A guide to apps for writers…

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This is my weekly installment of “writing about writing,” in which I scan the world to find websites, books and articles to help other writers. Today I discuss a post on apps for writer from an Australian-based editing and proofeading company…. 

Are you prepared to open your wallet to make writing or editing a little bit easier? If you are, there’s a list of the top 55 apps you can consider buying for writers.

The list comes from a firm called the Expert Editor – an Australian editing and proofreading company. I quibble with some of their suggestions, however, because, in fact, you don’t actually have to buy all of these apps. Instead you can use some of them for free on the developer’s website.

Write or Die — a fabulous app, by the way — is a prime example. Of course you can pay $9.99 if you want the software on your phone or $20 on your desktop. But why bother when you can use it for free on the website, here?  Just enter the number of words you want to write and the amount of time you’re going to give yourself then click on the “try” button. Write on the blank screen — preparing yourself for an unpleasant sound when your writing becomes stalled. Learn more here about the software. (Write or die is #50 on the list.)

The same rule applies to the Hemingway app, mentioned first. It’s an excellent, highly useful tool — one I recommend frequently — but you don’t have to pay for it unless your company’s server won’t give you access to it. (And this problem tends to arise only in really large companies.) Why spend money you don’t need to?

I was also saddened by the reference to Scrivener (#39). I own the software and have even purchased an expensive video-based training program for it. But I still don’t understand what benefits a writer will get from using it. I have yet to hear anyone explain what Scrivener does that Word will not. I had hoped the list might tell me but, sadly, it didn’t. (If you have any information on this, please email me — I’m anxious to hear.)

That said, several of the apps looked interesting and were new to me. These include: Brain Wave (#23), Mindnode (#25) and Mindly (#42). You just might want to check whether there are free versions first.

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