Writing is an immensely rewarding journey, but it often comes with its own set of challenges—whether it’s organizing thoughts, refining prose, or staying motivated. From drafting ideas to editing and publishing, the process can feel daunting without the right tools. Thankfully, there’s a wealth of free resources available to make your writing smoother, more efficient, and even enjoyable.
Whether you’re crafting a novel, drafting a blog post, or brainstorming your next big idea, these 20 tools cater to various writing needs and styles. Let’s dive in and explore the must-have free tools every writer should know!
Here’s the categorized list of the 20 tools
- Writing Enhancement Tools
These tools focus on improving grammar, readability, and style. - Writing Platforms
Tools designed for drafting, formatting, and collaborating. - Creative Writing Tools
These tools assist with storytelling, character development, and plot structure. - Productivity and Focus Tools
Tools that help writers stay focused and manage their projects. - Visual and Design Tools
Ideal for creating book covers, promotional materials, or organizing ideas visually. - Community and Feedback Platforms
Connect with other writers and receive critiques. - Research and Note-Taking Tools
Store and organize research, ideas, and drafts. - Additional Inspiration and Writing Support
Tools designed to spark creativity and refine your process.
Writing Enhancement Tools
Grammarly is a powerful AI-driven tool that checks grammar, punctuation, and spelling while offering style suggestions. Its free version covers the basics, while the premium version provides advanced features like tone adjustments.
Ideal For: Writers aiming for polished, error-free content.
Quick Guide
- Copy your text into Grammarly’s online editor or use its browser extension.
- Review highlighted issues and apply suggested corrections to improve clarity.
- Perfect for catching typos and refining tone in emails, blog posts, and academic papers.
This tool helps you simplify your writing by highlighting complex sentences, adverbs, and passive voice. The color-coded feedback makes it super easy to spot what needs a little tweaking, so your words flow naturally and clearly. It’s particularly useful for bloggers and content creators aiming for clarity.
Quick Guide
Ideal For: Writers who want concise, reader-friendly content.
Quick Guide
- Paste your text into the Hemingway App’s editor.
- Observe the color-coded feedback: yellow for hard-to-read sentences, red for very complex ones, and blue for adverbs or passive voice.
- Simplify your text until it feels light and smooth—perfect for blogs, articles, or even your next big story.
ProWritingAid helps you elevate your writing with detailed grammar, style, and readability reports. The free version covers essential editing tools, making it a great resource for refining your drafts.
Ideal For: Writers seeking in-depth analysis of their text.
Quick Guide.
- Paste your text into ProWritingAid’s online editor to receive reports on grammar, readability, and style.
- Target specific areas like redundant phrases or sentence flow to enhance readability.
- Use the tool to polish your drafts before submitting or publishing your work.
Writing Platforms
Google Docs is your go-to free, cloud-based word processor that lets you write, edit, and collaborate in real time. Accessible from anywhere with an internet connection, it also comes with handy add-ons like word counters and grammar checkers to make your writing process smoother.
Ideal For: Writers collaborating with editors or co-authors.
Quick Guide
- Write your draft in Google Docs and use the built-in spell-check tool to catch basic errors.
- Collaborate by sharing your document link with co-writers or editors for real-time suggestions.
- Use add-ons like word counters or grammar checkers to manage word limits or polish text.
Designed for authors, this tool helps you draft and format books for self-publishing. From automatic table of contents to seamless chapter organization, it’s perfect for getting your manuscript ready for platforms like Amazon Kindle.
Ideal For: Aspiring authors looking to create professional, self-published books.
Quick Guide
- Organize your manuscript into chapters directly within the editor.
- Use the formatting tools to ensure consistent headings, spacing, and layout.
- Export your finished book as an EPUB or PDF, ready for self-publishing.
LibreOffice is a powerful, free, open-source alternative to Microsoft Word that works offline. With its rich word processing features, it’s perfect for drafting, editing, and formatting documents without any subscription fees.
Ideal For: Writers who need offline tools.
Quick Guide.
- Draft and edit your text using LibreOffice Writer, which includes a robust word processor.
- Format your documents for submission with built-in styles and templates.
- Save your work in multiple formats, such as .docx or PDF, to suit your needs.
Typora is a sleek Markdown editor that makes writing and previewing your work effortless. It’s perfect for eBook creation, technical writing, or any project that needs clean, structured formatting.
Ideal For: Writers familiar with Markdown formatting.
Quick Guide.
- Use Markdown syntax to create headings, lists, or emphasis in your text.
- Preview your writing in real-time to ensure it’s formatted correctly.
- Export your finished work as an eBook, PDF, or HTML file for easy sharing or publishing.
Creative Writing Tools
The Story Plot Generator is a fun and creative tool that sparks fresh ideas when you’re stuck. Just enter details like genre or themes, and it delivers unique story concepts to jump-start your next project.
Ideal For: Writers experiencing creative blocks.
Quick Guide.
- Enter key details such as the genre, main character traits, or themes.
- Review the generated storyline and use it as a jumping-off point for your own creative ideas.
- Modify the suggested plotlines to suit your style and narrative goals.
Bibisco is a fantastic tool for novelists, focusing on character development and plot structure. It helps you create rich, multi-dimensional characters while keeping your story organized and cohesive.
Ideal For: Writers building detailed, character-driven stories.
Quick Guide.
- Use Bibisco to build detailed character profiles, including motivations, flaws, and arcs.
- Organize chapters and scenes in the software’s project interface to track story progress.
- Review timelines and connections to ensure your plot stays consistent and engaging throughout.
Plottr visualize storylines, character arcs, and timelines with an intuitive drag-and-drop interface. With its drag-and-drop interface, you can plot points, helping you organize even the most complex storylines at a glance.
Ideal For: Writers planning novels or screenplays.
Quick Guide.
- Build a visual timeline to outline key events in your story.
- Fill out character templates to craft detailed backstories and relationships.
- Rearrange plot points using the drag-and-drop interface to experiment with story flow.
Productivity and Focus Tools
Trello is a flexible project management tool that helps you stay organized and meet your deadlines. Using boards and cards, you can easily plan your writing projects and track progress at a glance.
Ideal For: Writers balancing multiple projects or deadlines.
Quick Guide
- Create a board with columns like “Ideas,” “Drafting,” “Editing,” and “Completed” to map out your workflow.
- Add cards for chapters, blog posts, or tasks, and move them across columns as you progress.
- Use checklists within cards to track detailed steps like “Outline,” “First Draft,” and “Proofreading.”
FocusWriter is your go-to tool for distraction-free writing. With its full-screen mode and minimalist design, it creates a peaceful space to help you focus on your craft. It includes features like word count tracking and session goals, making it great for daily writing habits.
Ideal For: Writers seeking a peaceful, focused writing space.
Quick Guide
- Open FocusWriter and set your session goals, such as a word count or time limit.
- Enter full-screen mode to block out distractions and dive into your writing.
- Track your progress daily to stay motivated and build consistency.
ZenWriter creates a full-screen space for writing, combining distraction-free interface with calming background music. It’s perfect for writers who want a relaxed and focused environment to let their ideas flow.
Ideal For: Writers who thrive in serene, distraction-free environments.
Quick Guide.
- Switch to full-screen mode to eliminate distractions and immerse yourself in your writing.
- Play soothing background music to enhance focus and reduce stress.
- Set daily word goals and use ZenWriter to stay productive in a tranquil environment.
Visual and Design Tools
Canva is the ultimate tool for creating beautiful visuals, from book covers to social media posts. With an intuitive drag-and-drop interface, Canva allows even non-designers to create stunning visuals for free.
Ideal For: Writers who need professional visuals for their work.
Quick Guide
- Use Canva to design book covers or visual quotes for social media promotion of your writing.
- Select a pre-made template and customize it with your title, author name, and imagery.
- Download your design and share it to build your presence as a writer.
Milanote is perfect for visual thinkers who want to organize ideas creatively. It’s a flexible tool for brainstorming, creating mood boards, and mapping out story structures, helping writers see the bigger picture and spark new ideas.
Ideal For:Writers needing a visual approach to organization.
Quick Guide.
- Brainstorm ideas by creating mood boards with notes, images, and links.
- Plan your story structure by mapping out chapters or key scenes visually.
- Use Milanote’s flexible layout to explore connections between characters, settings, and themes.
Community and Feedback Platforms
A platform to share your stories and connect with readers for free. Wattpad is ideal for writers looking to publish short stories, novellas, or serialized fiction while receiving feedback from an active community.
Ideal For: Writers exploring fiction or building a fanbase.
Quick Guide.
- Write and upload your chapters to share your stories with a global audience.
- Engage with readers through comments to get real-time feedback on your work.
- Use Wattpad’s tags and categories to reach the right audience for your writing.
An online community where writers can give and receive constructive feedback. Scribophile offers forums, writing contests, and an engaged community to help refine your craft.
Ideal For: Writers seeking peer critiques and connections.
Quick Guide.
- Share excerpts of your work with other writers for critique.
- Apply feedback to improve your manuscript’s pacing, dialogue, or character development.
- Use Scribophile’s writing exercises and community forums to sharpen your skills.
Research and Note-Taking Tools
Evernote is A robust note-taking tool for organizing research, ideas, and drafts. It supports text, images, and even audio notes, syncing everything across your devices so you’re always ready to jot down inspiration, wherever it hits.
Ideal For: Writers managing multiple projects or brainstorming on the go.
Quick Guide
- Use Evernote to jot down ideas, story outlines, or character notes during brainstorming sessions.
- Create separate notebooks for different projects to keep research and drafts organized.
- Sync your notes across devices so you never lose a great idea.
Additional Inspiration and Writing Support
The Story Plot Generator is a fun and creative tool that sparks fresh ideas when you’re stuck. Just enter details like genre or themes, and it delivers unique story concepts to jump-start your next project.
Ideal For: Writers experiencing creative blocks.
Quick Guide.
- Enter key details such as the genre, main character traits, or themes.
- Review the generated storyline and use it as a jumping-off point for your own creative ideas.
- Modify the suggested plotlines to suit your style and narrative goals.
ZenWriter creates a full-screen space for writing, combining distraction-free interface with calming background music. It’s perfect for writers who want a relaxed and focused environment to let their ideas flow.
Ideal For: Writers who thrive in serene, distraction-free environments.
Quick Guide.
- Switch to full-screen mode to eliminate distractions and immerse yourself in your writing.
- Play soothing background music to enhance focus and reduce stress.
- Set daily word goals and use ZenWriter to stay productive in a tranquil environment.
You can PIN this article and come back anytime for find the Free Stocks.
