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Meet reMarkable
The paper tablet.
A digital notebook designed for tasks that demand focus
Praised by tech’s most respected publications
Discover an entirely new way to work
Paper-like handwriting, typing, and reading
Convert your handwritten notes to typed text
View, sync, and refine on the go using our apps
All your notes, organized and in one place
Our most powerful accessory yet
Introducing type folio, experience focused typing on remarkable 2. the convenience of a slim, tactile keyboard. the protection of a stylish cover., combine typing and handwriting.
Tactile keyboard, sturdy protection
Fixed positions for focused work
Snaps into place. No charging or cables
As close to paper as it gets
reMarkable’s virtually instant response and textured surface make for an unprecedented writing experience.
Designed for focus
Free from distractions, you can find the focus you need to think better. No pop-up ads, notifications, or social media — just you and your thoughts.
Handwrite or type notes
Take handwritten notes with your Marker, write longer texts with the new Type Folio, or seamlessly switch between the two. All on the same flexible page with Free Create.
Convert handwritten notes to text
Easily convert handwritten notes to typed text. Move your converted notes into other notebooks or refine, expand, and share them.
Supports 33 languages
Converts cursive and block letters
Share by email or upload to cloud services
Create your own setup with virtually unlimited pages. Use folders and tags to keep all your notes and documents organized and easy to find.
Access and share files with your cloud storage services
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Take focused notes anywhere
Capture ideas using our mobile and desktop apps on your preferred devices. Add new thoughts on the go, or pick up where you left off. Tap into a distraction-free workspace, anywhere.
Get access to mobile and desktop note-taking with a Connect subscription.
An eye-friendly reading experience
Comfortably read PDFs or ebooks for hours on end without backlight, glare, or eye strain.
Easily make notes on your documents
Read and review reports and presentations by writing your thoughts directly onto the page - or add a blank one if ideas really start to flow. Signing PDFs and taking notes while reading has never been easier.
Drag and drop file transfer
Readable in sunlight
PDF and ebook (ePub) support
Send content to your reMarkable with a click
Save Microsoft Word docs, PowerPoint presentations, or web articles to your paper tablet as PDFs for when you have time to focus. All it takes is a click with our Read on reMarkable extension.
A visualization powertool
Paper is great for visualizing and problem solving. Powerful digital tools like undo, erase, and move make reMarkable even better.
Resize and move
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Share your ideas. Live.
Share your ideas directly on a big screen or in video meetings. Turn your paper tablet into the perfect digital whiteboard and write, draw, and demonstrate tricky concepts live with Screen Share.
The second-generation CANVAS display
A breakthrough technology.
We’ve spent six years developing technology that mimics the tactile nature and immediate response of paper. Qualities that make paper a simple, yet powerful and flexible tool for thinking. The result is the second-generation CANVAS display. Twice as fast as its predecessor.
- A paper-like surface
- Incredible responsiveness
- Minimal pen-to-ink distance
- Crisp black ink
reMarkable 2 looks and feels like paper. A combination of cutting edge digital paper technology and ultra-thin high-friction surface materials, allows the second-generation CANVAS display to deliver an unprecedented paper experience.
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Fast and precise pen strokes for a more paper-like feel. The second-generation CANVAS display’s low latency technology gives reMarkable 2 previously unheard of responsiveness and precision.
Digital writing can often be a challenge due to the perceived vertical distance between pen tip and digital ink. We’ve minimized this distance to make the writing experience as close to pen and paper as possible.
Ink that responds to pressure and feels natural. The second-generation CANVAS display actually transfers ink particles to the surface when you write. As you move the Marker, 4096 levels of pressure give you precise control over your work.
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At just 4.7 mm / 0.19 in, reMarkable 2 is the world's thinnest tablet. This is essential to providing a more paper-like writing experience.
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Created with function and style in mind, all Folios are made from fine materials and designed to fit your reMarkable 2 perfectly.
Comfortable, focused typing in a breathtakingly slim profile.
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The original sleeve for reMarkable with a separate Marker pocket.
Responsive. Precise. Hassle-free.
Designed to deliver just the right friction and draw digital ink on reMarkable with incredibly low lag, Marker and Marker Plus are inseparable from the paper-like experience. Exceptionally precise tools, down to the smallest details.
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Last updated on Feb 07, 2023
The 22 Best Writing Tools of 2023: 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.
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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.
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.
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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!)
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.
9. 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.”
10. 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.
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11. 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.
12. 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.
13. 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.
15. 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 .)
How to Write a Novel
Bestselling novelist Ben Galley will guide you from page 1 to the finish line.
16. 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.
17. 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 a bad thing 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.
18. Grammarly
Cost: Free Have you ever sent an email, only to realize just as you hit “Send” that you’d made a glaring typo? 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.)
19. 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 20% 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.
20. 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 .
21. 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.
22. 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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21 of the Best Writing Tools for 2023
Last Updated On : December 14, 2022
The best writing software programs — why do you need to know about them?
To find out the answer to this question, read on…
Humans have been writing from the time when the earth’s crust was cooling. Okay, that’s a bit of a stretch, but you get the point, right?
From reed quills to pen and paper to typewriters, our writing tools have evolved a great deal.
Today, we have editing tools that help us articulate our ideas in a clear, engaging tone. They simplify the writing process by helping us with research, ideation, proofreading, and editing.
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Some sophisticated writing tools also offer advanced suggestions (like voice and word choice) that make our writing easier to read and digest. Using them, you can create content that people will love to read and share .
What’s more?
The best writing software programs also allow you to collaborate with other stakeholders. They let you share documents, comment on them, and maintain version histories, making the review cycle simple and short.
And if you deal with marketing content, content writing tools become indispensable. The best writing tools in this genre offer SEO tips and platform-specific guidelines. By digging into tool analytics, content marketers can decide what type of content to create to achieve the desired results.
Impressive, right?
However, selecting the best writing software program is not easy.
With most tools boasting of comparable features and prices, it’s hard to evaluate tools objectively. Plus, not all tools offer free trials in which you can assess their performance. And, how many of us actually read the fine print of return policies?
To help you make an informed decision, we’ve assessed 21 of the best writing tools and programs of 2022 in this post. Along with big-picture feedback on each tool, we’ve covered the features, pros, cons, and pricing in detail. We’ve laid out the good and bad of each tool, no holds barred.
Then, check out our list of 21 best writing tools below.
Table of Contents
What Are the 21 Best Writing Applications You Can’t Do Without?
You might be familiar with a few of these best writing software programs, but you might not know how they stack up against the competition. Since we’ve personally vetted these tools side-by-side, we know what it takes for a writing tool to be the best.
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Disclosure: Please note that a few of the links in this article are actually affiliate links. If you click on them, I will earn a commission, without any extra cost to you. Please know that I have only selected the best writing tools for you, which I personally tested and highly recommend. For more information, please read my affiliate disclosure in my privacy policy.
Let’s take a look at 2021’s best writing platforms for writers/editors.
Best Writing Tool #1: ProWritingAid
If you need a spell checker, editor, and writing mentor in one tool, ProWritingAid should be your pick. While it corrects your writing, it delves deep into your work to draw 20 analytics reports.
With ProWritingAid, you can edit where you write. They have a great desktop writing app and plugins for MS Word, Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Google Docs. If you are writing for work, it also integrates with a wide range of sales and helpdesk apps, including Salesforce, Zendesk, Pipedrive, and more.
But that’s not all. With all of their plans, they offer a free trial and a 14-day money-back guarantee. Don’t be surprised; we did promise to bring you the BEST writing tools.
Key Features:
- No limit on word counts
- Realtime grammar and style suggestions
- Resource library for writers
- 20 analytics reports
- Readability, consistency and overused words suggestions
- In-app videos and quizzes to hone your writing skills
- Contextual thesaurus and Word Explorer feature
- Customizable style guides and dictionaries
- Native integration with MS-Word, Chrome, Google Docs, Scrivener, and more apps.
To learn more about the tool’s features, check out our ProWritingAid review .
ProWritingAid offers three pricing plans — Monthly for $20, Yearly for $79, and Lifetime for $399.
To buy their plagiarism checker, you can opt for the Premium Plus plan worth $24 monthly.
Do you want to try their plans? Here’s your free trial link.
- Helps you go beyond just grammar to improve your writing technique.
- Can be used with most operating systems, including Mac and Windows
- Tons of free resources and training events for subscribers to help build skillsBest value for the money
- Proactive support
- Advanced features at basic prices
- Becomes sluggish when editing large documents
- No mobile keyboard
Usability: Can be hard to master for beginners
Level: Intermediate
Case Study:
On their “Wall of Love” (aka Twitter handle ), we found many positive customer testimonials. One of them stood out:
Award-winning author, A.K. Vagnetti, vouches for ProWritingAid with these words:
“I can't say enough about ProWritingAid! Without it, my editor would pull her hair out. Their editing software just takes my writing to another level.”
If you’re a busy writer/editor always on the move, install ProWritingAid’s writing app free of cost. Want to add their plugin to Chrome? Here’s a free link for you.
Image via ProWritingAid
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Best Writing Tool #2: Grammarly
No list of best writing tools would be complete without Grammarly on it.
Although many Grammarly alternatives have popped up, nothing beats the original when it comes to editing.
Grammarly can check your documents for wordiness, readability, and plagiarism (the Premium version only). Their recently-launched Beta version is compatible with Google Docs and shows phrasal predictions. Grammarly also scores your work against comparable pieces in your genre.
Grammarly suggests better word choices and flags spelling mistakes as you are writing. You can check synonyms and definitions of specific words by double-clicking on them. All of these features can enhance your writing in a big way.
- Automated grammar checker
- Grammarly keyboard to error-proof your emails and social captions
- Plagiarism detection
- Readability scoring
- MS-Office plugin
- Free browser extension
Grammarly offers a free version with limited features, such as checking for conciseness and spelling errors. If you need more thorough proofing, you can buy their Premium plan for $29.95 monthly. If you pay upfront for a year, the monthly price comes down to $11.66.
- Great mobile keyboard
- Fast online editor
- Premium features
- Extensive learning resources on their blog
- Pricey plans
- No support for offline editing
Usability: Grammarly can be used by anyone, from students to novelists to academic writers.
According to Grammarly’s user survey, 76% of the customers who bought their Premium edition have started enjoying writing and 99% have reported better grades.
To take full advantage of Grammarly’s prowess, choose their Premium plan . You get insights into how your writing compares to similar works by other Grammarly users.
Image via Grammarly
Best Writing Tool #3: Microsoft Word
The next best writing tool on our round-up is a word-processing veteran, Microsoft Word.
You can probably use Microsoft Word even with your eyes closed, but did you know that it can translate your document into non-native languages or publish newsletters on the web? These are just some of its standout features. Let’s take a look at the rest of them.
- Easy web publishing
- One-click translation
- 3D models and SmartArt
- Allows embedding external objects
- Can read your doc back to you to help spot errors and aid reading comprehension
- Review mode to help editors
- Desktop app
If you need Microsoft Word for personal use, you can buy the MS-Office 365 pack for $9.99 monthly or $99 yearly. It can accommodate up to 6 users on Mac or PC.
- Powerful formatting options
- Slick templates for brochures, invitations, and more
- Print and publish capabilities
- Compatible with most platforms
- Robust support by means of tutorial videos, in-app FAQs, and blog
- If you open older documents in it, version mismatch can skew the formatting
- No phrasal auto-fill
- Poor watermarking
Usability: It’s easy to get started with the tool since its interface is self-explanatory.
Keep checking out their website to learn about the newest features and updates.
Image via Microsoft Office
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Best Writing Tool #4: Google Docs
Just like Microsoft Word, Google Docs is one of the best writing tools out there. The word processor comes bundled with Google Sheets and Google Slides in G Suite by Google.
This cloud-based editor lets you access and edit your documents anytime, anywhere for FREE. If you install the app, you can edit offline on tablets, PCs, and phones. Whether you want to create content for business or for personal use, Google Docs is the best writing tool for you.
- Cloud-based to enable editing on the go
- Hundreds of pre-made templates for resumes, reports, etc.
- Allows collaboration via shareable links, chats, and comments
- Add links, videos, snippets, images, and other rich media
- Intelligent phrasal suggestions (new feature)
- Version histories (sorted date-wise)
- Compatible with Microsoft Word
- Built-in Google Search
- Variety of add-ons, like Lucidchart Diagrams
Cost:
It’s free for personal use. Businesses can opt for a 14-day free trial, following which they will have to create a G Suite business account. Pricing details are available on request.
- Collaborative features
- Hassle-free content saving
- Free of cost for individuals
- 24/7 support
- Native integration with Google Search and Microsoft Word
- Easy document restore
- Free branded Gmail account with G Suite business plan
- Adding and editing images is time-consuming.
- Fewer formatting options compared to Microsoft Word. You have to download add-ons to insert rich media objects.
Usability: The interface can be complicated for beginners.
Level: Expert
DB Corp started using G Suite in 2015. Their CTO, R.D. Bhatnagar, reports better agility and speed in their business processes, thanks to tools like Google Docs. He feels the tool has helped him stay organized and improve his writing habits.
He is very impressed with Google’s support team who helped him use the product with ease and efficiency. According to him, Google Docs is the best writing tool in the free category.
Take advantage of Google Docs keyboard shortcuts to get your editing job done quickly.
Image via Google Docs
Best Writing Tool #5: Hemingway Editor
Another of the best writing tools that we vouch for is Hemingway Editor.
The tool aptly named after renowned author, Ernest Hemingway, is a favorite of book writers and authors globally. Whether you write short-form or long-form content , this editing tool’s got you covered. From social media captions to whitepapers, you can proof all sorts of content using the tool.
It analyzes your content, sentence by sentence, and uses color-coding to indicate its readability. It also highlights voice issues and wordiness. Over time, it sharpens your writing skills.
- Flags unnecessary adverbs
- Provides simpler phrasal alternatives
- Indicates readability level and reading time
- Allows link addition
- Supports many export formats
- Direct content publication
The online editor is completely free. The desktop app is available for a one-time payment of $19.99, for both Mac and Windows. At this price, you are entitled to all of their future updates.
- Real-time online editor
- Direct publishing to WordPress and Medium (only via app)
- Advanced readability analysis
- More affordable than peers
- No browser plugin
- Not as full-featured as ProWritingAid and Grammarly
- No cloud backup
Usability: You can use it online and offline, for writing as well as editing. Overall, it’s best used for composing social content since it focuses on readability and conciseness.
Keep an eye on the Hemingway Summary on the right-hand side. It shows your content’s reading time. This is helpful for people who publish on sites like Medium, which offer reading time information to readers.
Image via Hemingway Editor
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Best Writing Tool #6: SmartEdit
If you’re a novelist, one of the best writing tools for you is SmartEdit.
Using the drag-and-drop editor, you can move your novel scenes around. You can attach research notes, links, and images to scenes, and keep track of your daily word count.
Regular writers can use their nifty Microsoft Word plugin to polish their writing. Professional writers can use the Pro version that works on all web browsers with Windows 7, 8.1, or 10.
- 25+ language checks
- Highlights phrase overuse
- Sentence structure analysis
- Flags cliches and “crutch words”
- Identifies punctuation issues
- Automatic backup (in app version)
The online editor is free forever. The Word plugin and Pro edition cost $77 and $139 for lifetime use. They also offer a 10-day free trial of the plugin.
- No restriction on word limit
- Free online editor
- Robust spell-checking capability
- Intuitive interface
- No suggestions for vocabulary or sentence structure
- No auto-correct
- Mainly suited for manuscript editing
Usability: You can use it on PCs, phones, or tablets, with or without Microsoft Word and internet connectivity.
Level: Beginner
WordPress user, Ashley Parker Owens, finds SmartEdit’s monitored word list to be a useful feature. It identifies overused phrases and redundancy. Using the tool, she has been able to streamline her content to a great degree.
Image via SmartEdit
Best Writing Tool #7: WriteMonkey
For distraction-free writing and editing, WriteMonkey or WM is the best writing tool.
One of the oldest style editors in the market, WM is famous for the minimalist work environment it provides. That’s why it’s an essential productivity tool for writing professionals.
Although it has some publication and organizational features, it’s primarily meant for editing. So, if you’re old-school and prefer to avoid gimmicky features, WM should be your pick.
- Plain text editor
- Markdown enabled
- Converts text to HTML directly
- Auto saves files every 10 seconds
- Replicates the typewriter experience
WM 2 is free to download, but works only with Windows. The latest edition, WM 3, works with most OS and can be installed with a WM donor key.
- Clean interface
- Keyboard friendly with plenty of shortcuts
- Extremely lightweight
- Portable (can be stored in a pen drive)
- 100% customizable interface
- No user manual
- Few publication features
Usability: WM 3 can be used with Windows, Linux, and OSX devices.
User Sunny Lee calls WriteMonkey one of the best writing tools when it comes to novel writing. It has helped him to come up with new ideas for writing stories. This way, he is able to overcome the proverbial writer’s block and utilize his writing time fully. He also loves the platform’s frequent upgrades and clutter-free interface.
To make the most of your writing time, customize the information bar in WM to show only the formatting features you REALLY want to see.
Image via WriteMonkey
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Best Writing Tool #8: Reedsy
For creating publish-ready ebook manuscripts, Reedsy is the best writing tool.
This powerful book editor includes content marketing benefits as well. You can hire professional ghostwriters, cover designers, marketers, editors, and publishers from their talent pool. All resources are personally vetted by the Reedsy team.
But if you prefer to do your own writing/editing, Reedsy is your go-to tool. It also takes the stress out of DIY book publishing.
It produces beautifully typeset books that you can export to e-publishers directly. It edits your manuscripts as you write and generates print-ready PDF and ePub files that can be submitted right away.
- WYSIWYG editor
- Powerful conversion and formatting
- Formatting features pertinent to book writers
- Collaborative editing (coming soon)
- Ready-to-distribute drafts
- Marketplace for professional writers/editors
The book editor is free after you register with your email address (no online editor available).
- Verified writing resources
- Distribution-ready manuscript creation
- Support for top e-publishers like Smashwords
- Easy-to-use interface
- Free webinars with product info
- Mandatory registration before you start editing (though it’s free)
- Limited features for business writers
Usability: Reedsy is a powerful editing tool for digital book writers. It can be used on most devices and OS.
Once your book is ready and self-edited, connect with one of the reviewers in Reedsy’s database. Getting a fresh perspective on your work can improve the final quality.
Image via Reedsy
Best Writing Tool #9: LibreOffice Writer
If you’re a fan of Microsoft Word, you’ll love its free counterpart, LibreOffice Writer. It’s one of the best writing tools for Linux users, but also works seamlessly on Windows and Mac machines.
With many remarkable editing and publishing features, it’s a must-have for professional writers. Like Microsoft Word, it comes bundled with a calculator, spreadsheet, and presentation tools.
From a simple memo to a full-length book, you can write and edit almost anything on the platform. It can spot typos and spelling errors, apply custom formatting, and beautify your document with a few clicks.
- Auto-correct dictionary
- Mail merge for emails and letters
- Wizards for creating standard formats
- Easy import of .doc, .xls, .pdf, and other file formats
- Support for desktop publishing
- Powerful track change mode
- Open source so you can inspect the backend code
- Data security
- Frequent updates
- Quick bug fixing
- Robust support via community assistance, blog, and FAQs
- Lacks SmartArt
- Sometimes corrupts formatting of imported documents
Usability: It can be used on Windows, Linux, and Apple, thanks to its unicode.
For greater cost savings, use LibreOffice with Linux. You can reduce licensing costs and also get faster processing.
Image via LibreOffice Writer
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Best Writing Tool #10: Mellel
One of the best writing applications for Mac and iPad users is Mellel. From doctoral theses to term papers, this word processor can create them all. It can also help write production-ready scripts and technical whitepapers.
- Multiple page views
- Super-fast processing
- Colored highlighters
- Outline pane
- Auto titles (for style consistency)
- Track changes
- Easy indexing
- Story View for fiction writers
Mellel for MacOS costs $49 for two years of free updates, valid for up to 5 users. The iOS version can be downloaded for free from the Apple Store. They also offer a 30-day free trial.
- Flexible page setup
- Easy section creation
- Easier to use than most Mac editors
- Strict document hierarchy
- Not free like its alternatives
Usability: Mellel is not meant for Windows users or non-serious writers. It’s a matured word processor, and hence, the hefty price tag.
Use Mellel for typesetting lengthy writing projects. Its Styles and Auto-Titles features can come in handy that time.
Image via Mellel
Best Writing Tool #11: Scrivener
Among literature lovers, Scrivener is a well-known name. For the uninitiated, this book editing tool is not a traditional word processor.
Why, you wonder?
It functions as a ring binder of sorts — a place where you pin your thoughts, characters, plots, and other story elements. But that doesn’t mean that it is a note-taking app. It helps you loosely structure your ideas and move them around until your final draft takes shape.
From ideation to proofing, Scrivener smoothes your book writing routine so you fall in love with writing all over again. That’s why Scrivener deserves to be on our list of the best writing tools.
- Familiar editing options
- Presets for formatting text blocks
- File import in .docx, .txt, .pdf, and other formats
- Deep linking of corkboard and manuscript
- Outliner for easy navigation
The Scrivener standard license for MacOS and Windows costs $49 yearly. You can also opt for their 30-day free trial.
- Separate notes section to organize story ideas
- Easy section rearrangement
- Generous trial period of 30 days
- Tailor made for novelists and fiction writers
- No thesaurus, punctuation checker
- No check for plagiarism
- No style checker
Usability: Scrivener can be used by Windows, Linus, and MacOS users.
Pro Tip:
To view your book layout at a glance, keep the outliner open in the side pane. You can easily shuffle around the chapters and sections as needed.
Image via Scrivener
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Best Writing Tool #12: Evernote
Do you get frustrated when you lose track of your research notes and have to go hunting for them again?
Then, Evernote is the best writing tool for you. Using it, you can pin your ideas, lists, tasks, and reminders to a bulletin board. To add more context to your notes, you can add voice clips, images, and links to them.
With all your notes in one place, you can focus on writing and maximize your productivity.
- Automatic sync of notes across devices
- A Save button for browsers to clip web snippets
- Note-making templates
- Advance search to find text in notes
- Contextual tags
- Document scanning
Evernote offers three pricing plans — Basic (free), Premium ($3 per month), and Business ($6 per month). The Basic plan doesn’t provide team collaboration and integration features. To watch the tool in action, you can try it free of cost, no credit card required.
- Less than required sub-levels in some of their templates
- Basic web-capturing
Usability: It comes with a super-fast app for Android and iOS, with multi-device sync. It’s perfect for individuals as well as teams.
Use Evernote’s Default Notebook extensively. It lets you import emails, web clips, and voice notes on the fly. Also, use their Camera feature to capture visuals when you are out and about.
Image via Evernote
Best Writing Tool #13: Roam Research
Take your notetaking to the next level by using this best writing tool, Roam Research.
“Networked thoughts” is how they describe themselves on the website. Simply put, the tool lets you link your notes.
It also helps you identify notes with the most internal links.
The benefit?
You can interlink your pages better. This is a great SEO technique to keep readers hooked to your website for longer.
- Visual overview of your networked notes
- Bidirectional note linking
- Sidebar to display linked notes
- Easy journaling
Roam Research has two plans — Standard (for $15 monthly) and Believer (for $500 for 5 years). They also offer a 2-week free trial, after which they start billing automatically.
- Easy linking
- Fluid notes hierarchy
- Robust filtering
- Easy navigation between notes
- Fixes duplicate tags
- A bubbling online user community
- Not a fully-shipped product
- Data loss instances
- Loads slowly when you import big documents
- Dodgy customer support
Usability: As of now, Roam is available only as a web app.
Mansi Jain from Stanford has been able to improve her productivity 3x after using Roam. She says that the tool helps delimit her thought process and streamline her research.
Don’t forget to exploit Roam’s tagging feature. Using it, you can discover old notes that are relevant to what you’re currently writing.
Image via Roam Research
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Best Writing Tool #14: Ulysses
The best writing tools offer a clean, focused writing environment. And that’s precisely what Ulysses does. But that’s just one of its many capabilities.
It also offers document management , file synching, and style editing. It’s the perfect accessory for serious writers who work on Mac or iOS.
- Unified library to organize your documents
- Distraction-free interface
- Word counter
- iCloud to sync documents
- Exports text to HTML, DOC, PDF, and other formats
The subscription costs $5.99 monthly or $49.99 yearly. Students can avail special discounted rates. You can try the tool for 14 days (free of cost) before buying it.
- Efficient document management
- Multiple view options
- Trackable writing goals
- Direct publishing on WordPress and Medium
- Doesn’t work on Windows devices
- No prescriptive experience
Usability: You can use Ulysses on Mac and iOS devices.
Best-selling author, David Heusen, enjoys Ulysses’ minimalistic environment as much as its powerful backend. These features allow him to focus on story writing, without being caught up in the tool mechanics.
Leverage the iCloud synchronization that comes with all their plans, and edit on the move.
Image via Ulysses
Best Writing Tool #15: Ceros
Ceros is a cloud-powered platform that transforms static text to animations without coding.
What makes Ceros one of the best writing tools is that it’s backed by an expert team and decades-long experience creating standout digital content. Using immersive visuals, you can provide your website visitors with a memorable user experience .
Content, when presented visually, strikes a chord with 65% of consumers who are visual learners. They retain and recall visual content much better than plain-text. This way, Ceros helps you beat the competition just by serving great content.
- Drag-and-drop editor
- Coding-free web content
- Support for varied media assets, including widgets, fonts, and videos
- Content marketing services
- Rich template library
You can contact their sales team for prices. Meanwhile, you can start their free 30-day pilot program with unlimited access to Ceros features and services.
- Responsive to customer feedback
- Messy CSV file for presenting analytics data
- Hard to create interactive quizzes
Usability: It’s a web-based platform that runs on the cloud.
For inspiration, check out the fun projects in their Inspire gallery.
Image via Ceros
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Best Writing Tool #16: Scripted
Scripted is not a writing tool per se. Yet, it’s on our list of best writing tools owing to its remarkable writing services. You can select pre-vetted writers and editors from the platform’s huge database.
Small businesses may not have the resources and skills to create stellar content on their own. For them, it makes sense to hire external resources, especially if they are affordable. And budget is not an issue when it comes to Scripted. Their resources are lower priced than other writing-service providers.
- Huge talent pool of freelance copywriters
- Experts in every domain
- Analytics to monitor your writers
- Digital-friendly content
- Blog Idea section
Their self-serve Basic plan is worth $199 monthly. At this price, you get access to writers, blog ideas, 2 rounds of revision, and $199 in monthly content credits.
- Monthly content credits with the Basic plan
- Quick turnarounds guaranteed
- Sluggish customer service
Usability: Anybody who's serious about content can hire Scripted writers. If you’re a writer interested in picking up freelance gigs, Scripted can be a good place to start.
Ted Chan of CareDash, a health and nutrition brand, found their idea content partner in Scripted. For years, the platform has been providing them with quality writers at affordable rates. Using their resultful content, CareDash has been able to establish their brand as a go-to resource for health enthusiasts.
Be sure to include any specific content requirements you might have in your content order. If you need certified editors or “urgent” content, let the Scripted team know so that they can match you with your best fit.
Image via Scripted
Best Writing Tool #17: Draftin
If you want a simpler version of Google Docs, Draftin or Draft is the best writing tool for you. It has the same version control, collaboration, and cloud sync as G-Docs, but with an easier interface. Plus, we love their email reminders about daily word count goals — helps keep writers focused and productive.
- Hemingway mode to boost content readability
- Version search
- Webhooks to publish content directly on WordPress, Tumblr, and more
- Easy document import from Evernote, Dropbox, and Google Drive
- Chrome extension
- Audio/video transcription tools
- Easy-to-import to-do lists (Markdown Todos)
Prices are available on request. Draftin offers a 30-day money back guarantee.
- Easy to use
- Minimalistic interface
- GitHub-style to-do lists that don’t corrupt when you migrate your system
- Dodgy quality of exported documents
Usability: If you love Google Docs, you will love Draftin even more. However, for publishing ebooks, it’s advisable to use more advanced publishing tools like Calibre.
To edit on the go, be sure to install their Chrome extension.
Image via Draftin
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Best Writing Tool #18: Ommwriter
If you find the click-clack of typewriters soothing, Ommwriter is meant for you. It lets you create the ideal writing environment by selecting background music and typefaces. The sparse interface keeps distractions at bay so nothing comes between you and your writing.
That’s what a best writing tool looks like, right?
- Full-screen writing mode
- Natural backgrounds
- Calming audio tracks
- Direct export to .pdf and email
- Free experience test
Ommwriter comes with no set price. Crowdsourced by the Ommwriter community, the tool is available at flexible rates, which should be around $8.44 (for single users).
- Flexible pricing
- Slashed-down rates for social projects
- Simplistic interface
- Restricted options to play with images and text
Usability: Any writer who wants to discover their zen can use Ommwriter. It’s available on Mac and PCs.
If you need Ommwriter to create content for nonprofits, write to [email protected] for discounted rates.
Image via Ommwriter
Best Writing Tool #19: Ginger Software
Another one of the best writing tools you need to know is Ginger Software.
This grammar editor follows you around and corrects your errors as you type. Whether you’re writing a business email or a Facebook comment, Ginger keeps working in the background and error proofs your content.
- Advanced spellchecker
- Sentence rephraser
- Contextual synonyms
- Translation to 50+ languages
- Text reader
- Personal language trainer
Ginger Software offers three plans, all with a 7-day 100% refund policy. The Monthly plan costs $20.97 per month, the Annual plan costs $7.49 per month (if billed annually), and the Two-Year plan costs $6.66 per month. There’s a special 30% promotional discount on all plans.
- Excellent read-back feature
- Works with most browsers, including Safari, Mozilla, and IE
- Helps with paraphrasing
- Sometimes bogs down other computer applications
- Doesn’t work with Google Docs
Usability: It works well with Microsoft Office, Android, iOS, and Safari.
Sandra Grant, who suffers from dyslexia, loves Ginger’s text reader. Since she has trouble with writing, the readback feature helped her immensely.
To brush up your grammar and vocabulary, check out their tutorials and online drill sessions.
Image via Ginger Software
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Best Writing Tool #20: Slick Write
Slick Write is an online grammar and spelling checker, with extensions for Chrome and Firefox. You don’t need to install any software to use the tool. Simply paste your content into the tool and check for stylistic errors. It also offers an interactive demo for first timers.
What makes it eligible for this list of best writing tools? It’s completely free although you can tip them through PayPal if you want.
- Very easy to use
- Associator for phrasal alternatives and synonyms
- Customizable feedback
- Auto saves documents to browser local storage
- Free application
- Lightning fast
- No software installation
- Interface is not sophisticated
Usability: It can be used on Windows machines.
In your spare time, play their word association game to broaden your vocabulary.
Image via Slick Write
Best Writing Tool #21: WordRake
Our best writing tool countdown comes to an end with WordRake.
The professional-grade editing platform can be used with Microsoft Outlook and Word. The key focus areas of the tool are brevity and clarity. It also provides contextual suggestions and detailed feedback on each error in your text.
- Minimizes jargon and legalese
- Flags wordy sentences
- Reduces nominalization and redundancy
- Changes tone from conversational to professional
- Instant results
WordRake costs $129 annually for Microsoft Word only, and $199 for Microsoft Word and Outlook. For more than 20 users, you can opt for the Enterprise plan, which comes with a 30-day refund policy. The other plans can be tried for 7 days, free of cost.
- Excellent for editing legal briefs
- Sophisticated features
- No live chat support
- Not cloud-powered
Usability: You can install WordRake on Windows and Mac devices.
Go through the writing tips by WordRake Founder, Gary Kinder. He offers a wealth of information about legal writing, punctuation, and sentence structure.
Image via WordRake
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Q1. What are writing tools?
A. Writing tools are software programs that help writers create, edit, and publish content with ease. The features of tools in this category differ widely.
Basic word processors help you write and format content, along with limited spell checks and word choice suggestions.
More sophisticated tools check content for readability, conciseness, and reading level. Book authoring tools possess different capabilities, including typesetting and ideation assistance.
Q2. What is the best writing tool?
A. Some of the best writing tools today are:
- ProWritingAid
- Microsoft Word
- Google Docs
- Hemingway Editor
- WriteMonkey
Q3. What tools do you use to organize your writing?
A. To organize my writing, I use these tools:
- ProWritingAid : To proofread my work
- Google Docs : For collaborative writing and editing
- Hemingway Editor : To check the readability and scannability of content
- SmartEdit : To flag cliches
- WriteMonkey : For distraction-free writing
- Reedsy : To create publish-ready manuscripts
- Draftin : To achieve word count goals
Q4. What are good writing strategies?
A. Some proven writing strategies used by seasoned writers are:
- Create an outline to plan your content well and stay on track.
- While conducting research, pin your talking points on paper or sticky notes.
- Always proofread your work manually or using editing tools.
- Write according to reading level.
Q5. What program(s) do you use to write a letter?
A. The best tool for writing letters is Grammarly. Being a sophisticated word processor and editor, the tool edits as you write. It allows you to select the language, tone, and reading level of your writing. Moreover, you can easily export edited documents to your system or the cloud so that you can write on the move.
Q6. What do professional writers use to write?
A. Professional writers use professional-level writing software programs for proofing, publishing, and organizing their writing. Some of the top tools in this genre are ProWritingAid, Grammarly, Hemingway Editor, Reedsy, and Google Docs.
Q7. Why do I struggle with writing?
A. Some of the reasons why people struggle with writing are:
- They don’t organize their research material.
- They don’t write according to reading level.
- They get distracted.
- They don’t proofread their work.
- They can’t keep up with deadlines and quality standards.
To overcome these issues, you can use writing tools like ProWritingAid (for proofreading), Reedsy (to keep your writing on track), WriteMonkey (to eliminate distractions), and Roam Research (for notetaking).
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Ready to Try These Best Writing Tools?
That’s our roundup of the best writing tools in the market today. Which is best? That depends on your specific needs.
While some of these tools can detect grammar flaws, others can help you stay organized and productive. Together, they are the arsenal every serious writer needs to own. And, since most of these tools offer free trials, there isn’t any harm in trying them out.
Do you want me to review any other tools? Leave your requests in the comments below. I would love to share my opinions.
Shane Barker is a digital marketing consultant who specializes in influencer marketing, product launches, sales funnels, targeted traffic, and website conversions. He has consulted with Fortune 500 companies, influencers with digital products, and a number of A-List celebrities.
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Thanks for sharing these all writing tools! Some of these I have already use but will definitely test some of the tools soon.
Hi Lynn, thank you so much! You should definitely try these and let me know which one works for you.
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51+ Best Writing Tools That No Writer Should Miss (2022)
Looking for the best writing tools?
You’re at the right place!
We become what we behold. We shape our tools and then our tools shape us. Marshall McLuhan
As a blogger (and a former freelance writer), I am fortunate enough to get to try my hands on a plethora of writing tools & apps.
Here are 51 of the best writing tools from my writer’s arsenal that will help you with content research, creation, editing (& proofreading) & improving the overall quality & quantity of your writing.
I’ve categorized all the tools based on their functionality and the stage of writing they’re used in.
Let’s start!
Table of contents ( click to scroll to a section you like)
- Best writing apps
- Best plagiarism checkers (free & paid)
- Best comma (& punctuation checker tools)
- Best grammar checker tools
- Best proofreader tools
- AI content writing tools
Best Writing Apps for Writers & Bloggers
One of the best things to happen in this digital era is the ability to craft content on the go. Be it your mobile device, a tablet or an iPad, you can literally publish blog posts, update social media or write articles & even books.
Today, most of our favorite writing tools have their own app versions to let you do so. Click the button below to explore some of the hand-picked apps.
Best Plagiarism Checkers (Free & Paid)
Whether you write or outsource content, plagiarism checkers help you to make sure it doesn’t have intentional or unintentional plagiarism.
In this list, we reviewed & rated the tools to detect duplicate content.
Best Comma & Punctuation Checker Tools
Punctuation is as important as the idea of writing. Yet, error-free grammar is not always possible.
That’s when tools like Grammarly, or ProWritingAid come in handy. They help you check spelling mistakes, tone of writing, to name a few, and improve your writing skills.
Best Grammar Checker Tools
Whether you’re a professional writer, a blogger, or a student, grammar mistakes can ruin the impression of your copy. These days, there are a plethora of AI writing assistants and we tested them all so that you don’t have to.
Check out the best grammar checker tools categorized based on pricing, device support & our reviews
Best Proofreader Tools & Software
Crafting content at a pace comes with a cost. You need to proofread them to make sure they are rid of grammar & punctuation errors. Not to mention the cost that comes with human proofreading services.
That’s when you need to invest in an editing & proofreading tool that highlights your writing mistakes, suggests corrections & educates you with the correct writing rules. Check these out!
Best AI Writers or Content Generators
If you want to scale your content creation, you should leverage AI content writing tools to create unique content that converts. Be it essays, blog posts, sales copy, scripts or newsletters, AI tools like Jarvis, ClosersCopy can help you do that with just a click!
Check out the best AI content generator tools in the market right now.
I hope you found our collection of the best writing tools & resources useful.
Each collection above has detailed reviews of the tools with information like who should use them, how to use them to their max potential and improve your overall content quality.
What are your most favorite writing tools from the above?
1. What are writing tools ?
Writing tools are devices that help you write or put your ideas in written form. Examples of writing tools include traditional tools like pen & paper and digital tools like tablets, email tools & software like Grammarly, scrivener, thesaurus, hemingway app etc.
2. What writing tools work best for you ?
As a freelance writer & blogger, writing tools like WordPress (my blogging platform), grammarly (helps correct grammar and writing style), jarvis (helps me generate content with the help of AI) and notion (to curate ideas & organize them) work the best for me.
3. What tools do writers use?
Writers use tools like Grammarly, Scrivener, Google docs, MS Word, Jarvis etc to help them write high quality content. Other than that, devices like a good laptop or iPad can help them write irrespective of location.
4. What are some key tools of writing and research?
Some of the key tools for effective writing & research include Google docs (to write distraction free), Scrivener (to write blogs & books), Quora (to research what real people are talking about your topic), keyword research tools and AI writers to generate content artificially.
5. What are some writing tools for zoom?
Zoom has a lot of in built writing tools like a whiteboard, annotation features etc. But, you can feel free to jot down notes using the good ol’ pen and paper of a note taking app like Google docs or Notion or Evernote.
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Hi, I'm Swadhin Agrawal, founder, and editor-in-chief of DigitalGYD . DigitalGYD is a multiple-times award-winning blog where we aim at helping bloggers start, grow, and scale their blogs into profitable businesses .
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The impact of digital tools on student writing and how writing is taught in schools.
A survey of 2,462 Advanced Placement (AP) and National Writing Project (NWP) teachers finds that digital technologies are shaping student writing in myriad ways and have also become helpful tools for teaching writing to middle and high school students. These teachers see the internet and digital technologies such as social networking sites, cell phones and texting, generally facilitating teens’ personal expression and creativity, broadening the audience for their written material, and encouraging teens to write more often in more formats than may have been the case in prior generations. At the same time, they describe the unique challenges of teaching writing in the digital age, including the “creep” of informal style into formal writing assignments and the need to better educate students about issues such as plagiarism and fair use.
The AP and NWP teachers surveyed see today’s digital tools having tangible, beneficial impacts on student writing
Overall, these AP and NWP teachers see digital technologies benefitting student writing in several ways:
- 96% agree (including 52% who strongly agree) that digital technologies “allow students to share their work with a wider and more varied audience”
- 79% agree (23% strongly agree) that these tools “encourage greater collaboration among students”
- 78% agree (26% strongly agree) that digital technologies “encourage student creativity and personal expression”
The combined effect of these impacts, according to this group of AP and NWP teachers, is a greater investment among students in what they write and greater engagement in the writing process.
At the same time, they worry that students’ use of digital tools is having some undesirable effects on their writing, including the “creep” of informal language and style into formal writing
In focus groups, these AP and NWP teachers shared some concerns and challenges they face teaching writing in today’s digital environment. Among them are:
- an increasingly ambiguous line between “formal” and “informal” writing and the tendency of some students to use informal language and style in formal writing assignments
- the increasing need to educate students about writing for different audiences using different “voices” and “registers”
- the general cultural emphasis on truncated forms of expression, which some feel are hindering students willingness and ability to write longer texts and to think critically about complicated topics
- disparate access to and skill with digital tools among their students
- challenging the “digital tool as toy” approach many students develop in their introduction to digital tools as young children
Survey results reflect many of these concerns, though teachers are sometimes divided on the role digital tools play in these trends. Specifically:
- 68% say that digital tools make students more likely—as opposed to less likely or having no impact—to take shortcuts and not put effort into their writing
- 46% say these tools make students more likely to “write too fast and be careless”
- Yet, while 40% say today’s digital technologies make students more likely to “use poor spelling and grammar” another 38% say they make students LESS likely to do this
Overall, these AP and NWP teachers give their students’ writing skills modest marks, and see areas that need attention
Asked to assess their students’ performance on nine specific writing skills, AP and NWP tended to rate their students “good” or “fair” as opposed to “excellent” or “very good.” Students were given the best ratings on their ability to “effectively organize and structure writing assignments” with 24% of teachers describing their students as “excellent” or “very good” in this area. Students received similar ratings on their ability to “understand and consider multiple viewpoints on a particular topic or issue.” But ratings were less positive for synthesizing material into a cohesive piece of work, using appropriate tone and style, and constructing a strong argument.
These AP and NWP teachers gave students the lowest ratings when it comes to “navigating issues of fair use and copyright in composition” and “reading and digesting long or complicated texts.” On both measures, more than two-thirds of these teachers rated students “fair” or “poor.”
Majorities of these teachers incorporate lessons about fair use, copyright, plagiarism, and citation in their teaching to address students’ deficiencies in these areas
In addition to giving students low ratings on their understanding of fair use and copyright, a majority of AP and NWP teachers also say students are not performing well when it comes to “appropriately citing and/or referencing content” in their work. This is fairly common concern among the teachers in the study, who note how easy it is for students today to copy and paste others’ work into their own and how difficult it often is to determine the actual source of much of the content they find online. Reflecting how critical these teachers view these skills:
- 88% (across all subjects) spend class time “discussing with students the concepts of citation and plagiarism”
- 75% (across all subjects) spend class time “discussing with students the concepts of fair use and copyright”
A plurality of AP and NWP teachers across all subjects say digital tools make teaching writing easier
Despite some challenges, 50% of these teachers (across all subjects) say the internet and digital tools make it easier for them to teach writing, while just 18% say digital technologies make teaching writing more difficult. The remaining 31% see no real impact.
Positive perceptions of the potential for digital tools to aid educators in teaching writing are reflected in practice:
- 52% of AP and NWP teachers say they or their students use interactive whiteboards in their classes
- 40% have students share their work on wikis, websites or blogs
- 36% have students edit or revise their own work and 29% have students edit others’ work using collaborative web-based tools such as GoogleDocs
In focus groups, teachers gave a multitude of examples of the value of these collaborative tools, not only in teaching more technical aspects of writing but also in being able to “see their students thinking” and work alongside students in the writing process. Moreover, 56% say digital tools make their students more likely to write well because they can revise their work easily.
These middle and high school teachers continue to place tremendous value on “formal writing”
While they see writing forms and styles expanding in the digital world, AP and NWP teachers continue to place tremendous value on “formal writing” and try to use digital tools to impart fundamental writing skills they feel students need. Nine in ten (92%) describe formal writing assignments as an ��essential” part of the learning process, and 91% say that “writing effectively” is an “essential” skill students need for future success.
More than half (58%) have students write short essays or responses on a weekly basis, and 77% assigned at least one research paper during the 2011-2012 academic year. In addition, 41% of AP and NWP teachers have students write weekly journal entries, and 78% had their students create a multimedia or mixed media piece in the academic year prior to the survey.
Almost all AP and NWP teachers surveyed (94%) encourage students to do some of their writing by hand
Alongside the use of digital tools to promote better writing, almost all AP and NWP teachers surveyed say they encourage their students to do at least some writing by hand. Their reasons are varied, but many teachers noted that because students are required to write by hand on standardized tests, it is a critical skill for them to have. This is particularly true for AP teachers, who must prepare students to take AP exams with pencil and paper. Other teachers say they feel students do more active thinking, synthesizing, and editing when writing by hand, and writing by hand discourages any temptation to copy and paste others’ work.
About this Study
The basics of the survey.
These are among the main findings of an online survey of a non-probability sample of 2,462 middle and high school teachers currently teaching in the U.S., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, conducted between March 7 and April 23, 2012. Some 1,750 of the teachers are drawn from a sample of advanced placement (AP) high school teachers, while the remaining 712 are from a sample of National Writing Project teachers. Survey findings are complemented by insights from a series of online and in-person focus groups with middle and high school teachers and students in grades 9-12, conducted between November, 2011 and February, 2012.
This particular sample is quite diverse geographically, by subject matter taught, and by school size and community characteristics. But it skews towards educators who teach some of the most academically successful students in the country. Thus, the findings reported here reflect the realities of their special place in American education, and are not necessarily representative of all teachers in all schools. At the same time, these findings are especially powerful given that these teachers’ observations and judgments emerge from some of the nation’s most advanced classrooms.
In addition to the survey, Pew Internet conducted a series of online and offline focus groups with middle and high school teachers and some of their students and their voices are included in this report.
The study was designed to explore teachers’ views of the ways today’s digital environment is shaping the research and writing habits of middle and high school students, as well as teachers’ own technology use and their efforts to incorporate new digital tools into their classrooms.
About the data collection
Data collection was conducted in two phases. In phase one, Pew Internet conducted two online and one in-person focus group with middle and high school teachers; focus group participants included Advanced Placement (AP) teachers, teachers who had participated in the National Writing Project’s Summer Institute (NWP), as well as teachers at a College Board school in the Northeast U.S. Two in-person focus groups were also conducted with students in grades 9-12 from the same College Board school. The goal of these discussions was to hear teachers and students talk about, in their own words, the different ways they feel digital technologies such as the internet, search engines, social media, and cell phones are shaping students’ research and writing habits and skills. Teachers were asked to speak in depth about teaching research and writing to middle and high school students today, the challenges they encounter, and how they incorporate digital technologies into their classrooms and assignments.
Focus group discussions were instrumental in developing a 30-minute online survey, which was administered in phase two of the research to a national sample of middle and high school teachers. The survey results reported here are based on a non-probability sample of 2,462 middle and high school teachers currently teaching in the U.S., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Of these 2,462 teachers, 2,067 completed the entire survey; all percentages reported are based on those answering each question. The sample is not a probability sample of all teachers because it was not practical to assemble a sampling frame of this population. Instead, two large lists of teachers were assembled: one included 42,879 AP teachers who had agreed to allow the College Board to contact them (about one-third of all AP teachers), while the other was a list of 5,869 teachers who participated in the National Writing Project’s Summer Institute during 2007-2011 and who were not already part of the AP sample. A stratified random sample of 16,721 AP teachers was drawn from the AP teacher list, based on subject taught, state, and grade level, while all members of the NWP list were included in the final sample.
The online survey was conducted from March 7–April 23, 2012. More details on how the survey and focus groups were conducted are included in the Methodology section at the end of this report, along with focus group discussion guides and the survey instrument.
Moreover, the majority of teachers participating in the survey (56%) currently teach AP, honors, and/or accelerated courses, thus the population of middle and high school students they work with skews heavily toward the highest achievers. These teachers and their students may have resources and support available to them—particularly in terms of specialized training and access to digital tools—that are not available in all educational settings. Thus, the population of teachers participating in this research might best be considered “leading edge teachers” who are actively involved with the College Board and/or the National Writing Project and are therefore beneficiaries of resources and training not common to all teachers. It is likely that teachers in this study are developing some of the more innovative pedagogical approaches to teaching research and writing in today’s digital environment, and are incorporating classroom technology in ways that are not typical of the entire population of middle and high school teachers in the U.S. Survey findings represent the attitudes and behaviors of this particular group of teachers only, and are not representative of the entire population of U.S. middle and high school teachers.
Every effort was made to administer the survey to as broad a group of educators as possible from the sample files being used. As a group, the 2,462 teachers participating in the survey comprise a wide range of subject areas, experience levels, geographic regions, school type and socioeconomic level, and community type (detailed sample characteristics are available in the Methods section of this report). The sample includes teachers from all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. All teachers who participated in the survey teach in physical schools and classrooms, as opposed to teaching online or virtual courses.
English/language arts teachers make up a significant portion of the sample (36%), reflecting the intentional design of the study, but history, social science, math, science, foreign language, art, and music teachers are also represented. About one in ten teachers participating in the survey are middle school teachers, while 91% currently teach grades 9-12. There is wide distribution across school size and students’ socioeconomic status, though half of the teachers participating in the survey report teaching in a small city or suburb. There is also a wide distribution in the age and experience levels of participating teachers. The survey sample is 71% female.
About the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project
The Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project is one of seven projects that make up the Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan, nonprofit “fact tank” that provides information on the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world. The Project produces reports exploring the impact of the internet on families, communities, work and home, daily life, education, health care, and civic and political life. The Pew Internet Project takes no positions on policy issues related to the internet or other communications technologies. It does not endorse technologies, industry sectors, companies, nonprofit organizations, or individuals. While we thank our research partners for their helpful guidance, the Pew Internet Project had full control over the design, implementation, analysis and writing of this survey and report.
About the National Writing Project
The National Writing Project (NWP) is a nationwide network of educators working together to improve the teaching of writing in the nation’s schools and in other settings. NWP provides high-quality professional development programs to teachers in a variety of disciplines and at all levels, from early childhood through university. Through its nearly 200 university-based sites serving all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, NWP develops the leadership, programs and research needed for teachers to help students become successful writers and learners. For more information, visit www.nwp.org .
- More specific information on this population of teachers, the training they receive, and the outcomes of their students are available at the National Writing Project website at www.nwp.org . ↩
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About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts .
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Digital Tools for Research and Writing
Writing is a challenge. This comes as no surprise to anyone trying to write any sort of lengthy piece of work. Keeping track of the different sections, research and flow of a document in any kind of academic writing can be especially daunting.
There are many tools for writing beyond the basic word processing program that you may find useful in your research and writing process. Some of these are available for free and others may have a fee attached. We have collected a number of different tools here that may be of use in different stages of the writing process.
Managing your research process
During the research process you will likely amass a large number of documents from lecture notes, books, articles and other documents. Depending on your type of project you may be able to keep these materials organized in your own way, but there are digital tools that can help you. Some citation manager, such as Zotero, offer a certain amount of storage and organization for these types of files, but a number of other options are out there that offer different capabilities.
Tropy is a free image management program created by the Center for History and New Media at George Mason University. It is specifically aimed at researchers offering a great deal of flexibility in keeping track of archival materials. If you are someone who amasses archival material, Tropy is an amazing tool.
Tropy works by creating an easily searchable database of your images. You are able to add metadata of your choice to your images. A number of templates exist or you can use your own. You can group images, annotate images and attach notes, such as transcriptions, to a particular image. The Tropy image viewer allows you to zoom in making it a useful tool for working with the material. There are different export objects as well.
- A helpful Tropy introduction video
- Tropy has an excellent step-by-step guide for setting up a project
One of Trello’s added benefits is the ability to work as a team. Team members can share a board with individual users assigned to particular task cards.
Trello is a platform that syncs across devices. It allows you to create boards featuring multiple customizable lists. It can be used as a simple to do list, but it can also be useful in organizing materials. The interface is very straightforward. Under each list you create what is essentially an index card for a task or item. You can tag that card with various information including additional task breakdowns and comments.
One of Trello’s added benefits is the ability to work as a team. Team members can share a board with individual users assigned to particular task cards.
Trello comes in both a free and subscription version. With the subscription version you get further flexibility with templates
Trello offers a number of resources for thinking about using the platform for academics and researchers.
- Using Trello for group research
- Using Trello for working with your advisor
Writing Softwares
Scrivener is one of the best known alternatives to traditional word processing software. It is inexpensive writing software that can help your writing process become more efficient. Produced by Literature and Latte, the program allows you to write in sections that can be rearranged in easier ways then endless scrolling and cut and paste. Other super useful functions include multiple split-screen views whether of different parts of your own paper or your research documents. Scrivener is like having a digital binder; you can also keep track of your research documents and notes (including photos and audio) and access them within your writing program. Scrivener also syncs across multiple devices.
There are useful functions including the ability to set a word count goal for individual sections, an option to look at all particular parts of speech, the ability to write in a mode without any desktop notifications or toolbar distractions, and a navigation pane on the side. Everyone’s writing process is different – for some people an outline comes first and for others it grows naturally. Scrivener is specifically designed to allow you to see the structure of your paper as you write which is invaluable to academic writing.
By far one of the most useful options is the corkboard view. This view shows each section or subsection of your paper as the equivalent of a digital index card. You can add a brief description of the content in that section which helps to visualize the overall paper. You can then rearrange the sections as you need to without any of the copying and pasting and hoping that you got the right section and didn’t accidentally lose a piece that can happen in Microsoft Word. For me, this especially helpful as someone who doesn’t write in a linear fashion. If you have an idea but aren’t sure yet where it fits, you create a section and can worry about putting it in the right place later.
Literature and Lattes overview of Scrivener:
Additional Resources:
- A useful video guide for setting up a dissertation project
- The Thesis Whisperer on using Scrivener for research projects
- A review of the pros and cons of using Scrivener for academic writing
Brainstorming Tools
750Words.com This website is as simple as it sounds. It challenges you to write at least 750 words a day, offering you digital badges for continued accomplishment of a goal. It’s a great opportunity to simply write out initial ideas or thoughts on readings while building a regular writing habit. You can easily search past entries and export entries.
While it is an online platform, your particular entries are private. It does offer some extra useful features. The site tracks your writing patterns including the time it takes you and frequently used words as well as some other stats of varying usefulness. If you are someone who needs some accountability both the sites reward system and ability to participate in challenges and follow other individuals can be very helpful.
Scapple comes from the same makers as Scrivener. It is a kind of mind mapping tool and works as a digital blank page allowing you to sketch out ideas and make connections between them using arrows and lines. There are multiple ways for grouping ideas and the program allows you to color code, combine thoughts and connect them in different ways and drag things around the screen as needed. You are also able to export your notes directly into Scrivener or in other formats.
- Scapple introduction video
- A helpful blog post on using Scapple
- Terms of Service
- Creative Commons (CC) license unless otherwise noted
20 Digital Tools for Classroom for Innovative Teachers & Students
Digital tools for making infographics, presentations, videos, animations, as well as tools for assessments, quizzes, and more.
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By Iveta Pavlova
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Updated April 21, 2022
In the world we live in, technology is literally everywhere and the kids adapt to it more than anyone else. Unlike teachers, students are being raised in a digital world. It is absolutely natural for students of all ages to use technology in every aspect of their lives. This is why digital tools in classroom are becoming more and more crucial. Traditional methods for teaching are already going through a transformation to adapt to the needs of 21st-century students and to enhance the professional practice of teachers. The digital future is literally happening now.
Using technology for education provokes students’ curiosity, boosts their engagement, and leads to better learning and comprehension. These factors are a priority for every effective teacher and today they can be easily achieved by using digital tools in classroom. We’ve selected 20 innovative digital tools for classroom which foster responsibility, relationships, and respect, and can be used by educators and students.
Do you want to check out The Best Online Learning Platforms in 2022 ?
Article overview:
- suitable for students of all ages
- suitable for teachers
Prezi is a digital software for creating interactive presentations. According to their research, the innovative way Prezi helps you make presentations – by zooming, leads to more effective, more persuasive, more effective, and more engaging presentations than presentations made with PowerPoint. If you are still unaware of what you can do with the software, we strongly recommend that you check it out and present it to your students. Who knows, maybe this would be one of the digital tools for classroom that would help you keep the attention of the kids.
Here is a useful tutorial that will help you get the hang of the software:
2. Haiku Deck
- suitable for students and teachers
A digital tool with whose help you can easily make presentations on your iPad, iPhone, and the web. The tool works online and offers a huge database of stock photos with which you can create image-based slides. Haiku Deck makes it easy to create presentations on the go and literally carry them in your pocket. Haiku Deck can be also integrated into Google Classroom which has been very popular lately. See a quick video of how Haiku Deck makes presentations fun and easy:
- for students primarily between 8 and 16 years old
Although mainly purposed for students, Scratch can be used by people of all ages. This digital tool lets students create engaging projects like games, animations, interactive art, stories and more. If your students have an interest in making programs, Scratch is definitely one of the digital tools for classroom you have to introduce them to. This program would give the little ones a brilliant start to make them think in an innovative and creative way. If you wonder how to help them start, here is a video tutorial “Make Your First Program” with Scratch:
Video is one of the most engaging mediums of the modern-da society which is why you should definitely incorporate it into your classroom. Animoto is one of the digital tools for classroom that can be used by both teachers and students for educational purposes. Animoto helps you create animated videos easily. You can create photo slideshows, stitch various videos together, and add text and more images to come up with a truly engaging video in the end. Check out this video tutorial before starting your first Animoto video:
Why make students write a story when they can draw it for a change? Digital tools for classroom like Pixton boost the children’s visual thinking and creativity while it engages them to the fullest. This tool allows little and big students to make comics and storyboards. This activity can be both educational and fun. If you are an educator, you can try Pixton for free before introducing it to your kids. A perfect tool to boost the students’ imagination! See how it works:
6. BoomWriter
7. Explain Everything
- suitable for educators and upper-class students
Explain Everything is all about interaction in a virtual environment. This digital tool allows students and teachers to collaborate on an interactive whiteboard thus encouraging group activities. This software can also be integrated with Schoolwork, Dropbox, Evernote, GDrive, OneDrive, and more useful apps. With the drag-and-drop options, Explain Everything is super easy and intuitive to work with. See how you can get started and how collaboration works via the following video:
You may also be interested in GraphicMama’s Free Coloring Book: 60+ Coloring Pages (Free Printable PDF)
8. Educreations
9. Glogster
Glogster is one of the amazing digital tools for classroom which helps children learn by using visual content. This app allows you to create multimedia posters by combining text information, photos, and videos. The creations are called glogs and stored in a special library called Glogpedia. Containing over 40 thousand different glogs on various subjects and topics, this tool can become one of your most trusted tools for teaching children effectively. Learn more in the video below.
10. Flipsnack
- suitable for students and educators
- suitable for the whole class to use
Padlet is a digital pinboard that allows participants (students and teachers) contribute by pinning different images, videos, text files, links, and more. Digital tools for classroom like Padlet motivate students to work together and brainstorm like a team. You can customize the background to a corkboard, blackboard, wood, sand, and many more options, the layout to a grid, stream, or freeform, as well as control who has access to the board. Here is a tutorial you can check out:
12. VoiceThread
- suitable for K-12 students
13. StoryJumper
14. Storybird
- suitable for K-9 students
15. Quizlet
16. Socrative
- for educators
- for students, teachers, and parents
Edmodo is an Education Network that teachers, students, and parents can join. Edmodo provides a digital classroom environment and gives you access to many resources. At first sight, it pretty much looks like the social media networks we know, so you will intuitively understand what, where, and how to join groups and communities, and collaborate with other users in the network. Edmodo gives you the opportunity to create a digital classroom where you can invite your students and even start sending digital assignments. Check out this explainer video to learn more about the Edmodo education network:
18. Schoology
Schoology is a learning management system that is free to use and it allows teachers to create and distribute materials, give assessments, track progress, etc. Basically, with Schoology, you can do everything that you do in Google Classroom , plus more features. You can organize content much more easily, embed multimedia within the assignment description, record audio or video within the platform, have a grade book, set completing rules, and many more. Check out an introduction video below.
19. Piktochart
One of the great digital tools for classroom which provides educators and students with tools to create infographics, presentations, reports, and more visual content materials. Visme provides all kinds of templates and graphic resources to help visualize any kind of data or assignment. You can insert videos, make animations, insert links, etc. Check out the following to see what you can do with Visme.
Technology is a friend of education and there is no reason to fight this trend. Right on the contrary, by incorporating digital tools in classroom, you become an effective school leader who fosters innovation.
Here, at GraphicMama, we support educators with innovative thinking who encourage students to learn and develop. This is why we create cartoon characters that are great for educational purposes and can be used in many ways: in digital tools for making infographics, creating presentations, video making, and animations, as well as all kinds of tools for conveying visual concepts and ideas.
We hope we’ve been helpful. If you can think of other useful digital tools for classroom or more ways to use cartoon characters for digital education, we can’t wait to see your thoughts in the comments below. See ya!
You may also be interested in these related articles:
- The Best Online Graphic Makers with School-Related Design Templates
- 5 Great Ways to Teach Creativity & Make Learning Effective
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18 Digital Tools and Strategies That Support Students' Reading and Writing
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Teachers in Littleton, Colorado -- like teachers in many places -- are increasingly asking students to read and write online. Free tools like Google Docs have made it easy for students to work on the same piece of writing at home and at school, and have allowed teachers to explore collaborative writing assignments and synchronous editing with students. There are also many digital tools that can support students as they learn how to read deeply, take well-cited notes, and navigate the writing process.
While many teachers are finding efficiency in allowing students to write and submit assignments online, not all students or teachers want to use the exact same set of tools. That’s why Littleton’s Instructional Technology Specialist, Dana Levesque, started compiling resources on a site that both teachers and students can access to find the tools that fit their needs.
In a presentation at the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) conference on an array of digital reading and writing tools teachers and students in her district find most helpful, Levesque said she tries to follow the advice of educator and author John Holt:
“We can best help children learn, not by deciding what we think they should learn and thinking of ingenious ways to teach it to them, but by making the world, as far as we can, accessible to them…”
Levesque said she wants to make sure teachers and students are aware of tools that could help them, and to develop the agency to choose what works for them. Some students use many tools to bolster their writing and build skills, others don’t use any. The idea is to give students a toolbox they can continually return to both in school and in life beyond its doors.
“Kids have different learning styles,” Levesque said. “Why should I make them learn in a way that’s not their strength.” She said often teachers let students know about the district’s sites for writing , reading and research tools at the beginning of school and then let them decide what will work for them throughout the year.
Marissa Broyles taught English and social studies to a class or sixth graders who needed extra support last year. She experimented with many of the tools Levesque has compiled and saw how her willingness to be flexible as a teacher made her students feel supported.
One girl with dyslexia could easily have been mistaken for being further behind than she really was because of how much she struggled with writing. “That was her only barrier, and it was so sad for me because she's one of the brightest students I've ever taught, but the dyslexia was really getting in her way," Broyles said.
Broyles began allowing the student to use Screencastify , a Chrome extension that lets users record a video of what's happening on their screen while voicing an explanation. The student would pull up a digital copy of a book, for example, find evidence to support her claims, and explain her thinking orally. All her moves on the computer, as well as her exposition, were recorded, showing Broyles the complexity of her thinking.
When Broyles presented to her middle school colleagues about the success of this approach she got push back from some teachers who wondered when the girl would learn crucial writing skills if she was always allowed to use the work around.
“At that point I wanted to know her thinking," Broyles said. "I didn’t really care about the physical act of her writing, and I wasn’t scoring her on the writing." But at other times they did focus on the mechanics of writing, and the student did improve. But Broyles doesn't believe a student should have to write as a prerequisite to having ideas. Even better, the student learned to advocate for herself, identifying some assignments when Screencastify was appropriate and others when writing was necessary.
That student is now entering seventh grade, where she won't have the same intensive support that she had last year, but Broyles feels confident that she now has a bag of tools to rely on for her assignments. And, since all students at this middle school have Chromebooks, no one has to know when she's using a support or not.
Both Broyles and Levesque say the important thing is for kids to begin to think metacognitively about what they need to succeed in school and to advocate for what works. Not every student will use the same tools, but there are lots of powerful ones that could be the slight boost a student needs to feel successful.
Graphic organizers are a common way teachers try to support kids to brainstorm ideas and organize them into cohesive arguments. But some students might not find graphic organizers inspiring or exciting, and since the ideas, not the worksheet are what is important, Levesque has compiled many tools kids might use to organize their thoughts.
For example, some kids still prefer to write and draw ideas on paper, and there’s no reason why they shouldn’t do that even if their ultimate writing product will be digital. Students can easily take a snapshot of written thoughts to document them digitally. Or they could download a variety of visual templates Levesque has compiled or even use a tool like Answer Garden to generate a word cloud. “It’s just one more way to capture it,” Levesque said.
Many students who struggle with writing get hung up when it comes to putting the first ideas to paper. But if teachers help them see drafting -- the first iteration of a writing piece -- as a separate step from editing, there are many ways to help students jump this initial hurdle.
Voice typing could be one such strategy. "Just have the kid talk about their topic, and at least they can draft it out and then have time to edit,” Levesque said. After getting those initial ideas down, a student can spend time restructuring sentences and improving the vocabulary. Often having something to work with can make this process smoother and it helps students begin to see multiple drafts and editing as a crucial part of writing. Levesque also noted voice typing is good for students still learning English, especially because it can translate languages.
“Drafting is for ideas and editing is where you’re going to start making sure all those ideas are right,” Levesque said. That’s why she often encourages students to “remove spelling suggestions” for documents in the drafting stage. When kids aren’t paralyzed by the squiggly red line indicating spelling mistakes it’s often easier for them to get their ideas down.
At this stage, students are working to make their sentences crisp and clear and to use higher level vocabulary words to express their points. Levesque said many of Littleton’s teachers use a strategy called “find richer words” when students are editing digital documents. Right clicking on a word in Google Docs brings up a list of synonyms. The student can choose a richer word and make a note to the teacher about the word used previously.
“We see a lot of teachers doing this so when they have time to edit [students] work they have a quick visual of what were those edits that they made,” Levesque said. This is also a good time to turn spelling suggestions back on and clean up any mistakes.
Teachers can also look at the full revision history of a document to see the progression and changes a student has made over time. Many students have appreciated learning about revision history when they delete a paragraph and what to recover it in a later draft.
Levesque has also written up careful directions for ways students can embed snapshots or images and then label them. In science, students will often take a picture of their lab station, upload it as a drawing, and then add arrows and text to label each element.
“When it comes to writing, we’re changing our writing product to not just be a writing piece,” Levesque said. Teachers in her district are trying to honor the strengths of different students within the same assignment by assigning an artistic representation and an audio description alongside writing.
“The reason this example stuck with me is maybe this kid's writing is not their strength, but wow did they showcase on their speaking part, or the art piece,” Levesque said. The writing is still important, but honoring the strengths of the whole child can give students confidence that their ideas will be understood.
Teachers are also experimenting with publishing to more authentic audiences. In one assignment, elementary students published their art pieces online and high school students wrote poems based on that art before publishing them again. Levesque said the elementary students were thrilled that high school students had taken the time to appreciate, interpret and reinterpret their work. And having the same ideas bouncing around within the district in multiple mediums and multiple times strengthened the meaning of the work.
Evaluating is important for both teachers and students. It’s important for students to be able to identify accurate sources and understand online permissions as they work on writing and multimedia projects. Levesque has put together some exercises teachers can use with students to get them in the habit of carefully evaluating the accuracy of online sources.
And when teachers evaluate student work within an online environment they have a huge advantage; they can see the revision history and comments from students about their changes, which also have a time stamp. Levesque recommends teachers embed the rubric for an assignment at the bottom of a Google Doc so students know exactly what’s expected of them. Rubistar is an easy way to create a rubric. They can also give examples of specific skills they’d like to see so students know what’s expected of them.
“These tools help scaffold reading for many of our readers who can’t access certain texts,” Levesque said. “Kids use tools they think they need."
She has compiled a list of Chrome extensions that help kids access dictionaries and pronunciations they don’t know, as well as Speak It and Read&Write, which offer audio supports for students having difficulty reading text.
“Some kids are using this a lot especially in content areas like science where there are a lot of vocabulary words,” Levesque said. Some teachers she works with no longer compile vocabulary lists for students. Instead students make lists of the words they don’t know with definitions and examples as they read.
Levesque was surprised at how excited her high school teachers were to discover a tool called Rewordify , which allows students to paste a link and get back a version with simpler words and sentence constructions. When students hover over highlighted areas the original, richer text shows up so they can gradually build their vocabulary and familiarity with difficult texts.
Levesque also recommends Newsela and the free and nearly identical tool Tween Tribune for non-fiction readings offered at various reading levels. The app offers texts in both Spanish and English.
Research is a central skill for students and yet often teachers don’t give them questions that require the synthesis, analysis and critical thinking inherent in good research. Levesque has compiled resources to help teachers design “thicker questions” that push students to use multiple sources, analyze them, develop an opinion and connect to the real world.
There are lots of useful digital tools to help students keep track of information they find online and to cite it correctly. The easiest is the research tool within Google Docs, which pulls up a whole list of resources related to any right-clicked word, and can be filtered by license or type of search. If students pull quotes, images or tables into a research document they’ll also get a link back to the original site and information about how to correctly cite it.
Younger kids can get overwhelmed by text-heavy search results might enjoy using Instagrok . This tool will return a concept map related to the topic, instead of text heavy articles. That could help students plot a roadmap for their research without getting overwhelmed and frustrated.
Levesque finds students are often most appreciative for little tips or tricks that make their researching more efficient or less frustrating. For example, they were thrilled when she told them that if they accidentally closed a tab in Chrome they could re-open it by right-clicking on the previous tab and selecting “reopen closed tab.” Students can also “pin tabs” that they are continually going back to so they don’t accidentally close them. A frustrating moment like that can discourage students from continuing with their research, and little tricks help smooth the process.
“Being aware of the small things that help with transitions my students say are crazy important,” Levesque said. For example, students were thrilled to learn about “bookmark all tabs” for those moments when they have ten tabs with research open and the bell rings. It helps them save all the research they’ve carefully found and they can open them all easily next time they need their work.
Above all, Levesque wants to build self-confidence in students and teachers around helpful tools. After that, it’s up to the individual to own what strategies are helpful and which can be ignored.
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Connected: digital literacy for gen z.
Dr. Julie Wood
Julie M. Wood, a former public school teacher and reading specialist, is a nationally recognized educational consultant with a special interest in digital learning tools. Join Julie in 2012 as she shares best practices in using educational technology and media in the classroom and at home.
Digital tools for writing and publishing
Children today are writing more than ever. But what are they writing? Is it all as ephemeral as the latest text and the next tweet? Or are they writing anything enduring?
Well. Yes and sometimes. While some of what they write disappears into the ether, it turns out that many children are writing their own eBooks. And there are several resources that can help them publish and share their ideas.
Let's check out a few together.
Storybird This visually exciting website is creating a buzz among teachers and librarians. Take the tour to see all that you can do, from reading lavishly illustrated stories (with relatively simple text). Then make your own story through drag-and-drop. A cover will be generated for you, which you can customize. Children can also choose to collaborate on a book (with parent/guardian approval). I especially like their motto: "Make stories in minutes and enjoy them for life."
StoryPanda Books If you have an iPad, then this app is for you. If not, read on to find other options. StoryPanda is similar to Storybird in that children and parents can read, create, and share books together. Again, many fun graphics are provided as a springboard into storytelling. This YouTube video explains.
KidPub: Books and stories by kids, for kids since 1995 Many free options here! Browse eBooks others have shared; create your own eBook; Convert an eBook (you upload your document and the website does the rest); or sell your ebook. Pretty amazing.
Children who are members of the KidPub Authors Club ($12.95 per year) can post stories to the website's "Never Ending Story," comment on others' work, and more. Children can have their work edited and formatted, and be guided through a creating a full-color cover design (for a fee).
Kidworld Children from all over the world (with an emphasis on Northern Ireland, Britain, and Europe) mix it up with jokes, "fun food" ideas, writing contests, and a "Dear Ashley" advice column. For writing contests for adolescents (ages 11-18), visit here .
Family photo albums Maybe you've taken a different approach altogether. Perhaps you're creating original photo books, as a family, using publishing tools on sites such as Apple and Snapfish . If so, how's that going? Does your child help by writing the introductions and/or captions?
Write back! Let us know what you think! Now is a great time to start thinking about how you and your child can collaborate on illustrated books about the upcoming holidays.
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Digital writing resources.
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Explore these free online tools for writers and teachers of writing developed by Helen Sword and her colleagues at the University of Auckland, with generous support from the Schuler Educational Enhancement & Development (SEED) “Resources for Writers” Fund.
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Shape up your sentences and strip unnecessary padding from your prose with Helen Sword’s famous Writer’s Diet workout. NEW: Now you can diagnose full-length documents on your own desktop, make targeted changes, and watch your writing improve dynamically with the free Writer’s Diet add-in for Microsoft Word .
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Enhancing ELA Learning Strategies with Digital Tools
NCTE 04.22.21 Multimodal Literacies
This post was written by NCTE member Dianna Minor.
Digital literacy is important for the development of students’ reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. Our students live in an age now when technology is at their immediate disposal. Students should be able to locate, organize, understand, evaluate, and analyze information using digital technology. Digital literacy skills are important in order for students to become critical readers, writers, and presenters of a wide range of ideas.
Google Docs has played a powerful role in the classroom as it is a great collaborative tool for annotating and writing and a perfect vehicle to foster active engagement. I work with a wide range of students daily, from those who are English language learners to students who struggle with reading comprehension. Google Docs provides an avenue for students to collaborate on the same writing assignment simultaneously and share annotations with each other—whether with a partner, small group, or the whole class.
Flipgrid is another great digital tool that allows students to video record or audio record. In English language arts, Flipgrid can be used for reading comprehension checks, student interviews, student responses to a printed text, etc. It provides the perfect platform for online collaboration and discussion as well as opportunities for students to show their creativity through a different medium such as book reviews, movie clips, or small-group projects.
Another digital tool students love using is iMovie. Current research states that students should be able to use a wider spectrum of digital technologies in order to be able to decode information in different formats. Integrating iMovie into language arts provides the students a different forum to move beyond the printed text. My students have used iMovie to integrate the elements of a story from their book club novels into a visual, digital format through the making of a digital book trailer (digital storyboard). Students had the choice of using iPads or their own device (e.g., Chromebook).
Implementing iMovie gave me the opportunity to see whether students had mastered the elements of a short story, as well as providing students the opportunity to work together in small cooperative learning groups. Because students were creating a one-minute book trailer (similar to a movie trailer), they had to use a variety of strategies and skills to accomplish the task: synthesize ideas and information they encountered in the printed text/novel and associate visual images/pictures with meaning that guided and fostered their understanding of the story. Students were also able to use numerous reading comprehension strategies, including making text-to-text connections, making inferences, visualizing, determining the main idea, and questioning, thus expanding their critical thinking skills.
Both in terms of instructional benefits and student experience, Edpuzzle has been an invaluable digital resource. I have been able to integrate videos from a variety of online resources—TEDTalks, YouTube, National Geographic, Khan Academy, my own videos, or those created by other teachers—to accompany a lesson. Edpuzzle allows you to embed questions for comprehension checks, record explaining a concept from the video in further detail (making connections), and check students’ progress (monitoring comprehension and skills for mastery). And Edpuzzle benefits students by helping them make connections to topics and ideas covered in class, as well as promoting active learning and engagement.
Technology is a powerful tool that can enhance the strategies and skills students use in the classroom every day. Integrating digital literacy prepares students for the ever-advancing digital world.
Dianna Minor is an educator, writer, and consultant. Her professional experience includes literacy, curriculum, and instruction. Twitter: @diminor1
It is the policy of NCTE in all publications, including the Literacy & NCTE blog, to provide a forum for the open discussion of ideas concerning the content and the teaching of English and the language arts. Publicity accorded to any particular point of view does not imply endorsement by the Executive Committee, the Board of Directors, the staff, or the membership at large, except in announcements of policy, where such endorsement is clearly specified.
7 Reasons You Need to Use Digital Writing Tools During In Person Learning
Digital writing tools: you might have had enough with them after teaching in 2020. However, there are many benefits to students when utilizing digital writing tools and skills in your classroom. Although hand writing is still essential to students, it’s important to continue to utilize digital technology for your writing instruction. Here are 7 reasons you need to use digital writing tools during in person learning.
It’s in the Standards
Firstly, most state standards require it. Of course, it varies in how and how much based on your state, but it’s in there. Students are required to research and draft writing pieces with the use of technology.
The common core writing standards for K-2 all require that students can, “With guidance and support from adults, e xplore a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers .”
Virginia state standards ask kindergarteners, first graders, and second graders to “use available technology for reading and writing.”
My home state of New Jersey uses similar wording to the common core standards as well.
So, simply put, it’s a requirement of the standards, so it’s important to do. However, that’s not the only valid reason to incorporate technology into your writing lessons .
It’s a necessary skill
Whether you approve or not, we’re living in a more and more digitally focused society. In 10, 15, 20 years from now, it’s not likely we’ll be using less technology. Most likely we’ll be using more. So, while we should certainly not only use digital tools with our students, they are already, and will continue to be, a large part of their life. How great that we can show them how to use them well!
Some students are more comfortable working digitally
There are many students who are extremely comfortable with a tablet or a laptop. Remember, you might not have grown up with this technology. I certainly didn’t. I remember phones that were attached to the wall with a cord, cassette tapes, payphones, and VHS tapes. However, we have students who only know a world of iPads, cell phones with cameras, and TV without commercials.
Allowing students to work in the realm and with mediums they’re comfortable with might produce surprising results. They might struggle with hand writing, but use voice to text to create an incredible poem! They might have a hard time drawing a detailed illustration, but create a beautiful collage of images from online. Of course we have to encourage our students to grow outside of their comfort zones, but there’s also nothing wrong with letting them work with what they know.
It teaches students to be flexible and adaptable
Just as we need to be adaptable and allow students to use different mediums and tools to produce their work, we can encourage this trait as well. Having students use books to research and hand write an informational piece has many benefits. Allowing students to create a digital informational piece also has many benefits. We’re ultimately showing them that there are options, and giving them the tools to choose the right options for a task. Eventually, students might have the knowledge to say “I’m going to research with these great non-fiction books, watch this informational video, and then hand draw my illustrations and add them to my typed report!” We are giving students the knowledge, confidence, and tools to eventually make wise decisions and adapt to different situations.
It teaches them that you can create similar work different ways
I have never regretted showing students a different way to do things. I will teach them different methods to add, different ways to try an experiment , and so on. Letting our students use digital tools and technology to create writing pieces shows them that there isn’t only one way. It’s a gift to give them the knowledge that writing, researching, and illustrating isn’t one size fits all.
It makes it easy to share work with parents
If students are creating some writing pieces digitally , it makes it so much easier to share their work with parents. You can have them share via Seesaw, have students email their parents the Google Slide link, or add it to your classroom website. The best part is that it gives parents the opportunity to comment on student work. I love this because I often kept writing pieces in my students’ portfolio at school. However, with digital writing, you can easily share work with parents.
It allows you to give students choice
Lastly, using digital tools with your students allows you to give them voice and choice in their work. Once they know what tools are available to them and how to use them, you can give them the freedom to pick the tools that they are comfortable with and match the task at hand. It can be very freeing for you and them!
So, if you aren’t already, give it a try! Your students might really surprise you with their writing abilities.
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The best writer tools
Devon Delfino
Being a writer doesn’t mean all you do is research, report and write. Many other skills are required, like project management, client collaboration, proofing your work , pitching, and, if you’re writing for digital (and who isn’t?) doing some SEO. Having the best writer tools that help fill those needs is essential to succeed.
We talked to seven top writers to find out which digital tools work best for the modern writer. Here’s what they said:
1. Best distraction-free writing app: Freedom
Writing requires focus — and since most of the work is done online, that means fighting against the endless distractions of the internet. Freedom , a website blocker, is one popular option to shut those distractions down.
“I block social media, except for certain times,” says Paulette Perhach , a freelance writer and author of the book and blog Welcome to the Writer’s Life . She calls the site a “productivity game-changer.”
You can block websites, or even the internet, during a set timeframe through the app. There’s a “locked mode” which prevents you from ending a Freedom session early. That’s especially helpful during high-distraction days. It also syncs to multiple devices to keep you on track, provides ambient noises, and lets you track your progress.
For example, if you find that you often check Twitter and Slack, particularly during your best writing hours of the day, you could set up a range of time you wouldn’t be able to access those sites.
If you have locked mode on, you could still technically exit Freedom if you had to access those sites during that timeframe so you’re never truly locked out. So it provides a balance between accountability and flexibility.
Freedom supports Mac, Windows, Android, iOS, and Chrome devices. It costs about $3 to $65, depending on the plan, and there’s a free-trial option.
2. Best dictation app: Windows 10
Fear of the blank page can be just as deadly to a writer as a broken laptop. But there is a workaround: dictation. Windows 10 uses speech recognition to allow writers to easily draft everything from emails to notes to documents. Depending on how fast you type, you could get more words on the page than you could by typing.
“Voice typing, also known as “dictation,” is hands down one of the best digital writing tools,” says Sharon Geltner , a professional book reviewer and adjunct professor. “I find these tools help me write more natural-sounding dialog and clear up awkward syntax. When I teach writing classes, often to small business owners and college students, I strongly suggest this method because it’s a way to relieve pressure for novice writers.”
With Windows 10, you need only press the Windows logo button and H (or tap the microphone button if you’re using a touchscreen or tablet) to start dictating and say, “stop dictation,” when you’re ready. And there are many other commands you can use:
- Delete word
- Move back to the previous word
- Select word
- Press Backspace
Geltner says she uses many voice-typing options, like Google Docs , Microsoft Word , Mac and Siri , but Windows 10 is her favorite.
“I’m one of those hybrid content creators who loves iPhones and iPads. But for desktop work, I’m all about Windows 10. I know that Apple products also offer similar speech-to-text dictation features and they work fine. It’s just a matter of preference and convenience,” she says.
3. Best app for writing drafts: Scrivener
The longer the project, the harder it is to keep track of all its moving parts. Scrivener , a writing app, acts as a one-stop-shop for drafting and organizing all of the elements involved in finishing an assignment or project.
“Gah I love Scrivener!” says Perhach. “It’s like if Adobe had a writing program, which means that it’s a tank. It’s tough to learn to drive a tank, but once you do, you’re unstoppable.”
Indeed, there are many options and tools included in the software, which can make for a bit of a steep learning curve. But, that also makes it more valuable.
For example, the corkboard feature lets you both see your project from a high level and section by section, and rearrange it in a way that makes sense. There’s also a fullscreen feature that helps block distractions, plus an option to set goals and track your progress. You can also create lists of related documents in Scrivener’s “Collections” feature, and take snapshots of sections to avoid losing work if you decide to use an earlier version.
Scrivener is available for iOS, macOS and Windows, and one license can be used on multiple devices (unless you buy via the Apple App Store. Prices range from about $20 to $50 per license.
4. Best synonym tool: WordHippo
Whether you’ve been writing for decades, or you’re just starting out, it’s easy to fall into the trap of word repetition. WordHippo , a thesaurus and word tool site, provides a nuanced solution.
“WordHippo helps me find synonyms when I’m stumped. It goes beyond your thesaurus to give more suggestions. If you’re writing a lot, you can sometimes run out of ideas,” says Michelle Garrett , a writer and public relations consultant.
One way WordHippo excels is that it doesn’t just provide similar words, like a traditional thesaurus does: it allows you to choose from many options, like:
- Rhymes with
- Words starting with
- Words ending with
- Sentences with (which provides examples using the original word)
Words also populate as you type so that you can more easily select the one you want to use as a jumping-off point.
Those features make it a great option for those moments when there’s a word on the tip of your tongue, you want to know if you’re using a word correctly, or you’ve used a certain word ten times in a 1,000-word article.
5. Best writing app for collaborating with clients: Google Docs
Most writers are collaborating with clients or editors on a regular basis. But passing Word documents or emails back and forth via messager apps or email can be tedious and inefficient. Google Docs ’ collaborative comments can help speed things up.
“Google Docs is great for collaborating with clients. I find the ease of that very convenient, although I’ve struggled with moving entirely to it,” says Garrett.
Documents are automatically saved as you type, and the share settings can be adjusted to fit your needs. For example, you can choose to allow anyone with the share link to either have view-only access, commenting ability, or full-access (which includes editing capability.) Or you could limit sharing to specific email addresses for additional privacy.
You can also tag people by highlighting a section of text and creating a comment with either an @ or + symbol and a person’s name or email address. That triggers an email that they could use to access the document and respond. Users can also assign tasks during this process, so the essential work or questions are quickly dealt with. And as changes are made, the document updates. So all parties can work on a draft at once and see the changes in real-time.
6. Best for headline brainstorming: Onelook’s Reverse dictionary
In traditional media, headlines are usually left up to editors. But that isn’t true for every type of writer, and it’s often a difficult art form to perfect. It also happens to be one of the most important parts of an article when it comes to getting readers. Onelook’s reverse dictionary can help writers figure out what words they might want to include to craft an enticing headline.
“This is the best for brainstorming titles or just making a list of all the words and concepts associated with a piece,” says freelancer and writing coach Perhach.
Simply type in a word and press enter to start. From there, you can filter by noun, adjective, verb, and adverb, in addition to alphabetizing the results. It provides not just synonyms for a word, but also related concepts and famous names.
For example, the word mystery would yield everything from whodunit to Agatha Christie to shaggy dog story . So it can also help writers in their initial research phase, too.
7. Best SEO research tool: Ahrefs
For writers who are contributing to content marketing efforts, SEO is essential. Ahrefs is an SEO tool that allows you to see what people are searching for, analyze competitors, and track rankings.
“Say I want to write about life in Thailand…Ahrefs shows me not only the data for the top 10+ search results of any keyword I want to focus on, but also who linked to these articles. By studying their backlink profiles, I can determine why these articles are popular,” says Valerio Puggioni , a copy and content writer with about 20 years of experience. This, he says, can help answer vital questions, like:
- Are the linkers worth reaching out to?
- What else do they publish for their target audience?
- Which subtopics should I be covering in my own article?
“Lastly, I can brainstorm angles and concepts others haven’t used based on the data. This way, I can produce content for humans that’s fun, but still search-engine-friendly, and more comprehensive than what my competitors have published,” adds Puggioni.
8. Best writing app for big-picture planning: Trello
Being a writer often involves elements of project planning — something that can easily get out of hand when you’re juggling deadlines. Trello is a kanban-style project manager that can be customized to fit your needs.
“I use it to manage both personal and client projects. Then, each article or content has a separate, editable Google Doc that we use. So submissions and revisions are easily captured in one place without worrying about duplicate or outdated file versions,” says Ariel Lim , a freelance marketing consultant and writer.
Trello provides templates that can help you create the ideal system — or you can create a board from scratch. Boards can have as many columns as you need, and cards can easily be moved from column to column. For example, a freelance writer could use it to track the writing process for each piece, with columns like:
It can be as detailed as you want it to be.
“I have different cards with each denoting a specific freelance writing project,” says Masooma Memon , a freelance writer for SaaS companies. “In each card, there’s a description section where I lay out the details of what will go into the piece. For instance, the keywords, target audience for the post, links to the brief, and style guide… I also assign a due date to each piece on every card. By doing so, I don’t fear missing deadlines.”
There are also checklists within cards that can help writers accomplish their tasks without missing a step.
“Once all these cards are ready, I get a visual outlook of what’s due, what’s in progress, what’s under client review, and what’s done since my work board…is divided into these columns. Such an outlook keeps everything and every piece of writing in one place — leaving my sanity to me,” adds Memon.
9. Best writing app for mobile note-taking: Bear App
Writing inspiration doesn’t always come when you’re ready. So it’s important to make sure you have a system to capture those important thoughts before they disappear. And Bear App is a great option.
“My favorite writing tool at the moment is the Bear App. I used Ulysses for years and years but earlier this year I gave Bear a try. They are very similar apps. Both offer a distraction-free, markdown experience with cross-device sync. Ulysses has a few more bells and whistles than Bear does, but Bear has a bit of whimsy that’s hard to quantify,” says Justin Cox, cofounder of The Writing Cooperative .
Bear App allows you to take down private notes across your devices, using the more common formatting tools like headers, italics, underline, bold, lists, and highlights. It as has note-specific options like to-do’s, quotes and hashtags.
You can convert your notes to PDF or Word documents. And, like Freedom, there is a focus mode available to cut down on distractions. Bear costs $1.49 per month, or $14.99 annually, and there’s a free trial option.
“As crazy as life is this year, I enjoy seeing the astronaut bear when I open the app,” says Cox. “Bear isn’t quite as serious as Ulysses, and that’s what I need right now: a tool that invites creativity.”
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Educational Technology: Writing Tools
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Best Bets for Writing and Brainstorming Tools
- Padlet Padlet is a free online tool that is best described as an online notice board. Padlet can be used by students and teachers to post notes on a common page. The notes posted by teachers and students can contain links, videos, images and document files.
- Coggle Produce and collaborate on notes, concept mapping, and mindmaps quickly and easily.
- Storybird Create beautiful books with your students in minutes by using provided artwork and layouts.
- Powernotes Online tool utilizing a browser extension that lets you save text, add your notes, and organize them. Great for research, pre-writing, and planning.
No Sign-Up Required
Looking for a tool that doesn't require you or your students to sign-up or create an account? Check out one of these.
*Keep in mind that you may not be able to save your data if the application doesn't require an account. If you need to save information for later use, be sure to explore your options before beginning.
- Pinup Take notes, encourage classroom collaboration, access your notes from anywhere.
Additional Tools for Writing and Brainstorming
These resources require either you or your students to create accounts. This can give you added functionality (such as the ability to save gathered information), but it can also take longer to set up, so plan accordingly.
- Canva Create online mindmaps or concept maps.
- Cram Find pre-made flashcards or create your own.
- Flashcard Machine Create web-based study flashcards that can be shared with others.
- Hypothes.is Collaborate on annotating web pages.
- Lino Sticky Notes Take notes, encourage classroom collaboration, access your notes from any web browser.
- Lucidchart Design and share online diagrams and flowcharts.
- Slack Bring student conversations together and organize within a shared workspace.
- Vocabulary.com Create interactive word learning games.
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Best Writing Tools: Top 15 Every Writer Needs
Hannah Yang
Speculative Fiction Author
Writing is rarely easy, whether you’re working on a book, an essay, a blog post, or any other type of writing.
A great writing tool can’t do the actual writing for you, but it can definitely make the process a lot easier.
There are three main categories of tools that writers find useful:
- Word processing and editing tools
- Productivity and organization tools
- Office and workspace tools
If you’re looking for the best writing tools in any of these categories, you’ve come to the right place!
We’ve looked at reviews of products in each category to figure out which ones are worth investing in. Some of these writing tools are free, while others require a subscription or an upfront fee.
Without further ado, here’s a collection of some of the best tools that every writer needs.
Best Writing Tools for Writers
Best productivity tools for writers, best office tools for writers, what to look for in the best writing tools, conclusion on the best writing tools.
There are countless apps, websites, and other types of writing software that can help you with the actual process of writing and editing your work.
These tools can help you polish your prose, organize your thoughts, and so much more.
1. ProWritingAid
Cost: Free, or around $70/year for the Premium version
Why we love it: It transforms your writing from good to great
ProWritingAid isn’t just your average grammar checker—it’s the best writing software on the market today.
In addition to catching grammar mistakes, it keeps an eye on clichés and makes sure your sentence structure flows well. It also plucks out passive writing and scores your writing for readability, showing you where you can improve your style.
The free version lets you edit up to 500 words at a time, but the premium version lets you analyze as many words as you want, with over 20 different reports—more than any other editing software.
2. Scrivener
Cost: $49 for a lifetime license
Why we love it: It gives you a bird’s-eye view of your project
Scrivener is a book writing software that’s designed specifically for larger projects. If you’re tackling a big project, the organization features of Scrivener will ensure everything goes to plan.
In addition to being a word processor, it also lets you set goals, rearrange scenes, and more.
You can keep track of your writing style with a neat integration between ProWritingAid and Scrivener, which work very well together. ProWritingAid imports your Scrivener folder into its platform and gives you a detailed analysis of how you’re writing.
3. Evernote
Cost: Free, or $8.99/month for the Pro version
Why we love it: It lets you organize all your writing ideas in one place
Evernote is a writing app that helps you organize your ideas and research.
You can collect all your sources of inspiration, keep track of your to-do lists, and jot down story ideas all in one place.
The Pro version even lets you sync your notes between all your devices. That way, you can work on your writing projects while you’re on the go without needing to import them to your laptop when you get home.
Cost: Free, or $5.99/month or $39.99/year for the Pro version
Why we love it: It’s a great alternative to Evernote
Like Evernote, Ulysses is a note taking app that lets you organize your thoughts.
Ulysses also includes a binder-like sidebar that lets you move documents around easily, so you can keep all your thoughts organized.
Ulysses is better for Mac users than Evernote, but it’s currently less popular.
5. Reedsy Book Editor
Cost: Free!
Why we love it: It lets you see what your published book will look like while you’re still writing it
The Reedsy Book Editor is a free book writing software that also handles formatting and conversion while you write. It’s especially useful for authors who want to self-publish their books.
It’s a free alternative to expensive book formatting softwares like Atticus and Vellum, which charge a large fee to format your manuscript.
6. Hemingway
Why we love it: It’s one of the most useful free editing tools
The Hemingway app is a free writing software that checks your work for readability.
When you run your work through the Hemingway editor, it will highlight sentences that are dense or overly complex, so you can find ways to shorten them. It also highlights passive voice, overused adverbs, and any other weaknesses that might make your work harder to read.
Some of the Hemingway editor’s suggestions can be a bit hit-or-miss, but it’s still a fun style editor to try.
7. Grammarly
Cost: Free, or $30/month, $60/quarter, or $144/year for the Premium version
Why we love it: It catches your typos and grammar errors
Like ProWritingAid, Grammarly is a grammar checker that can catch your spelling and grammar mistakes.
Some of Grammarly’s top features include its plagiarism detector, its spell check, and its grammar check. It offers style suggestions related to wordy sentences, repetitive words, incorrect comma usage, and more.
It also includes a plagiarism checker, which will let you know if your work resembles any currently published written works.
8. Novel Factory
Cost: $75/year for the basic version, $198/year for the standard version, or $600/year for the Premium version
Why we love it: It helps creative writers develop characters, plot, story world, and more
Novel Factory is a word processor that can help you write your novel. It offers several features to help novelists develop elements of their stories.
For example, the Plot Manager includes plot templates for popular genres, while the character developer can help you flesh out your character’s archetype, motivation, and more.
9. Google Docs
Why we love it: It allows real-time collaboration with editors, beta readers, and fellow writers
If you’re working on a collaboration, Google Docs is one of the best options alongside ProWritingAid and Dropbox. Multiple writers can work on the same document at the same time.
Let’s say you want to get feedback on your writing from a critique partner or a beta reader. If you invite them to your Google Docs file, you can watch as they leave comments, in-line edit suggestions, and even emoji reactions on specific passages of your work.
10. Microsoft Word
Cost: around $100/year for the entire Microsoft Office suite, including Excel, PowerPoint, etc.
Why we love it: Most writers know how to use it already
Microsoft Word is one of the most widely used word processors. This simple but effective writing app is useful for all kinds of writing projects.
Its user interface is easy to use and navigate. The Track Changes feature makes it easy to edit other people’s stories, while also giving them the choice to accept or reject those changes.
A grammar guru, style editor, and writing mentor in one package.
Carving out time to write can be just as difficult as actually writing. These productivity and organization tools can help you stay focused and take control of your own schedule.
11. Freedom
Cost: $29/year for the Pro version
Why we love it: We’re easily distracted
Have you ever set aside time to work on a writing project, and then found yourself scrolling through social media instead?
If you’re easily distracted, like us, the Freedom app is a must-have. This tool lets you block social media, email, or whatever apps and websites you choose.
Freedom is the perfect tool for distraction free writing. You can even schedule recurring focus mode sessions in advance.
12. Marinara Timer
Why we love it: It lets you time your writing sprints
The Pomodoro Technique is a well-known technique for improving your productivity. It suggests working for 25 minutes, followed by a 5-minute break.
Many writers use timed writing sessions, also known as “writing sprints,” to hit their word count goals more quickly and effectively. Some use the 25/5-minute Pomodoro Technique, while others prefer longer or shorter sprints.
The Marinara Timer is a great website for timing your writing sprints. You can use the automatic Pomodoro Timer, or you can set your own custom writing sprint lengths.
13. To Doist
Cost: Free, or $48/year for the Pro version
Why we love it: There’s nothing more satisfying than crossing something off a to-do list
To Doist is a task manager app that lets you organize your tasks in a simple and intuitive way.
You can break large tasks into subtasks, organize your tasks into projects, and even share your projects with other people.
To Doist also offers project templates that can help you get started if you don’t know what tasks you need to accomplish.
14. Acuity Scheduling
Cost: $14/month for the Emerging option, $23/month for the Growing option, or $45/month for the Powerhouse option
Why we love it: It lets you take control of your own schedule
Acuity Scheduling is an easy way to streamline your calendar and create appointments for customers.
If you’re a freelance writer who works with clients, editors, or coworkers, Acuity’s customized scheduling page can be a lifesaver. It lets you keep your schedule organized by automating processes.
It also lets you create your own client intake forms, so you can collect all the information you need upfront.
Cost: Free, or $10/month for the Pro version
Why we love it: It can make your home office sound like a gentle rainforest
Noisli lets you write to a soundtrack of your choice. You can choose anything from the sound of a crackling fire to the sound of ocean tides.
These background sounds can mask annoying noises in your workspace and help you stay focused on what you’re writing.
If you choose a sound that you associate with your work in progress—for example, if you listen to birdsong while writing a poem about birds—Noisli can even help improve your creativity.
So far in this article, we’ve focused on digital tools and other types of writing software. However, it’s just as critical to create a good work environment in your physical workspace.
Here are some physical tools you can use to optimize your workspace.
16. Ergonomic Writing Desk
Cost: $200–$800
Why we love it: It’s an easy replacement for a workout
An ergonomic desk ensures you sit at a healthy angle, with enough room for your legs and knees. It prevents your back from hunching unnaturally, and can help you avoid joint pain, heart disease, and other long-term health problems.
You can choose a desk that has a standing option and a sitting option, so you can stretch your legs from time to time. That way, you can even burn extra calories.
Okay, so it’s not actually a replacement for a workout. You should still take time to exercise.
But if you’re worried about spending too much time sitting down, an ergonomic writing desk will certainly help.
17. Ergonomic Keyboard
Cost: $50–$200
Why we love it: It can prevent wrist injury
An ergonomic keyboard is a keyboard designed to minimize muscle strain, fatigue, and other potential health problems.
There are many options for a great writing keyboard. You should consider whether you want a wireless or corded keyboard, whether you need automatic backlighting, and which keyboard is most comfortable for you.
Some popular keyboard options for writers include the Microsoft Sculpt and the Logitech K780. If you’re typing all day, it’s worth investing in a keyboard that works well for you.
18. Blue Light Computer Glasses
Cost: $20–$100
Why we love it: You might get a headache without them
If you spend a long time staring at a computer screen, it’s a great idea to invest in computer glasses.
Blue-light blocking glasses can reduce eye strain and prevent migraines. They also make it easier to fall asleep at night.
19. Rocketbook Notebook
Cost: $20–$40
Why we love it: You can use the same notebook for the rest of your life
The Rocketbook notebook is a digital notebook that lets you convert your handwritten notes into a digital format. You can upload each page directly into an app, so if you like to write stories or essays by hand, they will be easy to read afterwards.
Best of all, Rocketbook notebooks are reusable, so you can use the same one for life.
20. Livescribe Pen
Cost: about $100
Why we love it: It uploads your handwritten notes in a digital format
The Livescribe Symphony Smartpen is a digital pen that captures everything you write and draw in a digital format.
It even records audio and plays the recording back for you, which can make note taking a lot easier.
If you like writing by hand but also do a lot of your work on a laptop, the Livescribe pen can help you access all your work in one place.
Here are five things to consider when deciding whether a writing tool is right for you.
1. Top Features
The best writing tools are the ones that have all the features you want and need. It’s better to spend some money on a piece of writing software that truly helps you than one that doesn’t live up to the hype.
Ask yourself: What makes this particular tool stand out from the crowd? How can it help me transform my writing?
2. Cost-Effectiveness
Nobody has an endless budget, so it’s important to prioritize the tools that will give you the most bang for your buck.
Expensive tools often have special features that others lack. Sometimes it's worth investing in the pricier option, while other times you can get the results you need with a cheaper alternative.
3. User-Friendliness
There’s no point buying a tool that you can’t figure out how to use.
Some tools have a steep learning curve, while others are very user-friendly. If you don’t like working out how to use new tools, look for ones that are easy to learn and let you hit the ground running.
4. Customization Options
No two writers are exactly alike. You might be writing a lighthearted, comedic memoir, or a dark mystery novel—or maybe even both.
Ideally, you want to invest in tools you can customize to suit your preferences. Look for versatile tools that suit your unique situation.
5. Integration Options
You want to choose software that integrates smoothly into your writing routine. For example, ProWritingAid can integrate into your favorite software, like Microsoft Word, Scrivener, Final Draft, or any website on your favorite web browser.
If it doesn’t work well with the other apps you use, you’ll be signing up for a major headache every time you switch from one to the other.
There you have it—the 15 best writing tools and 5 best office tools that every writer should know about.
Choosing the right tools can help you curate an end-to-end writing process that works for you. You might write your project in Scrivener and edit it with ProWritingAid while listening to a soundtrack from Noisli, all on your favorite ergonomic keyboard.
What are your favorite writing tools? Let us know in the comments.
Happy writing!
Hannah is a speculative fiction writer who loves all things strange and surreal. She holds a BA from Yale University and lives in Colorado. When she’s not busy writing, you can find her painting watercolors, playing her ukulele, or hiking in the Rockies. Follow her work on hannahyang.com or on Twitter at @hannahxyang.
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Unleashing the Power Within: My Entrepreneurial Journey Surpassing Gender Stereotypes
- Shama Parveen
- Updated On March 7, 2023
Technology has the potential to empower women and promote gender equality. However, there’s still a digital gender divide. To bridge the gap we need to ensure women have access to all the tools and technology they need to succeed in the digital era.
Initiatives to expand internet access and improve digital infrastructure can increase women’s representation in all industries. There are so many ways that technology can help women overcome systemic barriers that prevent them from advancing in their careers, like remote work solutions and online training programs.
Let me tell you a little bit about my story. I took a break from my career to focus on my family, but as my child grew older, I started to feel the pull to return to work. Have you ever taken a break from your career and struggled to get back into it?
It wasn’t easy for me, as well. I faced many challenges, like outdated skills and a lack of confidence. And to make matters worse, some of my family and few friends didn’t believe that a mother should work outside the home. I faced criticism and doubts from the people around me regarding my career goals.
Unleashing the Power Within My Entrepreneurial Journey Beyond Gender Stereotypes
But I still took all the criticism constructively and started making efforts. Despite my efforts, I couldn’t secure a suitable job, and my career prospects seemed dim. It was a difficult time, but I didn’t give up. I began exploring other fields and stumbled upon digital marketing. I started taking online courses and studying digital marketing strategies in my spare time. All thanks to technology, which transformed our lives, providing endless opportunities to learn, connect, and grow. As I learned more, I realised that the opportunities for work in digital marketing were vast and diverse.
Eventually, I landed a remote digital marketing job that paid reasonably and allowed me to leverage my skills and knowledge. The switch to digital marketing was initially challenging, but it was the best decision I could have made under my current circumstances, and started expanding my skillset in this field.
Within a few months, I delivered value content as a freelancer for various niches. Thereafter one of my friends suggested starting my startup. After much consideration, I decided to take the leap and create my digital marketing startup. I started and was excited about the challenge. However, things didn’t go as planned due to some unforeseen technical issues. As time passed, I realised that my true passion was blogging and content writing. The content was something that I had always enjoyed but had never thought of it as a possible career.
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Thereby I made a leap of faith and began again. I, along with my partner, gathered a team of like-minded individuals who shared my passion for creating compelling content. We began working with clients from social media platforms and collaborating with brands. It was sometimes challenging. There were many ups and downs along the way, but we persevered.
The thrill of seeing our work published and shared with the world was like nothing else. It justified all of the effort and late hours. I’m grateful for this experience and eager to discover where it leads. Months passed by, and work was going on, but still, it was not a cakewalk. Sharing a few of the challenges faced by me:
Limited access to research tools and technology can make it challenging to conduct thorough research and write and publish content online. Incompatibility between software programs can lead to frustration and delays while writing mobile-friendly content requires technical expertise. Additionally, content writers need to be aware of cybersecurity concerns and how to protect their work from potential hacks or breaches.
Women Breaking the Glass Ceiling in Technical Content Writing
To overcome technical barriers in content writing, writers can utilise free research tools and resources and seek out technology resources at libraries and community centres. To avoid incompatibility issues, it’s important to use compatible software. Learning mobile optimisation techniques and increasing cybersecurity measures can also help writers succeed. By using strong passwords and regularly backing up their work to secure locations, writers can protect their content from potential hacks or breaches.
And that’s why this year’s celebration theme, “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality,” really resonates with me. Technology has the power to remove obstacles and open doors for women from all walks of life. Let’s take responsibility for creating a world where women are appreciated, esteemed, and recognised for their accomplishments.
Now, I’m a successful content writer managing a team of writers and contributing to women’s development. Can you believe it? I went from feeling unsure about returning to work to building a successful career. Stay positive, persevere through challenges, and move forward with determination. Success comes to those who keep their chin up and never give up.
On Women’s day, as an Entrepreneur, I wish for a world where women are empowered to use all forms of technology and are financially independent. Let’s support and encourage one another as we use technology to overcome obstacles and attain financial independence. We can eliminate obstacles and achieve gender equality with perseverance and creativity.
Views expressed are the author’s own.
Shama Parveen is the Founder of Impresso Content which e mpowers motivates and educates women on digital education for diverse earning sources and opportunities.
Suggested Reading: With Zeal, To All Women Entrepreneurs – Never Let Anyone Dampen Your Spirit
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Peerless digital writing See how it works 1 min 12 sec Marker Plus is an unrivalled digital writing instrument. A second sensor on the Marker Plus' top end, allows you to erase by simply flipping it upside down like a traditional pencil. Built-in eraser Eraser Color Weight Magnets No Grey 15 g Yes Yes Black 19 g
Scalenut as a digital writing tool is going to help you to race past your competition at the speed of 5 minutes per blog and rank on Google with automated NLP key terms. The tool has been designed to generate engaging and high-quality content across different industries and topics.
The 22 Best Writing Tools of 2023: 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.
Best Writing Tool #1: ProWritingAid If you need a spell checker, editor, and writing mentor in one tool, ProWritingAid should be your pick. While it corrects your writing, it delves deep into your work to draw 20 analytics reports. With ProWritingAid, you can edit where you write.
Writing tools are devices that help you write or put your ideas in written form. Examples of writing tools include traditional tools like pen & paper and digital tools like tablets, email tools & software like Grammarly, scrivener, thesaurus, hemingway app etc. 2. What writing tools work best for you?
A plurality of AP and NWP teachers across all subjects say digital tools make teaching writing easier. Despite some challenges, 50% of these teachers (across all subjects) say the internet and digital tools make it easier for them to teach writing, while just 18% say digital technologies make teaching writing more difficult.
Brainstorming Tools. 750Words.com This website is as simple as it sounds. It challenges you to write at least 750 words a day, offering you digital badges for continued accomplishment of a goal. It's a great opportunity to simply write out initial ideas or thoughts on readings while building a regular writing habit.
Article overview: 1. Prezi 2. Haiku Deck 3. Scratch 4. Animoto 5. Pixton 6. BoomWriter 7. Explain Everything 8. Educreations 9. Glogster 10. Flipsnack 11. Padlet 12. VoiceThread 13. StoryJumper 14. Storybird 15. Quizlet 16. Socrative 17. Edmodo 18. Schoology 19. Piktochart 20. Visme 1. Prezi suitable for students of all ages suitable for teachers
Free tools like Google Docs have made it easy for students to work on the same piece of writing at home and at school, and have allowed teachers to explore collaborative writing assignments and synchronous editing with students.
Storybird This visually exciting website is creating a buzz among teachers and librarians. Take the tour to see all that you can do, from reading lavishly illustrated stories (with relatively simple text). Then make your own story through drag-and-drop. A cover will be generated for you, which you can customize.
You are probably already using digital tools in your classroom to help your students compose, revise, and share their writing. The purpose of this mini-course is to open your eyes to more exciting possibilities in the realm of digital writing.
Writing tools developed by Helen Sword and her collegues including The Writer's Diet, The Writing BASE, Helen's Word video series and the WriteSPACE Quiz ... Digital Writing Tools. Learn about the key features, advantages, limitations, and pedagogical potential of six popular online spelling, grammar, and style checkers.
Google Docs: My most important tool for digital writing instruction is Google Docs, which enables students to easily share their writing with me and to keep their writing organized. I use the comments feature to leave feedback on specific parts of student writing in a way that is unambiguous for the student—I can highlight a word, phrase, or passage and add feedback in a comment that is tied ...
Technology is a powerful tool that can enhance the strategies and skills students use in the classroom every day. Integrating digital literacy prepares students for the ever-advancing digital world. Dianna Minor is an educator, writer, and consultant. Her professional experience includes literacy, curriculum, and instruction. Twitter: @diminor1.
Digital writing tools: you might have had enough with them after teaching in 2020. However, there are many benefits to students when utilizing digital writing tools and skills in your classroom. Although hand writing is still essential to students, it's important to continue to utilize digital technology for your writing instruction.
Best app for writing drafts: Scrivener The longer the project, the harder it is to keep track of all its moving parts. Scrivener, a writing app, acts as a one-stop-shop for drafting and organizing all of the elements involved in finishing an assignment or project. "Gah I love Scrivener!" says Perhach.
Writing Tools Visual and Audiovisual Tools Presentation Tools Digital Collections for the Classroom Best Bets for Writing and Brainstorming Tools Padlet Padlet is a free online tool that is best described as an online notice board. Padlet can be used by students and teachers to post notes on a common page.
So far in this article, we've focused on digital tools and other types of writing software. However, it's just as critical to create a good work environment in your physical workspace. Here are some physical tools you can use to optimize your workspace. 16. Ergonomic Writing Desk. Cost: $200-$800
1- Book creator. An excellent educational platform to help students create, published share their writing creations. 2- Google Sites. Share your writing in a website you create and publish on the web. 3- Google Docs. Another great option to publish one's writing in various formats including a web link. 4- Edubblogs.
Quill. Quill is an all-in-one writing tool that supports grammar, revisions and lessons for upper elementary, middle and high school students. The proofreader and grammar capabilities are helpful when writing essays and reports, and the connect tool lets students identify run-on and fragmented sentences. By providing students with instant ...
Women Breaking the Glass Ceiling in Technical Content Writing. To overcome technical barriers in content writing, writers can utilise free research tools and resources and seek out technology resources at libraries and community centres. To avoid incompatibility issues, it's important to use compatible software.