5 Great Web Tools for Writers

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Hi there, it’s Lauren filling in today! Jenn said I could write a post here while she was on vacation. Time to hijack this blog (evil laugh)!

Not really, but I am going to touch on a subject that, while being my blog’s specialty, Jenn doesn’t write about very often. And that’s how the wonder that is the Internet is constantly making life easier for all people, including writers. There are some fantastic tools out there that can help you make that conceptual novel a reality with ease.

If you’re a purist, you can stop reading right now and wander back to your antique writing desk in your restored country farmhouse with your feather quill and parchment, but everyone else might want to check out the following free (!) tools:

1. Storybook. Do you need to have your plot laid out in front of you before you can start writing? Do you need a better way to keep chapters, characters, and scenes organized? Then this open-source software is for you. Finally, you can keep all your notes about your novel in one spot, minus the thumbtacks and glue. Once they develop a version for Mac, it’ll be perfect.

2. The Story Starter. We all know the hardest part of writing is the very first sentence. What if there were a tool to do that for you? Thanks to The Story Starter, there is! Each of the 345 million prompts are the first sentence of a story just waiting for you to finish it.

3. OmmWriter. Need a quiet place to write, complete with a Zen soundtrack and some peaceful scenery? With OmmWriter, you can have your own writing retreat in a snowy forest or flowery meadow, minus the frostbite, bugbites, and vacation expenses. The program takes up your entire computer window, surrounding you with inspiration and calm. Sure beats your noisy apartment!

4. urlist. Sometimes it can be hard to keep track of the research you are doing for your writing. If you are working on multiple projects at once, it can be hard to remember which web links are research for which story! urlist to the rescue – it lets you make multiple lists of bookmarks based on categories and topics you decide. Also a great tool for blogging.

5. Google Docs. Everyone’s heard of it, but have you considered its uses for writing? You can access your manuscript anywhere that there are computers. You can share it quickly with editors and friends. You can have it open in one browser tab while you research in another, instead of having to switch between the net and your word processor – leaving plenty more room to get distracted. One of my favorite books, Free by Chris Anderson, was written and edited entirely using Google docs. That’s innovation.

Want even more tools? Try 100 Useful Web Tools for Writers — that’s where I started!