We live in a strange world. The more things change the more they stay the same. But that doesn't really apply to writing. Its process
had changed more than anything in past 20 years. Remember how hard it was to depict your text correctly on the page through the utter
clumsiness of an early text-processor? Indeed. And then - it's so hard to concentrate when you have so many distractions around you. It
makes you less focused and thus diminish the quality of your text. Also - if you write constantly - you know that sometimes writing becomes
casual and mundane routine and it is not very fun to do in the end. Hopefully, there are tools to fix it. Internet has dozens and
dozens various applications that makes the writing of the text a little bit easier, a little bit different.
Here are several online tools that may help you to write without a bump.
1. HemiNgwayApp
This online text processor follows the philosophy of great Ernest Hemingway. Thus the name. App provides
very fruitful environment for the writing. It contains two modes - WRITE and EDIT. In WRITE mode - you can type your text down as it is.
Then you can format it by adding bold and italic text and three types of headers. After that you can add quotes and bullet or number lists.
You can attach some links. In the EDIT mode - you can check the text for readability. App aptly points out the problematic parts of the
text - such as the amount of needless adverbs, instances of unjustified use of passive voice, words that can be replaced with a simpler
ones and sentences that are harder to read that it needs to.
2. Quick and Dirty Tips
Quick and Dirty Tips is something of a unlimited source of various tips and tricks to improve your writing here
and there. For example, GrammarGirl. In a simple, laid-back form this blog provides useful tips for issues that happen in the everyday life
of a writer. Such as - how to use certain styles, how to expand your points of reference, how to improve your workrate and many others.
Every tip is written in easy to follow manner and goes straight to the point without diverting to much to the abstract realms of theory. It
is really helpful if you don't have much time to study large tome on writing theory.
3. oTranscribe
Transcribing interviews is always a pain in the ass. Sometimes it goes even beyond. Especially if you don't have a special button on your keyboard to pause the player - then it is a legitimate nightmare and you have a proud but futile right to scream in horror relentless. Hopefully, oTranscribe is here to help. You just need to choose the file to transcribe and start typing it out. Nice and simple. The app has simple system of shortcuts that eases the process of transcribing and lets you to concentrate on intense typing without irritating and distracting switching back and forth from the document to the player again and again. You leave marks on your file and retain a system of checkpoint in order to not to get lost in the meshes of the file.
4. The Most Dangerous Writing App
This one is my favorite. The Most Dangerous Writing App is designed to leave all the distractions out of an equation. You only have a blank screen and you need to type your text. It also has a time limit (usually - 5 minutes) and when the time is up - you better be done with the text because otherwise it will be gone. In fact - if you stop typing for more than 5 seconds all the progress will be lost. But if you write for the length of the session - you will get the chance to save the text.The reason for that is simply - as you know every writer has that pesky little inner editor that messes all up. But when you don't have time to double check and rewrite everything - you need to move forward. You let yourself to the flow and don't think much about it. Ain't that cool?
5. Wordcounter
Since writing is mostly a job for somebody else - you need to apply to certain requirements for the text. Most common is a certain word count that must be retained in your text. That is the simplest form of evaluation. If it's not enough - you're in trouble. If it's too much - you need to fix it. In order to keep track of it - you can use this funny little app. With its help you can see the frequency of use of every word in the text (including or excluding the likes of "it" and "the" and so on). You can discover underused and overused word and that will let you to consider some changes to be made in your text. This app works in full power in pair with the next one.
6. Thesaurus.com
With a little help of Wordcounter you can check the frequency of word use and find the words that are blatantly overused because you're too lazy to think about every word that describes the same concept (don't worry, it's OK). Thesaurus can help you to find the alternatives for the overused words. Many, many, many, many alternatives. It can also help to get some spice to your text with various shiny, interesting and downright obscure words. But don't try too hard.
That's it for now. Hope you've enjoyed the list. There are many other useful applications.
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