As a book author, you just never know when inspiration for a new chapter will strike, or when you’ll suddenly find just the right words for that pesky chapter you’ve been toiling over for months.
We’ve already discussed mobile applications that you catch the moment when fresh ideas hit you. But what if you want to edit existing text without creating a new document?
Dropb
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If, like many people, you own a desktop, laptop, an iPhone, iPad, Android device or a combination of these, the ability to access your in-progress documents on any of these devices can be a lifesaver. Dropbox users have come to rely on the swift sycability of documents with this app. Nothing important ever gets lost or “trapped” on any one device. There’s enough storage space on Dropbox to let you tackle big projects on the go and make sure they make to your hard drive when you get home.
Google Drive
Ditto for Google Drive, formerly known as Google Docs. As omnipresent as Google is, so is Google Drive. Upload Word docs, photos, PDFs and spreadsheets to the app and simply log in from any device to retrieve and edit at will, or “invite” a co-creator to collaborate with you virtually. The autosave feature means you’ll never have to start from scratch in the event of a signal or power interruption. With 5 GB of free storage space at your disposal, you can rest assured there’s always a backup.
Pages
Really, we could have included this in our first blog with other word processing applications, but Pages’ use of iCloud technology is sync heaven, as far as we’re concerned. Not only does this app permit an impressive range of formatting options, but thanks to iCloud, storing, emailing and printing documents is exceptionally easy and reliable.
Story Tracker
If you’re the author of multiple books or across several writing styles, Story Tracker is a must. Use it to track projects statuses, deadlines, submission guidelines, submission histories, writing income by submission or time frame, project details, such as title, word count and notes, and much more. When you have a lot of irons in the fire — and lots of editors to please — Story Tracker keeps all the dates, figures and facts at a glance.
Now it’s time to hear from you: Tell us all about your favorite mobile apps and the unique ways you’ve put them to work in your own writing!
