Hi Steemit community! Thank you for the warm welcome. This tribe is wonderful, and I want to ensure I contribute to it as much as I can.
Here are some of the resources that helped me write my novel Ahe’ey. I also include useful resources for cover, logo and website designs.
1 - Scrivener
Scrivener is a word processor and project management tool. It is particularly useful for long texts such as novels and non-fiction books. I recommend Scrivener if your document is larger than ten thousand words. I like the functionality of this app, in particular, the tagging as it helps me keep track of characters, locations and plotlines. Scrivener’s rich feature set helped me keep track of my four main characters.
2 - Grammarly
Grammarly's proofreading and plagiarism-detection functionality are extremely useful. This app won’t replace a solid human copyeditor, but it will help speed up the initial proofreading and editing rounds. Grammarly checks spelling, grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure. It also searches online for similar text to ensure your writing is unique.
3 - Hemingway
Hemingway is another proofreading tool that helps you achieve clearer and simpler writing. It makes your writing easy to understand. The app highlights long, complex sentences and common mistakes. It’s particularly good at catching wordy sentences and the use of too many adverbs. Use Hemingway as a resource, but don’t let it take control over your writing style. The software won’t recognise the unique writing voices that make a great book.
4 - Speak it!
Speak it! is a text to speech app that will read your writing out loud. I use it as a proofreading tool as my ears can spot issues that my eyes have missed.
5 - 99Designs
99Designs is a great site to run a book cover design contest. I love crowdsourcing because it allows me to pick the best ideas and then combine them into a unique design. You can also use this site to commission logos and website designs.
6 - Fiverr
Check out Fiverr, if sites like 99Designs are beyond your budget. I use it for small design and proofreading jobs, voice over recordings, and other random tasks. I’ve recently started to work with a couple of people on Fiverr. If things continue to go well, I will refer their services on Steemit.
7 - Odyssey Podcast
I recommend the Odyssey podcast for sci-fi & fantasy writers like me. It’s free and worth your time. This podcast provides excerpts from writers' lectures given at the Odyssey Writing Workshop. Odyssey is a highly respected initiative for writers of fantasy, science fiction, and horror.
8 - John Truby’s Story for Novel Class
This class is an excellent introduction to the structural elements of a novel, character and plot. I also find John’s comprehensive screenwriting classes a great resource for writing inspiration.
9 - Weebly
Weebly is a free and very easy to use a drag-and-drop website builder. I have used it to create my website. It is also a web-hosting service; I store all the photos I share on Steemit on my Weebly website.
10 - 500px
500px is a photography community site filled with inspiring and free photography. A perfect place to find creative commons images to complement your writing.
What are your favourite resources? Leave a comment and share them with the community.
On Sunday, I will release Ahe’ey part 7 – Water Angels. We are just a couple of days away from a major revelation about Gabriel’s character. Tomorrow, I will be releasing the part 2 of the Ahe’ey audiobook for those who prefer to listen to the novel.
A special thank you to Eric Vance Walton who is leading the way for Novel writers here on Steemit. He is a very talented and successful fiction writer and was wonderfully supportive from the moment I joined the platform. Check out his beautiful work.
Have a great weekend,
Jamie
