Disclaimer: I am in no way being compensated by these apps for sharing my opinions with you. 

​I love apps! Anything I can get one for I will. So it's not surprising I went looking for tools to help me write. 

As I've already mentioned I use Inkpad Notepad for jotting down notes and ideas. It's great because your notes will sync to your online account and you can access them on the computer. So even if you get rid of the app your notes are still saved in the cloud. You can even keep them organized by tagging them as different stories. However, only three tag categories are available on the free version of the app. You may pay to upgrade and have an unlimited number of tags. But I make do with the three free categories.

If I do any actual writing on my phone, I use the Google Docs app. I actually managed to write 1600 words on it in 20-30 minutes this past November. So it all depends on how quickly you can type on your phone, but you could potentially write your whole book using this app. Plus this way you can do some formatting and your work is automatically saved on the cloud. I have a Chromebook so this way it's easy to jump from one device to another. 

My third favorite app is a tool that helps you measure your progress as well as a myriad of other things and best of all, it's free. Writometer allows you to create multiple projects with total and daily word count goals. You can set reminder notifications to help you remember to write. It will track your most productive day, your best daily writing streak, and your average progress rate. Plus you can set a timer for a period of time and write for that set time then take a break when the timer is over. If you work best with incentives, create your own i.e. one episode on Netflix and set a number of guavas (the apps type of currency) for it to cost. You earn guavas by setting the timer, writing, and logging your entry at the end of the timer. 

I basically use the timer as an individual writing sprint and while the incentives and guavas don't work as well for me, I still love the progress tracker and reminder to write notification. Plus you can put the writometer widget on your homescreen and it will show a progress bar for one project either a dialy progress bar or a total goal progress bar. Every time i open my phone I see it which is even more incentive to write! This is the best writing progress tracker app I've found and it's super easy and user friendly, and helps me stay on track. As addictive as updating your wordcount during NaNoWriMo. It also shows a progress bar chart. Perfect for all year round writing.

There you have it. My three favorite writing tools apps. What are your favorite? Do you know of any useful apps with features we could all benefit from? I'd love to hear about them. Keep working on those masterpieces in progress.

Month one of writing is almost over! How are you feeling? Did you hit your word count goal for this month? Are you falling behind even as you sit here reading this post? If you need more encouragement, join our growing community of writers on Facebook. 

If the first, Yay! Go you! Keep up the momentum and don't let life get in the way. Get ahead and create a buffer. 

It the second, fear not. This blog post will not be a waste of your time as long as you get writing as soon as it ends instead of jumping to another post or facebook or some other distraction. 

When did you get stuck? Was it during the second-week slump? What was your average word count per day? Maybe you need to lower your goal so that it's more manageable. This may sound counter-intuitive but if you hit your goal you'll feel good about writing and want to continue. 

If you got stuck on plot maybe try a writing prompt or simply write through it. May I suggest Write or Die for solo writing or myWriteClub's word sprint feature? Feel free to look me up on myWriteClub. Just search for KAJairl under the Add a Friend tab, right above where it lists your goals. These tools work well for my writer's block. 

If you want a writing prompt, here's a few that should work for most genres:

1. Have a coin toss be very important.
2. Have a rumor divide your main character from their allies. 
3. A character develops a fear of the protagonist because of their addiction. They are afraid of being caught.

Of course, there's always the classic, kill a character to see how the others react. You can bring them back to life if you find you still need them. 

If you need someone to bounce ideas off, I'd love to help. Leave me a comment below or shoot me an email at [email protected]. I love talking stories with other writers! And keep working on those masterpieces in progress. I can't wait to read them!

Most writers know whether they are a plotter who outlines their stories or a pantster (pantser?) who writes "by the seat of their pants" with no plan whatsoever.

But what if you fit into both categories? I always write my first draft like a pantster, following the characters around helter skelter and on tangents. Then when it is time to edit or rewrite I outline the story based on the scenes that are important to the core. That first draft helps me to know what the story is about though it might take me a while to get there. 

I have recently started a Facebook writing community for fans of the blog. Click on the link or search "Masterpieces in Progress" on Facebook and request to join. I will be using Facebook to connect more one on one with other writers and you can too. There will also be content posted to Facebook that will not be posted anywhere else. I plan on hosting live write-ins, similar to the ones done by NaNoWriMo, using the Facebook live feature. I'll also be posting content about writing conferences I attend such as Life, the Universe, and Everything (LTUE). 

So if you want a cozy place to connect with other writers who are struggling with the same things you are, or if you just want a place to share your triumphs, head on over and check out the Facebook group. 

I hope to see you all there, working on your own Masterpiece in Progress.

Thanks,
K. A. Jairl

Do you have a routine to your day? Where does writing fit into that? Is there a ritual you do to get you into the writing mindset? I try to stick to a routine but just when I think I've got one that works my little one decides to change his nap schedule or not take one at all. 

My prime writing time is the middle of the night around one. I'm a night owl at heart. But since our society is not a nocturnal one I have to get up early most mornings and the ones I don't my little one usually wakes me up.

Now that we've been writing for about a week you may start to feel what in the NaNoWriMo world is known as the two-week slump. Week one you're flying high and your story has no boundaries every path is open to discovery. Then week two you have established certain promise to the reader that you have to keep. It's not as much fun to write but it's necessary to push through. 

My favorite way to get past writer's block or the two-week slump is to write, write, write. It's really the only way I know. Eventually, you'll have a breakthrough and it'll feel like surfing. You fight the waves waiting for the perfect one and then it comes rushing at you and soon you're riding high and the adrenaline is pumping in your ears. 

When I hit the two-week slump during NaNoWriMo I usually head to Twitter to join in a word sprint or twenty with @NaNoWordSprints. But during the rest of the year when they aren't doing word sprints continually I used to turn to Write or Die. If you haven't tried it out before I suggest you do. It is a great way to pump out words. You set your goal number of words and the time you want to write (i.e. 500 words in 10 minutes) and then up pops a blank screen with a text box. You must write continuously for those ten minutes or the site will start to turn red and blare annoying horns at you until you start writing again. This tool was very addicting when I first started out. 

​Happy New Years Eve! Who has fun plans tonight? It is almost time to begin writing and now, when you're all hopped up on new years spirit and resolutions are flying out of everyone's mouths, now is the time!

I don't know anyone who has hammered out a novel with a chisel and a stone, boulder, or quarry as I imagine you would need for a novel, but we should be open to new (and old) writing mediums.

While a computer seems to be the obvious choice when writing a novel, it has its disadvantages. I will admit this is how all my previous NaNoWriMo novels have been written because of the speed and ease. I type faster than I write by hand. However, I spent many hours on the computer on NaNoWriMo's website and Facebook and any other number of sites and only a fraction of my time actually writing. If I'd been writing all those hours I'll bet I could've written 200,000 words instead of 50,000. I had a roommate in college who wrote 100,000 words in the first week of NaNoWriMo! It's amazing what you can do with few distractions and no social life. 

Merry Christmas Eve and Happy Holidays! I hope everybody is enjoying a lovely weekend with their loved ones. I know I am. This is a great oppportunity to let them know what your plans are for 2017. 

Also if you want more support, encouragment, or just a place to chill with other writers, check out our facebook group: Masterpieces in Progress

Once you've committed to writing a book you need an idea, some story that needs to be told. I have heard from some writer friends that they have troubles coming up with story ideas. If you struggle too, maybe you will find a tip here that will help generate ideas. Luckily I usually have a plethora of ideas. Although this comes with it's own set of problems. Like which ideas is the one I should write next? Which story has the most potential or inspires me the most? This post will cover how to gather ideas so you're never at a loss and a loose guide on choosing a story you'll want to stick with.