A ghost writer’s tools are crucial to their success. Whether you’re a technical writer, a freelance writer, or even a shadow scholar, the right tools will make your job a lot easier.
Any ghost writer who’s been at it for a while will be settled into a workflow, using tools they’re comfortable with. You can always teach an old dog new tricks, however.
Let’s look at three pieces of technology that every ghost writer should be using, whether they’ve been at it for a day or a decade.
1. Never Miss a Deadline with a Good Project Management System
Most ghost writers have several projects on their plate at any given time. Once you start looking for writer jobs, you’ll realize how much opportunity there is for a good writer.
Ghost writers live and die by deadlines. Missing a deadline is one of the biggest sins you can commit. A project management system lets you track all the projects, their deadlines, any resources the client has sent – everything attached to a given project.
Your project management system can be completely software-based using tools like Todoist, Trello, or Evernote. Or you might prefer to go “old-school” and use a paper-based planner and file folders to store any background documents.
For example, take a look any of the of the top technology blogs and you will find that they have content coming in from all over the place. By using these project management tools, it will allow for the site owner, social media team and freelancer writers to all communicate with each other when it comes to scheduling and promoting new content that might go live on the site.
You can also use a combination of the two. The key is to use a system that works for you. If you’re comfortable using it and you track everything consistently, projects won’t fall through the cracks.
2. Stay Healthy with the Proper Equipment
While it’s not high tech, the office equipment you use makes a big difference in your results. A good desk and office chair that are set up for proper ergonomics make your job a lot more comfortable.
And over the long-term, it’s not only more comfortable but it can help you avoid repetitive stress injuries (RSI), neck and back pain, and various other health problems.
You can also use high-tech solutions to help with this, such as a fitness tracker or software that will remind you to get up and stretch on a regular basis. Once you get into the flow, it’s easy to let hours go by without realizing it. Sitting for that long isn’t good for your body.
3. Be A Ghost Writer With or Without a Computer
When most people think of technology for writers, they picture someone banging away on a keyboard, creating page after page of text. But writing can take many forms. It doesn’t have to be putting words to paper (or screen).
A voice recorder lets a ghost writer record their thoughts and dictate the written word anywhere, with or without a computer.
If an idea strikes while you’re sitting on the beach or watching your kid’s ball game, you can pull out your voice recorder and get the thoughts down while they’re fresh in your mind. No more getting back to your computer a few hours later and thinking, “What was it I wanted to say?”
You can use your smartphone for this. Every smartphone has the ability to record audio, so you can dictate into it and not have to carry anything extra. Some phones will transcribe the recording for you but if not, you can send the recording to a transcription service.
Once the transcription is ready, you’ll have a written document that’s no different than if you had typed it yourself.
Keep Your Technology Running Smoothly
If you ever get frustrated with the technology you use for ghost writing, you’re not alone. There are plenty of time saving and self-help writing tools on the internet today. Simply take the time to look around and see which work best for your budget and tech skills, while also improving your grammar in the process.
Computers and other high-tech equipment can be temperamental.