The act of writing is a solo job, but being a writer is not a solo career. We can’t do it alone, and if you are trying to, you’re going to burn out. It’s important to get help where and when you can. I make it a point to write down any free resources I come across that can help writers. As I try them out, things get marked off the list. But every now and then, a resource will stay on the list. It’ll be something I refer to frequently—something that makes my writing journey just a little easier and a little better. Today, I’m going to keep my post short and just share three free online resources that have helped me and might help you in your writing career.
OneLook
Being a writer is about finding the right words to portray your story. Sometimes, we have moments when that perfect word eludes us. I’ve discovered a website called OneLook that has helped me many times find the right words. I just type in the word and click thesaurus. The website spits out 100 words that are associated with it. You can sort them by part of speech, like noun or verb. And, if one word is close to what you want but not exact, you can click the word, click the sunburst on the popup menu, then see 100 words associated with that word instead.
If I have no clue what the word is I am looking for, I can search a phrase (like “word for a loud noise”), and a list of 100 possible words appear. Some of the results are too colloquial and some are not related to what I want, but there’s always a handful of words that could work. I love this website because it doesn’t just tell you definitions and synonyms. It leans heavily on word association so you have more options to jog your mind and find the perfect word.
Ambient-Mixer
I’m not a person that must have complete silence to write nor must I have noise to work. However, I love having a soundtrack to help me get into the mood of my story. Unfortunately, I love music so much that it’s hard to stay focused on writing instead of listening to the musical genius of the songs. So, I’ve discovered background noise simulators. I’ve tried a few, but one stands above the rest: Ambient-Mixer.
This website is free, and you have unlimited time to listen (some places only let you listen for an hour or two a day). Ambient-Mixer allows you to pick your setting and enjoy it on loop. There are tracks called things like On A Ship At Sea, Neverland, D&D Inn, and even Hogwarts Library. Anyone can get on and create their own mix of noises and post them for others to enjoy.
You can create your own ambient noise with the stock soundtracks they have available, but I just listen to what others have created. You can also adjust someone else’s track to fit your needs. For instance, if you love a bookshop one but the doorbell tingling every so often breaks your concentration, you can remove the bell track. Whether you’re looking for a Scottish track for your romance novel or a thunderstorm for your thriller, you can find it on this website. Plus, it even has tracks of white noise for those who don’t want to have a specific environment. Visit the website and play around to find what you like best—just don’t use it as a way to procrastinate writing!
Writer Beware
Since a lot of an author’s career is spent figuring things out as you go, it’s hard sometimes to make informed decisions. Especially if you are self-publishing, you have to be extra cautious to not fall prey to scams. Writer Beware is a website sponsored by Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA) that keeps on top of breaking news about publishing scams.
If you receive an odd email or message, go to this website to see if there are any ongoing scams similar to what you received. But even if you don’t have a potential scam to deal with, it’s good to check this website to keep up to date on the publishing world. They post regularly on any ongoing lawsuits that impact the publishing world, and they have lists of current impersonations and marketing scams. With the new developments in AI, they even have a section now dedicated to AI scams. Try to avoid making a costly mistake by keeping an eye on the website and its warnings.
Final Thoughts
This was a quick post, but I hope it gave you some tools for your writing career that will make your journey better. Only you can write your book, but there are many resources out there to help you succeed. Take advantage of them, and when you find something that really helps, pass it along to other writers to help them too.
Thanks for reading!
Write a tale
Leave a trail