10 iPhone Apps for Writers

As technology advances at the speed of light, writers have more tools available at their fingertips. Here are 10 iPhone applications that are essential for writers to have in their bag of tricks.

1. Dictionary.com – (Free) You’ll always need a dictionary/thesaurus within easy reach. The Dictionary.com app provides both.

2. Nameshake – ($2.99) Coming up with names for your characters can be difficult. But who says it can’t be fun? Nameshake lets you specify gender, origin and letter. You can also save the ones you like to a favorites list.

3. QuickVoice Pro – ($0.99) Inspiration can strike at the grocery store, doctor’s office or as you’re falling asleep. A voice recording app is an important tool to quickly capture your ideas. There’s also a free QuickVoice app that offers fewer features.

4. Creative Whack Pack – ($1.99) This app is like a workshop that will help you discover different solutions to problems and train you to approach challenges from other angles. Check out the Creative Think website’s Whack of the Day to see what it’s all about.

6. Mind Wave – ($1.99) I stumbled onto Mind Wave when I was browsing different relaxation apps. But it’s got a lot of interesting options for different situations. Basically, it sports a list of binaural tones that can boost creativity, focus or relaxation.

7. Naturespace – (Free) Sometimes you just need to tune out and relax. Naturespace provides a set of five holographic audio tracks that bring the outdoors to your headphones. Enjoy the sounds of the beach, a flowery meadow, the rainforest and more!

8. Writer’s Block Buster – ($3.99) If you need a way to plow through writer’s block, the Writer’s Block Buster app might be the ticket. All you have to do is select the part of your story you’re having trouble with (let’s say dialogue, for example), and it will serve up thought-provoking questions and explanations that will get you back on track.

9. Story Tracker – ($9.99) Keep track of who you’re sending your work to, how long they’ve had it or note responses you’ve received. You’ll be able to avoid embarrassing mix-ups and simultaneous submissions made in error. There’s also a free version available with fewer features.

10. Kindle – (Free) For those of you who enjoy e-books but don’t have the actual Kindle device, this is the next best thing.

So that’s my list. What useful apps are on your iPhone?

Photo by: Fr3d.org