Much of what makes a great writer comes down to skill and creativity. While the creativity part really can’t be taught (you’re either the creative type or you’re not), a writer’s skill grows with time. In essence, if you want to be a better writer, write often.

With all that said, there are some tools available which will help authors deliver great prose. None of them are substitutes for experience, but like any tool, they make the job easier as long as the user (author) knows what he’s doing. Everything I list here is a resource I use myself, and I can personally attest to its effectiveness.

Books

The Synonym Finder by J I Rodale

What can I say? This is the ultimate resource for finding synonyms, and I use this on a daily basis. While it is not as quick to use as an online or electronic thesaurus, the shear volume of entries makes the extra time well worth your while. I have a 1986 paperback edition which just goes to show you don’t have to have the latest and greatest printing for a resource to be useful.

The Emotion Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi

Show don’t tell…this is the mark of a good writer. One of the things we certainly want to show is emotion. Consider this:

Trace Jordan was angry with Colonel Nash

OK, so we know Jordan was mad. Here is an excerpt from Chronicles of Aria Prime, Episode One:

After McBride left the room, Nash looked at Trace Jordan, who was still sitting in his seat, tapping his Academy ring on the table . Jordan didn’t say anything, but continued to stare at Nash. The pupils of his eyes flared as if a camera flash had caught him by surprise, while the deep fissures of his forehead and ruddy color of his skin expressed his emotions all too well.

In the excerpt, we’re not told of Jordan’s anger, but we can figure it out based on this man’s description. And that is where The Emotion Thesaurus comes in handy. It is a resource, written in list form, that serves a guide to visual cues of emotions. I picked up a kindle copy a few years ago, and have used it extensively ever since.


The Describer’s Dictionary by David Grambs

As a writer, I have often come across situations where I needed to describe an object or setting, but couldn’t find the words that conveyed my meaning. When that happens, I pull out The Describer’s Dictionary. This book not only contains list of descriptive words, but also includes brief excerpts so you can see real world examples of how to use these words. My one complaint with this book is the lack of an index, so it is necessary to search by chapter and subheading.

The Elements of Style by Strunk and White

What can I say? The Elements of Style has been around almost 100 years, and is as useful today as it was in the first edition. I was first introduced to this manual as a college freshman, and I still reference the copy I bought at the University of Cincinnati bookstore. While the book is not long (I think the most recent version has about 100 pages), the information within is clear, concise and to the point.


Honorable Mentions

Here I will list books that I use as occasional resources. While the information in them is valuable, I don’t use them quite as often as the books listed above.

  • How to Write Descriptions of Eyes and Faces by Val Kovalin
  • How to Write Descriptions of Hair and Skin by Val Kovalin
  • The Ultimate Fiction Thesaurus by Sam Stone
  • The Ultimate Fiction Thesaurus Volume Two by Sam Stone

Software/Online Tools

ProWritingAid

ProwritingAid is a free online writing tool that provides several functions. It will:

  • Find overused words

  • Find Cliche´s

  • Find adverbs

  • Find Passive voice

  • Grammar and spelling check

  • Find vague or abstract words

Simply plug your test into the ProWritingAid text box and click the “Improve my Writing” box. There is also a plugin for those who use MS Word.

MyWriterTools

MyWriterTools is a plugin for MS Word. Since I mainly use Scrivener for my writing these days, I don’t use this tool often. However, I used it extensively in the past and feel it is still a valuable tool for writers. This tool will:

  • Find and fix long words and sentences

  • Fix common formating problems

  • Find unnecessary adverbs

  • Find commonly misused words and fix them

  • US to UK conversion and vice versa

  • Find Cliche’s

This is a paid plugin, and the website states MS Word 2000 or newer is needed. I personally used the plugin with MS Word 2007, where it works flawlessly.

Scrivener

When it comes to research and organization for your novel, Scrivener is the ultimate tool. I’ve reviewed Scrivener in the past (see my review here), so I won’t rehash all of the features of this great software. What I will say is that for those of us who are organizationally-challenged (me), this software is a Godsend! At a price of only $40 (US) with a one month free trial, it is well worth checking out.

There are certainly more tools and resources available other than what I’ve listed here. However, I’m not about to endorse something I don’t use. Of course, if you have a particular book or piece of software that you love, please share in the comments section below.