Writing Productivity Tools
I love writing productivity tools! I started optimizing my process because I was always running behind schedule and never getting enough done. Over the past few weeks, I have been searching for ways to improve my productivity and I’ve collected helpful writing productivity tools that I’m sharing with you today. It’s worth noting that I use Android devices, so all of these are found in the Google Play store. Try these out, as well as other apps and refine your process. What works for me, might not work for you.
Also, I have a Kindle Fire, which doesn’t allow you access to the Google Play store. This has been a constant source of frustration and its’ something Amazon should reconsider, but I digress. So, I had to find workarounds. All of these tools are also available on a desktop version that I use on my tablets.
OneNote
My favorite app is OneNote and it’s absolutely free on all devices. I use it to collect ideas for upcoming books. I organize my notebooks by the title of my upcoming novel and then divide those into notebooks sections such as outlines, scene ideas, and launch plans.
I like OneNote because I have it on my phone, my Kindle, as well as my desktop so anytime an idea strikes, I can grab my device and jot down a note. It also supports audio input so I can just record my thoughts.
Now I don’t have a jumble of receipts, bits of paper, napkins, along with incoherent emails I sent in the middle of the night when an idea occurred to me. I’ve found ideas come at the worst times like when I’m in the shower or driving. It’s a great way of keeping track of upcoming projects and placing all of your notes in one spot. I used to keep notes in Word but this eliminates a step.
Nirvana
Nirvana is another app I love. It uses the GTD method. It has both a paid and free version. While OneNote is wonderful for keeping track of ideas and other details of the project. It doesn’t work as a to-do list. So, I use Nirvana to track those large projects, as well as set due dates.
There’s also a great section, called inbox, that I use to capture ideas for tasks I’m going to complete during the week.
Pocket was designed to capture articles online, in order to read them later. Pocket has both a paid and free version. I use it to collect research on my books and also to organize my bookmarks. I love that you can tag an article or a website or a video in Pocket and get to it very fast, rather than an unorganized series of bookmarks on my tablet or my phone. I was spending a lot of time searching through lists of random items to find things I needed. It can be frustrating and this is a way to have it at my fingertips.
OneDrive
I utilize OneDrive to store my book covers, completed book files, and my work in progress, so no matter where I am, I can grab the file I need. There’s also a sense of security knowing that my books are living in the cloud. If my desktop goes haywire or there’s a fire at my place, I haven’t lost them.
It’s also convenient. For example, I was out and about and received an email from my editor, and she said I’d send her the wrong version of the file. So I grabbed it from the cloud and attached it to an email, right from my phone.
Zapier and IFTT
These two tools can be used for automation. Both Zapier and IFTT have free and paid versions. If This Then That uses “recipes” to create automatic actions. Zapier does the same thing, only theirs are called “zaps.” Since everyone has different needs, I would encourage you to explore both sites and find out what automation works for you. One I use several times a day, involves transcription with my Dragon software. While I’m running around, I’ll dictate on my phone. Those files are automatically dumped into Google Drive but Dragon retrieves items from the computer, not an app. So I have an automation that will grab the file from Google Drive and then transfer it into OneDrive. Easy peasy. It’s a simple thing, but it saves me a step.
I hope this list gives you some ideas!
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