Top Content Writing Tools for Freelance Writers (And Everyone Else!) In 2022
Updated: Jul 25, 2022
A large part of content writing today revolves around the kind of tools that you use. Don't get me wrong - inherent writing ability is, of course, second to none to becoming a successful writer. But the fact remains that even the best writers can use tools to considerably improve their copy pipeline.
Maybe it's just me, but why not take advantage of some of the really awesome tools that are available to make your job, or hobby, easier?
I wanted to share some of the tools I've used and continue to, in my decade-long pursuit of writing excellence.
My goal is to help you improve your skills the same way I have - by being exposed to new tools and processes.
These are in no particular order, so there's really no reason to pick a fight with me if your favorite tool figured way below on the list. And also, this is a list of tools that I prefer to use. Your mileage may vary, but this is a great starting point if you're just starting out.
My Writing Tool Of Choice
Google Docs (Google Drive Suite)
If there's anything at all that I want to thank my horrible ex-boss for, it would be forcing me to use Google Docs. I was a staunch Microsoft Word user right from day one of my content writing vocation. But to be fair, no one trusted evil cloud-based apps that could swallow your data back then.
Google Doc is the tool I rely on for writing. This very post was a draft on my Gdoc (for close to 2 months). It's simple, feature-rich, and it allows me to take my work files anywhere without needing to lug storage around. While this would be a no-brainer for a lot of you, some old-school writers like me are still making the shift. It is extremely intuitive and easy to add contextual links to in articles.
Pros
Free and powerful
Enables collaboration
Extremely easy and intuitive
Decent voice typing abilities
Improved portability
Text doesn't implode when I move images
Cons
Can be difficult to track document permissions
No expiration on sharing documents
Google technically has your stuff - confidentiality would be a problem
Honorable mentions
Microsoft Word - my first love that I still haven't gotten over.
FocusWriter - a different, albeit limited, take on writing tools.
OpenOffice Writer - a free option that has (almost) all the bells and whistles of MS Word
The Editing Tool I Use
Grammarly is probably the best at what it does, as far as I'm aware. Before I started making enough through writing to afford a Grammarly license, I used other online free tools. And believe me when I tell you, if you want to take up writing professionally, you need an editing tool. It can considerably ease up your mind and catch basic errors in writing that you might've missed out on.
Pros
Arguably the best editing tool right now
Real-time error identifying and correction
Catches errors with reasonable accuracy
Explains what the errors were
Option to hire editors for increased accuracy
Can tailor to your goals and add words
US and UK English - fantabulous, innit?
Cons
The free version sucks
Might be expensive for some
When it's wrong, it's horribly wrong
Formatting is not yet fleshed out - needs some tweaking
Honorable mentions
ProwritingAid - a great alternative with a bunch of different tools. Does deserve to be alongside it, honestly.
Hemingway App - can work as an editor, but I mostly use it to iron out reading scores, not grammar.
How I Find Ideas To Write About
Free, simple, and powerful are words that usually don't break bread, but they look pretty happy at Quora's table! It is a treasure trove of ideas to find anything under the sun. I mean, just look at what I found there -
Jokes apart, this is usually the first place I go to get my ideas. And not all of them are as terrible as the one I just screenied. An area where Quora shines is writing FAQs for clients. Being a platform that answers questions, there are a lot of them that you can use.
Pros
Has a vast array of ideas on any niche
Free and unlimited access to knowledge
Can ask and answer questions
Good source of leads for your business (sometimes)
Best source for Albino guppy clarifications
Cons
Answers might not always be valid
Unpopular content can be downvoted
Can never confirm anyone's identity
Distracting - one moment you're researching, and suddenly at 3 AM, you're reading through Albino guppy problems
Honorable Mentions
Google Search, Keyword.io - no surprises here; these are free as well.
Google Keyword Planner, Google Search Console - no surprises here, but these lean toward the SEO side of things.
SEMrush, HubSpot, AnswerThePublic, BuzzSumo - these are all paid tools that are really productive, and I've used them as part of engagements.
My Choice for plagiarism checking
…is CopyScape
This is one of those tools that people are more surprised that you don't use than the fact you do. I'm sure that 90% of people reading this use it. It's inexpensive and has a pay-as-you-use model, which I prefer compared to subscriptions. It's just got too many things going for it to ignore.
Pros
Best tool in its class
Helps prevent plagiarism
Cost-effective for a single writer
Cons
Weird pricing based on the number of words
Free version is practically useless
Adding URLs might not always work; you need to copy-paste
Honorable mentions
I really haven't used anything other than Copyscape. To add something here not based on my own experiences, I feel, is disingenuous.
My Bonus Tools
This is a tool that I haven't seen used much, and I really don't know why because it is so useful. It gives writers contextual sentence matches across the internet. It can help you validate any phrasal errors or doubts you have while writing copy. An excellent tool overall.
TTSReader (or any Text-to-speech Reader)
This might be giving a huge secret away, but I'm pretty sure that it wasn't me who first figured it out. But I've spoken to plenty of writers, and they haven't used it, so I guess the credit is all mine now. Okay, I've hyped it enough; let's get to the secret.
I've found out in my experience as a writer that during editing, the ears catch the things eyes don't. So even after I put the article through the grammar wringer, I make it a point to run it through a TTS reader. You spot a lot more errors through audio rather than just reading it half a dozen times. It can also help you spot errors in tone and tense that Grammarly misses.
When you're writing those 20-point listicles, there's nothing more irritating than APA-style capitalizations for those headings. Well, they have a tool for that too! Capitalize My Title, like its namesake, capitalizes your title in a variety of popular writing styles, including AP, APA, and Chicago.
This is probably my go-to tool for maintaining a checklist apart from my trusty old notebook. It has all the features you need, including setting reminders which I really like. There is also the alternative EverNote which is equally effective, but I find Keep keeps it simple.
These are all the most common tools I use to craft my copy. Each writer's approach is different, and they have their style of publishing content. The key is to ensure that you're able to deliver powerful, compelling, and engaging copy to your audience regardless of where they are. And that is what being a writer is all about!
Looking to offload writing or add a writer to your existing team? Want to make an offer I can't refuse? I'm just a click of button away from you!
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