My Writer's Toolbox

Since starting my writing journey in 2017, I have gradually added tools to my arsenal to help me grow and improve as both a writer and marketer. There are a huge choice of packages and software available out there which can be quite daunting. So, what have I got and how does it help me?

My first book was produced using Word. I found it difficult to use, especially when editing as the file was so big. I tried splitting it into chapters, but that became more confusing. When it came to formatting for paperback and e-reader, it became a nightmare. The mere thought of gutters is still enough to make me curl up into a ball.

My first big purchase was Scrivener. Developed with writers in mind, it easily separates your book into chapters, yet when it is time to compile it, the software does it for you. There are formatting options for both paperback and e-reader, and it easily adds front and back matter making the whole process (relatively) simple. I wouldn’t be without it.

There are a ton of features which I have never used, although every now and then I discover something amazing. The great thing is, you can try it for free for 30 days. Even better, it is not one month regardless of whether you log in, but 30 days of use. So, if you only write twice a week, you have it for 15 weeks.

Not everyone gets on with it, but for me, it is a wonderful addition to my toolbox.

My second big purchase came a while later after attending ProWriting Aid’s summit for fantasy writers. They were offering a 40% discount on a lifetime membership, and I jumped at the chance. I use it primarily for spelling, punctuation, and grammar checks, but there is a vast swathe of reports you can access. The sensory report, for instance, analyses your text to let you know how often the senses are mentioned. (Taste, touch, smell etc.) This is really useful when you are writing description that you want to be immersive. They don’t have a free download, but you can open an account for free and get a taste of what it’s like.

The great thing for me is it is fully integrated with all my apps, including Scrivener, but you can turn it off if it gets too intrusive. I don’t fix everything they suggest, and some of their suggestions are completely wrong, but it is incredibly helpful for the basics.

My third most important purchase was an external hard drive to back up all my manuscripts. Unfortunately, this was like shutting the door after the horse had bolted. Back in 2022 my laptop, which had never worked properly since I’d bought it, completely fried. Despite my techie friend coming to try to recover my files, he couldn’t. I believed my manuscripts were being saved to my Dropbox account. I was wrong. Among other things, I lost a whole draft manuscript of The Charred Blade and had no other copy. I was devastated.

Thankfully, after I sent it off to a data recovery service, they managed to save most of my stuff, including my precious copy. It cost me a lot of money, but I could never have reproduced it. Lesson learnt. I went straight out and bought an external hard drive and backed everything on to it.

My last major purchase was for my website and domain name. Having somewhere independent of social media is a must and I believe it to be a wise use of my money. I also paid for my domain name to make it easier for people to find me. I have created my website myself which has been a steep learning curve, but one I have enjoyed.

As I look to the future, I can see the possibility of a couple of major additions to my toolbox. The first will be my monthly newsletter email site. Currently, I don’t have to pay until I reach 1,000 subscribers. Hopefully, that will be achieved at some point, and I need to factor that in to my very limited budget.

Another possible investment is a subscription to a graphic design platform, such as Canva or Book Brush. Sadly, I have run out of my free downloads for Book Brush, so all I can do on there is play. I do have a free account with Canva, but it isn’t set up for authors the way Book Brush is, which may tip the scales away from them.

There you have it. A glimpse into my author’s toolbox. What do you have that has proved invaluable as a creator? I’d love to know!