creative writing editor

Free online proofreading and essay editor

A reliable proofreading tool and essay editor for any writer or student, a complete environment.

Typely is more than just a proofreading tool. It's a complete writing environment.

Thousands of checks

More than a thousand checks are being performed and we've only scratched the surface.

Inspired by the greatest writers

Gain access to humanity’s collective understanding about the craft of writing.

A proofreading tool that does not bark at every tree

Typely is precise. Existing tools for proofreading raise so many false alarms that their advice cannot be trusted. Instead, the writer must carefully consider whether to accept or reject each change.

We aim for a tool so precise that it becomes possible to unquestioningly adopt its recommendations and still come out ahead — with stronger, tighter prose. Better to be quiet and authoritative than loud and unreliable.

Relax, focus, write your next masterpiece...

Writing presumes more than simply laying out words on a paper. Typely helps you get in the mood and keeps you focused, immersed and ready to write your story.

Whether you need a distraction-free environment, some chill relaxing sounds or a pomodoro timer to manage your time we got you covered.

Got questions? We have answers.

No. Typely is completely free and we plan on keeping it that way. We are considering some advanced features however that might be available under a premium plan.

The only limit we have applied thus far is on the number of characters you can submit and that is being set at a maximum of 50,000.

In theory yes but that will require a lot of work and professionals dedicated for this job. We are considering a way of letting the community participate somehow.

Typely does not do grammar checking because it's hard and almost impossible to get right. The aim for Typely is to be precise and reliable.

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Make your writing more powerful in seconds. Enhance your sentences instantly by adding sensory details , eliminating weak words, and fixing common mistakes .

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Free writing software: 24 tools to help you create better content, faster

Find the best brainstorming, researching, writing, and editing tools.

As a freelance writer, I try to keep my app costs lean, so I'm a sucker for free writing tools. But with so many writing apps on the market, it's hard to tell which free options are actually valuable.

I've done some of the legwork for you by bringing together some of the best free writing apps on the internet. All of the options listed here are tools the Zapier team or I have used and enjoyed.

For this roundup, I prioritized completely free tools and freemium apps with a forever free plan that was sufficient for actual regular use. Many of the options have paid plans, but those plans are generally geared toward power users.

Researching and note-taking software

Writing software

Editing software

Proofreading software

The best free writing software at a glance

Free writing tools for brainstorming and organizing your thoughts, best free writing software for expanding your ideas.

MindMeister (Web, iOS, Android)

If you like to perform mind mapping to get your thoughts on paper and connect them, MindMeister gives you a virtual space to do it. It includes templates for the traditional mind map as well as more specific layouts for frameworks like SMART goals, case studies, and content plans.

Want to learn more about mind mapping? Check out Zapier's list of the best mind mapping apps , or discover nine ways to use mind maps to jumpstart your projects.

MindMeister pricing: Free for up to 3 mind maps; from $5.99/month for premium plans , including features like unlimited mind maps, advanced exporting, and group sharing

Best free writing software for creating content outlines

Workflowy (Web, macOS, Windows, Chrome, iOS, Android)

Outlines are a writer's best friend , and Workflowy lets you go as deep or shallow as you want. This tool organizes your outline into bullet points that you can click to nest and expand however you want.

Workflowy pricing: Free for up to 250 bullets a month ; from $4.99/month for the Workflowy Pro plan with expanded features like unlimited bullets and uploads

Best free writing software for brainstorming together

When you need to write something in collaboration with others, the brainstorming process is one of the trickiest to facilitate with technology. Miro lets you plot out ideas with mind maps, Kanban boards, virtual sticky notes, and whatever strategy you use to get your thoughts down. The free plan allows for unlimited team members to brainstorm with at the same time.

If whiteboards aren't your preferred brainstorming method, explore Zapier's picks for the top brainstorming tools for more collaborative and solo apps.

You can even use Miro with Zapier (also free), so you can automate your brainstorming workflows. Here are a couple of ideas to get you started.

Create Miro widgets with new Trello cards

Add Miro cards from new rows on Google Sheets

Miro pricing: Free for 3 whiteboards with unlimited team members; from $8/user/month for plans with unlimited whiteboards and advanced collaboration features

Best free writing software for brainstorming topics

Ryan Robinson's Keyword Research Tool (Web)

Go to the Ideas tab of Ryan Robinson's Keyword Research Tool , and it'll provide ideas related to your query. Since it's a keyword tool first and foremost, these ideas are designed to be less competitive on search results, too.

If you're looking for keyword research tools specifically for their main purpose, check out Zapier's roundup of the best free keyword research tools .  

Keyword Research Tool pricing: Free

Best free writing software for brainstorming ideas with AI

ChatGPT (Web)

With the rise of AI , some writers use GPT-based apps to brainstorm ideas and build the base for an outline. ChatGPT is the best free option—and the one you know and love—or you can check out even more GPT-powered writing apps in Zapier's list of the best AI writing generators . 

You can also combine GPT with Zapier to send ideas to your favorite project management tool.

ChatGPT pricing: Free; ChatGPT Plus is $20/month

Best free writing software for brainstorming out loud

Your computer's dictation software (MacOS, Windows)

If you process your thoughts best through speaking, there's a brainstorming app already on your computer. Boot up Windows 10 Speech Recognition on Windows or Apple Dictation on Mac to record your thoughts as you brainstorm out loud.

For mobile and premium dictation app options, check out Zapier's list of the best text dictation software .

Windows 10 Speech Recognition and Apple Dictation pricing: Free

Free writing tools for research and note-taking

Best free writing software for keeping everything in one place.

Notion (Web, MacOS, Windows, iOS, Android)

Notion's balance of organization and spontaneity make it a great place to hold your notes, links, social media posts, transcriptions, and any other resources you need to write that draft. Plus, depending on your writing preferences, you can then write the draft itself in Notion—all for free. 

Add Zapier integrations to the mix to bring even more of your writing life together. Here are some pre-made workflows to get you started.

Save new tasks in Google Tasks in Notion databases

Add new Microsoft Outlook calendar events to Notion databases

If Notion doesn't meet your needs, try one of these Notion alternatives . Zapier also has a list of the best note-taking apps for you to browse.

Notion pricing: Free plan available; from $8/user/month for team plans

Best free writing software for finding free copies of paywalled research

Unpaywall (Web)

Have you ever come across a search result for the perfect research article, only to discover it's behind a paywall? Unpaywall gets you across those paywalls ethically by looking for legitimate free versions of paywalled academic research. It looks at sources like journals' open-access repositories and university and government databases, so you're never infringing copyright.

Unpaywall pricing: Free

Best free writing software for transcribing interview and video content

oTranscribe (Web)

oTranscribe simplifies the manual transcription process by placing your audio controls and a word processor on the same screen. This tool has keyboard controls and speed adjustment, so you can seamlessly transition between your audio and transcript.

If you're willing to pay a bit, here's Zapier's list of the best transcription apps and services .

oTranscribe pricing: Free

Best free writing software for collecting research from other people

Google Forms (Web, iOS, Android)

When you need original quotes or data from other people, a free survey tool or form builder will help you organize it all. Google Forms is an accessible choice for most people because it's completely free and works with the rest of Google Workspace.

Turn your form responses into Trello cards, Notion database entries, or any other nugget of info that serves you well with Google Forms' Zapier integrations .

Create Trello cards from new Google Forms responses

Share Google Forms responses in a Slack channel

Google Forms pricing: Free

Free writing tools for solo and collaborative writing

Best free writing software for collaborative writing.

Google Docs (Web, Chrome, iOS, Android)

Google Docs' straightforward interface and ease of use make it a great tool for writing solo, but this app really shines through its collaborative features . Its suggestion, sharing, and version history features put it on par with its paid alternatives at no cost to you.

You can connect Google Docs to all the other tools you use with its Zapier integration . Here are some ideas for free automations you might set up.

Create new Google Docs from text with new rows in Google Sheets

Create new Google Docs when Trint transcripts are ready

Not a fan of Google Docs or don't want to create a Google account? Find another great option in Zapier's guide to the best collaborative writing apps .

Google Docs pricing: Free

Best free writing software for messages and blurbs

WordCounter (Web)

Sometimes you need to write a small amount of text, such as a message or a blurb, without the pressure of accidentally hitting the Enter button too early. WordCounter acts as a combination clipboard and editor with a word count that saves your work in your browser cache for the next time you visit.

WordCounter pricing: Free

Free writing tools for editing

Best free writing software for finding the perfect word.

OneLook Reverse Dictionary and Thesaurus (Web)

OneLook Reverse Dictionary and Thesaurus offers all the synonyms you could dream of like a regular thesaurus, but it stands out in its reverse dictionary capabilities. Enter a phrase—or even a full sentence—to get words that match that meaning. This feature comes in handy when you want to write more concisely or find that word that's on the tip of your tongue.

OneLook Reverse Dictionary and Thesaurus pricing: Free

Best free writing software for finding the right word—anywhere

Power Thesaurus (Web, Chrome, iOS, Android)

As a freelance writer, I find myself needing to switch up words when I write on various platforms across the internet. Power Thesaurus gives me synonyms, antonyms, definitions, and other forms of word assistance wherever I like to write. It can do the same for you—put it to use on its website, in your browser, on your phone, in Google Docs, in Word, and in Gmail.

Power Thesaurus pricing: Free for fundamental features; starting from $2.49/month for Power Thesaurus PRO , featuring filters and a wider selection of synonyms

Best free writing software for rewording what you write

Wordtune (Web, Chrome, iOS)

When you just can't get phrasing right in your writing, you might turn to a friend or editor to help you sort it out. Wordtune acts as that person by offering suggestions to reword, expand, and shorten your content using AI. It doesn't have as robust of a free plan as some of the other options on this list, but it provides enough if you need assistance here and there.

If you want more features and are willing to pay a monthly fee, you can put AI to work in your editing process with Zapier's list of the best AI rewording and grammar-checking tools .

Wordtune pricing: Free for up to 10 rewrites, three AI prompts, and three summaries a day; from $9.99/month for advanced plans featuring more rewrites, AI prompts, and summaries

Best free writing software for clear and concise writing

Hemingway Editor (Web, macOS, Windows)

Inspired by Ernest Hemingway's concise writing style, the Hemingway Editor points out opportunities to sharpen your writing. This tool highlights passive voice, complex sentences, and adverbs that make your work harder to understand. It also supplies a readability score to estimate how accessible your writing is to a broad audience.

Hemingway Editor pricing: Free for editing in the Hemingway web app; $19.99 for the Mac or Windows desktop app

Best free writing software for creating compelling headlines

CoSchedule Headline Studio (Web, Chrome)

CoSchedule Headline Studio helps you write compelling headlines by analyzing the sentiment and word balance in your titles. Type in a headline to get a score and test different variations based on the suggestions you get. The Google Chrome extension and WordPress plugin let you analyze headlines wherever you go.

CoSchedule Headline Studio pricing: Free for basic features; from $8/month to buy "Premium Headline" credits that give you access to an SEO score, AI writing features, headline suggestions, and word banks for a certain number of headlines

Best free writing software for finding and removing cliches

Cliche Finder (Web)

Cut cliches out of your writing using Cliche Finder . After you paste your text into the textbox and click the Find Cliches button, the tool will highlight any cliches in bold, red text. It's up to you from there, but the tool is 100% free.

Cliche Finder pricing: Free

Best free writing software for finding jargon in your text

De-Jargonizer (Web)

Another writing mechanism that gets in the way of clarity is jargon—terms that only people in a specific role will understand. The De-Jargonizer highlights potential jargon in your writing in orange in red for you to consider rephrasing.

Once you identify jargon in your text with the De-Jargonizer, you can get suggestions for rewriting it from Zapier's Corporate Jargon Translator , built using Zapier's free AI chatbot builder .

De-Jargonizer pricing: Free

Best free writing software for varying your wording and sentence length

Expresso (Web)

Two of the best ways to amp up your writing are to switch up your words and sentence length. Expresso helps you achieve both of these goals by breaking your writing down into metrics based on word usage and sentence length, such as frequently repeated words and average sentence word count.

Expresso pricing: Free

Best free writing software for comparing your writing to AI content

GPTZero (Web, Chrome)

Due to the complexity of the AI situation, it can be tricky to truly detect AI writing with an AI content detector . But, as one writer discovered in our guide to standing out from AI , these tools work well for picking out human content that sounds like AI due to repetitive phrases and generic writing. GPTZero is a free option that judges text based on perplexity (complexity) and burstiness (sentence variation).

GPTZero pricing: Free for documents up to 5,000 words and batch uploads of up to 3 files; from $9.99/month for plans with higher word and batch limits

Free writing tools for proofreading

Best free writing software for catching spelling and grammar mistakes.

Grammarly (Web, macOS, Windows, Android iOS, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)

Check for spelling and grammar mistakes everywhere you write with Grammarly . It looks for even the nit-pickiest details, like missing dashes and incorrect prepositions. Stick to its web editor, add it to your favorite writing tool, or add the browser extension to check your writing wherever you go.

Grammarly pricing: Free for the basic spell- and grammar-checker; from $12/month for plans with advanced features like tone, vocabulary, and rewrite suggestions

Best free writing tool for proofreading short-form content

ProWritingAid (Web, macOS, Windows, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)

ProWritingAid's free plan can analyze less text at a time than Grammarly , but it includes a word explorer, thesaurus, and rephrasing tool on top of its grammar-checking features. These capabilities make it a better fit for writers who like to get really granular with their improvement. ProWritingAid's free plan could be a better option for you than Grammarly if your total word count usually clocks at 500 words or fewer.

ProWritingAid pricing: Free for a 500 word count limit and 10 rephrases per day; from $10/month for a Premium plan with no word count limit, unlimited rephrases, and advanced grammar improvement features like in-depth analytics of your writing

Best free writing tool for making MLA citations

EasyBib (Web)

This one's for the academics out there. Enter your paper's sources into EasyBib , and it'll organize them into an MLA bibliography for you. I had to give everything a once-over and make minor changes, but EasyBib helped me win my college library's bibliography contest back in the day by getting it all together.

EasyBib pricing: Free

Free writing software FAQ

Here are some questions lots of people have about writing apps and how to choose the right one.

What's a good free writing tool?

Tools like Google Docs and WordCounter are free forever and very functional. Other apps, like Grammarly or ProWritingAid, have free plans that offer basic features, with more advanced features available via a paid plan.

But there are a lot of free writing tools available that perform a wide variety of functions—everything from brainstorming to research and note-taking to writing to editing to proofreading.

What writing tool do most writers use?

There's a wide variety of writing tools out there, and which one a writer uses really comes down to preference. A lot of writers use Google Docs to write because they already use Google for so many other things—but some may prefer a tool like Notion, where they can combine writing with project management.

What makes a good writing tool?

In short, whatever helps you write! If a blank page and no distraction is what helps you actually get words down, then open a new Google Doc and go at it. If you need to organize your thoughts before you even think about writing, consider adding a brainstorming tool to the mix. Each writer's process is different, and it's all about finding tools that enable your writing, not add another roadblock to your process.

Sharpen your craft with your new toolkit

As is the case with many skills, it can be easy to focus too much on improving your writing through tools alone. You'll maximize the results you'll get from your apps with a solid foundation in writing techniques. Grab the tools that appeal to you on this page, then brush up on your core writing skills to become a killer prose machine.

Related reading:

The best journal apps

How to capitalize or change the case of your text in any app

How to write great copy: 11 copywriting tips

Copywriting vs. content writing: How to do each one well

How to write a business letter: Formatting + template

This article was originally published in June 2015 by Jane Callahan and has also had contributions from Jessica Greene. The most recent update was in August 2023.

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Melissa King

Melissa King is a freelance writer who helps B2B SaaS companies spread the word about their products through engaging content. Outside of the content marketing world, she sometimes writes about video games. Check out her work at melissakingfreelance.com.

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If you’re not sure how to edit your creative writing, don’t worry – you’re not alone. Many writers struggle with this part of the process. But with a little guidance, it’s easy to improve your writing and make it shine.

No one writes a perfect first draft. Even the most experienced authors need to revise their work for clarity, style and substance. In this blog post, I will discuss how to edit your creative writing for maximum impact using clarity, style and substance, making your writing more interesting and engaging. Let’s get started!

Clarity: One of the most important aspects of editing is clarity. When you edit your work, you want to make sure that it is easy to understand. You don’t want your readers to be confused or lost. To improve clarity:

• Look for ways to make your writing more concise and straightforward.
• Cut out unnecessary words and phrases.
• Make sure that each sentence has a clear purpose. If something doesn’t make sense, rewrite it until it does.

Your editing task: Focus on clarifying your ideas. Make sure each sentence is clear and concise. If a sentence is confusing or hard to understand, reword it or break it down into shorter sentences.

Style: Style is another important consideration when you edit your work. You want your writing to be readable and enjoyable. To improve style, pay attention to the way you use language. Use strong verbs and an active voice whenever possible. Avoid long, complex sentences. Be consistent with spelling, punctuation and grammar rules.

Your editing task: Are your sentences too long or too short? Do you use too many adjectives or adverbs? Make sure your writing is easy to read and flows smoothly.

Substance: Finally, make sure your writing has substance. Are you driving the narrative forward? In a first draft, we can easily get distracted, add information dumps, or write about something unnecessary to the plot. In editing, it’s time to make sure that your scenes and chapters drive the story forward and that anything unnecessary is taken out. We want to keep the reader engaged throughout.

Your editing task: Check for information dumps and any writing that isn’t driving the narrative forward.

Editing can be a challenge, but with these tips in mind, you can improve your creative writing. Don’t be afraid to rework your sentences – it’s all part of the process!

Thanks for reading! I hope this post was helpful. If you have any questions, please let me know here.  If you’re looking for an editor, click here. 

Want to read something similar? Check out the following posts:

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I know how hard it is to find the time to work on your passion project, and I know you want your novel to be the best it can be.

With a PhD, MA, and BA in Creative Writing, and as a Certified Professional Coach, I’m well poised to help you with whatever issue you are experiencing.

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Happy 2024, writers! What are your writing goals for this year? Mine are to revise The Tithes of Spring, complete my latest (and hopefully last) edit of The Dedworth Shame,

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20 Text Editing Tools to Improve Writing For Writers

Today is not the world of Hemmingway or Dickens when your writing tools consisted of just a journal and a typewriter. This is the world of apps and software that can help writers in producing powerful and engaging writing .

However, among thousands of apps, tools, and software, we’ve listed down some of the best and most feature-rich ones. From grammar-checkers and style editors to note-taking apps , and AI-powered tools, the post has a lot to offer. You can read about each tool in detail and see which one you’d like to pick.

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Grammarly has already gained much popularity among editing tools because of being multi-purpose and easy-to-use. It allows you to improve and polish your writing in terms of grammar, spelling, writing style, and much more.

You can also customize the tool by adding your personal dictionary so these words won’t be flagged as being misspelled. It also offers a whole gamut of languages (and English dialect) that you can select in your account settings as your primary language.

Grammarly is a cross-platform app that can be downloaded as a desktop app (for Mac and Windows), browser extension, mobile app, and mobile keyboard. Though most of the basic features can be used for free the premium version offers many advanced options.

ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid is a versatile tool that combines grammar-checking, style editor, and writing mentoring features into one tool. It gives you an in-depth report on your writing style and grammatical weaknesses, so you can strengthen your writing.

You can check your writing against elements like grammar, spelling, style, readability, passive voice overuse, sentence variety, emotion tells, unusual dialogue tags, etc. It also guides you with some easy steps to improve your writing.

In addition to that, ProWritingAid offers a whole bunch of resources like articles, suggestions, videos, and quizzes. Also, it doesn’t matter what kind of writer you are, the tool can help you improve the style and strength of your writing.

Hemingway App

Rightfully named after one of the greatest writers of all times, the Hemingway app guides you through your writing process, making it bold and clear.

The app offers real-time tips and suggestions in your writing like highlighting lengthy and complex sentences, alternative phrases, weakening phrases, passive voice-overuse, and format issues.

You can either write directly in the Hemingway editor or write on some other tool and paste it into the editor for writing suggestions. There’s also a desktop app so a good writing tool should always be at your disposal.

WordCounter

WordCounter is basically a tool for counting the words and characters that you’ve written. However, it also has an intuitive editor that helps you improve your writing style and choice of words.

The WordCounter can detect grammatical errors, and plagiarism as well so your writing comes out perfect. There’s also an option to see the top 10 keywords and highlights the keyword density with the best distribution of keyword density.

Google Docs

One from the tech giant Google, a light-weight and user-friendly editing tool is what Google Docs is all about. It is a powerful tool with multiple word processing features to offer.

There are smart editing and styling tools that help you format your text and produce powerful writing. You can also add links, images, and drawing in your text.

Some of the best features of Google Docs is that it seamlessly integrates with other Google tools and makes it freakishly easy for the users to collaborate with other users in real-time.

A word processing and text editing app specifically designed to work with iPhone, iPad, and the Apple Watch, Werdsmith is simple and clean with an interesting ‘mustache banner’.

The Werdsmith app turns your iPhone, iPad, and even your Apple Watch into a writing studio and is ideal for those who want to jot down their ideas on the go. Moreover, you can sync the app on iCloud and work on your notes or projects through any of your synced devices.

Notes is the native note-taking app in all iOS devices. It is a minimal yet feature-filled app for taking notes, making to-do lists, saving handwritten notes, and much more.

In terms of an editing tool, the Notes app offers basic editing features like formatting, spell-check, word suggestions, adding tables, and collaboration with other users.

Some of the other features include document scanning, password-protecting private information, creating custom smart folders, searching within notes, and drawing right in the notes with a finger or Apple Pencil.

One of the most prominent note-taking apps, Evernote offers note editor features with an intuitive interface and lots of useful features. You can write or edit notes or any kind of text, add images, links, or attachments and share your notes with other users.

You can optimize the text for better readability, customize the text style, insert tables and code blocks, create to-do lists, and highlight any part of your text with different colors. There’s also an option to encrypt text that you can decrypt with a passcode.

FocusWriter

Just as the name says, FocusWriter is a tool that offers a distraction-free writing environment for writers. It lets you completely immerse yourself in your writing work by giving you a hide-away interface that can be accessed by moving your pointer to the edge of the screen.

Other feature of the FocusWriter tool include timers and alarms, daily goals, multi-document support, customizable themes, spell-check and word count, and even an option to add a typewriter sound effect. Cool right?

Calmly Writer Online

Calmly Writer is a simple distraction-free writing tool. It is an absolutely minimal tool that blocks all kinds of non-screen distractions. In fact, it is so simple that you just have to open the tool and start writing right away.

Apart from its distraction-free environment, it offers traditional word processing and text editing options like formatting, spell-checks, and a writing style guide. It also works on different devices and as it stores your data in Google Drive you can access your text anywhere.

‘Focus Mode’ is a cool feature of the Calmly Writer tool that greys out the entire document except for the line that you’re working on so you can focus more keenly on your work. Also, there’s a wide variety of formats in which you can export your documents from the tool.

As the name says, StayFocused helps you stay focused on your writing by keeping you from spending your time on idle web browsing. It’s a great productivity extension for the Google Chrome browser that restricts the time you spend on useless websites.

You can customize it according to your requirements, configuring or blocking any website, web page, and even specific in-page content. Just set a time to browse websites, and when this time is spent, you won’t be able to access these web pages throughout the day.

The Most Dangerous Writing App

Squibler is a one-of-a-kind writing app that gives writers a clean interface and helps them come out of a writer block kind of situation through helpful writing prompts that the app generates for you.

Rightfully dubbed as the most dangerous writing app, it has a feature that erases all your work if you stop writing for a set period of time. You set this time beforehand that can be anywhere between 3 minutes to 1-hour long.

oTranscribe

oTranscribe is a transcription tool that helps you put the interviews into written transcriptions with ease. It is a free web app that enables you to upload the audio and do the transcription in the same interface.

You can pause, rewind, and fast forward your audio with simple keyboard shortcuts that add a lot to produce. It also gives interactive timestamps so you can navigate through your transcript. Plus, you can export your transcript to Markdown, plain text, or Google Docs.

Dynalist is a versatile app that can be used for project management, note-taking and organizing, to-do list making, or as an outliner for writers to create a well0managed outline for their books or projects.

Most prominent feature of Dynalist is that that there’s no limitation to the things you can add to it. You can break down your items into unlimited sub-items and documents without worrying about weekly or monthly limits.

There’s also an option to connect dots among your notes by typing in any keyword, and the tool will highlight it all over the document or project. The tool is available for Windows, macOS, Linus, as well as Android and iOS.

Simplenote is a straightforward app for note-taking or text editing. You can jot down your ideas, create lists and do much more in an organized manner. Your notes and text can be synced across different devices and can be accessed anywhere.

Some of its interesting features include collaboration and sharing documents with others, an organization with tags, using markdown to add formatting, password protection, sharing with third-party apps, and much more.

If your work requires you to collect visuals, text, lists, videos, etc. on a single screen where they can be accessed anytime, then Milanote is for you. It is an intuitive tool that works as a visual board and can be especially useful for creatives.

It has a clean interface with a visual board where you can drag and drop anything from links, videos, lists, text, notes, and even hand-drawn sketches in any way that makes sense to your projects. It supports common file types like JPG, PDF, Word, and Excel so you can add them to your board easily.

Milanote can also work as a whiteboard to collaborate with your team for brainstorming ideas on a single platform. Your team members can add their content to the board, share feedback, and annotate from anywhere in the world.

Writers and creatives are always fond of keeping a journal to jot down their ideas. Well, Day One is a journaling app for those who want to journal their life and ideas on the go.

DayOne app has a beautiful design and layout and many interesting features. You can add photos, drawings, videos, or audio recordings as journal entries. You can also format the text in different ways. You can get the app for iOS, macOS, Android, and browser extensions.

Ginger is an AI-powered writing assistant for aspiring as well as professional writers. It helps you in improving your writing, brushing up your style, and enhance your creativity.

Going beyond spelling and grammar check, it intelligently takes the whole sentence in context and suggests changes on the basis of that. The ‘Rephrase’ feature offers alternative phrases to help you better convey your message.

Ginger is also a cross-platform app that helps you from composing emails, draft Word documents, and create posts for social media. You can download the app for macOS, Microsoft Word add-in, extension for different browsers, and iOS and Android app.

Here’s another AI-powered writing tool but with a greater focus on marketing and advertising-based writing. Writesonic enables you to generate marketing copy, website copy, product descriptions, and ideas for highly effective ads for any medium.

You can choose from an array of copy templates according to your requirements, enter a short description of your product or service, and simply hit the Generate button to create interesting and high-quality copy options. You can then edit, copy or share any of these ideas.

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Nothing is more important in my process than autocrit. it takes care of all the details my eyes just don’t see anymore. repetitive words check. passive voice check. too many adverbs check. my overabundant use of probably, usually, and definitely check, check, check. each chapter gets the autocrit treatment until the words flow. i’ve edited four novels with autocrit, and i won’t go without it ever again., s.j. pajonas, autocrit is my online editor of choice, autocrit is my online editor of choice. a prime reason my debut book has become an amazon best seller, larry j. dunlap, autocrit is the online home for writers., i’ve improved both my novels as a result of my membership – it makes my editing process so much easier and my stories read better than ever, crystal king.

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A really useful tool for writers!

Autocrit calls a writer’s attention to word repetitions, clichés, sameness in sentence construction, and many other issues easily overlooked., renni browne, i’m convinced my work is stronger, i have to admit, i was skeptical … and concerned that a formulaic approach could do more harm than good. but, having used autocrit for the first 5,000 words (so far), and having subsequently read through the result, i’m convinced my work is stronger. i’m impressed. (100,000 words to go.), unlock your book’s brilliance with world-class tools, the only online writing and editing platform that guides your hand based on data from real, bestselling books, autocrit is built to match the genuine demands of publishing professionals and discerning readers..

Plan as much or as little as you like, with Digital Note Cards and Noteboards displayed alongside your writing. Also find p re-built Digital Planning, Plotting, and Character Note Templates to help you quickly get organized.

Get a productive boost with the help of built-in accountability and motivation tools. Set custom daily word goals, track words added and removed, plus fashion your own writing sprints and workdays with custom timers including real-time feedback.

Ferret out the fluff and take your manuscript from hard-to-read to clean-and-crisp. From adverbs and filler words all the way to exactly how you start your sentences, AutoCrit’s interactive editor helps you eradicate problems and tighten your prose faster than ever.

Nothing pulls us into a story faster than when characters start talking, yet writers often fall foul of relying on overblown dialogue tags and unnecessary adverbs instead of the raw emotion of their characters. AutoCrit quickly makes clear where you can give your dialogue added depth and punch by removing these crutches.

Forge better storytelling by quickly finding opportunities to write more precise descriptions, “show” instead of “tell,” maintain active voice, avoid clichés, and steer clear of mind-numbing repetition.

Your editor, agent, publisher and readers will all thank you.

Only at AutoCrit: Gain an extra layer of confidence in your work by directly comparing your manuscript with a wide range of popular genres. Choose between Thriller, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Horror, Paranormal Romance, Cozy Mystery and many more, and with the click of a button, you’ll get fully customized editing guidance that helps your writing align with the stylistic expectations of that genre.

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Develop new ideas or map out existing ones with AutoCrit’s Story Builder. Fill in your premise, world-building details and characters, and then map the story out in a variety of integrated beat sheets. If you’re stuck for ideas, AutoCrit’s AI assistant can generate suggestions for you at every step with the click of a button.

Attach your completed plans to any project in the Writer’s Desk… and then get to writing!

Inject some extra life into every scene with the Change the Mood tool. AutoCrit’s AI assistant will analyze your story so far, and offer contextually relevant suggestions to meet the emotional tone you’re aiming for. With options ranging from joyous to somber, furious to disgusted, and everything in between, you’ll receive a tailored series of proposals that could help shift the tone of your story in the desired direction.

Say goodbye to writer’s block and hello to an endless wellspring of inspiration! By analyzing your writing, this groundbreaking tool will suggest plot twists, character revelations, ways to heighten tension, and outlandish events that will keep your readers guessing and have them clamoring for the next chapter.

Find the right words fast with AutoCrit’s smart thesaurus, which takes into account the context of the sentence you’re writing and offers the most fitting options to keep you moving.

Enjoy Instant, Expert-Level Feedback with the Story Analyzer

With just a click, receive developmental feedback on your story's timeline, character arcs, conflicts, plot progression, potential contradictions, foreshadowing and more. are there lingering questions your story hasn't answered plot threads unresolved stretches where nothing important seems to happen experience it all from a reader's point of view, so you never drop the ball., write & edit like a pro, just a few of the 30+ interactive reports you can explore inside the autocrit platform., summary report, get a quick overview of your text, highlighting trouble areas you should prioritize, along with an overall summary score to track your improvement over time., find those pesky adverbs in the blink of an eye. simple highlights draw your attention, and numbered guidance helps you zero in on how many you should remove to match today's bestselling standards., sentence starters, starting sentences the same way too often can distract or bore your reader. find out how often you start your sentences with a pronoun, character name, or conjunction, and ensure your writing is varied and interesting., productivity tools, productivity is key to success, and with integrated accountability and positive reinforcement tools, autocrit is here to keep you moving. set your own custom writing goals and manage your day with built-in timers., dialogue tags, overzealous use of dialogue tags is a hindrance, not a help. let your dialogue do the talking by easily tracking and balancing dialogue tags throughout your book., grammarly built in, identify mistakes in spelling and grammar and quickly correct them, with full grammarly integration. a must-have for any writer and included free with our free forever membership, compare your writing with genre conventions, choose your genre to learn more.

Strap on your shield, sharpen your sword, and prepare for an epic fantasy adventure!

With AutoCrit’s specialized tools, you can choose to have your editing guidance focus on the needs and expectations defined by bestselling works of fantasy.

Choose between an overall genre focus, or compare your work directly to some of your favorite contemporary and classical novelists.

Top Fantasy Authors

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New genres and authors are added to the platform on a continuous basis, keeping you at the forefront of industry trends and reader demands.

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Expresso is a little tool to edit texts and improve your writing style. It will teach you to express yourself through writing more efficiently and help make your texts more readable, precise, and engaging. Expresso does not save entered texts to protect privacy. To learn more about Expresso: understand How to use , learn about text style Metrics , or do a quick interactive Tutorial .

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Last updated on May 05, 2023

Types of Editing: An Inside Look at What Editors Do

Literary editors are a writer's best friend — they have the skills, experience, and knowledge to take your manuscript to the next level. However, not all editors do the same job and it's important to understand what type of editing your project needs at any given stage.

In this guide, we’ll take you through the different types of editing and offer insights from Reedsy's deep roster of expert manuscript editors . 

5 common types of editing in publishing:

1. Editorial assessment

2. developmental editing, 3. copy editing, 4. proofreading, 5. fact-checking.

An editorial assessment is often the first piece of professional help a manuscript will receive. Your editor will offer you some broad, insightful feedback on major strengths and weaknesses in your plot, characters, or structure.

“In an editorial assessment, the author wouldn’t receive comments and example rewrites in the manuscript,” says genre fiction editor Leah Brown . “Instead, they would receive a letter that focuses on the broad strokes. An editorial assessment is best for an author who is early in the process and whose manuscript may be messier.”

Seeking out an editorial assessment early on will make the job of a developmental and copy edit later down the line much easier. Similarly, they can help you determine whether your work is ready for querying before you contact any literary agents . 

What kind of editing does your book need?

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Developmental editing — also called content or substantive editing — involves an editor providing detailed feedback on “big-picture” issues. They’ll refine your ideas, shape your narrative, and help you fix any major plot or character inconsistencies to tell you if any elements of your story just don’t work. It’s similar to an editorial assessment but contains much more detail.

“For a developmental edit, I look at some of the larger questions,” says editor Mary-Theresa Hussey . “Why are the characters behaving as they do? What are their motivations? Do these scenes add to the overall story? What is your underlying theme, and how does it change?” 

Your editor will return an annotated manuscript, a marked-up version of the original manuscript with specific suggestions for each issue, and an editorial report. This is essentially a summary of the raw feedback left on the manuscript. 

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Copy editing is the next step after you're certain you've solved your book's big-picture issues. An editor will read your work on the lookout for anything that makes it less readable, like word repetition or character inconsistencies. This type is also known as mechanical or line editing, depending on its particular application.

“ A copy editor’s job is to bring the author’s completed manuscript to a more professional level,” says editor Chersti Nieveen . “A copy edit helps create the most readable version of your book, improving clarity, coherency, consistency, and correctness. The goal is to bridge any remaining gaps between the author’s intent and the reader’s understanding.”

What elements do copy editors consider?

A copy editor examines and corrects the following elements in your work:

• Capitalization
• Word usage and repetition
• Dialogue tags
• Usage of numbers or numerals
• POV /tense (to fix any unintentional shifts)
• Descriptive inconsistencies (character descriptions, locations, blocking, etc.)

It’d be pretty distracting to your reader if you constantly misuse dialogue tags or misspell the word “restaurant.” Copy editing ensures that errors like these don’t happen, so your writing is as strong as possible, and your reader remains 100% focused on the story. They can also help make sure that you’re using the right terminology and that you’re using inclusive language in your writing.

Is line editing the same as copy editing? 

People often use "line editing" and "copy editing" interchangeably — but they’re not exactly the same thing. To clarify: line editing focuses specifically on the content and flow of your prose. It’s also called 'stylistic editing' since it concentrates on style rather than mechanics.

In other words, it still falls under the umbrella of copy editing but is more precise. While a full copy edit looks at all of the elements listed in the bullets above, a line edit would only consider word usage, POV/tense, and descriptive inconsistencies and provide more detailed suggestions on strengthening the prose.

If you feel incredibly confident about the mechanics of your prose but less so about its flow and style, you might request that your copy editor focus their energy on line editing alone. After all, a proofreader can always catch any minor errors that slip through the cracks.

And speaking of proofreaders...

Proofreading is the last major stage of the editing process. Proofreaders are eagle-eyed inspectors who ensure no spelling or grammar errors make it to the final version of your work. 

Back in the day, an impression of a metal plate would be created as “proof” of a typeset book . But before that happened, it would be triple-checked by the proofreader, who made sure the publisher didn’t churn out thousands of copies of a novel called A Tale of Tow Cities .

Even with modern digital typesetting, proofreaders still often work from physical proofs, often using a language of their own , as they go. They’ll watch out for:

• Inconsistencies in spelling and style;
• Inconsistencies in layout and typography;
• Confusing or awkward page and word breaks;
• Incorrect captioning on any illustrations and page numbers in the contents.

Although most issues will be resolved by this stage, proofreaders still scrutinize the text for anything previous edits might have missed. Hopefully, they don’t find much, but better safe than sorry!

The style sheet

When working with a proofreader, you should provide them with a style sheet that notifies them of any unusual spellings or styles in your manuscript — for example, if you’ve written a fantasy novel and have invented some words. Otherwise, they’ll read your manuscript “blind,” which is still pretty effective but may not incorporate every little detail of your work.

Once they’re done, your proofreader will return a marked-up document for you to revise one final time. After making those changes, you should be ready to send your manuscript into production, either by working with a typesetter or using a free tool like the Reedsy Book Editor to export your ebook .

No matter how thoroughly you research your book, it can still end up with informational inconsistencies — and that's a fact (pun fully intended). Developmental and copy editors can help with this, but at the end of the day, it’s not their responsibility to fact-check.

If you have a lot of niche information in your book, and especially if it’s a topic you’ve never written on before — you might consider getting a designated fact-checker to comb through it. They’ll note all the factual references in your book, then carefully confirm them via external sources; if they find any inaccuracies, they’ll alert you immediately. 

This type of editing is particularly crucial if you’re writing nonfiction (and dedicated nonfiction editors are often experienced fact-checkers too ). But getting a trained eye on your manuscript can also be very helpful for historical fiction and hard sci-fi works.

Of course, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and your book is the same — a quick self-edit won’t be enough if you want to be a successful author (whatever that means to you). An outside perspective from a professional editor, will help you lay the foundation the right way. With that in mind, you’re ready to go forth and conquer the world — the world of editing!

To learn how to find an editor to work on your book, proceed to the next post in this series.

3 responses

Emily Bradley says:

08/05/2019 – 12:28

A good editor would have caught the fact that that those are lilac blossoms over the book, not lavender. :)

29/06/2019 – 15:50

Are these out of order? Would you get copy-editing before line editing?

↪️ Martin Cavannagh replied:

01/07/2019 – 09:04

In terms of the order in which you'd get them — you're right that you'd look at line editing before a strict copy-edit, though realistically a copyeditor in publishing would be doing both, in a way. We'll have a look at swapping these around just for clarity. Thanks, Tom!

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• Submission Limit There is a limit of 200,000 characters, which is approximately 30,000 words. Anything longer should be submitted in smaller chunks, or it will be automatically trimmed.
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• Structure This tab shows sentence structure within the context of the document. Hover over a sentence to see its word count. Select a word or phrase, or click a sentence to get more information.
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• Sentence type flow Pieces with good flow will make use of all four sentence types, varying them to keep the reader interested.
• Sentence length flow Sentence length is indirectly related to sentence type, and is a good indicator of flow. Flow can be altered by adding, removing, lengthening, shortening, combining, or splitting sentences. Long sentences will be indicated by a red line on the graph. Sentences that flow poorly with their surroundings will be orange, and the source of the problem can often be found in a nearby sentence.
• Word length flow Word length is a minor contributor to overall flow, but even minor variations are signs of good rhythm.
• Passive Voice Index This is a measure of how frequently the passive voice is used. Consider revising your document if it scores over 100.
• Prepositional Phrase Index This is a measure of how frequently prepositional phrases are used. Consider revising your document if it scores over 100.
• Average sentence length Sentence length is a major contributor to the level of education required to read a body of text.
• Sentence length standard deviation This is a measure of the amount of variation in the length of a text's sentences. In texts that have broad appeal, this tends to fall between 50 and 90% of the average sentence length. You can increase this number by making long sentences longer, and short ones shorter.
• Sentence deviation to length ratio This is a measure of the sentence variety, and a major contributor to flow. Most novels score between 0.5 and 0.9, and popular ones often score near the high end of the range. You can increase this number by making long sentences longer, and short ones shorter.
• Just the stats preset Use this preset when you're only interested in the stats tab. Critique and Flow will be hidden.
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• Doubled words A word used twice in a row may be a typo.
• Commonly confused words This will check for the internet's most frequently confused words and notify you if it looks like you misused one. It is experimental and probably the least reliable feature. Consult a dictionary when necessary.
• Sentences starting with the same word A word should not be used to start more than one sentence in a single paragraph.
• Misplaced conjunctions It is considered poor style to place coordinating conjunctions at either end of a sentence. Placing a subordinating conjunction at the end of a sentence is against the rules.

It is said that one day, passive voice will bring weakness to your prose.

More information » Even more information »

• Overwriting Words like "very" and "really" make sentences wordier and weaken your message. These can be deleted in almost all cases without affecting the meaning of the sentence.
• Abstract words Abstract words lack specificity and overusing them can make even simple concepts difficult to understand. There are times when abstract words are desirable or even necessary; it would be difficult to write about math or programming without mentioning variables or functions, but you should use more specific terms whenever possible.
• Wordy and redundant phrases These phrases make your writing more difficult to understand. In most cases, they can be replaced with one or two words, or even deleted.
• Legalese These antiquated, arcane words and phrases will make your writing look like a contract.
• Double negatives Double negatives are almost always poor style.
• Adverbs They aren't bad in small quantities, but consider revising your document if more than 5.5% of its words are adverbs. Adverbs ending in "-ly" are considered the worst offenders.
• Adjectives They aren't bad in small quantities. A few of the words on this list can also function as other parts of speech. You have been warned.
• Contractions In formal writing, the use of contractions is considered a fault.

The boxer decked his opponent.

• Profanity Profanity should not be used in formal writing outside of direct quotations.

The critic's scathing review hit the nail on the head .

• Similes Similes and metaphors should be used sparingly. This option will detect most common types of similes.
• "Said" replacements Some people think that these substitutes for "said" are weak or obnoxious, especially if overused.

Her dress was long , and it touched the floor.

Her long dress touched the floor.

• Gender-specific pronouns Avoid using gender-specific pronouns in formal writing when the subject's gender is unknown.
• Weasel words Like abstract words, weasel words and phrases lack specificity. At best, they convey uncertainty. At worst, they can be used to "weasel out" of telling the truth in a straightforward manner. When checking a document that is speculative by nature, you might want to disable this detector.
• Third person pronouns According to this study , high concentrations of third person pronouns may indicate deception.
• Bias language These words and phrases often show the author's bias.
• Uncommon words Uncommon words will increase the document's reading difficulty.

Hot peppers burn my mouth, but I eat them anyway .

Since burritos taste good , I like to eat them.

• Sentence fragments A sentence must have at least one noun and one verb. Anything that does not is a fragment, and if it occurs outside of dialog, it should probably be rewritten.
• Long sentences Long sentences tend to be more difficult to read, making them good candidates for trimming or splitting. Alternatively, parallelism may be used to improve their readability, though this will not decrease the ARI score.
• Success with Style: Using Writing Style to Predict the Success of Novels
• Grammar Girl For your obscure writing questions
• Basic Prose and Style Mechanics An excellent, concise resource
• Television Tropes & Idioms Tricks of the trade
• Writing Realistic Injuries An invaluable article for anyone who writes action or horror
• Online Etymology Dictionary Learn the history of English words
• Scribophile Discuss the finer points of writing with other novelists
• Suggestions from the official See Sharp Press blog Learn about the mistakes that will keep your novel from being published.
• Smashwords Easy ebook distribution for indie authors
• Duotrope Find and learn about publishers
• CreateSpace
• Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing
• Creative Writing Prompts and Exercises Spark your creativity
• RhymeZone A popular rhyming dictionary
• Seventh Sanctum Name generators and more
• Apache OpenOffice The best free office software
• Literature & Latte Makers of the popular Scrivener editor

Did you find a bug? Do you want us to add a new feature? We would love to hear about it.

AI Story Writer

Write and publish stories with ai.

The supercharged AI story writer that creates books, novels, and screenplays for print and online. From idea to hard copy faster than ever before.

Featured at

What type of story are you writing?

Pick the perfect template for you, then use our AI-assisted editor to develop your story.

The AI Story Writer Built for Writers.

Squibler's AI writer solves problems common and unique to every story writer -- from brainstorming to publishing. Here are just a few:

• AI-Enhanced Writing
• Elements Creation
• Done-for-you Hardcover
• Done-for-you Printing
• Visuals Generation
• Goal Tracking
• Project Management
• Collaboration
• Split Screen

Writers worldwide choose Squibler.

The world’s most innovative teams, authors, and creators consider Squibler the best novel writing software.

• Screenwriting
• Novel Writing
• Book Writing
• Script Writing
• Documentation
• Technical Writing
• Knowledge Base

It has all the tools needed to make your screenplay story come to life.

Patricia S. Adventure Screenplay Writer

I wanted something more collaborative, and Squibler is exactly that.

Michael B. Screenplay Writer

A great way to keep track of everything that goes into creating a magical screenplay.

Sydney F. Screenplay Writer

Squibler elevated my writing process to new heights. Its seamless interface and innovative features helped me bring my novels to life effortlessly.

Jane Thompson. Bestselling Author

Squibler.io is my secret weapon for crafting intricate plots. Thanks to its creative toolkit, I've turned my ideas into gripping stories that keep readers on the edge of their seats.

Michael Ramirez. Thriller Novelist

I'll forever be grateful to Squibler.io for making my writing journey so much smoother. This platform's user-friendly design and collaborative capabilities turned my dream of writing a novel into a reality.

Emily Collins. Aspiring Writer

It makes it easy to break down my stories into chapters, scenes, and everything in between.

Denis P. Nonfiction Author

I love the fact that I can view all the details to my characters and settings without opening another document.

Amelia B. Romance Author

The best design I found for an editor that balances simplicity with the ability to get the work done.

Jonathan F. Children's Book Writer

Squibler.io turned my scriptwriting process upside-down – in the best way possible. Its intuitive interface and collaborative features helped me bring my characters to life.

Alex Walker. Screenwriter

As a passionate scriptwriter, Squibler.io became my creative haven. From brainstorming to final draft, it's the ultimate tool for crafting compelling narratives.

Rachel Carter. Film Enthusiast & Writer

Squibler.io is every screenwriter's secret weapon. Its dynamic features and storyboard integration allowed me to visualize scenes and weave together seamless story arcs.

Lucas Bennett. Screenplay Junkie

The only platform that enables our team to verify and update all our documentation and retrieve it.

Reginald M. Content Strategist

Squibler has become our centralized place to create, project manage, and revise your documentation.

Victoria N. Product

No longer do we need several tools to manage our documentation. Squibler enables us to connect our project management efforts to our documentation.

David F. Documentation Manager

Squibler is at the forefront of the technical writing industry.

Obaid M. Head of Media Development

If you're looking to write long-form documentation, there's really no better platform.

Ally C. Technical Writer

The easiest way I found to collaborate on your documentation with SMEs and engineers.

Alex P. Documentation Specialist

We wanted a hub of easily retrievable documentation, and Squibler gave us exactly that.

Vicky M. Knowledge Manager

A smart design to enable our team to manage all our knowledge docs right in their editor.

Jade F. Product Manager

The ability for us to make our documentation tangible is unreal.

Samantha B. HR Operations

Frequently asked questions.

Try Squibler today.

Bring your next story to life—easier and faster than ever before

Editor’s Desk: Maintaining Creativity After Graduation

As the end of his time in college approaches, Editor-in-Chief Austin Hojdar discusses his goal of maintaining creative outlets after graduation.

Creativity has consistently been one of the most important aspects of my life.

When I was in kindergarten, I would spend hours at the kitchen table with a hot glue gun to stick craft puff balls, pipe cleaners and googly eyes together to make my own superhero stuffed animals. My mom later said I was too young to use a hot glue gun.

When I was in middle school, I participated in state-wide creative writing competitions.

In high school, I began to explore making videos, creating hype videos for our sport teams, a talk show with my best friend and a parody of “The Breakfast Club.” 

When college came around, I continued making camcorder semester videos, but it was my classes and The Phoenix where I was able to let my creativity flow.

In video production and editorial design classes, I’ve been able to design my own newspapers and magazines and make videos with my friends about Chicago. With this paper, I’ve gotten to take pictures of some of my favorite artists and bands while continuing my passion for writing.

What I’ve noticed is that a lot of these experiences have felt linked to my academic life. While a good amount of the content hasn’t been for school, it’s always felt like that was the jumping-off point. 

I’ve developed this fear that when I graduate in less than two months, I won’t have the time, energy or motivation for these creative endeavors. 

But in a creative writing class recently, a professor showed us work she’s done outside of the classroom and it helped me realize that the end of my formal education doesn’t need to mark the end of my creativity. Maybe that was obvious.

I recently bought a journal that I vowed would never be for work or class — only for creativity and my own thoughts. I’m excited to see what I write.

Thank you for reading the product of all of our creativity.

Featured image by Austin Hojdar / The Phoenix

Austin Hojdar

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