Free Writing Software

For working writers, your computer is your best friend, and one thing that can really help you with your writing career is finding excellent free writing software. Most writers are perfectly happy with simple word processing software, although it should be known that there are some applications that are geared towards screenplay writing or other specialized genres within the profession. If the type of work you do uses a specific technical format, there is probably some form of software designed to support that format. And even though the word free often implies that the software won't be full featured, you might be surprised at how powerful the free writing applications available today really are. This article will highlight some of the best free writing software around and will help you get your hands on it.

The Best Free Writing Software

The following applications all have their own strengths and weaknesses. While it's possible that you will find one that does absolutely everything you want it to do, there will likely have to accept a bit of compromise. That being said, you might want to try several applications for a few days each and see which one works the best for you. Sometimes two applications can have the exact same features, but one might just feel better to you for some reason. You want to be comfortable when you are writing, so make sure you take the time to fully explore the software you will use.

• yWriter – yWriter is a free Windows based application that is designed specifically for authors working on a novel. Designed by a programmer with 20 years of experience, yWriter helps you break your novel into chapters and scenes. The application is on its fifth release and now has advanced features such as text-to-speech.

• WriteRoom – WriteRoom is marketed as distraction free writing. What this means is that the interface is minimalistic: no menus, no dancing paperclips, and no auto-formatting. Just a simple, clutter-free interface that allows you to focus on your writing and not the technology you are using. If you like to be in a simpler space when you write, try stepping into WriteRoom.

• RoughDraft – RoughDraft is a Windows-based free writing software designed with the writer in mind. Specifically oriented towards creative writing, RoughDraft has different modes for novels, short stories, articles, screenplays, and plays. Complete with spellchecking and the ability to import Word and HTML formats, RoughDraft is both powerful and easy to use.

• OpenOffice – OpenOffice is an open-source suite of writing applications for Windows, Mac, and Linux. Completely free, OpenOffice is designed to challenge Microsoft's dominance in the word processing market. Featuring a full-featured word processor, spreadsheet application, database, and much more, OpenOffice is extremely powerful and getting more so every day. And the best thing is, it doesn't cost a dime.

• Evernote – Evernote is a 21st century notebook that allows you to capture things you want to remember and store them in a centralized place. You can capture things on your computer, the Internet, or on your mobile phone. The software recognizes the item and distributes it across all your technological devices so you always have it no matter where you are. You can add tags to your captures as well, so you can easily search for them. This free tool is an excellent resource for modern writers to help them gather research and material quickly and easily.

• Google Docs – Google Docs is a powerful online word processor that allows writers to create and share documents easily. Because your writing is stored online, you will always be able to access it from anywhere in the world and will never have to worry about backing it up or losing it. Google Docs is completely free and as easy to use as an e-mail program.

Explore Your Options

Depending on what you are looking for, some of the above programs might work better than others. The beauty with all of them, however, is that they are free to use. There is no financial pressure to give any of them a try. Take several of them on a test drive until you find the one that helps you best unlock your creativity.

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