Tech Tools for Writers: Scribophile

Tech Tools for Writers:Scribophile

A writer armed with the right technology is a force to be reckoned with. If you’re an author who’s learned to embrace the Digital Age, it’s probably dawned on you that the Internet is a friendly place for wordsmiths. Sure, there are the myriad distractions fighting for our eyeballs (and precious time!) across the social media networks. Perhaps you’ve had to fine-tune your concentration powers to block out the incessant notifications and buzzing of your smartphone.

Yet, we’d argue writers have plenty more to gain than lose from digital innovation. The web is bubbling over with resources for the curious, tech-hungry author. Here at theWriters Circle, we’d like to acquaint you with newly launched tech tools that can make your life a whole lot easier. Each time we publish our “Tech Tools for Writers” feature, we’ll highlight a tech-savvy writer’s tool: websites, products, apps, software, and anything else that might be useful when the urge to write strikes.

The idea of a ìwriters groupî is appealing but not always practical. Unless you live in an urban center, itís often tough to pull together a community of authors, let alone find a time to meet regularly between everyoneís competing commitments.

At the heart of a writerís group is workshopping and moral support to push you through the creative process. For those with limited opportunities to connect with a ìreal lifeî writerís group, thereís a fabulous virtual substitute: Scribophile.

In the spirit of a large, supportive writerís group, Scribophile encourages story swapping and thoughtful critiquing. The siteís straightforward ìkarmaî system works like this: in order to post your own work to be critiqued, you must earn karma points. These points are earned by critiquing the work of others. If youíve never critiqued before, not to worry! Scribophile even gives a tutorial on best practices, sharing tips that may ultimately improve your own writing. Once youíve earned enough points, post your own storiesótheyíre guaranteed to receive at least three long critiques from other talented writers.

In other words, feedback thatís both meaningful and useful. For free! Without leaving your home! A vibrant community of writers a mere mouse click away. Weíre sold.

The beauty of Scribophile is that it extends beyond critiquing to create a true home for writers on the Web. Just visit the homepage and start mining through advice for writers of all genresópoets, freelancers, screenwriters, you name it. Check out the Scribophile blog for fresh batches of writing tips, or visit the Writing Academy to browse a collection of free tutorials written by industrial professionals.

Scribophileís members take to the communityís forums to discuss all manner of topics. Even if youíre not into critiquing, this is the place to pose questions to fellow writers and receive encouragement when you really need it. Writing may be a solitary pursuit, but itís helpful to come up for air every now and then to bounce ideas off others. Scribophile provides a space for that online.