Everyone writes. There’s no escaping it. If you’re a freelancer or entrepreneur, you may be writing your own blog posts, landing page copy and email sequences. And even if you regularly hire pros, you still may have to do this in a pinch:
- Write and answer email
- Come up with an occasional blog post
- Create course or webinar content
- Give a live or recorded speech
- Update your bio
- Or answer questions in Facebook groups
Want to make it happen faster? Check out these free online tools that help with everything from grammar mistakes to better UX.
1 – Grammarly
Grammarly is a virtual editor that can help you find and correct over 250 grammar errors. It also points out spelling mistakes and poor word choices. The free version works with Chrome, Safari, and Firefox browsers.
If you’re using Chrome, you can add the free extension for help with Gmail, WordPress, and most web pages. It’s worth spending the 3-5 minutes on this just to save yourself from embarrassing Facebook and LinkedIn errors in quick posts and replies.
The free version
- counts the total number of errors
- counts the number of serious errors new line
- underlined possible problem words
- and offers replacement choices when you hover over the highlighted words
Grammarly can be annoying when writing sales copy or emails in a conversational tone that calls for less formal usage. Those little green numbered circles just won’t go away.
But chances are that you’ll find it so helpful, you’ll decide that it’s better to toughen up and agree to disagree.
2 – Hemingway Editor
The Hemingway app is appropriately named after the author famed for his short, to-the-point sentences such as:
Nick stood up.
He felt happy.
It was a hot day.
There was a good smell.
He was very hungry.
(And so on…)
While three to four-word sentences may not be ideal for all of your writing purposes, Hemingway can help you simplify. And most people need to do that.
Marketers know that better UX creates more leads and sales. In digital marketing, you have seconds before the reader clicks off or commits to keep reading. If your text is difficult to read, it kills your chances for conversion. Even in highly technical fields that use specialized vocabulary, readability is key. Most direct-response copy should aim for a 7.5 grade reading level or below.
Cut and paste text directly onto the Hemingway home page. In the time it takes to click a button, you’ll get feedback. It highlights blocks of text with bright colors to show what to change in order to make everything more readable. Each color corresponds to an element in the right sidebar.
You’ll find your grade-level reading score at the top of the sidebar. Below that, you’ll see color-coded, numbered boxes for each of the following:
- sentences that are hard to read
- sentences that are very hard to read
- words and phrases that have simpler alternatives
- adverbs
- and passive verbs
When you break up long complicated sentences and replace or eliminate words, the colors and notes disappear. Once you start, I dare you to stop. It’s downright addictive.
3 – CiteFast
CiteFast is a timesaver when you need to back up your facts in articles, blog posts, white papers, or even emails. You can do everything right on the site.
The online app creates reference notes in your choice of APA, MLA, or Chicago Manual of Style formats. It uses whatever information you give it to search for and format your sources. Even when you’re working from memory and sketchy on the details, it’s often possible to find and use the sources you need.
First, select the type of source: this could be anything from scientific journal articles to PDF downloads to DVDs.
Then, plug in your info and CiteFast will pull up options for easy, autofill entry. Looking for The Nick Adams Stories? Just type in the title and click onto the edition you’re using in the pop-up list.
CiteFast automagically formats in your preferred style for easy bibliographies, footnotes, and reference lists. As you accumulate sources, it holds on to them for you in a list. Simply cut and paste as you create your bibliography.
4 – Evernote
The Evernote Web Clipper is like a mini research assistant hidden in your laptop. It can take entire web pages, PDFs, chunks of text, images, and screen captures and organize them neatly into folders.
You can use Evernote at the beginning of the writing process to outline, write, and organize sections of whatever you’re working on. Start by writing and organizing your notes. You can assign them to folders or group them with tags. And it syncs notes between your phone and computer too, so you can add content whenever the inspiration hits you.
As you work, you can share your notes with others and get feedback. You can also set up reminders for phone and email notifications that will help you stay on track.
5 – Thesaurus.com
Is this too obvious? Maybe. But if you’re not writing full-time, it’s been a few years since school, and the thesaurus is not already one of your best friends, it’s time to get reacquainted.
I nearly always keep this site handy on one of my 10+ open tabs. It’s a lifesaver when you get stuck with a word that doesn’t sound right … or that you’ve just repeated three times … or when your writing is as bland as white toast with no-sodium mayo.
Depending on your product and audience, you may want to spice up your copy even more with urbanthesaurus.org. It could come in handy for those mobile moments when only the right word will do, you need it now, and your prospect is under 30. Don’t confuse it with the .com version. That one will take you to urbandictionary.com. Avoid this site if children are nearby or if you just don’t want to know what teens are really saying.
6 – Online Stopwatch
Onlinestopwatch.com is my number one secret for staying focused and getting things done. Use the countdown feature in 25 minute segments to break up your work, stay on task, and stay fresh.
Timing is the backbone of the Pomodoro Technique, coined for the tomato-shaped timer that its creator Francesco Cirillo used at university when he discovered that working in timed sessions helped him be more productive.
Working with a timer to meet specific objectives each day is especially helpful for avoiding home office distraction disaster. It can also help those who are over-focused to avoid lapsing into stagnant fatigue … the kind that shows up when you forget to eat or drink … and you’ve been sucked in by your project for four hours straight … and your toes are starting to lose feeling …
The simple solution is to open another tab on your browser, go to the online countdown timer, set it for 25 minutes, and work on one primary task until the gentle alarm tells you that it’s time for a break.
7 – Coggle
After hearing a fellow writer praise a similar mind mapping app (and not being able to use it because I don’t have a Mac – only Windows and Linux), I found Coggle.
It’s bright, colorful, and easy to use. Simply start with your primary word and add branches that connect to new words – along with notes, images, and links. It’s a great way to brain dump without the pressure of organizing immediately in a linear way. When the mind map is done, develop the pods and sections into your outline.
It’s so much fun to use, it’s hard to remember you’re working. Next time you get a relapse of blank page syndrome, give it a try.
What next?
As programs and neural nets become more sophisticated, we can expect even greater automated help in the future.
Of course, even with correct grammar and punctuation, splendid syntax, superb readability, and perfectly-cited footnotes, your copy won’t necessarily help you make more sales with an irresistible offer.
That’s another issue and one more reason smart marketers and entrepreneurs get professional help. But even if you hire out, there’s never total escape from writing. Try these virtual digital editors next time you have to write, and you may find yourself saving time with better results almost instantly.
Judy Olbrych is a copywriter who specializes in helping online course marketers increase ROI by getting more qualified leads, shortening launch times, and increasing quarterly sales with customer-centered copy. Visit her site at www.judyolbrych.com