Although I still carry a small notebook and pens wherever I go, I also use apps on my laptop, iPhone and iPad for writing as well. Today I'm sharing a few of my favorite apps--the first two are great for ideas and structuring a story, the third for cranking out the words.
Evernote: This app lets you capture everything from ideas to photos to web page clips to audio. Although I have the app on my Mac, iPhone and iPad, I tend to only use it on my iPad (it's easy to cart someplace to write, yet large enough to not feel cramped for space when using it). Later, I can look up my notes "on the go" with my iPhone if I want. Evernote is also available on PCs, btw. You can get the free version or for a small fee (something like $2.99) the bells & whistles version. I use the free version and it's great.
I used Evernote to capture ideas for my next book--I enjoyed being able to categorize topics as well as set tags for my different notes. It was then a breeze to refresh my memory on ideas by looking them up via tags.
To "see" how a writer uses Evernote, check out writer Christopher Gronlund's YouTube "Evernote for Writers" that offers step-by-step directions.
Idea Sketch (for iPhone & iPad): This app is great for those of us who like to see the "big picture" as we're structuring a story. You can craft your ideas as a mind or concept map/flow chart, then see the layout in text (or vice versa). I use the free version, but there's also a premium version for $3.99.
Write or Die. I know, it sounds heavy. But sometimes, especially when you're facing a deadline, what you need is a heavy push to write, write, write. This app is available for the PC (although I easily downloaded it to my Mac) and iPad, and costs a minimal amount (currently $4.99 and worth every penny).
The app has built-in "punishments" but for me, writing can be punishing enough without making it more so! Punishments aside, you can set word goals and time goals, then save your writing to a text file, Dropbox, email or clipboard. A writer-friend recommended this app (she actually wrote an entire novel in 2 weeks--no, I'm not kidding--and the darn book was nominated for a prestigious award, too! Of course, she's a NYT-bestselling author so she certainly knows her craft, but she swears Write or Die helped her meet that crazy-tight deadline.
I use other writing apps, but these are three of my faves. What about you? Got an app that you love for writing?