Why Writing Tools Are A Game-Changer For Students

By HWM

Writing can be a tough thing for students, whether it’s an essay for class or a personal project.

It’s easy to get stuck because you’re trying to come up with original ideas, then you need to organize everything, plus you need to be on top of edits.

Sometimes, it can seem like it will never end, but thanks to technology, there are tools that can help make this process easier. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you should use a tool that will do your work for you; you still need to be creative and innovative, but the right type of tool will help you stay organized, manage your time, and improve the quality of whatever it is that you’re writing.

Let’s dive right in and see how you can go from an idea to a polished draft without too much stress.

How Writing Tools Make the Process Simpler

Book writing software makes the entire writing process a whole lot simpler because it gives you tools that support every stage, from brainstorming to the final draft. Instead of using notes that are usually all over the place, you just gather everything in one place and organize your thoughts into clear outlines.

You can also use mind mapping tools like XMind or MindMeister to go a step further and visually break down complex ideas. This might sound like overkill to some, but you know how it is when you stumble upon a good idea; plus, it just develops into a huge thing that’s hard to keep track of.

For example, say you’re working on a research paper about environmental sustainability; you can map out key topics and subtopics so that you have a clear structure before you even start the draft.

You can use Microsoft Word or Google Docs during drafting, so you don’t have to worry about formatting, and if you want to track progress and set writing goals, Scrivener and Dabble can break large projects into smaller tasks to keep you motivated.

According to data from G2, writing tools (e.g., Scrivener, Dabble, etc.) help users save up to 30% of time on large projects. This is because of task organization and the ability to break down massive tasks into smaller, digestible chunks.

3 Tips for Organizing Your Writing Like a Pro

One of the biggest benefits of this type of software is that it can help you organize your writing, which will make you more focused and productive, and your work will be better quality.

1. Outlining and Structuring

Programs like Scrivener and Ulysses can help you break writing into clear sections or chapters right from the start. If you have a strong outline and you know what to do, every section will have a purpose.

For instance, if you’re writing a history essay, you can use Scrivener’s corkboard view to map out each period in detail and keep your essay coherent.

2. Managing Research and Notes

Writing tools like Evernote and Notion are great for keeping research and notes organized alongside the main draft. You can attach articles, pictures, or notes straight to different parts of the project, so you don’t need to jump around between different fields or tabs.

Think about someone working on their thesis; they can reference research quickly and easily, which is invaluable.

3. Collaboration and Feedback

Google Docs is the go-to for students who want to work together with their colleagues or get feedback from teachers.

It has a real-time editing feature that allows several people to work on the same document at the same time, which makes it ideal for group projects.

According to Google, Google Docs is being used by over 90 million educators and students worldwide. The tool has revolutionized collaborative work, and 80% of students cited real-time collaboration as the major benefit of using Google Docs.

3 Ways of Improving Editing and Revision

After the draft is done, you have editing and revision to go through. This part can feel like it’s a bit much, but it’s also where writing tools really shine.

1.    Grammar and Spell Checkers

Isn’t it embarrassing to turn in an essay or a research article with grammar and spelling mistakes? With tools like Grammarly and ProWritingAid, you get real-time feedback on your grammar, spelling, and even writing style.

They’ll catch errors you overlook, from missing commas to awkward phrasing and super cringy mistakes like using “youre” instead of “you’re”.

In fact, based on the Purdue Writing Lab study, 65% of students attending Purdue University reported feeling less anxious about their writing assignments after integrating digital tools like Evernote or Grammarly.

2.    Version Control

Google Docs and Scrivener offer version control, which allows you to revert to earlier drafts if you need to.

This is especially helpful for creative projects, where you might want to try out different storylines or endings and easily go back to the original idea if the new one doesn’t work out.

3.    Advanced Editing Tools

Hemingway Editor analyzes the structure of the sentence and its readability and then suggests how you can improve clarity and flow.

This tool is especially useful for students working on personal statements or scholarship essays because they can cut anything complicated and unnecessary to make their writing style more compelling and clear.

Conclusion

Writing tools have totally changed how students tackle their projects.

These tools make the process simpler and easier to manage, so that the only thing you need to worry about is the one that really matters – creativity.

With writing software, you won’t just get your project done, but you’ll also improve its quality.