Writing Apps: Writing Without Worry

Writing Apps: Writing Without Worry

Writing is something that comes from deep within an author’s core. However, although we know what we want to convey- doesn’t mean that we could not use some help to clarify our thoughts. This is where writing apps make their grand entrance. Whether it is to help with grammatical errors or to help decide on what sentence structure is the best. Writing apps serve as an important tool for writers worldwide. In this article, I will list my top ten best writing apps in 2020.

Best Writing Apps

Today’s world is all about efficiency, fast and easy solutions, instant gratification, and the world being available at your fingertips. The ways of the past are gone. Especially when it comes to waiting for results, callbacks, and dependency on others to get the job done. Writing it is no different. No matter the style of writing or whether it is an email, a blog, or a news article. Today’s technology can improve even the best writer. Especially if you are an indie author looking to remove the cost of an editor or proofreader.

If you pick up any smartphone the screen will more than likely be filled with various apps. Apps to help simplify life. Imagine life now without the Uber or Lyft app- or, life without the Netflix app, or your banking app. Simply put, we have now become dependent on apps to make our lives easier. We have also become dependent on technology to correct human errors.

As writers we also sometimes… most times need help to eliminate human error. We would also welcome help to make us better at our craft. Lucky for us technology has not left us behind! So, what types of apps do we have available as writers in 2020?

Top Ten Writing Apps For 2020

         1. GRAMMARLY: 

The Grammarly app places first on the list of some of the best writing apps due to its popularity. This app works with Mac and Windows and is a great writing tool to help with grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

Moreover, there is an extra feature that allows the writer to set personal goals that can be customized. This feature is known as “Tone”. Simply put, the tone of a text can be described as joyful, neutral, friendly, confident, optimistic, urgent, respectful, or analytical. With that said, depending on what the piece is on, the user can have Grammarly check and give a score to see how close the writing is in relation to the goals set according to what the writer was going for.

The goals can also be set for the type of audience the piece is trying to capture. For example- is it for a general audience? An expert audience? Or a knowledgable audience? This feature can also check for the formality of the piece. Meaning, is it an informal piece? A formal piece? Or a neutral piece? Is it supposed to be humorous for example or urgent? It can also check for the domain of the text meaning; is it meant to be an academic, business, technical, casual, or a general text.

Lastly, these useful features of the Grammarly app are not only perfect for writers and authors- but also for educational purposes for students everywhere!

Note, the free version of Grammarly only covers spelling and grammar while the paid, premium version covers style and vocabulary suggestions. These suggestions cover word usage and sentence structures. The paid version also covers plagiarism which, if you already pay for Copyscape, could be a cost-saving alternative. 

2. GINGER:

 

With the use of text recognition algorithms at play, Ginger places second place on my list of best writing apps. What makes Ginger one of the best free writing apps today is its ability to recognize errors within the text in some of the most difficult areas.

Just like Grammarly, Ginger also checks for grammar, spelling, and punctuation. It also checks for subject-verb agreement and contextual spelling. It also has a unique feature called the sentence rephraser which essentially helps to add life and excitement to what would be a boring sentence and by the use of its synonym tool.

Ginger is chosen among one of the top writing apps because it is available as a cross-platform mobile application which makes it an easy choice for both Android and iOS users. 

Lastly, Ginger has a feature that has the ability to link to social media profiles as well as Gmail accounts- giving it a huge advantage over other writing apps. For some, it may be one of the best writing apps due to this reason. After all, having the ability to write and edit your emails as well as social media post without the worry of copying and pasting is a godsend for many.

3. WRITERS CHALLENGE:

The Writers Challenge app comes in at number three on my list of best writing apps in 2020. This may be a surprise when compared to other lists out there but as with writing itself- the writer’s point of view may differ from the readers as well as other writers. 

A huge and frustrating condition that comes with writing is the dreaded writer’s block. This can be a debilitating ordeal for an unspecified amount of time and sometimes getting back on track can prove difficult. Luckily, the Writers Challenge app helps to give creative ideas as to how to overcome this condition.

This is why this app places so high on the list for me. Having a tool that can help overcome something that can halt our livelihoods for any amount of time, for me- is essential. With the Writers Challenge app, your writer’s block will become a thing of the past with inspiring story starter ideas as well as a feature that allows you to challenge yourself to write against the clock. 

If you are a writer, this app should be installed immediately to keep those creative juices flowing!

         4. PROWRITINGAID:

The Prowritingaid app is known for its ability to perform quick checks for errors such as redundancy, unclear wording, and sentence structures, making it one of the most efficient writing apps. This efficiency is what makes this app place in at the fourth place spot on my list of best writing apps in 2020.

Just like the Grammarly and Ginger writing apps, the Prowritingaid app also checks for contextual errors, plagiarism, spelling, grammar, and punctuation. However, with this app, it also checks for passive voice usage, variations of sentence length, and it takes into consideration the many different styles of writing so when scoring the text- it gives multiple report suggestions to help guide the writer.

         5. HEMMINGWAY EDITOR:

On my list of best writing apps, the Hemmingway Editor app places in at number five. Making your writing simpler and easier to read and understand to the reader should be a top priority of the writer. This is where the Hemmingway Editor app could be a huge help. 

By simply copying and pasting your text into the Hemmingway Editor- you will be able to see the areas that could be improved such as sentence length, the amount of passive voice usage, and areas where word replacement could be an option. 

As with many other writing apps, this app also has its own special feature called the “readability grade level”. With this feature, the app has the ability to analyze how easy to read the text is. Once analyzed, the text will be scored based on word choice and sentence structure. The app will then suggest improvements that can be made to better optimize the text.

          6. SCRIVENER:

Writing is a complex skill that requires extensive note-taking, research, of course… writing! Imagine for a moment the chaos that could come with trying to gather all that information at any moment in time while still trying to stay on task. I know right… 

With Scrivener, my sixth choice for best writing apps in 2020- the ability to maneuver through your documents comes with ease as everything is located in one obtainable place. The secret to Scrivener is its text editor. Some have compared it to an alpha, top of the food chain word processor.

With an array of formatting settings along with style and footnote settings, this app will save not only time but also the stresses that come along with the writing process. This app lets you go one step further to becoming a better writer by allowing you to set targets and tracking the progress.

         7. READABLE: 

If SEO is your thing, the Readable app could possibly be your best friend. This app has the ability to check for clarity within the text, syllable count, and most importantly when it comes to SEO, keyword density. Readable, with its algorithms, could help your writings rank well among the many search engines crawling for content. 

         8. CANVA:

This multimedia design platform app isn’t free in any form but it is a great editor and for some is well worth the cost. As we know, depending on the purpose of any form of writing- the use of banners, the need to advertise, and the need for business cards could be necessary. Furthermore, if a website and products are involved, the need for a logo could also be needed. 

Canva makes its debut at number eight on my list of best writing apps for 2020. This app is great for both students and professionals who can choose between a number of ready-made templates. Also accessible are helpful writing tools that can enhance any website or platform with visual content and social media graphics. 

With this useful and time-efficient editor, the need for an expensive graphic designer could be eliminated. How about a CV? This app is perfect for composing one if that is your need! So, if you are in the need of a logo maker, posters, banners, or business cards then Canva could be right for you!

          9. A SOFT MURMUR:

It is a proven fact that ambiance is an essential eliminate in the writing process. The creative mind sometimes needs to be put into a relaxed state to put out its best work. Think of it as an athlete. Many athletes before a competition put themselves into a focused state of mind through music. This is done to prepare their minds for executing a great performance.

I know this for a fact because I was once a vigilant athlete in many sports and using this technique in writing is no different. A Soft Murmur makes the list at number nine of the best writing apps. This is because as a writer, I believe that creating an environment to be able to create our best work is a must. 

A Soft Murmur app allows you to create a personalized sound- using its themed sound settings that will help keep you focused and relaxed. Think of a noise machine in which you can combine raindrops on a tin roof with a hint of a growing thunderstorm in the background. Talk about a peaceful sleep! 

         10. ONELOOK:

Every writer must have some sort of an understanding of different words and their meanings. At the least, a writer should have access to a platform that will give that clarity.

There was no question that the Onelook app would make the list of best writing apps in 2020. Without the understanding of words and their meanings, there would be no writers. 

With the Onelook app, finding the meaning of words is made simple by utilizing its extensive online dictionary collection. This collection is what makes this app unique being that the results come from more than 30 different anthology variations.

What also makes this such a unique app is its reverse dictionary feature. This useful feature allows the writer to look up the exact word they are wanting by simply describing its definition. This alone serves as a very effective and useful writing tool. 

Onelook is certainly a great writing application for improving vocabulary as well as assisting in becoming more knowledgeable of words and their meanings. 

Conclusion

With all the writing apps, there is sure to be one that fits all your writing needs. Even if you don’t find a writing app that is suitable for you on this list, the internet is filled with other options that should match your needs. 

When searching for your perfect writing tool, keep in mind that most writing apps have a free version as well as a paid version. With that said, depending on what type of literary assistance is needed- paying a fee may be the best option for superior results.

Luckily, in today’s world, there are limitless options that are readily available to enhance our writing skills. This, in turn, can save time and money. Writing apps for writers is a must-have in 2020. They not only ease the stress that comes with writing but they also have the capabilities needed to cut out the middle man when it comes to expensive editors, proofreaders, and graphic designers.