We all know the phrase, “Work Smarter, Not Harder.” There are lots of tools available for writers that allow you to do just that. Keep track of your writing and writing projects (and your other daily tasks) to help you stay organized and achieve your goals. Here are nine tools to help you get more organized.

1. Evernote – a creative file cabinet. This is a great app that allows you to have access to your files across all devices (laptop, phone, iPad, tablet, etc.). This program is convenient for capturing information from the internet and saving it easily where you can find it anytime. There’s no one way to use Evernote, which means everyone can use it to suit themselves.

2. Asana – for project management. This app allows you to create tasks and templates for recurring projects – which could really help a writer with repeating assignments. You can use Asana as your basic control panel for everything that’s going on in your life, whether it’s personal, business, or writing related.

3. Dropbox – an online filing system. Keep everything on Dropbox (or Google Drive), in the cloud, on your computer, iPad and iPhone. Remember to open the apps across all devices to let them sync everyday. Everything is there – work documents, personal documents, medical records, journal notes, writing projects, publishing files…and they are immediately accessible whether you’re at your desk, on a plane, or out to lunch. You are also able to share your documents securely and easily with your family, editor, friends, etc. via Dropbox shared folders.

4. Evoca – a calling system that lets you record phone calls and have immediate access to them as MP3 files. This is a great tool for documenting meetings with your editor or writer focus group!

5. Genius Scan – a scanning tool. This allows you to have zero paper files and keep those important documents on hand. Instead of having a bulky scanner at your home office, this app sits on your device and uses your camera as a scanner. Grab a quick picture, add a label, and upload the scan to DropBox or GoogleDrive.

6. Skype/Zoom – virtual meeting systems. This is a great way to communicate with editors, other writers, publishers, etc. The world of COVID has brought Skype, Zoom, Microsoft Teams to the forefront of our daily technology use.

7. Google Voice – a wi-fi based phone system. You can set up a separate phone number with Google Voice to take care of business specific phone correspondence. This system works like any other phone number, and allows for phone calls and voicemails. You’ll receive a notification when you have received a call or text with a transcription of the message left, so you’ll never miss a call.

8. Harvest – for time and expense tracking and invoicing. This app has a simple interface with plenty of features. You can also download the app across all of your devices.

9. Ommwriter – quiet writing time. This app allows you to listen to calming background music to help you focus and get your tasks done!

All of these apps and programs are reasonably priced and readily available for your devices. Implementing one of these apps or something similar can help you stay focused, organized, and productive throughout your day.