I’m a freelance writer and for a long time, I was a purist about the matter. Ideally, I’d have liked to have nothing more than a typewriter in my home office. I really like the minimalist aesthetic so that I can focus solely on writing down the best words I possibly can. Of course, life isn’t like this anymore. Writers have to conduct themselves as businesses. You need a laptop, internet connection, and email account at the very least. There are so many other tools you can install to further make your life easier as a freelance writer.

First of all, there are a lot of writing apps. Too many to name, even. Personally, I like to go for the most minimalist ones which have the fewest number of features. Your line of work might be different but for me, it’s all about the text. I don’t need loads of design elements. There are some stripped-down word processors out there but in general, the best option is Google Docs. It’s just the easiest to share with your clients for them to edit or make suggestions.

Beyond just tools for writers, there are also lots of business tools that can help you to be successful. Remember, being a freelance writer is essentially being a business person. Many writers don’t realize this and they’re usually the ones who struggle to find work. You have to be a marketing strategist and a sales executive if you want to get orders. Also, you should use a tool called Aerofiler to automatically draw up contracts to ensure you get paid.

Combining traditional writing services with business tools will help you achieve the most from your freelance writing career. Yes, you’re a creative worker but you also need to think like a hard-nosed business person. You can find an online contract creation tool by clicking here.