Outlining
9. Contour
Story development software that turns your screenplay ideas into an outline
Cost: $39.95 to $99.95
Best for: Screenwriters who want to easily develop and outline their story.
marinersoftware.com
10. Outline 4D
Outlining software that displays graphics of your story outline in a timeline view, map form, index cards, and traditional outline format. (Only for Windows at this time).
Cost: $99.95
Best for: Fiction writers, playwrights, and screenwriters who want to see the “big picture.”
write-bros.com
Grammar and word usage
11. MasterWriter
A collection of writing tools that lets you quickly and easily access synonyms, definitions, alliteration, rhyming words, and phrases. Includes the only electronic version of The Synonym Finder and the only alliteration dictionary on the market. Can also capture and manage .mp3 audio files.
Cost: Monthly license $9.95, annual license $99.95, 2-year license $149.95
Best for: Poets, songwriters, and writers who want quick access to a multitude of words and phrases.
masterwriter.com
12. Grammarly
Software that inspects grammar and contextual spelling. With a premium subscription, Grammarly checks style, business- or academic-specific issues, and sentence structure; offers content-based vocabulary improvements; and detects plagiarism.
Cost: Free for basic; Monthly subscription $11.66
Best for: Writers who want to make sure they’re always putting their best grammatical foot forward.
app.grammarly.com
13. Visual Thesaurus
Online thesaurus and dictionary, which include 150,000 words and 120,000 meanings. Also provides word maps to show linguistic connections.
Cost: $2.95 per month or $19.95 per year
Best for: Writers who want to find just the right word quickly.
visualthesaurus.com
Dictation
14. Dragon
Dictation software that lets you dictate documents and control your computer using voice commands. Includes functions for creating and sending emails, posting on social media, and searching the web.
Cost: $74.99 to $400, depending on the technical level needed
Best for: Writers who want to increase productivity by working hands-free.
nuance.com
15. Braina
Speech recognition and dictation software that allows users to convert voice to text on any website or word processing software. Supports forty different languages. Can also be used as a virtual assistant to complete tasks, find answers to questions, send emails, access websites, schedule reminders, and control your PC. (Only for Windows at this time.)
Cost: Six-month license $29, annual license $39, 3-year license $79 (a free “lite” option is also available)
Best for: Writers who want a less-expensive dictation and virtual assistant option to maximize productivity.
brainasoft.com/braina/download.html
