Writing a book is an investment of both time and energy. Many potential authors eliminate themselves from ever getting started due to their internal fear of where to begin.

Do you find yourself asking the following questions?
→ Do I have enough time to write my book?
→ Am I equipped with the resources to get started?
→ Are my grammar and spelling skills up to par?

I know most writers have been there before with these self-defeating questions. We should consider all of these things before writing, without allowing any of them to hold us back from writing and finishing that book! For starters, there are many free resources available for authors just like you to get started strong. Today I will be sharing the three best FREE resources that I personally use to simplify my writing process.

Let’s get started so you can get started!

Fun fact: The first books ever created were written about 500 BC, and they were hand-written scrolls. Wow, that was a long time ago, right? Thank God for the brilliant minds that have helped us advance since then. Fast forward to the 20th century, technology has revolutionized the world and how we do things, providing a ‘simpler’ way to live. That’s good news for writers because we’ve been set free from traditional pen-and-paper writing and typewriters as our only means to write books. After all, typing into a word processor is much faster and more convenient than using a typewriter. Now that we’ve had a brief history lesson let’s explore my top three best free writing resources for authors. 

1. Google Docs:

Once upon a time, I was a diehard Microsoft Word fan. Not quite sure what it was that I loved so much about it, thinking back on it now. It certainly wasn’t the price, the system losing my documents, the need to hit ‘save’ 100 times, or being prone to computer virus attacks. Now, Google Docs is my go-to for all my writing needs. As a self-publishing company, we personally use the tracked changes feature with all of our authors in order to make sharing and collaborating a breeze. Not only does Google Docs support various formats, it is also linked directly to Google Drive, making a safe haven for all of your documents, with the ability to access them from any device. But my absolute favorite feature would have to be the auto-save! Any time you make changes to your document, it is saved as soon as your fingers leave the key. Nothing is worse than being six pages into a word document and accidentally closing it (or having your computer crash) without hitting save. This feature prevents the anxiety that comes with having to hit ‘save’ every so often or having to spend your valuable time redoing your work when you forgot to hit “save”. Overall, Google Docs is hands-down the most seamless tool for authors that I have ever used. All you need is a FREE Google/Gmail account to get started!

Link: https://www.google.com/docs/about/

 2. Grammarly: 

Don’t let bad grammar decrease your book’s chances of reaching audiences and achieving sales.
One of the most common issues self-published authors run into is that they focus 100% on the content and place grammar on the back burner. Of course, it is highly recommended to proofread, proofread, proofread! However, truth be told, many authors struggle to see their own writing objectively after investing so much energy and emotion into their books. Using Grammarly as a tool has proven to be one of the most comprehensive writing tools I use in all aspects of my writing, even my daily writing, such as email and social media, for example.

Grammarly is an app or extension for your browser that automatically checks your grammar, spelling, and can even check for plagiarism. In addition, it provides suggestions for style, tone, and clarity with easy-to-understand explanations. But here is the kicker, it comes at absolutely no cost to you! Yes, Grammarly is a completely FREE, simple to use, and time-saving resource.*

Link: Click here to sign up!
*Some premium features are only available with paid subscriptions

3. The Notes App on Your Phone:

If you have convinced yourself that you don’t have time to write, I’m here to call you out and hold you accountable.I bet you’re probably reading this from your phone right now, aren’t you? I’d venture to say that we modern people probably spend over 80% of our day on our phones. Whether we’re scrolling on TikTok, texting our friends and family, or doing something work-related, our phones have a high probability of being in our hands. With that being said, what if I told you that you could begin or carry on your writing journey right from the palm of your hand? The free, built-in “Notes” app on our phones is capable of so much more than the grocery lists we currently use it for. Not only is it easily and readily accessible, the organization features are endless. You can pin important notes or create folders to organize thoughts or even chapters. With the Notes app, you can quickly capture your thoughts and ideas for your writing as well. Driving and unable to text? Use the voice-to-text feature to capture your thoughts right away and edit later. Are you a faster writer than a typer? There’s even a handwriting feature that will translate your handwriting to text for you. You can also import your notes into Google Docs for further editing or formatting before submitting them to your editor. It wasn’t until I began using it myself that I realized the many advantages it has. You can literally write an entire book from this app, leaving absolutely no room to say, “I don’t have time to write.” 

I’m confident that one or more of these may be a perfect fit for you and will bring back the joy of writing by simplifying the process. So, now that the excuses are out of the way let’s
WRITE THAT BOOK!