I've been writing as a freelancer for over a decade. Since I began, the industry and our technology have evolved for the better. If you're getting into a freelance writing career now, you're super lucky - there are so many free and cheap tools to help you increase productivity and make your job easier and more entertaining. These are my favorite tools and apps for work.
1. UpWork Team App
This app is only helpful for members of the UpWork platform. Since this is my favorite place to find gigs, the Team App comes in handy nearly every day. It allows me to receive notifications and respond to new interview invitations and messages from clients and teammates from my phone and desktop. There is also a time tracker that monitors hours worked on hourly rate projects and takes screenshots of what I'm doing. For this reason, clients love it, and it seems to increase retention.
2. Tweak Your Biz Title Generator
This tool is especially great because once you input your topic, you get more than ten categories with over twenty headline ideas each. For example, you enter "technology", and get headlines like 9 Reasons People Laugh About Your Technology and This Technology Is Bound To Make An Impact In Your Business. Some of the headlines will turn out absurd, but still, I usually squeeze out a couple great ideas.
3. CoSchedule's Headline Analyzer
After I've generated a list of working topics, I often need to make sure the reader will be interested to see what's behind the title. The Headline Analyzer that CoSchedule offers will help do just that. It has several functions. First, it analyzes the structure, grammar, and readability of the headline. Next, it looks for a balance of common, uncommon, emotional, and powerful words. Then it checks the headline type (generic, listicle, etc.). Finally, it counts the characters and words to make sure the title is optimized for readability.
4. Google Docs
When I first started working as a freelancer, I used Microsoft Word for all of my projects (I still use it sparingly). Over the years, I've tried all of the cutting-edge writing software on the market. After all of this experience, Google Docs is my go-to writing app. I can use add-ons at my convenience. All of the files are created inside my Google Drive, saved automatically every few seconds, and are easy to share. Some clients don't like to use this platform, for personal reasons, and that is never a problem. I can still easily download my files in DOCX, PDF, HTML, and more formats for quick sharing via email.
5. Writing Service
When I get busy, there is sometimes a need for some help with editing, as I often lack time for that. Instead of keeping on an assistant (who might have to go sometimes weeks without work), I decided to enlist the help of an online service. Essay Tigers is a writing service that also offers professional editing help. Of course, I don't use this every day, but it certainly comes in handy from time to time.
Final Thoughts
As a freelance writer, there's no limit to how high your career ladder reaches. Use tools and apps that help save you time and increase productivity to make the most of your job and your life. This list is enough to get you started, but it isn't all inclusive. What other writing and productivity apps have you used? Do you have a favorite? Tell us about it in the comments.