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With the popularity of blogging and online journals, writers working in the online realm have a growing number of opportunities all the time to practice and refine their craft, and maybe even get paid for it. And if you’re a writing major, why not take advantage of all the opportunities to get great free and open source resources that can help you to write, edit and organize your work? Here’s a list of fifty open source tools that you can use to make your writing even better.

Word Processors

Why pay for expensive word processing programs when you can get high quality and open source alternatives for much less? Here are a few programs to try.

1. yWriter: This word processor is designed especially for writers. Created and maintained by a novelist, writers will enjoy the features that are specialy tailored to their needs that help writers stay organized and focused.
2. OpenOffice Writer: Part of the incredibly popular OpenOffice suite, this word processor is a great alternative to more traditional options like Microsoft Word. Writer is just as fully featured and easy to use, making it a powerful choice for writers.
3. wikidPad: This tool is a wiki-style notepad that allows users to to quickly and easily jot down their ideas and notes. Perhaps one of the best features of it is that it allows you to easily cross-reference information, helping you more easily draw plot points and facts together.
4. NeoOffice: Similar to OpenOffice, this open source suite contains a word processor that allows Mac users to enjoy great functionality and ease of use when typing up manuscripts or anything else.
5. TiddlyWiki: Another wiki style notebook, TiddlyWiki allows users to take notes or jot down ideas anywhere they have an Internet connection. Users can easily link and organize their thoughts using the program.

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These days, we tend to communicate via the keyboard as much as we do verbally. Often, we’re in a hurry, quickly dashing off e-mails with typos, grammatical shortcuts (I’m being kind here), and that breezy, e.e. cummings, no-caps look. It’s expected. It’s no big deal. But other times, we try to invest a little care, avoiding mistakes so that there’s no confusion about what we’re saying and so that we look professional and reasonably bright.

In general, we can slip up in a verbal conversation and get away with it. A colleague may be thinking, Did she just say “irregardless”?, but the words flow on, and our worst transgressions are carried away and with luck, forgotten.

That’s not the case with written communications. When we commit a grammatical crime in e-mails, discussion posts, reports, memos, and other professional documents, there’s no going back. We’ve just officially gone on record as being careless or clueless. And here’s the worst thing. It’s not necessary to be an editor or a language whiz or a spelling bee triathlete to spot such mistakes. They have a way of doing a little wiggle dance on the screen and then reaching out to
grab the reader by the throat.

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\\ tags: Grammar Mistakes