My
Writing
Resources
I often get asked about what I use while writing. I wanted to compile a list of both online and physical resources here. Hopefully these resources will be helpful to both new and old writers alike. Where applicable, I will include links. I will also update occasionally as I find new things I like and use.
Toggl
Toggl an app or website that allows you be accountable for the hours you spend at your computer writing. You can set a goal for how much time your would like to put towards your project each week and then when you sit down to write you just let Toggl know you are working. It will track your progress. It’s really nice to be able to look back and physically see how many hours I’ve spent working on a book or series.
Height comparison
Height Comparison is a website where you can input character information to see the differences in their heights. This can be very useful for lots of reasons.
3d book cover creator
I believe my publisher sent me this website. It lets you turn your book covers into 3D mockups. This is great if you are creating graphics for social media. It can also be fun if you are working on a new project and want to create a cover for your own inspirational purposes.
i miss my cafe
This website lets you sign into your Spotify and listen to a playlist while also having a customizable cafe ambiance in the background. Very fun if you can’t get to the coffee shop but want that aesthetic.
Inkarnate
Inkartnate is a website that lets your create maps. The map I created for Erydia was pretty much the same map I created with the Inkarnate software, it was just redrawn by an artist. It is really cool to see the transformation from my vision to theirs.
surnames
“Behind the Name” is a pretty well-known website for finding surnames. It gives you a comprehensive list of last names. I also really enjoy going on Reddit for both first name and last names ideas for characters.
timer
When I am writing I try to keep my phone as far away as possible—otherwise I will scroll. I do like to sometimes do writing sprints where I race the clock to see how many words I can write in a set amount of time. To avoid my phone timer, I ended up just buying a timer online. This is the one I have, there are tons of them.
Scrivener
Authors have been singing the praises of Scrivener for a long time. I was a disbeliever and didn’t use it for my first eleven books (so definitely not the first two books in the Culled Crown series). However, I did use it while writing the third book in the series and it was a serious game changer. I wish I’d started using it sooner. While there is definitely a learning curve—and it is steep—once you get over it, it is all smooth sailing from there. 11/10 recommend making the leap.
family tree creator
This is a fairly basic family tree maker, but I really like it. It does exactly what I need it to do. If I need more, I usually can either print the pages and write in notes or I can upload it into Canva and type them in. But for laying out the actual family structure, it is great.
query tracker
If you are interested in trying to find a literary agent, this is a great website for keeping track of your queries.
Save the cat
The “Save the Cat” method of plotting is one of my favorites. You can get a lot of information about it online at the website or from the book by Jessica Brody. I will link both below.
coffee cup wamer
Never have cold coffee again!
jinx
Assistant editor.
Great place to start brainstorming the aesthetic of your world and your characters.
word count tracker
If you loved NaNoWriMo like I did, but don’t want to support them anymore—here is a solution I found. This is a word count tracker on Etsy. I love it. Before I was using Scrivener (which has one built in) I was using this pretty religiously. This also comes with a sprint tracker that I enjoyed.
cool symbols
Sometimes I find that I need to spice up my rough drafts to make them fun to read the second time. One way to do that is to add pretty page breaks. You can do this by copying and pasting in symbols. I use this website. I also use the symbols from this website in Scrivener to label characters, plot points, relationships… they can have a ton of uses. Be creative. ⋆˚✿˖°
wattpad
I was writing books long before Wattpad, but I got noticed when I started posting on the site. I had also never shared my writing until I posted there. If you are looking for a place to connect with other readers and writers, Wattpad might be a good place to start.
external hard drive
Save your work in the cloud and on an external hard drive. Any hard drive will do.This is the one I am using the most.
