5 Essential Software Programs for Authors and Writers

The advent of the internet culture of the modern age has brought with it numerous benefits for aspiring authors and writers. Not only has the self-publishing revolution of recent years put the power back into the hands of the creators, and allowed them to distribute work without the approval of a middleman publishing house, it has also brought along countless other helpful advancements. When they say there’s any app for everything, they’re not joking, and this is no different for writers. These five examples are some of the best software on the market to accompany the writing process and support you on your journey to success. 1. FreeMind – Best For Brainstorming Writer's block is a very real phenomenon and can be detrimental, even if it's only your own deadlines that you're working toward. It's been proven that mind mapping and brainstorming is a fantastic way to get those creative juices flowing again, and can help you work past any motivation slumps you might experience. FreeMind is one of the leading mind-mapping software available. Its simple format allows you to create a master point and then add subheadings, sections and related ideas. The freeform nature of the program makes it perfect for those of us who don't always work in logical steps and allows you to build up comprehensive and detailed ideas over time. 2. Scrivener – Best For Writing While Microsoft Word has long been the industry leader for writing software, and that doesn't look to change any time in the near future, there are many who have a strong aversion to the program, or just require a more specifically targeted tool. Scrivener is a fantastic option, as it’s a word processing program that’s designed specifically for authors and career writers. It uses a multi-faceted system to provide tools to help you get through all elements of the writing process. You can group together different documents, making it easy to edit sections of a manuscript, pin ideas and drafts to the virtual corkboard, outline and structure your work and sync up with all of your other devices. 3. Evernote – Best For Organizing Once you’re on a roll with producing and writing your work, very quickly you’ll notice that your to-do list starts getting difficult to manage. As the progress moves on you’ll naturally have to start liaising with editors, publishers, reviewers and many other people, to give your release the best chance of continued success. Because of this, it's easy to forget tasks and important meetings and miss deadlines, which can be detrimental to the finished product. Evernote has long reigned supreme as the ultimate organization software. It allows you to create detailed lists, set reminders, sync with devices, locate important information easily and share ideas with colleagues. Any business owner benefits from using Evernote, and authors are no different. 4. Hemingway – Best For Editing Self-editing is one of the most difficult elements of publishing your own work. Hiring a beta-reader to do this for you is a great option. However, this often requires a financial investment that not everyone can afford. Because of this, Hemingway, the editing software, is an invaluable tool. The app allows you to input text and, using a highlighting system, flags up any sentences that are difficult to read. Yellow means that the sentence is more complex than average; red highlights sections that are too complicated to flow naturally and there are colors for superfluous adverbs, phrases and passive voice. Easy to use, and fantastic for producing results, this is definitely one to include in any author's arsenal. 5. BufferedVPN – The Best Contingency Plan Sometimes, finding success as a self-publisher isn’t all about your work and the way you write. Due to the online nature of the endeavor, you also have to think about the way you interact with the Internet. For those who host their books online, promote through websites and social media, and sell through internet books stores, it’s important to understand that your entire business is in the online public domain. Because of this, just like you'd buy locks for the door of a physical business, you have to take steps to secure your franchise virtually. One of the best available security tools on the market is a Virtual Private Network. Apps of this nature, such as the well-reviewed BufferedVPN, provide users with a secure connection and encrypt all of their data, which means they're less likely to be infiltrated by hackers or injected with malware. No-one wants to put their life and soul into a project, only to have it destroyed at the last minute by a malicious cyber attack. So protecting yourself now is sure save yourself a significant amount of time and hassle in the future. These are just five of the best options available for authors, but there are many more. If you can think of another that deserves to be on the list, then be sure to leave a comment below! We'd love to hear your ideas. This is a guest post written by IsaAbout the Author: Isa is an entertainment and technology blogger, who has had a lifelong passion for books and writing. She loves finding all the best new apps to help support her work and hopes her findings can help others succeed as well!