This is a guest post from Patricia Schuler
If you hate typing on a touchscreen (and who doesn’t), you might not think of your tablet or smartphone as a particularly helpful writing tool—but with the right apps, you can use your phone to stay organized, get fresh ideas, and even keep in touch with publishers. Of course, wading through the swamp of buggy, redundant apps out there is a pain, so we’ve done the heavy lifting for you.
Here are nine of the very best apps for writers, on both Android and iOS devices.
1. Android Troper
If you love reading and creating fiction, and you haven’t heard of TV Tropes, block a couple hours out of your schedule this weekend and get lost in a bottomless source of archetypes, themes, and creative ideas.
Android Troper provides a clean mobile interface to access the site from your phone, so you can spend your time in waiting rooms or on public transit enriching your worlds and identifying clichés in your writing.
It’s a fairly new app, so there are a few navigational quirks to overcome, but it’s definitely worth a look.
Cost: Free
2. Evernote
With Evernote, writers can snap photos, take notes, and even record videos and voice memos. The content syncs to all of the desktop or mobile devices you have connected via Evernote, so the results of your brainstorming are with you wherever you go. Evernote is the clear choice for writers looking for an easy way to stay organized and keep their thoughts in one place.
Evernote is especially great for when you aren’t able to write things down (like when you’re driving–be sure to wait ’til you stop before you use the app). And if you’re more of a pen-and-paper person, there’s also the new Evernote Smart Notebook, which includes a Moleskine with custom paper for even easier idea transfer and organization.
Cost: Free (the Evernote Smart Notebook ranges from $16 to $40, depending where you buy it)
3. Story Tracker
Story Tracker makes it easy to track what deadlines are looming, where you’ve sent your content, and which royalty checks are pending. There’s a “lite” version of this app that’s free, but it only lets you track 5 things at a time, so if you use it a lot, consider upgrading to the paid version.
Note: this app has no internal security options, so keep your financial and creative information secure with a PIN on your smartphone.
Cost: $7.99 for full version, free to download “lite” version
4. Writer
This app gives writers a smooth, easy-to-use space for content creation. If you need to write within the limitations of a mobile interface (and sometimes that happens), this is the app to do it with. It’s clean, attractive, and free.
The only user gripe with this app is the display is not optimized for retina displays or Table PCs (on large, high-res displays, Writer looks a bit grainy). Still, if you need to crank out content on a mobile device, Writer is hard to beat.
Cost: Free
5. iThoughtsHD
iThoughtsHD is a great way to hash out the structure and particulars of a piece you’re working on. Whether you’re outlining a plot, brainstorming new ideas or compiling thematic elements, this app is a great way for writers to create a visual representation of their brainstorming sessions.
iThoughts has a clean, easy-to-use interface, and is accessible on both Android and iOS devices.
Cost: $9.99
6. Write Chain
For you procrastinating writers who want to get into the habit of writing regularly, this app is perfect for you. It allows you to track your daily writing sessions, including how you felt about it and how many words you wrote. The idea is to not break the chain, which means you have to write every day.
Cost: Free
7. WordPress
You can update your blog on the go with the WordPress app. It gives you access to everything from your posts to your comments to your stats. You can add all of the blogs you own and manage them mobile-ly.
Cost: Free
8. Office Plus
Office Plus is a cool app that lets you write, edit, open, import and export Word documents. It can be a total lifesaver for times when you’re not in front of your computer, but you need to open a Word document.
Cost: Free to download, but you have to pay $9.99 if you want to be able to save your work
9. Dictionary and Thesaurus
This app by Dictionary.com is a must for all writers. You never know when you’ll need to look up the definition for something. Plus it also contains a built-in thesaurus.
Cost: Free
What apps do you use for writing on your phone?
About the Author: Patricia Shuler is a Mobile Moo staff writer from Oakland, California. She’s an admitted tech-junkie who’s quick to share her honest opinion on all things consumer electronic—including up-to-date news, user reviews on smartphones, tablets, Table PCs and laptops, and “no holds barred” opinions on a variety of social media, tech, computer, and mobile accessories topics.
