Comments on: Quick: Name the Seven Writing Tools You Couldn’t Live Without

By: Tom Chandler

Tom Chandler — Tue, 22 May 2007 02:16:47 +0000

I haven’t ever found much utility for a thesaurus, but the timer sounds far more interesting.

I formerly used an online time tracking system, but freed myself from it after I began billing on a project basis.

By: Theda K.

Theda K. — Mon, 21 May 2007 22:32:16 +0000

Hi! Good post. It got me thinking (which is a good thing for a writer). I also can’t live without a thesaurus, but I find it easier to use an online version. I can’t live without my timer (I don’t use the computer’s because I forget about it…I need one in my hand). And I do use pen and paper. And a highlighter sometimes. And I need my printer. I don’t like to do everything on the screen.

Thanks for the ideas!

By: stories from a Public Relations life » writing tools to have

stories from a Public Relations life » writing tools to have — Thu, 10 May 2007 17:44:44 +0000

[...] In a recent post at The Copywriter Underground Tom Chandler gives his list of Seven Writing Tools You Couldnâ€™t Live Without: [...]

By: Zach

Zach — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 12:34:25 +0000

I don’t know if anyone here as heard of Glyphius software or not but I wouldn’t write a sentence of copy without it.

It’s a product by http://www.jamesbraush.com and it’s based on a statistical analysis of tens of thousands of ads/websites to see what words are “profitable”.

Even though I’ve spent money on Carlton’s packages and studied Halbert, Collier et al…this thing surprised the heck out of me.

For instance some of our favorite, “power words”… free, now, you…are some of the LEAST profitable words we could put on a page. Who knew?

It makes my top tools list.

By: Tom Chandler

Tom Chandler — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 18:35:00 +0000

Support: That was pretty much where I left it before. Thanks for the attempt.

Paul: I use copywriter (windows) for exactly the same purpose you use CleanText. And since I’m an ex-photojournalist, the AP Style Manual is never far from hand…

Michael: Have you tried the alternatives to Word? Or for that matter, are you using the new “vista” version with the ribbon interface?

Janet: I’ve heard of TimeSlice. I’m not at all sure I could handle the pressure of a timer… 8-)

Thanks everyone!

By: Janet Martin

Janet Martin — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 18:27:24 +0000

I use a little application called TimeSlice. It allows me to add multiple projects and turn the clock on and off whenever I get up for tea, biscuits, laundry, mail, and other modes of procrastination.

By: Michael A. Stelzner

Michael A. Stelzner — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 14:15:51 +0000

Tom – Microsoft Word and a clipboard. Those are my must haves! – Mike

By: Paul Lagasse

Paul Lagasse — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 13:23:17 +0000

Handy post. In the category of essential support tools on my Mac, I rely on two simple, small shareware tools from Apimac: Timer and CleanText. Timer has a stopwatch, a countdown, and an alarm clock, which I need in various combinations on hourly projects. CleanText is handy for stripping code, converting capitalization, and eliminating hard returns and forwarding carets from copied text.

I also need to have style guides within reach: Chicago, AP, APA, and GPO.

By: Matt Ambrose

Matt Ambrose — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 09:35:58 +0000

Well, being a Brit I have to have a constant flow of cups of tea to keep me alert and my brain box ticking over. Fresh air from an open window also helps – even in winter – I can always put on more socks and it keeps the cobwebs away.

By: Support

Support — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 08:10:05 +0000

As you can see in the BlogDesk forum (http://forum.blogdesk.org/viewtopic.php?t=157), this is a weird problem related to Windows system files. Currently I have no solution other than inserting the disk Windows wants you to insert.