7 Apps Every Author Needs
Gone are the days where you need a high-end laptop or desktop to write your book.
With a smartphone or tablet, you’re able to write, research book topics, make notes, list sources and plenty of other functions for creating your book– all on the go!
As an author, it’s in your best interest to use technology to your advantage– while writing with the traditional paper and pen is still a perfectly acceptable way to write your book, technology can optimize certain tasks, for greater efficiency and flexibility.
Check out our best recommendations.
Available in a free and premium version, A Novel Idea is arguably one of the most powerful iPad apps for authors.
It features a clean, easy-to-use interface, allowing you to jot down elements of their book and link them together.
A Novel Idea supports editing of the following elements: title, setting, theme, tone, point of view, premise, plot, title, act, time, plot type, description, tension level, character name, age, internal conflict, external conflict, idea, location and more.
iOS; Free!
Brainstorming is an instrumental part of the book-writing process. For many, it is also the hardest– with so many flooding ideas, it can be a challenge to nail down a theme, let alone the task of dividing chapters and subchapters.
MindNode allows you to map out their thoughts (much like a Brain Dump!), starting with a core theme and “branching out’ from there. The best part?
Users can color code, highlight and annotate their maps– a completely virtual Brain Dump experience. You never know when inspiration will strike; having MindNode on-the-go will give you the freedom and flexibility to find creativity anytime, anywhere.
iOS; $9.99
Definitely, do not overlook OneNote! Granted, it lacks the versatility of A Novel Idea, but it’s still a useful app, particularly for authors and writers.
Developed by Microsoft, OneNote allows you to write quick notes, but it’s not just your average note-taking app– you can also tag your notes, share them with friends, and access them from any other Apple device (e.g. iPhone, iPod or Mac).
iOS and Android; Free!
iA Writer is a word processing app featuring an intuitive interface loaded with features. At first glance, it may appear overly complicated, but don’t be fooled.
On the contrary, iA Writer is particularly easy to use and saves documents in plain text format, to be converted late into .doc or .docx formats.
iOS; $9.99
If you’re like most writers, you implore the help of a dictionary or thesaurus nearly every time you write! The Merriam-Webster Dictionary is an excellent resource, made even more convenient and accessible in the form of an app.
Diversifying your language and word choice will make you a more expressive writer and ensure your words land, in the way you intend.
If you’ve ever noticed yourself using the same word over and over, check out the thesaurus function and switch it up! Plus it’s free, so you really have no excuse!
iOS and Android; Free!
Once you have your first draft, there will be plenty of need for edits and revisions.
Enter: Goodreader. The app requires all text to be in PDF format, to highlight, markup, annotate and so on.
It’s the perfect option for on-the-go editing, so you can make the most of your time, anywhere.
iOS; $4.99
If you’re hitting a writer’s block or are simply tired of sitting at your desk typing/writing away, try talking your book!
Dragon Dictation is practically a modern day personal assistant; simply hit record and start talking. The app will then transcribe your recording into words, saving you tons of time and providing an alternative to traditional writing.
It can also be done safely on-the-go, whether you’re taking a stroll, driving or running errands.
iOS and Android; Free!
What are your favorite apps for writing your book? Have you tried any of the above-mentioned?
We’d love to hear from you in the comments below!