Hey there,

Today, I’d like to give you a behind-the-scenes look at 5 apps that have changed the way I write, and substantially improved my creative process.

I’ve tried many apps in my 11+ years of writing novels—these are my favorites.

1. Scrivener

I use Scrivener for every part of ideation, outlining, and writing.

I used to write in Word, and I’ve also tried Google Docs, but this was a major upgrade.

Some of my favorite features I use to help me write my books include:

• Organization with subdocuments and folders

• Writing goals that automatically track progress

• Outlining features (corkboard and outline view, chapter summaries, tags)

• Custom page templates

• Customizable app themes

• Composition Mode (write without distractions)

• Advanced stats (like most-used words, which helps with editing)

• Comments, bookmarks, and chapter notes

Other than collaborative writing (for which I still use Google Docs), Scrivener basically gives you everything and more you could want from a writing app.

Fun fact: Scrivener is the only app on this list designed by a writer for writers.

2. Notion

I use Notion for project management and idea collection.

In the app, I track progress on the book development process and manage tasks I need to do for writing, editing, research, or publication. I mostly use it for behind-the-scenes work, like planning marketing and project timelines. I also use it to plan social media posts, newsletters, and videos. And when I'm on the go, I use the mobile app to jot down ideas.

While I sometimes use Notion to create standalone documents, I mostly use databases, which are really useful for handling large amounts of information and giving you an overview of what you’re working on. You can create checklists, schedules, or even a wiki for your story’s world.

This is an app I would recommend to writers and non-writers alike—I use it for managing and planning almost every aspect of my life.

And did I mention it’s free?

3. Spotify

I always listen to music on Spotify when I write. It helps me get immersed in the world of my story, and the feeling of the scene I’m trying to write. I listen to film and TV soundtracks, and sometimes classical or other instrumental music, depending on the story.

For every book I write, I create one playlist for the entire book, with instrumental music that basically fits the entire story and world (for instance, the Catalyst of Control playlist). I’ll often also create secondary playlists for specific characters, locations, or types of scenes. There’s often a lot of overlap there, but the additional playlists are curated specifically for a certain kind of mood.

I’ve also been introduced to some music I really like for writing by its new AI DJ.

You can find all of my own Spotify playlists here.

4. Maps

I use Maps to check distances and travel times, and also to look at images of real-life locations I’m writing about.

Maps came particularly in handy when I was writing my mystery novella A Rogue Game, in which the protagonist detective went to different locations across New York City to solve a case within 24 hours. In addition to getting an accurate travel timeline, I used Street View to see details I could include in descriptions of a location. (Read this newsletter for more on how I wrote the book.)

Even for something set in the future, I can use Maps to see how long it would take modern-day forms of transportation to cross a certain distance. That gives a realistic baseline for how long it could take fictional, futuristic vehicles to get a character from A to B.

5. Dropbox

No matter what you do, never store important documents locally on a single device. Because if the device gets lost or broken, or you accidentally delete the file, it’s gone. (I speak from experience.) Plus, you won’t be able to access the same file on multiple devices.

So it’s imperative to store writing files in the cloud. I use Dropbox, but other options like Google Drive and iCloud work too. Storing my documents in the cloud means I can open them from any device, and it makes it a lot easier to share files with other people without making duplicates.

Backing up files is also very important. Scrivener does this automatically, and I can also tell it to make a backup manually. I make sure backups are also stored in the cloud. The pain of losing pages of writing haunts me to this day, so I’ve taken steps to avoid that happening again.

If you want to see how these apps actually look and work in my writing process, watch my latest video, and subscribe for more writing videos and behind-the-scenes looks.

Thanks for reading.

– Grayson

Recommendations

🎹 Music: This song from the score of Andor by Nicholas Britell
(Andor is easily the best piece of Star Wars media I’ve seen since the original movies—which is saying something, since I’ve watched almost everything from the franchise—and its soundtrack matches the quality of the show.)

📘 Book: The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg
(Filled with both practical advice on setting and breaking habits, and fascinating stories about specific case studies.)

🎬 Film: Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018) directed by Christopher McQuarrie
(My favorite action film, and perhaps the best in the Mission: Impossible franchise—quite impressive, considering it’s the sixth entry.)