WRITING is often underestimated as a craft. The fact that anyone with a grasp of their native language can pick up a pen and write usually results in many persons calling themselves “writers.” But I daresay, writing as an art is far more than putting pen to paper- or typing words on a screen. Real writing takes focus, diligence and practice and even the best of writers have struggled with these three little birds at some point or the other.

Stephen King’s bestseller ‘Carrie’ may have never seen the light of day, if his wife hadn’t dug the discarded first three pages out of the trash after he threw it away because he didn’t like what he wrote. Imagine a world without the cult classic that spawned multiple copycat horror films! It is proof that even King struggled (and perhaps still struggles) from time to time with writing.

So, we all need some help! I’ve asked a few fellow writers to send in their go-to tools when writing, and here is what they came up with:

For editing
You want to ensure that while you write, you grammar-check and get the best suggestions for sentence construction and other tips. Writers have found that tools such as Grammarly and Hemingway are useful in this regard. Personally, I find Grammarly ideal for my work because it comes as a separate app and an add-on for your browser and Microsoft Word. It’s not perfect though, so I would suggest getting the paid version to minimise the margin of error when reviewing your work.

Writing software
If you’re more interested in creative projects, tools such as Scrivener and Ulysses are ideal for structuring and organising your work. In essence, they offer the same tools, but Scrivener is a one-off purchase of about US$45 and can be transferred to any device. Ulysses carries a small monthly subscription, so you can decide what works best for you.

These tools make structuring your work according to industry standards almost seamless and their organisation of your chapters and various parts of your project is superb! Before, I was happy just typing away in Microsoft Word. And if you don’t like frills and thrills, Word is a simple and cheap option for you too if you have Microsoft Office on your computer. But if you’re looking for a virtual creative writing assistant, get a writing software like one of the two mentioned above. Your life will never be the same again!

Backup storage
In the five years I have been writing my novel, I can’t begin to tell you how many times I have suffered crashed computers- each time threatening the possibility of having to start over the work I had done. However, I have always been in the habit of backing up my work. I started by emailing latest versions to myself, but that became tedious. Scrivener now helps me back up my work automatically and I always back it up to my One Drive which is internet-based. Always think of a safe place of backing up your work, especially if it is a long-term project.

Productivity Tool
Some writers who have problems focusing recommend getting a productivity tool. Marinara Timer is a good one. It sets time limits and goals to keep you on target if you have set those out for yourself. Tools such as Freedom block pop-ups and other distractions, so that you can write on your device for a specified amount of time without being interrupted. These are tools that help to keep you on track if you have a strict writing schedule.

Free writing courses
I don’t know why, but good writing courses are never cheap. To date I have not been able to really invest in a good writing course because I always had some other academic endeavour that required my financial attention. However, there are free writing courses across the internet that can provide exercises, tips and other goodies that can help to stretch those muscles. Keep yourself occupied by capitalising on these courses until you save up enough to attend a Gotham Writer’s Workshop or some other top-of-the-line course.

Writers have the world at their fingertips, thanks to the internet. I have never been short on resources during my writing lifetime, even if I wished I could afford a wider range of them. Regardless of your budget, you can utilise tools that can help you to hone your craft a bit at a time. And I suggest using this list as a place to start!
Interested in contributing to this column on writing? Email me at thewritemind592@gmail.com