Tools for content creators

To many, writing may seem like a complicated process, whereas to others, it’s a cakewalk. It is, however, a truth worth acknowledging that skilled writers always surpass talented ones. Good content writers aren’t born with a knack for writing. It is only when a writer can ideate, write, edit, plan and be consistent in their efforts can they actually realise their entire potential for moving minds with words.

Ofcourse, growing into the definition of a seasoned writer is not an easy one. But with these tools, you can certainly speed up the process.

Ideation tools: Staying and leading in the buzz is important for content writers to derive satisfactory returns. Therefore, finding the correct idea to execute is non-negotiable for successful creators.

• Google Trends: Google Trends is a free online tool by Google that allows users to search terms that are used in their industry and gives insight on the potential topics to create content around. Google Trends breaks down interest across regions, related topics, and related queries. The added insights on whether the interest in a topic is declining, growing or is periodic can also come in handy while deciding on what to write about.
• HubSpot’s Blog Ideas Generator: Coming up with fresh ideas off the bat is not easy. Even the most creative minds need to leverage their inspiration from time to time. A tool like HubSpot’s Blog Ideas Generator is ideal for those stuck in a creative rut. The tool allows users to type 3 nouns related to their industry or interest and generates 5 blog ideas in return. The ideas it provides are usually good enough to get anyone started.
• AnswerThePublic: AnswerThePublic is a great way to gain insight into what your target audience is thinking about. By typing the search term related to your industry and clicking enter, you can directly dive into all the W questions one may have about it. Depending on your need, you can either choose to view the lists of data or use the visualisation board to arrive at your next big idea.
• Portent’s Content Idea Generator: rtent’s Content Idea Generator works in a similar fashion to HubSpot’s Blog Ideas Generator. All you have to do is to enter your subject matter into the generator and wait for it to churn out captivating headlines related to the same. Portent offers SEO tools, design, website analytics and development services to help you write better content.

These tools may come handy when it comes to finding the next big idea, but what if you know what you want to write about, but can’t put pen to paper? Here’s when writing tools come into the picture

Writing tools: Writing is not simply about writing. Creating something worth paying attention to out of a blank document that stares back at you can be challenging. You will have good days and bad days, but using these tools on all those days can help you push forward through all the blocks.

• ProWritingAid: ProWritingAid is a writing tool many content writers swear by. This amazing tool not only helps writers make their writing error-free, but also provides them with advice on how to improve their text. ProWritingAid has 20 reports focusing on different aspects of writing. Additionally, it has features like articles, videos and quizzes to make your learning process more fun and interactive.
• Reedsy: Have a knack for creating poetic prose? Reedsy marries poetry and engaging content by helping you find rhymes, quotes, homophones, antonyms, synonyms and much more. These features make Reedsy the go-to writing tool to help writers come up with brief and catchy social media captions.
• Ulysses: Ulysses is the ideal writing buddy for iOS users. Whatever you write on Ulysses gets synced across all your devices linked to iCloud. The minimalistic interface of Ulysses caters to the less is more theory for writers more likely to get distracted during their flow state. You can even set writing goals, track your progress, organise your blog posts and directly post to WordPress.
• Evernote: Evernote is the best alternative to Ulysses for android users. It syncs up your writing across all devices and also allows you to save things directly off the internet. With collab features, multiple writers can work on the same document.
• Google Docs: Of all the online writing tools here, this one is the most-user friendly and widely used by anyone and everyone who needs to write and save documents online. Google Docs’s simple interface, various templates and collaborative features make it easy for multiple users to write at the same time.

Marvel at your draft all you want, but we all know what follows after writing, a thorough round of editing!

Editing tools: First drafts are seldom what reaches the masses during publishing time. A good writer knows that the real magic of improving your writing lies in the editing process. Armed with these tools you can avoid silly mistakes and use the spare time for structural edits.

• Trello: Trello is an organising tool that teams use to manage multiple projects and organise tasks using cards and lists on shared boards. The collaborative features of Trello make it easy for all the members of your team to stay updated on what’s new on the board and who was the last one to edit.
• Notion: Notion goes a step further than Trello by syncing up content throughout your devices. The paid version of Notion allows for your team to collaborate over multiple devices. The extremely user-friendly and dynamic interface of Notion allows you to interlink your texts and save texts from over the internet in one place.
• Google: Calendar - Anyone who has ever used Google Calendar knows that it is more than just a normal calendar. By setting reminders, scheduling meetings and tasks, writers can stay organised and be rest-assured about meeting deadlines. As Google Calendar is available on all the devices and is often a default for many android users, it becomes the most convenient app to plan things out.
• Slack: Slack is a great way to simplify information sharing within teams. Writers can make the most of Slack thanks to the integration of all the important softwares and tools across iOS and Android like Google Drive, Outlook Calendar, iCloud, etc. Slack also offers an unparalleled collaborative experience with document sharing, messaging and virtual meet features.

After getting the basics of creation and execution right, it’s time to look out for the most efficient ways to keep showing up in the market.

Productivity tools: Writing productively is underrated. Have you ever spent 10 hours on an article and managed to come up with a mediocre final draft, whereas another writer you know spent 2 hours on the same was successful to get the message across? Yes, it can be an unpleasant place to be in. Knowing your productive hours and leveraging it is the best way to write well. These tools help you do that.

• Todoist: - For writers who like to plan every article, copy or emailer, lists are a must. Todoist is one of the best list management applications on the market. Todoist offers several excellent features to help you keep track of your content. Its cross-platform connectivity enables you to get into the writing zone no matter where you are or which device you are using.
• Any.do: - Any.do is a free productivity application that any forgetful writers can make the most of. Any.do not just allows you to set reminders and tasks for the day, but it also helps you meet your daily goals and ranks them by importance. For any writer who likes the old-school satisfaction of striking something off their to-do list, Any.do’s strike off feature is a contender.
• Coffitivity: - What is the joy of writing without a cup of piping hot coffee and the familiar ambiance of a quaint cafe? For writers who need environmental cues to set into motion, Coffitivity is the most pleasant productivity tool. Coffitivity has several settings to cater to your different moods. You can choose the type of sound you wish to have in the background while working on your next big content project.
• TomatoTimer: - Ever heard of the Pomodoro technique? TomatoTimer helps break down an overwhelming writing marathon into little chunks of writing sprints. After 25 minutes of writing, the app lets you recharge during a 5 to 10 minutes of break. One the time goes up, you get prompted to return back to the keyboard.

There’s definitely more to add to the basket, but none of these tools can be a substitute for a true knack for words. If you need a content writer who can bring your dreams for content marketing to fruition, call us now to get in touch with our team!