What are 5 writing tools that I can’t live without?
ChatCPT
First and foremost, I never use AI to write for me. I believe that writing is an experience that must be drawn from the heart and mind, not from a computer. So, with that said, how do I use artificial intelligence? I use it for research. Just like I use library books, encyclopedias, and the internet to search concepts or ideas, I use AI to assist in my research and analysis. Because AI can respond with human-like analytical output, I use it in conjunction with Google searches.
WordHippo.com
As far thesaurus’s go, I have found none better than wordhippo.com. It is a fantastic reference when searching for the right word because it provides so many different contexts or usages (e.g. verb, noun, interjection, etc.)
Scrivener
I have been using Scrivener for almost a decade and I love it. There are good sides and bad sides to any software. Scrivener is excellent as what it does. It provides me with an easily organized and manageable layout of my work. It is also relatively inexpensive. I use it both on my phone and my MacBook Pro. On the flip side, I probably only utilize half of what it can actually do. There is also a steep learning curve. But I feel the pros far outweigh the cons.
Hemingway Editor
I use Hemingway Editor as a tool to fix weak sentences, confusing sentences, passive voice, and the removal of adverbs. It is a good tool providing me with markers for readability and grade level. I use it when near the final stages of my editing process. I launch both Word and Hemingway at the same time and have them open side-by-side on the screen. This way I am able to make the edits in Word as I scroll through the document in Hemingway.
Word
I feel that Word is the de facto standard for editing. Yes, it is generic. Yes, it does not have the flair of more flavorful document layout applications. And yes, it doesn’t do final document layout such as typesetting well at all. But it is powerful. Almost everyone owns it so, if you are sharing the file for a critique or with an editor it gets the job done splendidly. It is a strong word processor and fits the bill.
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