4 of the most useful writing tools you've never heard of...

Writing is the most beneficial habit you can do.

But it's not easy.

In this email, I'm gonna go over the 4 most useful writing tools I've come across in my 2 years of writing online...

Side note: None of these are affiliate link. I was not paid to promote any of these. These are all my honest opinion.

Cold Turkey

I'm starting with this because it's the most important tool I use.

If you're like me, you have a tendency to switch from task to task.

Write for 4 minutes, check Twitter, write for 7 minutes, check Instagram...

The cycle goes on and on.

The result?

You never get into flow state. Your brain is draining its energy adjusting to each tasks.

Then after your 4-hour work session you wonder why you got nothing done.

But with ColdTurkey, this isn't a problem.

Why?

It gives me the 1 asset all writers need:

Focus.

This is an app/website blocker that eliminates distractions by not making them an option in the first place.

1. Select the distracting apps/websites you want to avoid (Twitter + Instagram)

2. Schedule when you want them blocked off

3. Get shit done

It's that simple.

Shoutout to Dickie Bush for showing me this.

Check it out here.

ProWritingAid

I love the ProWritingAid because it helps me write "dumb."

Lemme explain...

One of the biggest problems writers have is trying to sound smart.

This is the stupidest thing you can do.

Many writers use fancy words like "nonplussed", _____, and _____.

Hell, I'm writing this email and I don't even know wtf they mean.

Sure, there's a time and place for fancy words, but 96.69% of the time you want to keep it simple.

Simple words + shorter sentences = Easier to read.

Easier to read = More people reading and better understanding of your ideas.

ProWritingAid shows you what grade level your writing is at. Typically, you want to stay below a 5th grade level.

I'm writing this email with it right now (meta af).

Que the infamous Billy Maze line, "But wait there's more!"

It's also a lifesaver when it comes to grammar.

I can't tell you how many times I've misused the words "few" and "less" in my writing... and how many times my friend, GetPaidWriting, has roasted me for it.

Even worse, how many grammar mistakes I made for my ghostwriting clients early on.

Few things make you look more unprofessional.

With ProWritingAid, it detects when I misspell words, use wrong words, or make other grammatical mistakes.

It even explains why you should avoid/do certain things.

So it's a tool and a teacher.

Seriously, drop Grammarly and use this.

Check it out here.

SuperNoteA5x

This one is a luxury... but damn is it my favourite.

As a writer and content creator, ideas are foundational for your success.And if you're like me, you think better on paper.

With paper, you can:

• Draw pictures

• Create diagrams

• Outline your writing

But there's a few issues...

• Pages are messy and hard to organize

• If you make a mistake, it's a pain in the ass to redo or erase

• Accessories are burdensome (erasers, folders, pages, sticky notes, highlighters, etc.)

That's why the SuperNote caught my eye.

It's a digital notebook specifically designed for writers like us.

It writes like pen + paper but has the benefits of 2022 tech.

My favourite features:

• The battery life is unreal

• You can switch documents within 2 seconds

• The pen can be adjusted to any thickness easily

• You can undo/erase mistakes with a tap of a button

• You can select different types of paper (blank, lined, dotted, etc.)

• You can use proofreading shortcuts to easily edit your writing

• No subscription fee like the Remarkable 2 (another writing tablet)

• You can upload your documents and access them on your computer

For a minimalist writer like myself, this fits perfectly into my workflow when drafting ideas and outlines without the burden of carrying around a bunch of stuff.

The only downside I will touch on is the price. It'll run you around $500-$600 for one of these bad boys depending on which model you get.

So for some, it'll be out of budget.

And honestly, if you're a writer, it's not needed, but the SuperNote is super nice to have.

You can check them out here:

And full disclosure, I reached out to SuperNote and *que the white girl voice* used my micro-influencerrrrrrr writer status to get a free one in exchange for an honest review.

I was not paid or told to talk about the SuperNote in any positive manner.

Check it out here.

Napkin

Napkin is a recent discovery I've been loving.

It's an app where you write down your ideas on your phone and later you can access them.

Nothing special about that, right?

Except Napkin understands what your new note is about and suggests related ideas automatically. It offers new perspectives and connections you would otherwise not have thought about.

I use this while listening to audiobooks on my walks. One of my favourite new ways to generate ideas.

Check it out here.

And wam bam, there ya have it ladies and gents.

I hope you found this useful and learned something new. I know these have been a huge help with my workflow.

But that's all I got for you today! Once again, I hope you have a beautiful Thursday filled with sunshine and rainbows.

Your Canadian friend,

Dakota "Chad Writer" Robertson