My Favorite Resources for Writers

Writing is probably the least expensive hobby/career that you can have. It requires nothing but a computer and a keyboard and if you don't have that, a pen and paper will do. It doesn't require special shoes, special clothing, expensive materials like canvas or paint. It doesn't require you to have an athletic body, or even to be in great health. You don't need an office (Although it's nice to have). You definitely don't need money or good taste.

Still, in order to be more effective as a writer, there are accouterments that can aid you for time management, productivity, and mood. Smart people find things that others have done better than them, and utilize them. These are the programs that I've found to be the most helpful.

RescueTime
If you're not sure how much time you're wasting, RescueTime can find out. It's a program that you can download to your computer that tracks how much time you spend on different apps and websites. This is a good way to reveal your strengths and weaknesses so you can analyze the data and make adjustments. Nobody wants to find out they've been on Facebook for 20 hours that week, but it's better to find that out then keep making the same mistakes.

Trello
Trello is most commonly used in software development but I use it to create sprints, track ideas, keep a record of my work, and create a writing schedule. Trello helps to show me that I'm on track with my goals and whether or not I need to drop anything to free up time.

Freedom
This is a paid app, but it's cheap and worth every penny. Freedom blocks programs and websites that can hinder your productivity. You can schedule it to turn on at a certain time, or schedule individual sessions. You should rely more on routine than will, and Freedom definitely helps by blocking time-wasting apps so you don't have to utilize your will to avoid them.

Google Docs
Google Docs is a classic, but I'm still surprised by the amount of writers I know who end up losing work because they've kept it locally. Google Docs saves your work to a cloud drive so it's accessible from any computer, and stores different versions so you never lose track of your work.

Duotrope
It used to be free for several years, but it's now a paid subscription. Still worth it though, and there's a free trial. Duotrope allows you to keep track of your submissions and shows markets available that you may be interested in. As a writer, one of your goals is to be published, and Duotrope makes it easy by compiling many markets in one place.

Grammar Girl
A great website for figuring out whether you should use then/than or any other easy grammatical slips.

Rainy Mood
I find that I'm more productive when I have a repetitive, low-level white type noise on in the background. And rain has the psychological benefit of making you feel comfortable and safe, because the sound of rain on the outside while we're in a dry place sends signals that we're okay.

Instacart
To be a successful writer (or successful at anything, really) utilizing time is important. Find places where you can shave off time or load off the task to something else. I use Instacart to deliver groceries, which saves me hours at the grocery store. I will also create a meal schedule so that I don't waste time wondering what I'm going to be eating that day. It's a bit more expensive than just going yourself, but worth it to me because time is precious, and can't be recovered.

Drizly
Drizly is like Instacart, but for booze.