Apart from the price (Scrivener charges a one-time licensing fee while Ulysses charges yearly), the two platforms offer many of the same features. So we’ll focus on what makes the two programs different.

• Scrivener’s corkboard function is an absolute favorite for writers who rely on visual aid to help with outlining. The function looks like an actual corkboard, and lets writers pin notes to the board in chronological order.
• Scrivener offers templates for works such as fiction, essays, recipe collections, screenplays, comic books — which gives Scrivener another point for versatility.
• Ulysses boasts an interface that is slightly more clean and simple — so if ease-of-use is high on your priority list, it might be the better option for you.
• Ulysses offers a very helpful WordPress and Medium integration, which bloggers who publish on either of these platforms will love.

Check it out if: you’re working on a longer piece of content (like a book or screenplay) and want one comprehensive place to manage all your work. (And don’t forget to check out our equally as comprehensive review of Scrivener’s newest update : Scrivener 3!)

9. Hubspot's AI Content Writer

Cost: Free, with premium upgrade available

HubSpot’s Free AI Content Writer is designed to help bloggers streamline their content creation process. This tool can generate drafts of blog posts, website copy, emails, and more with ease and without additional resources, by relying on prompts or topics provided by users. For those suffering from writer's block, the AI content writer can also create outlines to help spur writing along. 

For those already using HubSpot's marketing and sales tools, the AI content writer's integration will be extra handy. 

Check it out if: you're a blogger short on time or inspiration.

Productivity tools

Alright, let’s kick things into high gear now. You know what you want to use to write, and your thoughts and ideas are concisely organized. If you’re finding it difficult to buckle down and get the job done (or struggle to write quickly or consistently), these resources will help you realize that Nike manta: just do it.

10. Ommwriter

Cost: free web version or $7 for the full program Do you find the clacking sound of old typewriters satisfying? Do you find soft, neutral colours calming? Does nothing really get you focused quite like a purposeful, long, deep breath? If so, Ommwriter might be the tool to help you reach your goal. As the site’s tagline reads, Ommwriter is “a perfect place to think and write.”

With soothing background noises, customizable keyboard noises, and peaceful backgrounds to choose from, Ommwriter could just be the “break” from everything else going on around you that you need to write.

Check it out if: your very best writing ideas come to you while in “savasana.”

11. To Doist

Cost: free or $4/month for premium plan Have you ever woken up in a cold sweat, panicking about something important you forgot to do? Or, god forbid, gripped in dread about how far behind you are on your word-count goals?

Well, To Doist might be able to help. It’s the ultimate app for creating to-do lists — but these aren’t your grandma’s pen-and-paper lists with little check marks beside them (though we mean no offense to your grandma). It lets you get a daily or weekly overview of your tasks, prioritize the tasks that are most important, and even lets you assign tasks to other people if you’re working on a specific goal with other collaborators.

Check it out if: you have never been able to find an agenda that’s souped up enough to keep you on track.

FREE COURSE

How to Build a Solid Writing Routine

In 10 days, learn to change your habits to support your writing.

12. Marinara Timer

Cost: Free The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method meant to promote productivity. In a nutshell, it stipulates that you should work for 25 minutes, then take a 5-minute  break, then work for 25 minutes, take another 5-minute break, etc., etc.

The free-to-use Marinara Timer makes this easy for you by alerting you each time your work sessions and breaks are up. It also offers customizable timers in case the 25/5 isn’t quite right for keeping you on track. Fun fact: taking a break to stand up or walk (or do anything but sit!) every hour is also a good way to protect your back if you sit hunched at a computer working for long stretches at a time.

Check it out if: consistent breaks from work help actually keep you focused on the task at hand.

13. Cold Turkey

Cost: Free for basic plan or $20 for premium plan “Meet your match, Zuckerberg,” says Cold Turkey ’s tagline. In case that, paired with the writing tool’s name, doesn’t make it clear enough, Cold Turkey is a program that allows you to completely rid yourself of distraction. And when we say “completely,” we mean completely.

With Cold Turkey, you can block yourself from accessing certain websites — or even your entire computer — for periods at a time, only allowing you to use the current document you’re working on.

Check it out if: “willpower” is not a characteristic you’d ascribe yourself, and the only way for you to get something done is in a totally distraction-free state.

14. Freedom

Cost: $7/month or $29/year (or a 7-use free trial) Apart from pleasantly getting the “freedom” refrain from Aretha Franklin’s “Think” stuck in your head, the Freedom app is another resource that can turn your devices into tools of productivity once more.

It functions like Cold Turkey; however, a unique function of Freedom is the ability to sync your distraction-free periods across all your devices. So if you know that on Tuesdays, you want your computer, phone, and tablet to all block access to Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook — you can!

Check it out if: letting other people know not to bother you during your non-negotiable writing time isn’t enough, you need to let yourself know not to interrupt, well, yourself.

Cost: Free If total silence encourages your mind to wander, whereas light sensory action keeps your thoughts on the task at hand, Noisli will be a friend to you. The tool lets you choose from a range of soundtracks, such as rain, coffee shop, wind, lake, and more. You can mix several sounds at once, and choose the volume for each one. So let’s say you want to create the atmosphere of writing by a babbling brook, with a fire crackling next to you, and the moon shining brightly overhead. Noisli will make this happen for you!

Check it out if: you get the most work done with white noise.

Editing tools

If you’re planning to publish a book — or any kind of writing you’re hoping to make a profit from, it’s crucial that your work is thoroughly edited. To that end, working with a professional editor is an investment you should give serious thought to.

In the meantime, here are a few editing tools that can help you out along the way. Hopefully, they’ll either ensure a typo-free draft, so by the time you do work with an editor, they can spend less time fixing small typos and more time on big-picture work, or, if you decide to forego a professional edit, you’ll have the tools to do the best editing job you can.

16. Hemingway

Cost: Free The Hemingway app claims to make your writing “bold and clear.” It has a number of handy features like a word-counter and an automatic readability score. But its real use lies in the features that make suggestions to your prose. For instance, it might highlight a complex sentence that’s hard to read. It also highlights instances of passive voice , qualifiers, and adverbs. Let’s take a look at how this passage from Ernest Hemingway’s very own To Have and Have Not fares:

“Just” is highlighted because it’s a qualifier, and Hemingway suggests, instead: “Be bold. Don’t hedge.” The sentence in red is highlighted as being hard to read. And “probably” is pointed out as an adverb — the app suggests using a forceful verb instead.

Check it out if: you want to bring out your inner Ernie. (Curious what else Hemingway offers? Check out our full review of the app right here .)

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17. Fictionary

Cost: $19/month or $169 per year 

The Fictionary Story Editing software creates intelligent visuals that help you improve your story's structure, characters, plot, and settings. Using Natural Language Processing, Fictionary identifies your key story arc scenes and gives you actionable insights to improve the structure of your book.  Annual subscribers get access to year-round live classes on writing and editing. Think of it like Peloton for writers. Check it out if:  You want to get your story structure in the best possible shape before submitting to agents and/or editors.

18. Marlowe Pro

Cost: $29.95/mth or $199/year; $45 for single reports

This manuscript assessment tool will provide in-depth feedback on your novel within minutes. Using artificial intelligence, Marlowe can analyze your plot, pacing, story beats, and readability — then provide actionable insights (as well as comp titles ) based on its database of bestsellers across a number of genres.

To try out this AI editor, claim a free report by entering REEDSYFREE at checkout. And for a 15% discount on a Marlowe Pro subscription , enter REEDSY15OFF when prompted at checkout.

Check it out: to take a scientific and methodical approach to your developmental edits.

19. Cliché Finder

Cost: Free Cliché Finder is exactly what it says on the tin: it combs through your writing in search of clichés, and then highlights them for you. It’s not always necessarily bad to use clichés in your writing, but when you do, you want to be purposeful about it (and not to mention aware of it!).

Check it out if: you want to avoid clichés like the plague, and for your book to sell like hotcakes — and the rest is history.

20. Grammarly

Cost: Free Have you ever sent an email, only to realize that you'd made a glaring typo just as you hit “Send”? Well, no more!

Grammarly essentially functions like the spell checker tool from Microsoft Word or Google Docs, but here’s the great part: it’s a plug-in that will work wherever you happen to writing. That means Twitter, Gmail, Google Docs, Facebook — anywhere. Plus it offers vocabulary or alternate word suggestions — for instance, it might suggest you replace “walking aimlessly,” with the word “wandering.” For a more in-dept analysis, check our full Grammarly review . 

Check it out if: you’re typo-prone! (Read below for a comparison of Grammarly vs. ProWritingAid.)

21. ProWritingAid

Cost: Free browser extension or $79/year for the full software ProWritingAid is a tool you can install that will proofread and spell check your material for you , no matter where you’re writing. It will also offer suggestions to improve your overall language — outside of just grammatical technicalities. (You can even get 10% off via this special offer !) 

ProWritingAid vs Grammarly The two programs offer a lot of the same services, so you might be wondering which one to pick. We have a review of ProWritingAid  that dives deep into this comparison, but the main differences are:

• Grammarly is free to use, and while ProWritingAid offers a free Google Chrome plug-in, this free option only offers spell checking services, it won’t make editorial suggestions.
• ProWritingAid is slightly more tailored towards authors, while Grammarly is a slightly better fit for articles and essays. Ultimately, both tools lend a very helpful editing hand, so deciding between the two mostly boils down to the one you enjoy using more.

Check it out if: you want to make sure your writing is as polished as possible.

Workspace tools

At the end of the day, all you really need to write is a pen and paper. All the fancy tools and apps in the world won’t get the words out for you. That being said, creating an environment that’s appealing — and conducive! — to write in can make the whole process more enjoyable, and encourage you to get the job done.

Here are few physical tools to look over if you’re thinking of sprucing up your workspace.

22. Livescribe Pen

Cost: starts at $100 If you prefer writing on paper, but dread the process of transferring your words to a computer, Livescribe will likely be right up your alley. Through Bluetooth technology, the pen can actually transcribe your pen and paper words to your device. What’s more, it can also transcribe voice notes into digital documents for you.

Check it out if: you’ve ever felt envy at Rita Skeeter’s Quick-Quotes Quill in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire .

23. Ergonomic desk setups

Cost: Varies As more and more of the workforce moves to sedentary jobs where the majority of 9am to 5pm is spent sitting — usually hunching — at a computer, a growing number of sitting-related health injuries have been occurring. That’s why looking into more ergonomically friendly desk setups is a good idea for writers who spend long hours at the computer — or even writing in a notebook. This could be a standing desk, or even just a number of textbooks piled under your desktop so that your screen is eye level, resulting in less stress on your shoulders.

Check it out if: you don’t want writing gains to come at the cost of growing back pains.

24. Computer Glasses

Cost: Varies Writers are all familiar with computer-caused eyestrains. Because you blink far less when looking at a screen than you do otherwise, computer vision syndrome (CVS) is a condition people have been developing due to long stretches of staring at a computer.

One way to help alleviate this — other than just making sure to take time looking away from your computer — is to invest in some computer glasses. They typically come in blue or amber shades, and are coated with a protective coating.

There are several brands you can check out, such as Pixel Eyewear or Felix Gray .

Check it out if: you notice itchy or tired eyes after long writing sessions.

Have you tried any of the above writing tools — and if so, which were your favorites? Or maybe you feel there are some great resources missing from this list? Let us know in the comments below!

Mystic says:

24/10/2019 – 03:38

I tried Cliche Finder several times and it found a couple of items in my text, but it didn't highlight where it was at. The rest of the tools here, that I can use since I'm on a strict income, are amazing!

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The Ultimate Writing Toolkit: 22 Awesome Writing Tools

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22 Amazing Writing Resources

Frequently asked questions about writing tools.

“I’m not a writer.”

I hear some version of this statement nearly everyday, and my answer is always, “You have to be.”

Whether you’re a designer, developer, whoever, you need to be able to write well in a world where so much communication takes place via emails, text messages and Slack groups.

Since we know writing can be a drag, we compiled the ultimate writing toolkit – a list of 22 fantastic tools and articles that will transform your writing.

1. What Do the Best Writers Do That Other Writers Don’t?

Article | 4 min. read.

This article is so helpful, I’ve favorited it in my Pocket . In his piece, Joel Klettke explains what the best writers do that bad writers don’t. Spoiler Alert: The best writers have a process, which he elaborates on in the post.

2. What Does All Great Content Have in Common?

Klettke did again with his post detailing the factors all great content has in common. I’ve bookmarked this article as well. Your content must either be new or the first to report, most current, most complete, have new packaging or a fresh voice/viewpoint.

3. This Writing GPS Helps You Create Ridiculously Good Content

Article | 6 min. read.

This article is an excerpt from Ann Handley’s Everybody Writes . Maybe you don’t have a writing process already. And maybe you didn’t like Klettke’s writing process in the above read. In that case, read this post detailing another writing process.

4. 10 Brilliant Examples of How to Open Your Next Blog Post With a Bang

Article | 5 min. read.

This one is a must-bookmark. Before I begin writing any article, after I’ve done my outline, I look at two posts, and this is one of them. Your first sentence and paragraph need to be your best because that is what keeps readers reading. In this article, you’ll get 11 fantastic, lede ideas.

5. How to Write Good Story Leads

This is the other post I review before I write a blog post. Similar to No. 4, “How to Write Good Story Leads” rattles off a list of the best ways to open your next article. Bookmark it!

6. HubSpot’s 5 Free Blog Post Templates

Template | free, email required.

Experiencing writer’s block? You’re not the only one, which is why HubSpot created five free blog post templates to get you started. With this download, you’ll receive templates for the following types of posts:

• Curated Collection
• Slideshare Presentation
• Newsjacking

7. HubSpot’s Blog Topic Generator

Tool/template | free, email required.

Input three keywords and HubSpot outputs 365 blog title ideas into a downloadable Excel spreadsheet you can reuse again and again.

8. Portent’s Title Maker

Tool | free.

Similar to HubSpot’s Blog Topic Generator is Portent’s Title Maker. This tool generates headlines based on keywords you input. Play with it until you find a title you love.

9. 52 Headline Hacks: A Cheat Sheet for Writing Blog Posts That Go Viral

Ebook | free.

I know this link better than the back of my hand because it proves so valuable to me time and time again. Bookmark it, and steal its best headlines, which is all 52 of them.

10. Ulysses

Mac app | $44.99.

I’ve tried every writing app for Mac out there, and Ulysses is by far my favorite. It’s like a cleaner, more simplistic version of Evernote. I find its “Copy as” feature very useful as writers I work with submit their copy in Markdown, which I obviously cannot copy into WordPress.

11. Hemingway

Web and desktop app | free.

Hemingway Editor is useful for when it comes time to edit your post. Not only does it tell you its “Readability” score, but it also highlights which sentences are hard (or very hard) to read, simpler phrase alternatives, when to remove adverbs and when you’re using passive voice.

Web and Desktop App | Freemium

Pocket is where I store all of my favorite articles – not just posts I don’t have time to read at the moment. By “tagging” and “favoriting” posts, I am able to revisit these must-bookmark posts extremely quickly. It’s also a great source of blog topic ideas.

Publishing Platform | Free

If you’re looking for a place to blog, I highly recommend using Medium’s platform. It’s beautiful interface makes writing enjoyable.

14. Writepls

Directory | free.

Just discovered this one on Product Hunt. It’s a curated list of articles to help you write and publish online. I haven’t gone through all of them yet, but they look pretty awesome.

15. The Modern Storyteller’s Toolbox

ReadThisThing curated a list of tools, products and resources to help you tell great stories.

16. Google Voice

I like to use Google Voice for interviews because it allows me to record phone calls, which I then submit to Rev for transcription services.

17. Help Me Write

Website/social network | free.

Ever wondered if anyone actually wanted to read what you wanted to write about before you invested anytime in it? Help Me Write is here to help you do just that. Post your pitch ideas and users will vote on which ones they want to read about.

18. 101 Sales Email Templates

Templates | free.

This was one of the best things I’ve ever stumbled upon on the Internet. Need an opening line for your next email to a client? Or are you doing some cold outreach? Whatever email activity you’re doing, use these 101 templates to help your writing stand out.

19. Great Email Copy

Inspiration | free.

If you want a dose of the best written emails from around the web, then you need to visit this website. You can filter by tags or categories.

20. Really Good Emails

This is exactly the same thing as No. 19, but I like both so I shared both.

21. Canned Emails

Canned Emails is a minimal site with a long list of prewritten emails. Click on “view plaintext” to view the different emails for each topic. Topics vary from “apologies” to “follow ups” and the list scrolls on.

22. Kopywriting Kourse

Course | free.

This is the best course I’ve ever taken on writing by far. Don’t want to buy it? Then just read Neville’s blog. I promise you won’t regret it.

What are your favorite writing tools? Tell us in the comments below. Don’t be shy. =)

What are the best writing tools for beginners.

For beginners, it’s essential to start with writing tools that are user-friendly and intuitive. Google Docs is a great starting point as it offers basic writing and editing features, and it’s free. Grammarly is another excellent tool for beginners. It not only checks grammar and spelling but also provides suggestions for improving your writing style. Lastly, Hemingway Editor is a simple yet powerful tool that highlights complex sentences, adverbs, and passive voice, helping beginners to write more clearly and effectively.

Are there any writing tools that can help with writer’s block?

Yes, there are several tools designed to help overcome writer’s block. One such tool is Write or Die, which uses a unique approach by applying a consequence (like an unpleasant noise) if you stop writing for too long. Another tool is Prompts, an app that provides creative writing prompts to help get your creative juices flowing.

How can I improve my writing style with writing tools?

Tools like ProWritingAid and Hemingway Editor can help improve your writing style. They provide feedback on readability, sentence structure, and word choice, among other things. By using these tools regularly, you can learn to write more clearly and effectively.

Are there any free writing tools available?

Yes, there are many free writing tools available. Google Docs, Evernote, and Grammarly (basic version) are some of the most popular free writing tools. However, keep in mind that while these tools are free, they may not offer all the features available in their premium versions.

Can writing tools help me with my grammar and spelling?

Absolutely. Tools like Grammarly and Ginger are designed to catch grammar and spelling errors that your word processor’s spell check might miss. They can also provide suggestions for improving your sentence structure and writing style.

What are the best writing tools for collaborative writing?

For collaborative writing, Google Docs is a popular choice as it allows multiple users to edit a document simultaneously. Another tool is Draft, which not only allows collaborative editing but also keeps track of every change made to the document.

Are there any writing tools that can help me organize my thoughts and ideas?

Yes, tools like Scrivener and Evernote are excellent for organizing your thoughts and ideas. Scrivener is particularly useful for long-form writing as it allows you to break your work into manageable sections.

Can writing tools help me with formatting my work?

Yes, many writing tools offer formatting features. For example, Google Docs and Microsoft Word provide a variety of formatting options, including headings, bullet points, and tables. Tools like Scrivener also offer templates for specific types of writing, such as screenplays or novels.

Are there any writing tools that can help me with my productivity?

Yes, there are several writing tools designed to boost productivity. For example, FocusWriter and WriteRoom provide a distraction-free writing environment, helping you to concentrate on your writing. Another tool, Write or Die, uses consequences to motivate you to keep writing.

Can writing tools help me with editing and proofreading?

Yes, many writing tools offer editing and proofreading features. Grammarly, for instance, not only checks for grammar and spelling errors but also provides suggestions for improving your writing style. ProWritingAid offers in-depth reports on your writing, helping you to identify areas for improvement.

Lauren Holliday is a full-stack marketer.

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May 5, 2021

15 writing tools to 10x your writing

We rounded up writing tools to help you be more productive in your work and improve your writing.

Timo Särkkä

Table of contents

Writing plays a bigger – and perhaps more important – role in our everyday work than ever.

From communicating through your keyboard with colleagues and clients to getting your voice heard across social media to perfecting that blog post or article, writing is imperative to success for professionals in almost any role.

Not to mention those of us who communicate or write for a living. Luckily, various online writing tools can help you cross different writing tasks off your to-do list. Finding the needles from the haystack, however, can be challenging at times. That's why we wrote this blog post.

This round-up brings together tools for writers to be more productive in their day-to-day and improve their writing. We hope it helps you to find the best writing tools that fit your daily needs. 

Fluently - Write fluently in any language

Fluently is a distraction-free online text editor with a multilingual translator, a grammar-checker, and a thesaurus built-in. You can use it to create a document in a foreign language while writing in your mother tongue. The translator works side-by-side with the actual editor, so it's easy to see the end result in real-time. There's an integration with the LanguageTool grammar checker, which supports 42 languages. The thesaurus supports synonyms for 21 languages.

gSweets - Superpowers for Google Docs

gSweets is a productivity tool for writers working in Google Docs. It brings slash commands that many already use in their workflow in other apps to Google docs. If you are so used to working with Google's word processor that trying alternative document editors has a high switching cost, gSweets is something that can save you time and keep you in a state of flow when writing with a simple Chrome extension.

Flowrite - The new way to write on the web

Flowrite is an AI writing tool that turns short bullet points into ready-to-send emails and messages, like this:

It's the fastest writing experience ever and an entirely new way to write: Instruct with a few words, click, and witness the text write itself.

Flowrite works where you work, adapts to your daily tasks, and personal style. Designed for the most productive, powered by the latest advancements in AI, it's the best writing tool for those whose work depends on communicating effectively.

Ulysses - The ultimate writing app

Ulysses is the tool of choice for long-form writing. It has loads of features but still allows writers to focus by keeping the number of bells and whistles on the screen to a minimum. The key features include a library for arranging your work, filters to find specific pieces of text quickly, and a goal tracker to keep you on track. Ulysses also features a distraction-free typewriter mode, bookmarks, and outlining functions.

Headline Analyzer from CoSchedule - Write better headlines

A must-try for creating captivating headlines. Just type in your headline, and the app will give you suggestions on how to improve. You'll get a score on a scale of 0-100 and get recommendations on how you're using common, uncommon, emotional, and powerful words. Especially the last two categories of words are important because readers are more engaged when they feel an emotional connection to your headline. Upgrading to a premium plan unlocks some advanced features like SEO score, full version history, and word banks.

Cold Turkey - The toughest website blocker

Cold Turkey allows you to focus by only letting you use the current document you're working on. It restricts or blocks you from visiting certain websites for a predetermined period. Actually, you can block off the entire internet if you want to.

ghost - Turn your audience into a business

If you are monetizing your writing or have ever thought about it, you are likely familiar with services such as Patreon, Substack, and Gumroad. Ghost is an alternative to those. It's a non-profit organization building open source technology for journalism,  allowing you to create a business around your writing – and much, much more. A ghost is a useful tool for any writer from individual bloggers who are just getting started, to large teams of writers and editors looking to make money off content, newsletters, memberships.

Noisli - Your digital place for focus

If you need some background noise to be able to focus, Noisli is perfect for you. Noisli lets you choose from a range of soundtracks, such as nature or city-themed: thunder, water, waves, campfire, coffee shop, or train tracks, to name a few. You can mix several tracks at once and choose the volume for each one. That gives you the power of creating unique soundtracks of your own. The app also has a built-in timer for cutting out the soundtracks at the time of your choice.

Daily Prompt - Build your daily writing habit

Anyone who works with creative writing knows how important it is to write regularly. But writer's block is real, and sometimes life and other work get in the way. Daily Prompt provides creative writing prompts to help you to kickstart your daily writing habit. It also allows you to connect with other aspiring authors and help each other grow as writers by giving and receiving feedback.

Typefully - Twitter thread maker

Typefully allows you to write & publish great tweets without distractions. Made by the team behind Mailbrew, it enables you to see a live preview of your tweet thread while you write it, save multiple drafts, schedule, and publish in a focused environment instead of Twitter's mobile app or on desktop.

Hemingway Editor - Make your writing bold and clear

Looking for Grammarly alternative? Hemingway Editor is a simple tool that makes your writing easier to read. It focuses on identifying common errors that lower the quality of your text. It gives you feedback in three main categories: a readability score, writing metrics, and sentence highlights. Hemingway Editor helps you avoid excess adverbs, sentences written in passive voice, and hard-to-read paragraphs. You simply copy and paste your text to the app, and as a result, you'll get some number data along with visual cues and analysis where your text could do better.

Pacemaker Planner - A word count planner for writers

Pacemaker Planner is a word count planner and tracker. You can tell the app whether you would like to write a certain amount every day or focus more on getting results on certain days of the week. You can view your progress in a chart, which gives you a great visual of how you're doing. Pacemaker can also adjust itself based on your current progress.

iA writer - The benchmark of markdown writing apps

Meet the text editor created for the sole purpose of keeping you focused on just writing. iA Writer provides the crisp, uncluttered environment you need to write well, supported by discrete, powerful features. It is so simple that it's easy to overlook the wealth-power it packs under the hood with features such as Content Blocks and Syntax Highlighting.

Cliché Finder - Remove clichés from your writing

Worried that your writing is full of clichés? This helpful writingtool for writers enables you to find them in your text. Just paste your text in the editor, and the tool will quickly point out clichés and allow you to replace it with a specific word or phrase. It's a handy addition to your writing toolset to make your writing more effective and unique.

Craft - Next-generation document editor

Craft is a note-taking app slash word processor that lets you handle text in blocks (a lot like Notion does). It supports bulleted lists, markdowns, pictures, sketching, PDF files, link previews, and more. Craft also lets you create pages from wiki templates and collaborate with others when working on them. Maybe the most distinct feature of Craft is its beautifully minimalistic design and user experience. Many users report that the design simply makes you want to use the app.

ContentPro - Optimize your content

Do you find yourself spending hours and hours on research for the topics you want to write about?  ContentPro, created by Automata, finds articles from other companies on the same topic to help you optimize your writing. Their Chrome extension compares whatever you've started to write on Google Docs to their content library to see what industry leaders and competitors say about it.

We hope this blog post introduced you to some writing tools that hold the potential to help your everyday work. Drop us a note if you end up picking up one – would love to hear your thoughts!

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Creative Writing Toolkit

The Creative Writing Toolkit

You asked for it and so, we deliver. The Creative Writing Toolkit has been designed to provide you with the foundations of creative writing, in other words, it forms a solid starting point so that you can have fun with writing and progress at the same time too.

Beautifully structured, it provides you with numerous ideas to stimulate creativity, it provides you with starting points so that you can jump right in fully inspired and increase your productivity while learning lots of new writing techniques.

If you continuously struggle to get started, are not sure how or what to write, the Creative Writing Toolkit  will make a difference.  No more struggling to start the creative process, the ideas will come to you in abundance.

So what does the Creative Writing Toolkit contain? 

Inspiration. Techniques. Self-help tasks. Writing Projects. Feedback.

Whether you are new to creative writing or, have been writing for years, it will open up new ways of thinking, will help you to ignite the writer within while increasing your love of the written word. Comprehensive, educational and inspiring……plus, there’s in-depth feedback too.

Offer Price: £9.95  or £7.95 for Write, Learn and Publish members.

Full price will be: £19.95 on the launch date: 15th June.

Want to grab a copy at the offer price? Click on the appropriate PayPal button below.

Pay £9.95 here

 Are you a Write, Learn and Publish member? Pay just £7.95 by clicking on the PayPal button below:

The Ultimate Writer's Toolkit

The Ultimate Writer’s Toolkit is everything you need to get back on track with what you were put here to do.

When You Want to Go Pro

. . . you have to have the proper tools.

Whether you’re already a serious writer or you’re ready to get serious about your writing, your focus is stronger when you have the proper tools for your writing practice.

After all, it’s not just about craft. Having a daily writing practice is the cornerstone of a professional writer’s career.

The Ultimate Writer’s Toolkit  is a profound set of tools to help you build consistency and productivity with your writing, day in and day out.

Your Writer's Insight Journal

Gain powerful insight from observing and recording your writing process.

The Writer’s Insight Journal will help you assess how well your writing habit is working for you and what you might want to tweak to improve it. Morning, Evening, Start of Month, and End of Month journal prompts will help you hone in on where you’re doing well and where you can up your game.

The Insight Journal comes in three editions: A Scrivener file with the prompts set up as reusable journal templates, a printable PDF version, and a Word document format so you can choose the medium that works best for you.

Your Writer's Tracking Log

Track your writing progress; change your mindset.

When you write on a regular basis and see your progress build over time by tracking it with your Writer’s Tracking Log, you’ll build trust in yourself and in your ability to write consistently and regularly, which helps you keep writing in the long haul. Plus you’ll gain insight into your natural writing pace, which will help you plan your projects and deadlines to match your innate rhythm.

The Writer’s Tracking Log comes in a spreadsheet format designed to help you track your writing for an entire calendar year, and is provided in both an Excel and a Numbers (Mac) format.

Your Quick Start Guide

Guidance for making the most of the  Toolkit .

It’s one thing to HAVE a collection of tools and it’s another altogether to put them into action . I’ve written a brief Quick Start Guide to help you start using these power tools RIGHT NOW, including suggestions and recommendations about how and when to use each of the tools included in the package.

What You’ll Love About The Ultimate Writer’s Toolkit

• Get clear about how solid your writing habit is and what you can do to get more on track.
• Understand your own natural writing rhythm so you can predict how much time you’ll need to finish a project.
• Track your progress so you can see what you’ve accomplished and how well you’re on track to meet your writing goals.
• Organize your schedule so you can maximize your available writing time and make the most of it.
• Envision where you want your writing to go in the long term so you can start to move in that direction.
• Access your own inner guidance about your writing whenever you’re feeling stuck or lost.

“I’ve made real changes to my writing habit.”

“I’ve listened to a lot of guided visualizations in my time and I have to say, usually they make me really crazy. All fluff and clouds and fluffy clouds. I’m a pretty direct thinker — if I want a visualization about writing, I want to talk about writing, not streams and meadows.

“I really enjoyed this visualization. The pacing was awesome. I was able to really get into the space to do the thinking work. It was surprisingly efficient!

“The insights I got from doing this work were diverse. I realized I should be writing more with paper rather than always being attached to a screen. I realized I’d forgotten how helpful a Morning Pages ritual was. I realized I needed a dedicated space, always ready, no matter what. I realized I didn’t need so many pens!

“Thank you for making this, Jenna. I got a lot of real value out of it, and I’ve made real changes to my writing habit as a result. You rock, as always.”

“I’ve become truly productive and it affects the quality of everything else in my life as well.”

“Jenna helped me create a daily schedule that prioritizes everything that’s important to me, and is still flexible enough to appease my need to flow with each new day.

“The schedule we created, based in my meditation, writing, and yoga practices, has become the foundation for everything I do in my life each day. I’ve become truly productive and it affects the quality of everything else in my life as well.”

Southeastern, PA

Get the Ultimate Writer's Toolkit Here

Pick Up Your Toolkit Here

When you buy The Ultimate Writer’s Toolkit , you’ll download everything within minutes so you can put these tools to use, right away.

Get  The Ultimate Writer’s Toolkit for $77 now. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to common questions about The Ultimate Writer’s Toolkit , just for you.

Got another question that’s not answered here? Just ask !

How can I make the best use of all these different tools?

Each tool has its own set of instructions — a mini-guidebook, if you will — describing how to best put it into use. You’ll also receive my Quick Start Guide to help you get started. You’ll find that the Schedule Planner is a tool you’ll use at the outset, then go back to periodically to make adjustments. The Insight Journal and the Tracking Log are designed to be used every day. And the Guided Visualization is something that can be used on an as-needed basis. You can also adjust and refine your use of the tools so they work for you, your writing practice, and your own needs. Enjoy!

Will I need special software to use the Writer's Toolkit?

Thankfully, no. Each of the tools in the toolkit comes in a few different formats. I’ve done this to give you options, and to maximize their compatibility with various operating systems. I created the Tracking Log as a spreadsheet, which works in Excel and Numbers. You can use the Insight Journal in printed form, or in Scrivener or Word. The Schedule Planner comes in a PDF, spreadsheet, and Word format. LOTS of options. :)

Is there support if I need help using the Writer's Toolkit?

Yes! If you need help getting set up, you can start with the instructions I’ve provided for each tool. I’ve also created a few simple videos for getting started with the Insight Journal and the Tracking Log tools, which you’ll find on the download page. If you have any challenges beyond that, just send me an email at [email protected] . I’m happy to help you get started!

Can I benefit from using the Toolkit if I'm already part of your Writer's Circle program?

Yes , definitely. If you’re part of my C alled to Write Coaching Circle , while you already have access to some similar-but-different tools, you’ll find that the Toolkit offers additional value beyond what the Circle itself provides.

Since the Schedule Planner and exercises and the Guided Visualization  are not part of the Circle, nor is there anything comparable to them within it, you’ll definitely find added value there.

You can use the  Tracking Log  to track both your minutes and page or word counts over time, which is a valuable add-on to what we do in the Circle, especially because it will help you calculate your writing speed (useful for predicting future project timelines in particular), and can be used to track your cumulative writing over an entire year (not just on a Circle session-by-session basis).

And while the Insight Journal is comparable to the daily progress questions we answer on the Circle site, it has the addition of morning journal prompts, which are powerful to use to set the tone of your writing day.

Get  The Ultimate Writer’s Toolkit  for $77 now.

Have Questions? Get In Touch!

Email Address

The Creative Writer's Toolbelt

The Creative Writers Toolbelt gives practical accessible advice and encouragement to Creative writers. Each episode explores an aspect of creative writing technique, with examples, allowing you to apply what you learn immediately to your writing. ...more

• Apple Podcasts

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Do you know your dead salmon from your downpipe?

Hello and welcome to one of my occasional episodes of the Creative Writers Toolbelt, this is episode 181, and I want to ask you...

Getting the marketing basics right with Written Word Media's Clayton Noblit

This episode is a conversation with Written Word Media's Senior Marketing Manager, Clayton Noblit. In this episode we talk about what basics an author...

Episode 179: Escaping the submissions treadmill: could a service like Submitit be the way forward?

Erik Harper Klass is the founder of Submitit, a company that directly addresses the stress and uncertainty of the submissions treadmill. Submitting your work,...

Episode 178: Trust the process that gives you joy! With Jessie Kwak

My guest for this episode is the non-fiction and science fiction writer Jessie Kwak.  In this episode, we talk about the different writing processes...

Episode 177: The mind of the warrior. A conversation with Nick Narbutovskih of the US Air Force Special Operations Command

Nick Narbutovskih grew up knowing that he wanted to be a pilot in the military, now Assistant Operations Officer Narbutovskih with Air Force Special...

Episode 176: Making peace with the internet. Practical advice for your digital presence, with Jason Smith of Social Shapes

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The Writer's Toolkit

Crash courses in creating stories

• Quick Start – The Marson Method
• About The Writer’s Toolkit

Welcome to the Writer’s Toolkit

Here you will find a wide selection of tools to help you with the process of creative writing.

Please click on one of the links below to start exploring.

Some links may not be operational while I populate the site. Sign up for updates

What is the Writer’s Toolkit?

Long-form creative writing, whether it’s penning a novel or crafting a screenplay can seem a daunting and difficult process. But coming up with distinct, memorable characters, creating intricate plot twists, driving a compelling narrative, mastering dialogue are all skills that can be learned

The Writer’s Toolkit aims to provide you, the writer, with a wide collection of resources, techniques, books and exercises to unlock your creative writing juices. There’s even advice on how to keep going when keeping going seems to be the hardest part.

Not every technique or resource is going to be useful, or even interesting, to everyone. So follow what piques your interest. After all, you’re doing this for you.

Nothing here is meant to be prescriptive. There are as many ways to write a story as there are people in the world. But I’ve put them all here so you can find them any time you’re stuck.

So, where would you like to start?

• Getting Started
• Creating Characters
• Story Structure
• Themes and Archetypal Stories
• Action & Dialogue
• Jokes and Being Funny
• Rewriting and Fixing

Join the fun

If you’d like to sign up to the newsletter, I will keep you up to date as more articles and resources appear on the site. It’s free and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Creative Writing: Writer's Toolkit

• Scholarly Sources
• Exploring Narrative
• Writer's Toolkit
• Audiovisual Sources
• Short Help Videos

Recommended Sources

Writers and Artists Yearbook

Read Me: 10 Lessons for Writing Great Copy

The rural setting thesaurus

What editors do: the art, craft and business of book editing

Inside book publishing

W riting with power: techniques for mastering the writing process

Research Methods in Creative Writing

C haracters and viewpoint: proven advice and timeless techniques for creating characters

T he calling card script: a writer's toolbox for screen, stage and radio

Mastering Point of View

Business for Authors: How to be an Author Entrepreneur

Professional Research

• Research for cultural events

• Office for National Statistics Official UK statistics on a wide range of subjects.
• Arts Council - Research and data section Research to help understand the impact of arts and culture on people's lives.
• BBC writer's room A resource for writers at all levels, writing exercises, script library, details of commissions, competitions and bursarys.
• National Centre for Writing National Centre for creative writing and translation based in Norwich, news, events, support and development for writers.
• Publisher's weekly Industry news and book reviews.
• Writers and artists Industry advice for writers and online community. Published by Bloomsbury.
• Publishers Association The resources section is particularly useful for statistics on journal and book publishing trends, Also see events for book industry events.

Local Libraries and Archives

Bournemouth Libraries and Libraries West (Poole and Christchurch) provide free membership and both give you access to a range of books, eBooks, magazines, audiobooks and online reference resources.

• Libraries West (A consortium of Bath, Somerset, BCP Council (except Bournemouth), Bristol, Dorset and South Gloucestershire)  click here for their website. 
• Bournemouth Libraries  click here for their website . 

Local History resources

​​​​​​​ Bournemouth, Poole and Dorchester all have excellent local history and archive services focusing on local and maritime history,

Poole History online - local history resources click on this link.  

Wessex film and sound archive   click on this link

Dorset History Centre in Dorchester have collections of local authors and poets. Some of this content is available online . Click on this link. 

• << Previous: Exploring Narrative
• Next: Audiovisual Sources >>
• Last Updated: Jun 6, 2024 8:39 AM
• URL: https://aub-uk.libguides.com/creativewriting

TWO WRITING TEACHERS

A meeting place for a world of reflective writers.

This is the Year I’m Going to Make Writing Toolkits

Renters with homeowner mentalities (a must when living in NYC), Brett and I enjoy filling our Sundays with projects.

Our projects vary, as do the tools Brett needs. Last Sunday, we installed a new hook for a hanging plant that was too close to the window in the living room, attached brackets to the wall of the office for a writing desk, and added a shelf to the linen closet.

For each project, Brett made trips back and forth to get another tool. Sometimes, he stopped, mid-project, to go to Home Depot for something new or a tool he could not find.

You can imagine all of the time wasted and the headaches that ensued after sifting through the toolboxes to find each tool.

My dad, our organizational guru, sent Brett a tool bag. Most of the time, this bag is a home for the essentials, the most frequented tools. Other times, it gets filled up for special projects. This little bag has made Brett’s work a lot easier.

Much like the way Brett tends to our apartment, bringing his tool bag from room to room, we tend to our writers during writing workshop. Each day, we gather or create tools for strategy groups, minilessons, and conferences. I often find myself, like Brett, running back and forth to find, recreate, or make new tools. Brett’s tool bag inspired me to make a writing toolkit. A home for writing workshop essentials, saving me time and stress, allowing me to maximize time with writers.

Like any organizational makeover, creating a toolkit might feel daunting. But setting aside a few hours will save countless more on daily preparation. If making a toolkit has been an item on your to-do list, or if your toolkit needs some revamping, let’s get started (video tutorials and tool downloads below)!

What Is A Toolkit and Why Should I Have One?

Some people have toolkits specifically for conferring. Others make toolkits solely to house demonstration texts and exemplars, or even as a catalogue of charts. I’m the kind of person who needs everything in one place, so I have started making toolkits for teaching specific genres. This coming school year will be the year I make a toolkit for every genre. Whatever  intention you set for your toolkit, it is meant to make your life more efficient and more organized and help you stay prepared for any teachable moment . 

If You’re Thinking, I’ve Wanted To Make a Toolkit For (insert time), But I Keep Putting it Off 

This Will Be The Year

Start with the next unit of study you will teach. You can make additional toolkits throughout the year, ideally, one for each genre. After you make the first one, making the rest will be easier, as you can reuse many of the same categories and tools. 

How To Make a Toolkit in 5 Steps: Video Tutorial with Narration

How to make a toolkit in 5 steps: condensed video version, like writers, toolkits grow and change.

In our home, new projects come up that require new tools. Brett’s tool collection keeps growing, and with it, his tool bag grows and changes.

If you’re making a toolkit in summer, you’ll be anticipating the kinds of tools you’ll need to support yourself with teaching a group of writers you haven’t met yet. If you continue to make a new toolkit prior to teaching each genre, as I do this year, you’ll also be anticipating the bumps and hurdles your writers will reach along the way. Continue to grow your toolkit while you are teaching a unit, and revise it after. What tools didn’t you use? Could some tools be filed somewhere else? Pro Tip: Keep digital copies or photos in Google Drive folders of items in your toolkit for when things get lost or written on.

A Final Mantra

Tools don’t teach.  Whether it is a tool for yourself or a tool for writers, the power is not in the tool, rather it is in how it is used. Brett’s tools aren’t magic. They don’t build our projects. Rather, they make the steps easier. They make the projects last. So will the tools in your toolkit. 

• Using tools will lift the level of your teaching, providing visuals and models for strategies.
• Kids use tools as scaffolds and reminders to help teaching stick.
• Keeping tools organized for planning and record-keeping will allow you to make more purposeful and responsive teaching decisions.
• Having charts and tools for writers on-hand will help allow you to maximize teaching time during independent writing.

Put these tools together, and you’ve got yourself one powerful toolkit to make for a more efficient, more organized, and more prepared year of writing workshop.

Many thank you’s to Gina Neumann and Shanna Schwartz, who taught me everything I know about making toolkits.

Articles, downloads, and more goodies, toolkit shopping list.

• My Favorite Materials

Tools for Planning:

• Small Group and Conference Planning (as seen in Kelsey’s toolkit)
• Small Group and Conference Weekly Planner (as seen in Kelsey’s toolkit)

Tools for Teaching:

• Revision strips (as seen in Kelsey’s toolkit)
• Picture box cutouts (as seen in Kelsey’s toolkit)
• Demonstration text planning (Kelsey used for toolkit)
• This is the Year I’m Going to Create and Use Strategic Writing  By Melanie Meehan
• USING YOUR OWN WRITING AS A TEACHING TOOL, by Beth Moore
• DIY Literacy, Tools for Differentiation, Rigor, and Independence By Kate Roberts and Maggie Beattie Roberts
• The Writing Strategies Book, Your Everything Guide to Developing Skilled Writers by Jennifer Serravallo

Tools for Gathering and Recording Data:

• Class Grid Open-ended Notes (as seen in Kelsey’s toolkit)
• Small Group Notes (as seen in Kelsey’s toolkit)
• This is the year I’m going to keep better records.  By Stacey Shubitz

More on Toolkits:

• ICYMI: Conferring Toolkits Blog Series  featured on Two Writing Teachers blog
• Maximize Independent Writing TIme by Creating Conferring Toolkits, K-5  #TheEdCollabGathering, Two Writing Teachers

Giveaway Information: 

• This giveaway is for a copy of Kids 1st from Day 1: A Teacher’s Guide to Today’s Classroom (Link to https://www.heinemann.com/products/e09250.aspx ). Thanks to Heinemann (Link to: https://www.heinemann.com ) for donating a copy for one reader. (You must have a U.S. mailing address to win a copy of this book.)
• For a chance to win this copy of Kids 1st from Day 1: A Teacher’s Guide to Today’s Classroom,   please leave a comment about this or any blog post in this blog series by Sunday, August 12th at 6:00 p.m. EDT. Melanie Meehan will use a random number generator to pick the winner’s commenter number. His/her name will be announced in the ICYMI blog post for this series on Monday, August 13th.
• Please leave a valid e-mail address when you post your comment so Melanie can contact you to obtain your mailing address if you win.  From there, our contact at Heinemann will ship the book to you. (NOTE: Your e-mail address will not be published online if you leave it in the e-mail field only.)
• If you are the winner of the book, Melanie will email you with the subject line of TWO WRITING TEACHERS – KIDS 1ST. Please respond to her e-mail with your mailing address within five days of receipt. A new winner will be chosen if a response isn’t received within five days of the giveaway announcement.

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Published by Kelsey Sorum

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30 thoughts on “ This is the Year I’m Going to Make Writing Toolkits ”

Wow – this is so well organized and easy to utilize! Thank you for posting!

WOW! What an amazing toolkit! Mine is a mess, but I wasn’t quite sure how to organize it. Now, I do! And, thank you so much for including a materials list, too! You are very generous with your time to share the informative video with all of us!

Like Liked by 1 person

Hearing your kind words and knowing that seeing my toolkit will help you to give yours a makeover makes every minute worth it. Thank you!

I know how much time and thought you put into this post, Kelsey. I’m seriously envious of your toolkit after watching the video. It is amazing! Waaaaay better than any toolkit I ever created when I was in the classroom.

Thank you for saying this, Stacey! I enjoyed every minute, and now I have a new toolkit-1 genre closer to my goal! 🤗

Thank you so much for your explicit directions and example! I’ve been trying to do this for reading – toolkit idea. I hadn’t thought of writing!

My pleasure! I started with a reading one, many years ago. I only have one reading toolkit, and it has stayed mostly the same. It looks pretty similar (plans, notes, conferring guides, demo texts, copies of shared reading, tools). So helpful and it makes you look super on top of things when someone comes in!

Love this series so far. This is the year!

Did anyone have trouble opening the tutorial?

Hi Maggie, I’m sorry to hear you’re having trouble opening the tutorial. Feel free to reply to this comment with your email or send me an email [email protected] and I will send you a link to the tutorial.

Thank you so much for all of the info and awesome resources in this post. I have been wanting to make my own toolkit for “way too long”! I feel ready now!

I’m not really sure why I never thought of this for writing. I do it for math, but this would be a great addition to our Writer’s Workshop – helping the students think about what they need and building independence. On it!

I love your toolkit! I have one for reading and one for writing when I’m coaching in different classrooms. My goal this year is to create more grade level team toolkits for both classrooms and the PD work I do. I’m hoping using the “toolkit” mentality for PD will help me have everything I need for each grade level team.

So happy to hear that, thank you! Having a toolkit for PD is brilliant. I’d love to see how that looks!

Thanks for sharing photos and videos. So helpful as I try to improve the toolkits I’ve been using!

Thank you for the inspiration! I have a “Writing Binder” that has grown over the years. It’s time to sift through what is needed and update some pieces. Going to change the name to a tool kit, also!

Kelsey, this post is just outstanding! I finished watching all the videos and they are so incredibly helpful. I especially liked your videos of the grade level text, above and below. I’m going to work on my toolkit today, inspired by you! I know this post was a lot of time, energy and hard work and I love all you did here.

Yay!!! So great to hear. Knowing that it is inspiring more toolkits makes it all worth every minute. 🙂 Please send me pictures-or videos ;)- of what you create!

Timely information as we begin the new school year.

It’s as if you are reading my mind!! This is awesome. I’m sharing it with all my teacher friends.

I am in the middle of making my demonstration notebook and this gave me the extra jolt I needed to finish it! Would love a copy of Kids 1st! Love Kristi and Christine! 🙂

Would LOVE to dive into this book before school starts! Love Christine and Kristi!

Two of my favorite authors, as well!

Writing tool kits are so helpful when a teacher is working with a classroom filled with students with different needs. It’s a lot of work to prepare, but so worth it!

I agree completely!

interesting ideas! i am always looking for ways to teach writing in a better way than the year before….even though my kids are a big older, so much of this can apply to them (even without modification!)

It’s great to hear the content is transferrable to other grades, thank you!

Thank you, Two Writing Teachers, for always getting practical information into the hands of teachers!

Like Liked by 2 people

This is so clear. I’ve been reading a lot of buzz about toolkits and what going’s in them. The video guide through a toolkit was a great idea. I also have started to separate tools by genre and it’s been life changing! Thank you.

I’m thrilled to hear the videos made the content clear and helpful! Thank you for your kind words.

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QuillBot AI Review: Everything You Need to Know (2024)

Artificial intelligence (AI) is evolving quickly, and new AI tools and platforms are constantly appearing. In an era where clear, concise writing is highly coveted, AI writing tools are becoming increasingly crucial. One such impressive technology is QuillBot AI . Starting as a simple paraphrasing tool, QuillBot has become a robust AI writing assistant that symbolizes a significant stride in AI content optimization. This review thoroughly explores QuillBot AI, focusing on its key features, pricing structure, and strengths and weaknesses.

• 1 What is QuillBot AI?
• 2 How Quillbot AI Works
• 3.1 1. The Paraphraser
• 3.2 2. The Grammar Checker
• 3.3 3. Summarizer
• 3.4 4. Citation Generator
• 3.5 5. QuillBot Plagiarism Checker
• 3.6 6. The Translator
• 3.7 7. Quillbot Extensions
• 4 QuillBot AI Pricing and Plans Review
• 5.1 Pros of Using QuillBot AI
• 5.2 Cons of Using QuillBot AI
• 6 How QuillBot Compares to Other Similar Tools
• 7 Should You Use QuillBot? (The Verdict)
• 8 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is QuillBot AI?

QuillBot AI is a leading AI writing companion and paraphrasing software designed to help anyone elevate the quality of their writing. At its core, it functions as one of the best AI rewriter tools to edit, rephrase, and enhance content like a professional.

It presents various features, including grammar checking, plagiarism detection, and content summarization. As such, QuillBot AI delivers substantial benefits for academics, essayists, and writers. Creating high-quality professional content can be time-consuming, and Quillbot streamlines the process using AI to improve your writing quickly, offering real-time suggestions and one-click solutions. Plus, it is an all-in-one solution that replaces the need to invest in multiple tools, making it cost-effective.

The versatility of the software caters to a diverse audience. While students can utilize its various writing tools, professional writers can efficiently collaborate and summarize lengthy text. If you want to improve your writing process, whether writing an email, an essay, or a long-form blog article, you will find Quillbot AI to be a valuable addition to your writing toolkit. It can revolutionize your writing process to produce surprising results.

How Quillbot AI Works

You can access QuillBot by visiting their online platform on their website . You don’t need to create an account; you can use a free version of QuillBot with limitations. Once you are there, you will see the available tools in the left sidebar. Click any of the tools to launch the user interface for each.

Each tool will have a consistent layout with different features that you can use to start refining your content. For example, when using the Grammar Checker, you can copy and paste your content into the user interface. QuillBot will readily analyze your text, pinpointing broken sentences and grammatical errors you can fix with a single click.

And the other other tools share the same easy-to-use interface and functionality. For instance, the Summarizer makes condensing long-form content or essays easy. Paste your text to generate a summary of key points. Additionally, it features a plagiarism checker, which helps identify and fix plagiarized content to ensure the originality of your content.

QuillBot’s AI functions by learning from datasets. Comprehending grammar, spelling, punctuation, tone, sentence structure, and readability, these datasets serve as knowledge accumulations. So, when users regularly disregard a specific suggestion, the AI adjusts to present more contextually relevant alternatives.

Breaking Down QuillBot AI Features

QuillBot AI offers several features for easy and effective content organization. We’ll delve into these features now.

1. The Paraphraser

QuillBot AI includes a paraphrasing tool. It empowers writers to rephrase text while preserving its central message. It’s an ideal tool for students and aspiring authors, requiring no account signup. Options for ‘Fewer Changes’ or ‘More Changes’ are available, with premium users getting maximum adjustments.

Paraphrase Modes

QuillBot AI assists users in paraphrasing and refining text. It employs seven unique modes, each tailored to specific objectives, to enhance the quality and readability of written content. Whether striving for clarity, professionalism, creativity, or conciseness, QuillBot AI offers a mode to suit your needs.

Here is an example sentence I added to the paraphraser text input area:

“It was a tough match. After three hours of immense struggle, I was able to get the job done.”

1. Standard Mode

Standard Mode serves as the default setting. It balances modifying the text for clarity and fluency while preserving the original meaning. The result is a refined text that maintains its natural flow and readability.

After clicking the Rephrase button, QuillBot swiftly provided a paraphrased output in Standard Mode. It merits noting that the level of paraphrasing hinges on the level of synonyms you set in the Synonyms bar at the right of the Modes bar above the content. The higher the level, the more liberty you give QuillBot to change the words of the original content.

The ensuing result was generated with a low Synonyms bar:

“It was a challenging game. I had to struggle for three hours before I was able to finish the task.”

The following result was generated with a maximum level of Synonyms:

“It was a challenging game. I had to battle for three hours before I was able to finish the task.”

With just one sentence, you can see that only one word changed, but with larger blocks of content, you will see that QuillBot will make more word changes with a higher level of synonyms.

2. Fluency Mode

In Fluency Mode, QuillBot AI ensures that the text is grammatically sound and genuinely readable. It makes minimal changes, primarily correcting grammar and providing the text sounds natural. Synonym substitutions are kept to a minimum, preserving the original meaning.

We paraphrased the same content in Fluency mode . It generated the following output:

“It was a difficult match. I completed the task after three hours of intense effort.”

3. Formal Mode

Formal Mode is the ideal choice for those working in academic or professional contexts. It transforms the text to sound more polished and professional, making it suitable for business reports, academic papers, and formal documents.

We paraphrased the same content in Formal Mode . It generated the following output:

“ It was a difficult match. After three hours of arduous effort, I was able to complete the task. ”

4. Academic Mode

Then, we paraphrased the same content in Academic Mode . Unlike the other modes, it doesn’t have any Synonyms bar. Instead, it seemed to give the content more details and wording suitable for academia. It generated the following output:

“ The contest was challenging. Following a prolonged period of three hours, characterized by significant exertion and effort, I successfully completed the task at hand. ”

5. Simple Mode

Simple Mode simplifies the text, making it easier to understand and more accessible to a broader audience. It is an excellent choice when clarity and straightforward communication are essential.

We paraphrased the same content in Simple Mode . It generated the following output:

“ It was a hard game. I was able to finish the job after three hours of hard work. ”

6. Creative Mode

Creative Mode is the way to go if you’re looking to unleash your creativity and generate entirely unique content. This Mode substantially changes the text, potentially altering the original meaning. It’s a valuable tool for content creators seeking a fresh spin on their writing.

We paraphrased the same content in Creative Mode . It generated the following output:

“ That was one intense contest. It took me three hours of relentless effort, but I finally completed the task at hand. ”

7. Expand Mode

Expand Mode is perfect for those aiming to increase the length of their text. It adds words and details while retaining the original meaning, making it valuable for projects requiring a higher word count.

We paraphrased the same content in Expand Mode . It generated the following output:

“ It was a difficult match to watch. I had to put in a lot of effort for three hours before I was finally successful in completing the task. ”

Then, we produced an output with a high level of Synonyms as follows:

“The contest was a challenging one. I was able to finish the work, despite the fact that it took me three hours of intense effort.”

8. Shorten Mode

Shorten Mode comes to the rescue when you need to reduce the overall word count while maintaining the essence of your text. It trims unnecessary words and phrases, delivering a concise version of your content.

Lastly, we paraphrased the same content in Shorten Mode.  It generated the following output:

“ The match was hard. I finished after three hours of intense struggle. ”

Paraphraser Statistics

The ‘Statistics’ feature offers insights into text complexity and readability. It aids writers in adjusting their style to the desired tone and audience. Premium subscribers unlock tonality analysis, which assesses reader perceptions to enhance persuasive writing.

I have used the same content as the previous one in the “Fluency” mode. It has generated the following statistics.

The Statistics of the generated content are based on the following aspects:

• Average words in a sentence
• Average Syllables in a word
• Readability
• Sentence Count
• Character Count
• Percent Change
• Longest Unchanged Words

Paraphraser Settings

The “Settings” feature in the Paraphraser tool provides options to control how you want your content to be paraphrased and how you want the results to be displayed on the interface. In terms of paraphrasing the content, you choose the following:

• Paraphrase quotations
• Use contractions
• Prefer active voice

Under the Interface options, you can select the following:

• Use yellow highlight
• Show tooltips
• Show legend
• Show changed words
• Show structural changes
• Show the longest unchanged words

Overall, these settings do seem to give users more control and help them identify changes to their content much easier.

Paraphraser Compare Modes

Compare Modes is a valuable feature exclusively available to premium users, offering a comprehensive view of how a sentence is transformed across different modes within the platform. This feature enables users to evaluate and choose the most suitable rendition for their content by comparing various paraphrased versions. To access Compare Modes, locate and click on the dedicated icon in the settings bar on the right side of the page.

Once activated, Compare Modes opens a sidebar on the right-hand side of the screen, displaying the original sentence before paraphrasing and the results generated by all available modes simultaneously. The system defaults to the effect produced by the Mode in which the sentence was paraphrased. You can easily click the “Select” button next to the desired text to select your preferred sentence, seamlessly replacing the paraphrased sentence in your results. Additionally, you can further modify individual sentence results by clicking on circular arrow icons or making copies of them with a simple click on the copy icon. This powerful feature empowers users to fine-tune their content according to their specific needs and preferences, streamlining the content creation process.

Paraphraser History

By accessing the history feature, you can go through all the previous content you have modified. In my case, I checked my history, and it showed the last text paraphrased. It also shares the date and time when the content was modified.

The “Tone” feature in QuillBot AI paraphraser allows users to control and tailor the emotional and stylistic tone of their paraphrased content. With this feature, users can choose from various preset tones, such as casual , unfriendly , wordy , complex , and unclear . It ensures that the paraphrased text aligns perfectly with the desired style and intent. Whether you need your content to sound professional and academic or friendly and conversational, the Tone feature empowers you to achieve the right mood for your writing.

Paraphrasing for Different Languages

Quillbot AI supports 23 different languages for paraphrasing purposes. Not only does this make the tool more accessible, but it also comes in handy for making tweaks to the content generator by Quillbot’s translator tool.

2. The Grammar Checker

Quillbot AI offers a user-friendly and free Grammar-checking feature that doesn’t require signing up. When you paste your text into Quillbot’s editor, it identifies and highlights grammatical errors, including punctuation and spelling. With a convenient Fix All Errors option, you can swiftly correct multiple issues simultaneously. This Grammar Checker enhances writing precision and consistency. It quickly pinpoints potential errors in red, simplifying the editing process. This real-time underlining and instant correction feature saves writers time and improves productivity.

For instance, here is an example sentence I added to the grammar checker text input area:

“ Manchester United signed Sofyan Amrabat on a season-long loan move from Fiorentina. The Morocco midfielder has been desperate to join Erik ten Hag’s team since getting linked to the Red Devils in June. However, Manchester United’s plans differed on Deadline Day as they wanted to sign Fulham’s Joao Palhinha instead. ”

After copy-pasting the text into the Grammar Check, it will detect all the potential errors within the content. By putting your cursor on the underlined words, it will show you the errors individually.

Once you remove all the errors, it will provide you with the correct grammatical content. It will generate the following content.

“ Manchester United signed Sofyan Amrabat on a season-long loan deal from Fiorentina. The Morocco midfielder has been desperate to join Erik ten Hag’s team since getting linked to the Red Devils in June. However, Manchester United’s plans were different on Deadline Day, as they wanted to sign Fulham’s Joao Palhinha instead. ”

Furthermore, it seamlessly integrates with Quillbot’s Paraphrase tool, offering a comprehensive writing experience without needing an account. Its grammar-checking feature is valuable for writers seeking error-free, professional content.

3. Summarizer

Quillbot AI provides a Summarizer tool that condenses lengthy texts or articles into concise summaries, making it invaluable for students, researchers, and professionals.

Users can choose between Short and Long summarization options to control the level of detail. The Short summarization offers a brief overview, ideal for quickly grasping the central ideas or skimming through multiple articles. In contrast, the Long outline provides a more comprehensive summary, suitable for in-depth analysis or a deeper understanding of the text.

Quillbot AI’s Summarizer utilizes natural language processing to extract critical information while preserving the original context. It offers two summarization types: Key Sentences and Paragraph modes.

For instance, I added a block of content to the summarizer text input area. Using the Key Sentences feature, the tool has created five articulate points that summarize the content.

Changing the Summary Length can increase or decrease the depth of those points.

Selecting the Paragraph mode will provide a summary of the content in paragraph form.

Like the Key Sentences mode, the length of the summary can be changed by adjusting the Summary Length .

This feature streamlines research, study, and content review processes, enhancing productivity and comprehension for users across various fields.

4. Citation Generator

QuillBot’s Citation Generator is a valuable tool that simplifies the often complex process of citing sources in academic and professional writing. It allows users to choose from various citation styles and formats, ensuring compliance with specific guidelines and educational requirements. This feature dramatically reduces the potential headache associated with accurate source attribution.

It supports common APA, MLA, and Chicago styles, covering reference types like books and websites. With an intuitive interface, it swiftly generates in-text and complete citations, labeled and exportable to Microsoft Word. By automating this process, QuillBot’s Citation Generator saves users time and ensures proper crediting of sources, benefiting those involved in research and academic writing projects.

5. QuillBot Plagiarism Checker

Quillbot AI provides a plagiarism checker, which is a premium feature. It eliminates the need for external tools to verify content originality. Premium users can paste their content into the checker, receiving results within minutes, indicating if the content is unique or plagiarized. Premium members can scan up to 20 pages per month with this tool, making it suitable for various types of content, including research papers.

Its plagiarism checker stands out by accommodating research paper plagiarism checks, scanning up to 20 pages (approximately 5000 words) monthly. Consequently, it proves to be a valuable resource for essayists and academic writers, ensuring the integrity of their work.

Plagiarism detection is based on identical words , minor changes , paraphrased words , and omitted words .

6. The Translator

QuillBot AI provides its users with a Translation feature, allowing them to translate text into over 30 languages, making research and writing accessible across language barriers. It offers ad-free translation of up to 5,000 characters at once, includes integrated writing tools, and provides quick and accurate translations. The best part is that it’s free, enhancing convenience and accessibility for writers and researchers.

As a test, I added a block of content in the German language. The translator automatically detected it as German.

Then all you need to do is select the language you want it translated to on the right and click the Translate button.

7. Quillbot Extensions

The tool offers three convenient extensions and applications to enhance your writing experience across different platforms.

QuillBot Chrome Extension

The QuillBot Google Chrome extension is a valuable tool for online writing. It seamlessly integrates with your web browsing, allowing you to check grammar, paraphrase, and summarize online documents (Google Docs), emails, and social media posts. Moreover, it ensures your writing is polished and error-free across the internet.

QuillBot for Word

If you’re working offline in Microsoft Word, this extension empowers you to access the full capabilities of QuillBot. It assists you in crafting high-quality documents, reports, and essays, ensuring your writing is clear and concise, even when you’re not connected to the internet.

QuillBot for macOS

For Mac users, QuillBot offers a browser-free desktop application. This standalone tool simplifies the writing process, providing a smooth and efficient writing experience on your macOS device. Moreover, it’s perfect for those who prefer a dedicated desktop application for their writing needs.

QuillBot AI Pricing and Plans Review

QuillBot AI provides three different pricing options to suit different needs and budgets.

The Basic (Free) Plan allows you to experiment with the tool before attaining its subscription. With it, you can paraphrase 125 words. It provides Standard and Fluency modes with limited use of the Synonym Slider. Moreover, you can summarize up to 1,200 words through the Summarizer mode.

The premium version of QuillBot AI allows unlimited words for the Parphraser, more writing style modes, and up to 6,000 words in the Summarizer. It also provides access to Plagiarism Checker, Paraphraser History, and Compare Modes.

You have the choice of three different payment plans for premium. The Annual Plan costs $8.33 monthly, with $99.95 billed every 12 months. The Semi-Annual Plan costs $13.33 monthly, with $79.95 billed every six months. The Monthly Plan costs $19.95 per month. By subscribing to either of these premium subscriptions, you can paraphrase unlimited words in Paraphraser. The Summarizer will allow you to summarize up to 6,000 words, and you can fully use the Synonym Slider.

Pros and Cons of QuillBot AI

As we delve deeper into our comprehensive review of QuillBot AI, it becomes imperative to assess the advantages and disadvantages of this sophisticated language processing tool. While this tool boasts various features and capabilities, no technology is without its strengths and weaknesses.

Pros of Using QuillBot AI

• A free plan is available, and there’s no need to sign up.
• There is a refund policy in place.
• Extensions for Microsoft Word, Google Chrome, and macOS are readily available.
• You can access a free Language Translator.
• The option to upgrade makes it very affordable to access additional features.
• An app for content summarization is available for free.
• Additionally, there is a free Grammar Checker app provided.

Cons of Using QuillBot AI

• Only two writing modes are available for free.
• OpenAI GPT AI writing is unavailable.
• There is no AI content detection feature.
• Manual intervention is usually required.
• Both free and paid plans have character limitations in place

How QuillBot Compares to Other Similar Tools

QuillBot AI offers valuable features for text enhancement, including effective paraphrasing and translation. Its free plan is a budget-friendly option, making it accessible to a broad audience. When compared to Grammarly , QuillBot outshines Grammarly’s ability to rephrase content. However, Quillbot’s grammar-checking capabilities fall short of Grammarly’s robust editing features.

Tools like Copy.ai and Rytr AI may offer more comprehensive solutions for advanced AI content generation than QuillBot. These alternatives excel in generating content from scratch, making them suitable for various writing needs.

Regarding accessibility, QuillBot stands out with extensions for Microsoft Word, Google Chrome, and macOS. This enhances its usability and integration into daily writing tasks. It also eliminates the language barrier, whereas Grammarly, Copy.ai, and Rytr AI primarily focus on English.

Ultimately, choosing these tools depends on your specific requirements and budget. QuillBot is a reliable option for text enhancement, while other tools may be better suited for advanced AI content generation and comprehensive grammar checking.

Should You Use QuillBot? (The Verdict)

QuillBot AI offers undeniable value as an AI writing assistant for various teams and individuals. Need an alternative version of your original article? QuillBot can generate a new and improved version swiftly. It is handy for optimizing blog posts and other content, outperforming many free and paid AI rewriter tools . Its ability to paraphrase content significantly reduces plagiarism risks for academic assignments and research papers. Although some detectors, like Originality.ai , may still recognize QuillBot paraphrased content in some cases. No AI content generator is 100% human. That said, thanks to its versatility and proficiency, QuillBot is a worthwhile asset for writers, students, and content creators.

Looking for more? Check out our list of top AI writing tools . And for all aspiring writers, check out these AI story generators . You can also explore more of the best overall AI tools you can use to boost your productivity in various  ways .

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some common questions that may help you decide if QuillBot is right for you.

What is QuillBot?

Can quillbot be detected, how much does quillbot premium cost, how can quillbot be used as a paraphrasing tool, how can quillbot be used as a summarizer.

Get Started With QuillBot AI!

Explore plans, pricing and features. Click here to get started. 👇

Explore plans, pricing and features here. 👇

By fahad hamid.

Fahad enjoys writing about a diverse range of topics, from business and marketing to design. Alongside this, he balances his love for tennis, showing skill both on the page and on the court.

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Where did you get that annual price? I would love to get it. When I visited the site the price was twice as much ($99.95) if I paid the full year in advance.

Hi, Carlos. The pricing must have changed since writing the post. I have updated the article. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.

Carlos – for me, it’s showing as: USD Annual Save 58% $4.17 USD per month $49.95 billed every 12 months

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Creative Writing Headquarters

Welcome to our story-telling community of practice!

Did you know? Middlesex University was the first UK university to introduce a Creative Writing course at undergraduate level, in 1991-92? It was called ‘Writing and Publishing’, and established by Susanna Gladwin, who had been teaching English Literature since the 1960s, when Middlesex was still a Polytechnic. Read more about the UK's history of teaching Creative Writing  here .

Our Most Popular Pages

Creative Calendar

Not Just a Notebook

PhD in Creative Writing

Creative Types QUIZ

About CREW HQ

CREW HQ is Middlesex University’s open platform for all those interested in creative writing and story-telling, no matter the discipline you prefer, whether it’s computer gaming, poetry, short story writing, novels, creative non-fiction, genre writing, literary fiction, role-playing games, comic books, journalistic narratives, whatever your stripe!

All are welcome.

Here, you’ll find members who are professional writers, hobbyists, readers-who-dabble-with-writing, leisure writers, younger writers, those who represent schools, teachers of writing, agents, publishers, and more. All are here to share their passion, knowledge and experience. We hope there’s something for everyone! Don’t be shy – after all, you get out what you put in.

Free Resources

Author Interviews

Video lectures.

Creative Writing mini-lessons

Creative Writing toolkit for schools

Adam has published four novels, two non-fiction books ( Masks: Blackness, Race and the Imagination  and  Democracy in Britain: A Reader ), short stories and many articles and reviews for the national press. He also worked for a number of years as a Producer/Writer/Director of documentary films for British and international broadcasters. His academic research has centred on cognitive approaches to the arts and the relation between literature and philosophy.

Adam Lively,

Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing

Microsoft 365 Life Hacks > Writing > 5 writing exercises you should try to improve your creativity

5 writing exercises you should try to improve your creativity

As we continue to develop our writing skills, occasionally we need to reacquaint ourselves with a creative boost. That’s where these five creative writing exercises can come in: they are designed to loosen up the blocks that might get in the way of our creative process. See what you can do to overcome the fear of the blank page with these fun ideas for getting the creative juices flowing.

What are creative writing exercises?

Sometimes, we can be stymied by our writing process: it is easy to fall into the all-or-nothing mentality that demands that we write a masterpiece right from the start. That’s why a creative writing exercise is a useful tool. They’re meant for writers to brainstorm and ideate potential new ideas for projects. Whether the ideas and words that we generate lead to something publishable is not the end goal: instead, they’re meant to provoke the improvisational skills that can lead to fun new ideas.

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Creative exercises to improve writing skills

Here are some ways to begin putting pen to paper:

Freewriting

Freewriting is the easiest creative writing exercise that can help with creative blocks. Simply write down anything that comes to your mind, without any attention paid to structure, form, or even grammar and spelling mistakes.

For example, if you’re working from a coffee shop, write based on what you notice around you: the potent smell of the barista’s latest batch of coffee… the furrowed eyebrows of the local students hard at work on their assignments.

Or, if you’re in your home office , perhaps you can observe the light that pours from your window in the morning hours as you start your 9 to 5. Or reminisce about the dusty, ill-used pens and paper clips sitting in the back of your desk drawer.

Do this for 10-15 minutes per session, uninterrupted: the Pomodoro technique can help with this.

Story starter prompts

Use an otherwise mundane phrase or sentence to kickstart a writing session and create a short story or character description. Try these sentences as story starters:

• The old man had a look of frustration.
• It felt like my husband had woken up angry.
• “Open a window,” Lucinda said, “it’s mighty hot in here.”

Letter to your younger self

This exercise asks the question: what would you say to your teenage self? Or a version of you 5, 10, or 20 years younger? In this exercise, you can recast your life in a different light and offer advice, reassurance, or reexperience a special moment again. Maybe you can write from a perspective of optimism: now that you are successful, for example, you can be excited to share your accomplishments. This highly personal exercise can help you tap into all manners of emotions that can then go into character development.

Take two characters from your work, or a book that you love and rewrite their experiences and plot points while switching their points of view. Perhaps one character knows something more than the other, or another character’s perspective and thoughts have been unwritten. Switching these POVs can help you see how a storyline shifts, taking on different tones and emotional beats.

Flash fiction

Flash fiction is a type of short fiction that is 500 words or less. The objective of this exercise is to craft a narrative or a character portrait all within a highly limited constraint. Flash fiction differs from freewriting in that you write with focus, aiming towards a fully-formed story that can include plot, conflict, and a character portrait. Writing flash fiction seems deceptively easy, but it can be a challenge—which is why literary magazines and writing contests often have opportunities to publish and award great flash fiction.

If you’re looking for more ways to tap into your creativity, check out more writing tips here .

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Explore The Best Writing Tools For Students To Enhance Your Skills

Discover tools to help with writing and improve academic performance. These essential writing aids every student can use.

Writing Tools for Students: Digital Writing Aids 

In the vast ocean of academic tasks, writing is a challenging and crucial skill for success at school and beyond. Whether drafting an essay, composing a research paper, or jotting down notes for class, having the right tools can make all the difference. With a wide array of digital writing aids, finding the most effective ones can be daunting.

If you’re struggling to keep up with your writing assignments or want to enhance your written work, remember that an essay writing service that can write my essay is always available to help. Now, let’s explore some lesser-known yet highly effective digital writing tools for students that can transform how you approach writing tasks.

What Are Writing Tools?

Understanding digital writing tools.

When we talk about writing tools, we refer to applications and software designed to assist with writing. These tools can help you organize your thoughts, check grammar and spelling, enhance your style, and even ensure the originality of your work. For students at every level, digital writing tools are invaluable for achieving academic excellence. They are particularly useful in developing coherent arguments, managing research notes, and maintaining a clear narrative flow in academic papers, thus becoming essential tools to help with writing.

Why Use Writing Tools?

Utilizing these tools can significantly streamline your writing process, reducing stress and freeing time for other academic activities. They support structuring your work, ensuring consistency, and polishing your final draft, making them essential components of a student’s digital toolkit. Online writing tools for college success also foster effective communication by providing readability scores and suggestions for simplifying complex language, vital skills in academic and professional settings.

Best Writing Tools for Students

1. prowritingaid.

ProWritingAid goes beyond simple grammar checks, providing detailed reports to enhance clarity, style, and tone. Ideal for college students looking to refine their essays, this tool also integrates with word processors to provide real-time improvements. It’s recognized as one of the best writing tools for students who require in-depth writing analysis to enhance academic and creative works.

2. Hemingway Editor

Hemingway Editor is a minimalist tool that enhances readability. It highlights dense and complex sentences, urging you to simplify your writing. This tool is perfect for students who want to make their essays more accessible and engaging. It serves as a critical reviewer by pointing out passive voice, adverbs, and complicated phrases.

3. Scrivener

Scrivener is more than a word processor. It’s an all-in-one writing suite. It offers a unique interface that helps you organize and structure long documents like dissertations and novels. This tool is excellent for students involved in extensive writing projects, providing comprehensive studying tools that cater to fiction and non-fiction writers.

4. FocusWriter

FocusWriter is designed to eliminate distractions by providing a clean, full-screen writing environment. Its customizable themes and built-in timer are perfect for students who need to maintain focus during writing sessions. This program is especially useful when engaging in lengthy writing sessions, promoting deep focus with its serene environment.

5. Cite This For Me

Cite This For Me is an essential tool for handling citations and bibliographies. With support for various referencing styles, it ensures that all your citations are accurate, which is crucial for avoiding plagiarism. It’s one of the most valuable free online writing tools for students who frequently need to manage multiple source types and citation formats in their academic papers.

6. Grammarly

Grammarly is widely recognized for its comprehensive writing support. Offering everything from grammar and punctuation checks to style advice, this tool ensures your writing is error-free and refined. Grammarly benefits students and non-native English speakers looking to improve their writing abilities.

Specialized Tools for Every Need

Tools for students with disabilities.

Specialized tools like Ghotit and Kurzweil 3000 offer tailored support for students with disabilities. These platforms provide advanced spell-checking, grammar assistance, and text-to-speech features, making writing more accessible. They are pivotal in creating an inclusive learning environment and supporting diverse educational needs.

Free Online Writing Tools for Students

Students on a budget will find value in free platforms like Google Docs and Apache OpenOffice, which provide basic writing features and cloud storage accessible from any device. These platforms also serve as excellent writing tools for students with disabilities by being compatible with various accessibility features, ensuring that all students have equal opportunities to succeed in their academic pursuits.

In the academic journey, writing tools for students are more than just aids. They are partners in your path to success. Whether you are looking for tools to help with writing, digital writing tools for students, or free online writing aids, the right tools can elevate your writing skills and academic performance. Leverage these online writing tools to enhance your capabilities and achieve your academic ambitions. Check out these leading writing tools for students today and learn how they can elevate your writing experience.

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