10 Free Tools Every Freelance Writer Needs; These are Must Haves!

Whether you are a seasoned freelance writer or an aspiring freelance writer there are free online tools you need to know about and use. These tools will help keep you organized and on track. Freelance writing is a business, if you don't manage it like you would a business, you are more likely to fail. Personally, I want everyone to succeed and putting these free tools to use for you will make you more likely to achieve your goals!

1. QuickBooks Simple Start: Tracking your income and expenses is probably one of the most important things any business owner has to do. Even if you have an accountant, you still have to keep track of your finances. QuickBooks is a program that is commonly used by small business owners and their Simple Start version is free!
   


2. Open Office: You can't function as a freelance writer without a word processor. Yes, Microsoft Word is a great program, but it's also a very expensive program. Open office is a free program that's available to download. It not only contains a word processor program, but it has a spreadsheet as well. Another option is Abi Word. For the most part I tend to use Abi Word, but it's really a personal preference. Both programs are free and they are both very similar to Microsoft Word.
   


3. Word Count Tool:Hopefully, you are already using some type of word count tool and not counting your words by hand. Most word processors do have a word count tool available, but there are times when you are writing online and need to do a quick word count. This tool comes in handy for those times. This way you don't have multiple programs running and don't have to go back and forth between them.


4. Character Count Tool: Some clients will request intro paragraphs, subtitles, and even titles to be under a specific character count. This tool really comes in handy with those projects. you may not use it everyday, but if you bookmark it, then you have it when you need it.


5. Slim Timer: This is a great way to keep yourself on track. You simply add your tasks to the list and start the timer for each project you are working on. Click it again to stop the timer. You can even easily bounce back and forth between projects and still track all of the time you have spent working for each client.


6. Gmail: It goes without saying that you will need an email account to keep in contact with your clients. In fact, most of them you will never speak to on the phone. It makes things a lot easier if you have a separate email just for your writing business. While you can use any of the free email options available online, I like Gmail the best. It's easy to navigate and use.


7. Word Tracker: This is a great way to track keywords. If you do any type of writing for passive income this is a must, but it also comes in handy when writing SEO articles. You simply type your keyword in and it brings up all of the related phrases for that word. It even shows the percentage of how often that phrase is typed into the search engine by people when looking for related words.


8. Keyword Density Tool: Have you ever come across projects that want 1%-3% keyword density and passed them over because you weren't sure how to calculate it? Here's the tool that does it for you. Bookmark it, eventually it will come in handy!


9. Duplicate Article Checker: Do you ever feel like you are writing something that seems familiar? A lot of times we write things based on similar topics. This is a free tool that you can download. It allows you to check your articles for similarities. That way you can easily make adjustments if needed.


10. Thesaurus.com: I love this site! If you feel like you are using the same words over and over, Thesaurus.com will come in handy! If you're stuck in a rut and typing in circles, you need this site. You can also use sites like Dictionary.com to look up definitions of words and expand your vocabulary. Various sites like these can really come in handy on "off days." Face it we all have them! Don't forget Urban Dictionary if you need to brush up on your slang!
    

There's a lot more to freelance writing than just sitting down and writing. There are many tricks that you learn little by little, but these tools will help you get there faster. However, the most important tool you can use is SPELL CHECK! You have no idea how many articles I have read that are terribly misspelled. Remember, when you type something online, whether it's a paid project or a forum post, potential clients may come across it. Be professional, NEVER forget to use spell check!

What are some of the tools or programs you use and how do they help you succeed?