Writing essays, writing novels, writing poetry, writing reports, writing instructions–it can all suck at times. Often, it can be overwhelming when you’re worried about generating content or if your sentences flow well, or even if your writing sounds coherent enough for someone not to think a toddler wrote it in the first place. You may not be the best when it comes to the art of words, but you don’t have to be to create something successfully.
If you need some assistance, here are some helpful resources for the struggling writer. I promise, these actually help.
Surprisingly, a dictionary is the last people think about when it comes to ensuring that their writing ability is up to par. But for every struggling writer, having this resource is an essential tool for word choice, part of speech, and for finding appropriate uses for words we aren’t too sure about.
Nowadays, dictionaries aren’t as daunting anymore. You don’t need to lug around a giant textbook to save your life. Merriam-Webster now contains an app that you can download in a matter of seconds. You can search words up with a voice command, listen to pronunciations out loud, access a thesaurus, and see example sentences to go with words you’re considering using.
The app also comes with a game, a vocabulary test, and a word of the day feature. It’s the most convenient tool to have for any struggling writer.
This is the alter-ego of the great science writer, Mignon Fogarty. She produces an educational podcast titled Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing. It’s one of the best podcasts on iTunes. In it, she discusses English grammar and usage and fun facts about the language you may not have even heard of.
Additionally, Grammar Girl has many books that she’s written over misused words and troublesome issues with English. The podcasts and blog posts are free online and there are over thousands of informational links within the archives that will help the struggling writer find tips for important documents that they are working on.
Overall, if you’re looking for a resource that will be informative on tips you should be aware of while you’re writing, this is the best tool to use.
If you’re looking for a means to create a portfolio, every struggling writer needs an account on writing.com. This website is a social network for all types of writers. You can meet and collaborate with other creators here and you can also obtain feedback on your pieces.
Your portfolio can be stored here with up to ten items for free. You have the option of keeping these private or public. In addition, the site provides contests and activities that you can participate in. There are informational links to self-publishing lessons, writing prompts, and even writing classes. Overall, this is the place to go if you’re looking for support and constructive criticism for whatever type of writing you’re working on.
The greatest aspect of writing.com is its inclusive environment. They have a platform with a reputation for being accepting and encouraging. It’s perfect for someone who lacks confidence in their own ability.
If you’re a struggling writer who is looking for more collaborative means of support, consider Google Docs. It’s a better platform for writing versus Microsoft Word. With Google Docs, you can collaborate in real-time with others, which is great if you’re working with a team or a partner.
As great as Microsoft Word can be with tracking changes, Google Docs can track all changes from anyone else who has access to the documents. There’s also an amazing “suggestion” option that helps with comments next to the changes that have been made. It’s extremely effective as a writing tool.
A struggling writer will also appreciate the accessibility with the use of Google Docs. As long as you have internet, you can work and edit your writing from anywhere at any time. The work is also automatically saved and you can use a speak-to-text feature to record your voice as it translates into your writing.
You can also find a multitude of fonts and formats to make your document the best it can be. Research links can also be included in a panel for easy access for use. There are so many features with Google Docs that will change your life for the better.
This feature is a lifesaver for any struggling writer. Grammarly is an automatic tool that checks your syntax, grammar, and punctuation while you write. Rather than wait to proofread your documents once you’ve finished, the program will make edits and suggestions as you go. It will help with spelling and verb tense. Capitalization errors and subject-verb agreement mistakes can also be detected and corrected right on the spot.
Grammarly also comes with a nifty plagiarism detector so that you can avoid any mishaps with other types of writing. You can download the program as an extension on Google Chrome, which would even help you if you downloaded Google Docs like I mentioned above.
On the other end of the spectrum, if you’re a struggling writer who needs the job done for them, you might be interested in Best Essay Tips. Of course, the service isn’t free, but it’s worth the money if you need help with a book report, a lab report, a research paper, a case study, a dissertation, and more. Any expository piece you need help on, they have your back.
Their website offers 24/7 customer service and they deliver your writing pieces in a timely manner. If you’re worried about some amateur college intern writing the piece for you, fear not. You’ll be working with professional writers who have respected degrees in their areas of expertise. So you can rest comfortably knowing that you are getting some help from the most reliable online essay writing service around.
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