As a writer, I am always looking for different tools to add to my “writer’s toolbox.” I’ve provided links to some of my favorites below.
Behind the Name provides a comprehensive list of names along with their origins, meanings, and common uses in everything from mythology to pop culture. The site is searchable by gender, meaning, ethnicity, popularity, and a number of other ways. I love using this site when I am working on developing characters for my stories. They even provide the ability to research surnames!
As a professor, I used to constantly refer my journalism students to this extremely useful and user-friendly graphic design program. I can’t say enough about the value of this program where it comes to creating professional-quality marketing materials–especially for those who may not have a background in graphic design. First (and maybe most important), it is free to use and allows you to sign up via email or through Facebook. The site provides everything you need from templates to images to fonts, and it also allows you to download your work in .pdf, .jpg, and .png formats FOR FREE!
Need some inspiration for a character or a scene in your book, or maybe a few writing prompts to awaken the muse? Pinterest has got you covered. I use this constantly (as you can see above) to help me generate ideas for my stories. The app is free to use and provides the user with the ability to create an unlimited number of pin boards for just about anything you can think of. I personally enjoy creating boards dedicated to fantasy casting for my stories, specific locations for scenes, and maintaining a collection of writing prompts to stave off writer’s block.
I can’t give enough praise for this program. To put it mildly, Scrivener is like Microsoft Word on steroids. Imagine having access to every chapter of your book, your Pinterest inspiration boards, and all your notes within the same program. Not only does it allow you to organize everything you need to write your book in a single place, but it gives you all the tools that you would typically find in a basic word-processing program. Best of all, Scrivener is available for both Windows and Mac, offers a 30-day free trial, and only costs $45 for a standard license to use on all of your devices!
Don’t believe me? Check out their extensive list of testimonials.
This site, at least in my opinion, is a fiction writer’s best friend. This comprehensive resource for writers provides a wealth of information and tools for everything from writing courses to character/scene/plot development worksheets to tips on how to navigate the sometimes mind-boggling business of publishing a novel. Most everything on the site is free to use.
This online thesaurus has become one of the most valuable tools I rely on while writing and editing. It’s easy to use, easy to reference, and provides so many options where it comes to the use of words. I highly recommend it!
Aristeia 