10 Essential Tools for Growing Your Freelance Writing Business (And They’re Completely Free)
Published: February 11, 2024
Read Time: 8 minutes
The internet lied to you, fellow freelancer.
Everyone made it seem like freelance writing meant writing thought-provoking articles in trendy coffee shops around the world, sipping double espressos, and watching dollars fill your bank account.
Instead, you’re up to your eyeballs in a mountain of admin tasks, urgent emails, and unsent invoices.
When are you supposed to get any writing done?
How will you find time to actually grow your freelance writing business?
Why does your brain hurt when trying to solve these problems?
Fair questions. But the good news is I have a solution for you.
10 of them, in fact.
Using these tools will free up your time so you can focus on writing and growing your business.
And the best part? They’re completely free.
10 Essential Tools for Growing Your Freelance Writing Business
From grammar checkers to transcription software, using these tools will streamline your freelance writing business’s workflow so you have more time to actually grow your business.
1. Notion
Mastering Notion will change your life.
Bold statement, I know. But it’s true.
I use Notion to:
- Streamline my workflow
- Plan personal projects
- Organize my calendar
- Plan family vacations
- Run my business
- Manage finances
- Track my fitness
- and more
Notion combines note-taking, project management, and collaboration in one sleek platform.
Its all-in-one workspace is designed to declutter your digital environment and boost productivity. As a freelance writer, Notion can help you stay organized and productive.
PROS:
- Provides a centralized hub for organizing writing projects, managing deadlines, and collaborating seamlessly with clients or team members.
- Offers multiple tools for note-taking, task management, and collaborative editing.
- Simplifies workflow by consolidating everything in a single, intuitive interface.
- Offers customizable workspaces, databases, and templates.
- Allows for a seamless transition from desktop to laptop or mobile so you can work on the go.
- Integrates with various apps and tools to streamline your workflow.
- Helps you stay on top of your workload by creating a content calendar and tracking your time.
CONS:
- Overwhelming for beginners due to its many features and customization options. (Fortunately, there are many helpful YouTube tutorials. Check out Thomas Frank’s channel to learn more.)
- Limited formatting options compared to other writing tools.
- Slow to load when working with large amounts of data.
SIMILAR TOOLS:
Evernote: A note-taking app that lets you capture and organize your ideas, notes, and to-do lists.
Trello: A project management tool that helps you organize your tasks and collaborate with your team.
DOWNLOAD NOTION HERE.
2. ChatGPT
Unless you went full Thoreau and wrote alone in a cabin in the woods for 2023, you’re likely familiar with ChatGPT.
But for all the Luddites out there, ChatGPT is an AI-powered language model developed by OpenAI that can generate human-like text based on context and past conversations.
ChatGPT can help freelance writers generate ideas, research topics, compose emails, and write code for websites.
PROS:
- Assists in topic research.
- Helps brainstorm content.
- Helps create outlines for articles.
- Provides feedback on grammar, syntax, and sentence structure.
CONS:
- Runs the risk of plagiarism.
- Requires detailed prompts and lots of editing since its output is often robotic and boring.
SIMILAR TOOLS:
Google Bard: A language model developed by Google that can generate human-like text based on context and past conversations. It can generate creative content, answer questions, and more.
BingAI: A combination of GPT-4 and the Bing search engine, so it always accesses the internet to give updated results.
ACCESS CHATGPT HERE.
3. Grammarly
Grammarly is a writing assistant that checks your grammar, spelling, and punctuation in real time. It also provides suggestions for improving your writing style.
Grammarly can improve your writing quality and accuracy, saving you time by catching errors before you submit your work.
Before doing my final editing, I run my writing through Grammarly. It always finds something I missed.
PROS:
- Integrates with popular writing tools, such as Google Docs and Notion.
- Provides real time feedback on grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
- Gives suggestions for improving writing style, tone, and clarity.
- Removes embarrassing writing mistakes and typos.
- Offers a plagiarism detection feature.
CONS:
- Limited features in the free version.
- Premium version can be expensive.
- Doesn’t catch all advanced writing issues.
SIMILAR TOOLS:
Hemingway Editor: A writing assistant that helps simplify your writing and make it more readable.
GET GRAMMARLY HERE.
4. Otter AI
Otter AI is an AI-powered transcription tool that can help you record, transcribe, and summarize your meetings, interviews, and other audio content.
After interviewing expert sources for articles, I use Otter AI to transcribe the audio. It makes the note-capturing process much more efficient than scribbling notes while trying to hold a conversation.
The coolest thing about Otter AI is that its language processing technology can differentiate who’s speaking. So when it delivers your transcript, the text is separated by speaker, freeing up your time to focus on writing and growing your business.
PROS:
- Transcribes audio content quickly and accurately.
- Differentiates between speakers, so it’s easy to follow the conversation.
- Offers real time transcription, summary generation, and collaboration tools for teams.
- Allows users to access and sync their transcriptions across multiple platforms.
CONS:
- Expensive if using the premium version.
- Slow to load when working with large amounts of data.
- Free plan has limited transcription hours and lacks certain advanced features.
SIMILAR TOOLS:
Happy Scribe: A transcription tool that uses AI to transcribe audio and video files.
Descript: Combines transcription with audio/video editing features.
ACCESS OTTER AI HERE.
5. Canva
Most freelance writers (myself included) don’t have the time or skills to create visually appealing graphic designs.
Luckily, there’s Canva—a user-friendly graphic design platform that helps freelance writers create stunning visuals to strengthen their content.
Canva lets you create professional-looking images, infographics, and social media posts in minutes.
I use Canva for all my graphic design needs, from designing my LinkedIn banner to creating infographics that support my writing.
PROS:
- Offers a ton of templates for various design types and industries.
- Provides a drag-and-drop interface that makes it easy to add and edit text, images, and other design elements.
- Has a library of over 1 million stock images, illustrations, and icons.
- Allows you to create a brand kit that includes your brand colors, fonts, and logos.
CONS:
- Some advanced design features are only available in the paid version.
- Free version has limitations on export quality and file types.
SIMILAR TOOLS:
Adobe Spark: A free graphic design tool that allows you to create social media posts, web pages, and videos.
TRY CANVA FOR FREE HERE.
6. Google Docs
Google Docs is a free, cloud-based word processor that allows you to create, edit, and share documents online.
It’s like Microsoft Word but way more user-friendly. I love that your work gets stored on the cloud, allowing you to write from any device while on the go.
I use Google Docs for all my client work. It streamlines my workflow and makes sharing articles or completing edits a breeze.
PROS:
- Free to use, with no subscription fees or costs.
- Offers real time collaboration, so multiple people can edit documents simultaneously.
- Cloud-based, so everything is saved automatically and can be accessed at any time (and from any device).
- Super intuitive and user-friendly.
- Offers a variety of templates and add-ons to help you customize your documents.
CONS:
- Limited formatting options compared to other word processing software.
- Slow to load when working with large amounts of data.
- Some advanced features are restricted when working offline.
SIMILAR TOOLS:
Microsoft Word: A word processing software that allows you to create, edit, and share documents online.
Notion: While more versatile, Notion offers document editing and collaborative features, making it a comprehensive solution for freelancers.
USE GOOGLE DOCS HERE.
7. Google Sheets
Google Sheets is another free, cloud-based spreadsheet software that allows you to create, edit, and share spreadsheets online.
Like Google Docs, Google Sheets can streamline your workflow by allowing you to collaborate with clients and access your work from anywhere.
While there are plenty of spreadsheet software tools out there, I love how simple Google Sheets is to use. I use it for tracking my cold outreach, invoices, and payments.
PROS:
- Free to use and user-friendly.
- Offers real time collaboration.
- Cloud-based, so everything is saved automatically and can be accessed from any device at any time.
- Offers a variety of templates and add-ons to help you customize your spreadsheets.
CONS:
- Limited formatting options.
- Lacks sophisticated design options compared to dedicated design tools.
- Not all options with Microsoft Excel are offered with Google Sheets.
SIMILAR TOOLS:
Microsoft Excel: A spreadsheet software that allows you to create, edit, and share spreadsheets online.
Airtable: A mix of a spreadsheet and database, suitable for project management.
ACCESS GOOGLE SHEETS HERE.
8. HemingwayApp
If you haven’t tried the Hemingway App before, you’re missing out.
This online writing tool analyzes and gives feedback on the readability of written content.
It uses an algorithm to analyze text and make suggestions for simplifying sentence structure, eliminating unnecessary words, and using more active language. It even assigns your writing a readability score so you can make it clearer and more direct.
Hemingway App is one of the most valuable tools I’ve found for making your writing concise yet impactful.
PROS:
- Offers real time feedback on your writing style, tone, and clarity.
- Highlights lengthy, complex sentences and common errors.
- Provides suggestions for simplifying sentence structure and eliminating unnecessary words.
- Offers a desktop version that doesn’t need internet.
CONS:
- Focuses on only a handful of grammar choices.
- May be less effective for technical or specialized writing.
- Free version has limitations compared to the paid desktop app.
SIMILAR TOOLS:
ProWritingAid: A writing assistant that checks your grammar, spelling, and punctuation in real time. It also provides suggestions for improving your writing style.
CHECK OUT HEMINGWAY APP HERE.
9. CoSchedule Headline Analyzer
CoSchedule Headline Analyzer is a free online tool that helps take your headlines to the next level. It analyzes your headlines and provides feedback on how to improve them.
I rarely use this tool, but other writers swear by it. Give it a shot and see how it works for improving your headlines.
PROS:
- Provides various data-driven suggestions and powerful AI prompts to fine-tune your headlines for maximum traffic, engagement, and SEO rankings.
- Gives real time feedback on your headlines, including suggestions for improving your headline score.
- Offers a variety of templates and add-ons to help you customize your headlines.
- Has a WordPress plugin that allows you to analyze your headlines directly from your website.
CONS:
- You get a set amount of free tokens only to use each month.
SIMILAR TOOLS:
Advanced Marketing Institute Headline Analyzer: A free tool that analyzes your headlines and provides feedback on improving them.
TRY OUT COSCHEDULE HEADLINE ANALYZER HERE.
10. Notion Calendar
Notion Calendar is a Notion feature that allows you to create and manage your calendar events, deadlines, and tasks in one place.
Notion has always offered a calendar feature, but its functionality was limited, leaving many users wanting more.
Well, the people at Notion must have heard the complaints because Notion Calendar doesn’t fail to deliver. I use it daily to stay organized and on top of my workload.
My favorite feature of Notion Calendar is that it syncs with Google Calendar (my scheduling tool of choice) so that I can see all my events, reminders, and tasks in one place.
PROS:
- Offers a variety of views, including day, week, month, and list views.
- Allows you to create recurring events and set reminders for deadlines.
- Integrates with other Notion features, such as databases and pages.
CONS:
- Limited formatting options compared to other calendar software.
SIMILAR TOOLS:
Google Calendar: A free, cloud-based calendar software that allows you to create, edit, and share events online.
Outlook Calendar: A calendar software that allows you to create, edit, and share events online.
ACCESS NOTION CALENDAR HERE.
10 Essential Tools for Growing Your Freelance Writing Business (And They’re Completely Free)
Published: February 11, 2024
Read Time: 8 minutes
The internet lied to you, fellow freelancer.
Everyone made it seem like freelance writing meant writing thought-provoking articles in trendy coffee shops around the world, sipping double espressos, and watching dollars fill your bank account.
Instead, you’re up to your eyeballs in a mountain of admin tasks, urgent emails, and unsent invoices.
When are you supposed to get any writing done?
How will you find time to actually grow your freelance writing business?
Why does your brain hurt when trying to solve these problems?
Fair questions. But the good news is I have a solution for you.
10 of them, in fact.
Using these tools will free up your time so you can focus on writing and growing your business.
And the best part? They’re completely free.
10 Essential Tools for Growing Your Freelance Writing Business
From grammar checkers to transcription software, using these tools will streamline your freelance writing business’s workflow so you have more time to actually grow your business.
1. Notion
Mastering Notion will change your life.
Bold statement, I know. But it’s true.
I use Notion to:
- Streamline my workflow
- Plan personal projects
- Organize my calendar
- Plan family vacations
- Run my business
- Manage finances
- Track my fitness
- and more
Notion combines note-taking, project management, and collaboration in one sleek platform.
Its all-in-one workspace is designed to declutter your digital environment and boost productivity. As a freelance writer, Notion can help you stay organized and productive.
PROS:
- Provides a centralized hub for organizing writing projects, managing deadlines, and collaborating seamlessly with clients or team members.
- Offers multiple tools for note-taking, task management, and collaborative editing.
- Simplifies workflow by consolidating everything in a single, intuitive interface.
- Offers customizable workspaces, databases, and templates.
- Allows for a seamless transition from desktop to laptop or mobile so you can work on the go.
- Integrates with various apps and tools to streamline your workflow.
- Helps you stay on top of your workload by creating a content calendar and tracking your time.
CONS:
- Overwhelming for beginners due to its many features and customization options. (Fortunately, there are many helpful YouTube tutorials. Check out Thomas Frank’s channel to learn more.)
- Limited formatting options compared to other writing tools.
- Slow to load when working with large amounts of data.
SIMILAR TOOLS:
Evernote: A note-taking app that lets you capture and organize your ideas, notes, and to-do lists.
Trello: A project management tool that helps you organize your tasks and collaborate with your team.
DOWNLOAD NOTION HERE.
2. ChatGPT
Unless you went full Thoreau and wrote alone in a cabin in the woods for 2023, you’re likely familiar with ChatGPT.
But for all the Luddites out there, ChatGPT is an AI-powered language model developed by OpenAI that can generate human-like text based on context and past conversations.
ChatGPT can help freelance writers generate ideas, research topics, compose emails, and write code for websites.
PROS:
- Assists in topic research.
- Helps brainstorm content.
- Helps create outlines for articles.
- Provides feedback on grammar, syntax, and sentence structure.
CONS:
- Runs the risk of plagiarism.
- Requires detailed prompts and lots of editing since its output is often robotic and boring.
SIMILAR TOOLS:
Google Bard: A language model developed by Google that can generate human-like text based on context and past conversations. It can generate creative content, answer questions, and more.
BingAI: A combination of GPT-4 and the Bing search engine, so it always accesses the internet to give updated results.
ACCESS CHATGPT HERE.
3. Grammarly
Grammarly is a writing assistant that checks your grammar, spelling, and punctuation in real time. It also provides suggestions for improving your writing style.
Grammarly can improve your writing quality and accuracy, saving you time by catching errors before you submit your work.
Before doing my final editing, I run my writing through Grammarly. It always finds something I missed.
PROS:
- Integrates with popular writing tools, such as Google Docs and Notion.
- Provides real time feedback on grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
- Gives suggestions for improving writing style, tone, and clarity.
- Removes embarrassing writing mistakes and typos.
- Offers a plagiarism detection feature.
CONS:
- Limited features in the free version.
- Premium version can be expensive.
- Doesn’t catch all advanced writing issues.
SIMILAR TOOLS:
Hemingway Editor: A writing assistant that helps simplify your writing and make it more readable.
GET GRAMMARLY HERE.
4. Otter AI
Otter AI is an AI-powered transcription tool that can help you record, transcribe, and summarize your meetings, interviews, and other audio content.
After interviewing expert sources for articles, I use Otter AI to transcribe the audio. It makes the note-capturing process much more efficient than scribbling notes while trying to hold a conversation.
The coolest thing about Otter AI is that its language processing technology can differentiate who’s speaking. So when it delivers your transcript, the text is separated by speaker, freeing up your time to focus on writing and growing your business.
PROS:
- Transcribes audio content quickly and accurately.
- Differentiates between speakers, so it’s easy to follow the conversation.
- Offers real time transcription, summary generation, and collaboration tools for teams.
- Allows users to access and sync their transcriptions across multiple platforms.
CONS:
- Expensive if using the premium version.
- Slow to load when working with large amounts of data.
- Free plan has limited transcription hours and lacks certain advanced features.
SIMILAR TOOLS:
Happy Scribe: A transcription tool that uses AI to transcribe audio and video files.
Descript: Combines transcription with audio/video editing features.
ACCESS OTTER AI HERE.
5. Canva
Most freelance writers (myself included) don’t have the time or skills to create visually appealing graphic designs.
Luckily, there’s Canva—a user-friendly graphic design platform that helps freelance writers create stunning visuals to strengthen their content.
Canva lets you create professional-looking images, infographics, and social media posts in minutes.
I use Canva for all my graphic design needs, from designing my LinkedIn banner to creating infographics that support my writing.
PROS:
- Offers a ton of templates for various design types and industries.
- Provides a drag-and-drop interface that makes it easy to add and edit text, images, and other design elements.
- Has a library of over 1 million stock images, illustrations, and icons.
- Allows you to create a brand kit that includes your brand colors, fonts, and logos.
CONS:
- Some advanced design features are only available in the paid version.
- Free version has limitations on export quality and file types.
SIMILAR TOOLS:
Adobe Spark: A free graphic design tool that allows you to create social media posts, web pages, and videos.
TRY CANVA FOR FREE HERE.
6. Google Docs
Google Docs is a free, cloud-based word processor that allows you to create, edit, and share documents online.
It’s like Microsoft Word but way more user-friendly. I love that your work gets stored on the cloud, allowing you to write from any device while on the go.
I use Google Docs for all my client work. It streamlines my workflow and makes sharing articles or completing edits a breeze.
PROS:
- Free to use, with no subscription fees or costs.
- Offers real time collaboration, so multiple people can edit documents simultaneously.
- Cloud-based, so everything is saved automatically and can be accessed at any time (and from any device).
- Super intuitive and user-friendly.
- Offers a variety of templates and add-ons to help you customize your documents.
CONS:
- Limited formatting options compared to other word processing software.
- Slow to load when working with large amounts of data.
- Some advanced features are restricted when working offline.
SIMILAR TOOLS:
Microsoft Word: A word processing software that allows you to create, edit, and share documents online.
Notion: While more versatile, Notion offers document editing and collaborative features, making it a comprehensive solution for freelancers.
USE GOOGLE DOCS HERE.
7. Google Sheets
Google Sheets is another free, cloud-based spreadsheet software that allows you to create, edit, and share spreadsheets online.
Like Google Docs, Google Sheets can streamline your workflow by allowing you to collaborate with clients and access your work from anywhere.
While there are plenty of spreadsheet software tools out there, I love how simple Google Sheets is to use. I use it for tracking my cold outreach, invoices, and payments.
PROS:
- Free to use and user-friendly.
- Offers real time collaboration.
- Cloud-based, so everything is saved automatically and can be accessed from any device at any time.
- Offers a variety of templates and add-ons to help you customize your spreadsheets.
CONS:
- Limited formatting options.
- Lacks sophisticated design options compared to dedicated design tools.
- Not all options with Microsoft Excel are offered with Google Sheets.
SIMILAR TOOLS:
Microsoft Excel: A spreadsheet software that allows you to create, edit, and share spreadsheets online.
Airtable: A mix of a spreadsheet and database, suitable for project management.
ACCESS GOOGLE SHEETS HERE.
8. HemingwayApp
If you haven’t tried the Hemingway App before, you’re missing out.
This online writing tool analyzes and gives feedback on the readability of written content.
It uses an algorithm to analyze text and make suggestions for simplifying sentence structure, eliminating unnecessary words, and using more active language. It even assigns your writing a readability score so you can make it clearer and more direct.
Hemingway App is one of the most valuable tools I’ve found for making your writing concise yet impactful.
PROS:
- Offers real time feedback on your writing style, tone, and clarity.
- Highlights lengthy, complex sentences and common errors.
- Provides suggestions for simplifying sentence structure and eliminating unnecessary words.
- Offers a desktop version that doesn’t need internet.
CONS:
- Focuses on only a handful of grammar choices.
- May be less effective for technical or specialized writing.
- Free version has limitations compared to the paid desktop app.
SIMILAR TOOLS:
ProWritingAid: A writing assistant that checks your grammar, spelling, and punctuation in real time. It also provides suggestions for improving your writing style.
CHECK OUT HEMINGWAY APP HERE.
9. CoSchedule Headline Analyzer
CoSchedule Headline Analyzer is a free online tool that helps take your headlines to the next level. It analyzes your headlines and provides feedback on how to improve them.
I rarely use this tool, but other writers swear by it. Give it a shot and see how it works for improving your headlines.
PROS:
- Provides various data-driven suggestions and powerful AI prompts to fine-tune your headlines for maximum traffic, engagement, and SEO rankings.
- Gives real time feedback on your headlines, including suggestions for improving your headline score.
- Offers a variety of templates and add-ons to help you customize your headlines.
- Has a WordPress plugin that allows you to analyze your headlines directly from your website.
CONS:
- You get a set amount of free tokens only to use each month.
SIMILAR TOOLS:
Advanced Marketing Institute Headline Analyzer: A free tool that analyzes your headlines and provides feedback on improving them.
TRY OUT COSCHEDULE HEADLINE ANALYZER HERE.
10. Notion Calendar
Notion Calendar is a Notion feature that allows you to create and manage your calendar events, deadlines, and tasks in one place.
Notion has always offered a calendar feature, but its functionality was limited, leaving many users wanting more.
Well, the people at Notion must have heard the complaints because Notion Calendar doesn’t fail to deliver. I use it daily to stay organized and on top of my workload.
My favorite feature of Notion Calendar is that it syncs with Google Calendar (my scheduling tool of choice) so that I can see all my events, reminders, and tasks in one place.
PROS:
- Offers a variety of views, including day, week, month, and list views.
- Allows you to create recurring events and set reminders for deadlines.
- Integrates with other Notion features, such as databases and pages.
CONS:
- Limited formatting options compared to other calendar software.
SIMILAR TOOLS:
Google Calendar: A free, cloud-based calendar software that allows you to create, edit, and share events online.
Outlook Calendar: A calendar software that allows you to create, edit, and share events online.
ACCESS NOTION CALENDAR HERE.