#52Tech Week 38–Random Apps of Kindness, Part 2

Here is another list of writing-helpful webapps and sites. Last week you will find more randomness.

Writing Tools

WPS Writer (formerly Kingsoft) – if you’re a Windows or Linux user looking for an alternative to Microsoft Word, WPS Writer may well be it.

• There is a free version or paid version ($69.95 USD), and comes in an office suite with spreadsheet and presentation modules. The purchased set allows macros to be used or setup.
• There are also free apps for Android and iOS, allowing you to deal with documents across devices, using Dropbox or other connections to share and sync the files.

Word Counter - if you don’t have access to Word or something like Scrivener, and need a wordcount, try Word Counter.net – it’s fast and accurate.

Free book: Macros for Writers and Editors

Archive Publications provides a free Macros for Writers and Editors e-book (600+ pages), which you can download (version: 11 July 2014). It contains well over 400 macros that will help with a range of different tasks around writing and editing using Microsoft Word.

More Word, Writing and Other Random References

Continuing on from last week’s lists for words, and random other references-

• Andy’s Anachronisms – reviews on time-travel, alternative universes and temporal anomalies in novels, films, plays, short stories, TV and music; and links to scientific theories.
• BehindtheName – generate first, middle and last names with specific nationalities, history, from literary, biblical, rapper and fantasy sources.
• The Dumb Network – ridiculous laws, kooky facts, silly photos and stories of stupid crooks.
• Food Reference – facts, quotes, trivia, recipes, history.
• The Phobia List – list of fears.
• Handbook of Rhetorical Devices  – Robert Harris. For when you know what a simile is, but not a sententia.
• The Fallacy Files – for when you can’t explain a loaded question, or the probalistic fallacy of the gambler.
• Word Spy – Paul McFedries – guide to new words like spaxel or smartwatch (timely at this point – hah! pun goodness).
• Google Book’s Ngram Viewer – graph phrases used in books, good for locating if that particular word you are using in a historically set novel was actually in usage at the time. Here’s a Grammar Girl post on using the Ngrams.
• MBA / Management Theories – on a page – huge reference links for anything from delta models to brainstorming or just-in-time. My sentence wasn’t alphabetic – the page is.
• RefDesk – huge site, contains many things, including today in history, FBI news releases, health and trivia tips of the day, news links – hours of references.

History References

• The Costume Gallery Research Library – textile/colour references, shoes, clothes, hats, etiquette primers, vintage photos, needlework and film costumes.
• Rulers – locate who was in charge of that certain country.
• Eyewitness to History – contains letters, diary excerpts, photographs, vocal recordings and film clips, kind of like Amsterdamn’s famous sex history museum.

#52Tech: This was Week 38 post in the #52tech goal – to investigate and share one technology post once a week for 2014. You can find all the posts indexed via the #52tech tag, or top menu option at hunterswritings.com