10 helpful, handy resources for writers

All writers need a helping hand now and again—and having the best tools at your fingertips can make a huge difference in your work.

Let’s highlight resources that will help you focus, prompt creativity and host your pieces:

Tools to help you focus

1. Noisli (free)

Noisli enables you to create your own combinations of background noise to help you focus. The combination of “wind” and “leaves” is quite lovely, but you might prefer something else entirely. (Just don’t get so distracted experimenting that you forget to write.)

Tip: If you’re into coffee shop sounds but don’t want the hassle of finding plugs and wiping grounds, try Coffitivity, a tool that “recreates the ambient sounds of a cafe to boost your creativity and help you work better.”

2. Zen Pen (free)

Zen Pen offers a frills-free, minimalist page to fill.

Unlike Word or Google Docs, which both offer multitudes of options, buttons and styles to peruse and choose, Zen Pen features minimal formatting capabilities (bold and italic text, links and blockquotes). This bare-bones setup beckons you to crank out copy.