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Writing Resources

webstuff, books, and soundscapes that have helped me along, or that I think are worth sharing. for some of the longer posts, i've taken the liberty of archiving them bc it would suck if they got wiped off the web.

* marks my favorites

Writing Software

Word Processors

  • *scrivener my current writing software. coming from google docs, i am happy to have something with a lot of dedicated novel-writing features. the paid version normally cost $60, but you can get a coupon. it also has a generous free trial so you can try it out. there's no AI or forcing you to use the cloud!
  • ellipsus cloud-based collaborative writing software. i fw them because they're strongly anti-AI and because it has a pretty green theme
  • stimuwrite "StimuWrite is a companion writing app for people who are neurodivergent, addicted to social media notifications, or would benefit from extra stimulation and feedback when they draft and take notes."
  • left pared-down word processor. it's like notepad but sexy
  • writemonkey another minimalist word processor. it's a little bit more sophisticated than left but not by much
  • reedsy studio freemium suite of wiki-based character and setting notes as well as a browser-based word processor.
  • redacted fonts Not technically software, but a useful tip for people tempted to edit as they go. These fonts are all completely unreadable, forcing you to just keep writing.
  • writerush.net browser-based writing app built for focus. has a lot of cool themes and shoots confetti at you while you write. freemium but perfectly usable!
  • Quoll Writer FOSS word processor!

Productivity Software

AKA other writing-related software that isn't a word processor
  • notion.so versatile productivity software I use to take notes, track word count and overall progress. only complaint is that offline connection is dicey I no longer recommend Notion because their proprietary AI is built into the software.
  • anytypemy recommended replacement for notion. local-first but has sync features
  • obsidian note-taking app. it is on desktop or mobile and organizes notes in a more visual way. it is very versatile and has lots of plugins, so its good for more tech savvy people. only reason I don't use it is bc sync is a paid feature.
  • joplin another replacement option to notion, digital notebook-type program. only major con is that you pay for cloud features.
  • cryptpad google drive-esque software that is FOSS and encrypted. kinda ugly tho
  • proton drive another replacement for google drive. has a connected document editor. does what cryptpad does but much prettier
  • libreofficenonprofit, free competitor to MS Office, in case that's your ideal workspace
  • trackbear completely free-to-use, open source webapp to track your writing habits and set goals.
  • *okular a document viewing software. highly rated by me because the stamp feature lets me put memes in my manuscript
  • notallyfree, lightweight note-taking app made for android

Writing Communities or Blogging Websites

  • scribophile community oriented around critique and getting your work ready to publish.
  • rough draft month an alternative to what nanowrimo used to be... set your own goal for words and track your progress together.. best of all it's developed by *women*
  • shut up and write! an international writing community that organizes online and in-person meetups
  • 4thewords gameified webapp that gets you to write!
  • royal road web fiction site
  • write.as simple blogging site
  • dreamwidth blogging site forked off of livejournal way back when. I don't really recommend it since it's pretty dead, unless you really like this format or are overtaken by LJ nostalgia.
  • *storygraph reading list tracker similar to goodreads. Developed by a woman-owned company and not Jeff Bezos!
  • littlestack "a hand-curated library showcasing indie, small press, and traditionally published fiction"

Worldbuilding Tools

  • vulgar conlang generator. you can go totally random or narrow results by picking features. its possible to use for free but a bit limited
  • kanka freemium worldbuilding software.
  • fantasia archive free, locally hosted software to organize your worldbuilding.
  • onym biiiiiig list of resources for naming places, people and things, as well as lists of specific terminology.
  • *behindthename my go-to site for over a decade to find real names. has a lot of non-western and historical names and isn't grossly pregnancy-themed.
  • godchecker mythology encyclopedia website, has a lot of non-western gods described.
  • world history encyclopedia pretty much what you'd think it is, every article is written by actual historians. many articles have audio versions as well. unfortunately they have a stupid "academic" AI on the site but its not too obtrusive..

Soundscapes

How to's..

Youtube Channels

  • *shaelinwrites writing advice videos as well as vlogs. specializes in short fiction. I like her content as she gives a more thorough viewpoint than i see from a lot of other sources.
  • rachel writes she has gone towards vlog content more recently which i'm not really a fan of, but her advice videos go well in depth and are worth watching. she also does tutorials on making book covers and has a podcast
  • Hello Future Me covers a lot of broad topics, good for a beginning writer. his series of craft books, On Writing and Worldbuilding, is also worth getting as a type of handbook. he uses a lot of pop culture as example, which is fine, but be warned he talks abt ATLA a lot.
  • *Brandon Sanderson's Lecture Series on Writing SF/F This is a must watch for fantasy writers. Brandon Sanderson (notable fantasy author) goes over the broad categories of writing a SF/F novel. Easy to follow. While I disagree with some points he makes, this was a formative thing for me to watch. Also, good of him to upload this for completely free

Books I Recommend