We’ve written plenty of posts about resources for freelancers. A few months ago, however, we asked you to share your favorite software tools. Many of you did just that.

In this post, we list those software tools that you said you loved in one convenient place–over 35 of them! We also invite those of you who may have missed the original open thread to once again share your favorite software with us. (Note: Some of these tools are open source or freeware although some do cost money. Where possible, I’ve identified the free tools.)

Administrative Tools

These software tools can help you run your freelancing business:

1. Basecamp–Allows you to manage projects using online collaboration tools.
2. curdbee–Helps you with invoicing and billing. The lowest level package is free.
3. Quoterobot –Helps you to create quotes and proposals.
4. WORKetc–Allows freelancers to manage projects, bills, and more.

Blogging Tools

Since most freelancers have a blog, these blogging tools can help:

1. LiveJournal–Site allows you to create a journal for free. You’ll get the chance to interact with thousands of other LiveJournal participants.
2. Windows Live Writer–Create blog posts and preview them online.
3. WordPress–Can be loaded onto your own site. You can also blog directly on the WordPress site at WordPress.com. WordPress is free.

Design Tools

If you’re a freelance designer, you may be interested in one or more of these tools:

1. Adobe Suite and Design Premium–The suite packages of Adobe apps was at the top of the list for many.
2. Adobe Illustrator–Allows you to draw and to modify drawings.
3. Adobe Indesign–Page layout tool for online publishers.
4. Inkscape–Open source tool allows you to edit SVG graphics.

Development Tools

These software tools are of particular interest to web developers and programmers:

1. Aptana Studio–Development tool for open source IDE development.
2. E Text Editor–Use this text editor to manipulate files quickly and easily.
3. Firebug–Open source tool to help you debug HTML and JavaScript.
4. Geany–Text editor based on GTK2 toolkit. This software is licensed under the terms of the GNU General Public License.
5. Greenshot–Open source tool that allows you to make screenshots.
6. Netbeans–Lets you develop Java, PHP, and C/C++ apps. This package is open-source and free
7. Notepad++–Free source code editor.
8. Zend Studio–Development and debugging tool for PHP applications.

Email Tools

Every freelancer needs an email package to stay in touch with clients and colleagues. Here are your favorites:

1. gmail–Google’s email package.
2. Yahoo! Mail– Another favorite email service.

Miscellaneous

These software tools didn’t fit into any particular category:

1. 1password–Helps you track and manage your passwords. Includes a version for Mac, Windows, Ipad, Ipod, Iphone, and Android.
2. Excel–Spreadsheet application is great for crunching numbers or keeping metrics.
3. Keepass–An open source tool to help you remember your passwords. This tool is open source.

Operating Systems & Web Browsers

This browser and this operating system are your top choices:

1. Chrome–Web browser from Google.
2. Ubuntu Linux –Top-notch open source operating system.

Photo Manipulation Tools

For photo manipulation, you liked these software tools:

1. Adobe Photoshop–Digital imaging and photography editing.
2. GIMP–GIMP is a free tool for image composition and photo retouching.
3. Photoshop Lightroom–Helps you to manage, edit, and manipulate photographs.

Productivity Tools

Every freelancer needs to work more effectively. Here are your favorite productivity tools:

1. Dropbox–Allows you to access files from multiple computers by storing them online. This tool is free for Windows, Mac, Linux, and mobile use.
2. Evernote–Helps you to save ideas and find them when you need them. This app is free.
3. Focus Booster–Free online timer helps you to use the pomodoro technique to finish your tasks.
4. OS X: Launchbar–Tool for the Mac that acts as a super efficient file manager.
5. DragThing–Another Mac tool to help you organize your files.

Word Processing

These were your favorite word processing software packages:

1. Google Docs–Google tool lets you create and share documents online.
2. Microsoft Word–Popular word processing tool from Microsoft.

Your Turn

We freelancers need our software tools, but I’m sure this list is not complete. Did you miss the original post? Is your favorite software tool missing?

Why not add your favorite software tool (and a brief description) in the comments below?

Image by Brett Jordan

Because there are already several articles at Freelance Folder featuring established productivity tools and software, today I’ll introduce ten new productivity tools that were launched in 2011. Some are cool, some are trendy, some are fun, but all of them can be of great help in the right hands.

10 Productivity Tools

Here is a list of recently launched productivity tools for freelancers and others:

1. Filegoose is a web-based document management system that suits all kinds of users, from freelancers to large companies. It was designed for multiple users, allowing teams to share all types of documents, as well as to discuss files in real-time, view detailed statistics, and much more. There’s a handy savings calculator on site that shows you just how Filegoose can benefit your business through increased productivity.
2. SocialFolders is another document management platform with added functionality. The tool helps you share content anywhere between social sites like: Flickr, Facebook, Box.net, Google Docs, Instagram and many more; or copy between sites. The content is synced automatically daily, and you can even sync your SocialFolders across all your devices.
3. Sniget is a free business platform that helps you perform all your daily tasks. It features a bundle of productivity tools including: to do lists, a browser-based spreadsheet creator, a data collection tool for applications, questionnaires, and surveys, and much more.
4. The Interviewr is a brilliant tool for those who need to schedule and conduct, you guessed it, interviews. From journalists to bloggers and even human resources departments, there could be many uses for this particular tool. Interviewr is free, and you can use it to schedule, manage and record all your interviews. You can add notes, files and links that are relevant to each specific interview, and you can even set up alerts to remind you of the date and time of the interview as well.
5. Moredays is an image-centric calendar and planner, with scrapbook functionality. The innovation consists in that that your notes will be turned into “doodles” or “graphics” and that, instead of “tags” you’ll be using visual “stamps” to categorize your content. Moredays’ Sketcher saves all timely information about a new note, helping you better keep track of your actions. You could use Moredays to record the details of a meeting with a client and potential business partner.
6. SpiderScribe is a free online mind mapping tool, that can be used to collect files, notes, events and locations, and then organize them with a relevant mind map. Things get better. You can choose to share your mind map and brainstorm collaboratively with your partners. You can even edit shared mind maps simultaneously. The maps are stored in the cloud and can be accessed from anywhere.
7. Comunitee is a twist on social news networking. It allegedly learns from your behavior what news you like to explore, discover and share, and then it automatically shares the news with your friends and followers. There’s no need to connect your Facebook or Twitter accounts or click Follow, Tweet, Like, and Share for every story you find interesting.
8. Present.me is an excellent tool to record and share PowerPoint presentations. It’s ideal if you have to give a presentation, but cannot be there in person. You present your proposal into your webcam, clicking on the slides as you would if you were presenting to an audience. Present.me splits the screen in two, showing the slides at the left, and a video recording of you at the right.
9. Nimble is a nice, clean platform that combines a series of productivity tools, with social media monitoring and engagement tools. You can use it to manage existing contacts, but also to identify business critical influencers from the most popular social networks, and import them to your Nimble UI. Nimble also connects all your contacts, calendars, and conversations into one web-based interface, and lets you monitor and manage social media conversation from within the same platform.
10. Tree.io is the ultimate suite of productivity tools, and it is free for up to three users. It includes a project management platform, automated service support, sales management, messaging, contacts management, finance management, document storing and sharing, and calendars and reports. It is compatible with all browsers, and what’s best… Tree.io Mobile* works well on all popular smartphone and tablet platforms, such as iOS, Android, BlackBerry, Windows Phone, Bada, Palm WebOS, Symbian and MeeGo.

Your Turn

Are you using any of these new productivity tools? What is your favorite productivity tool?

Image by jimw

You can also use telephone or video conferencing to collaborate with clients and other outsourced staff on joint projects, such as a website, an article, or even a logo design. You can even set up training through a conferencing application.

Below are ten great conferencing apps for freelancers. Dozens of audio and video conferencing apps are available, but I’ve picked those that are either free or extremely affordable to make it easier for freelancers to use these tools.

4 Telephone Conferencing Apps

The following allow you to have an audio conference using either a regular phone, cellular phone or VOIP.

1. FreeConferenceCall.com is a free telephone conferencing service that uses regular phones. While the service is free, standard long-distance charges apply. Personally, I don’t like speaking on the phone. But you can’t beat telephone conferencing in simplicity. All you need is a telephone and you’re all set. Participants don’t need to be in front of a computer with a microphone or headset. Good ‘ol telephone also provides the best sound quality.
2. Leader Phone is available either free or paid depending on the features you want, provides audio conferencing only. Its simplicity is its best feature. After signing up for a free account, you get a dial-in number and PIN, and you can start an audio conference right away.
3. With Free Conference Calling, you can have free conference calls for up to 1,000 callers. Features include recording and an online conference manager. Attendees can dial in using a regular phone, a cell phone or VOIP.
4. BlackBerry Mobile Conferencing is a free app for Blackberry users. It makes audio conferencing extremely easy. Plus, you can have a telephone conference on the go.

6 Video Conferencing Apps

If you’re like me, you prefer to see the people you’re talking to. You may also want to share your computer screen or documents. If that’s the case, you’ll find these video conferencing applications useful.

5. iVisit allows you to video conference with up one other person with a free account, and up to 8 users with a paid one. It also offers screen sharing and document sharing. If you want to use your Windows mobile device, you’ll need a different subscription.
6. BT Engage Meeting & Mobile lets Android phone users run video meetings with their phone or tablet using this app. However, you must already be using one of BT Conferencing’s many services, which include audio conferencing, web conferencing, and video conferencing.
7. ooVoo is an easy-to-use video conferencing app. It has a desktop version, as well as apps for several mobile devices (iPhone, Android, windows, Mac, iPad, ThinkPad, etc). With a free account, you can have a video chat with up to six people, share documents and photos, and send files. You can also record your video conferences. I’ve been using ooVoo with my mastermind group partners to record weekly updates. It takes us all of 30 minutes to record and upload the video to YouTube.
8. vBuzzer offers either a telephone conference or a web conference. For $10 a month, you can have unlimited telephone conferences. The site was unclear on how much web conferencing costs.
9. Open Tok provides several free apps you can use to embed video chat rooms on your website or blog. There’s an app for WordPress or any HTML site, Drupal and more. You can also embed a TokBooth and let visitors send you video messages through your website. Depending on your market, this could be an exciting way for your prospects and clients to send you their questions, give feedback, or ask for support.
10. PalTalk SuperIM URL lets you share your URL with others, and you can have a voice and video chat with up to ten people for free. All they need is a computer with a web browser, mic and webcam. Your participants don’t even have to download the app. This may be the best option if you need to have a video conference with clients who can’t be bothered to figure out how to install apps.

Your Choice

These are only some of the options available right now, if you need to get several people on a conference call, want to see people you’re chatting with, or collaborate on a document together in real time, without emailing it back and forth.

Because of all the apps available, I may have missed your favorite. Do you use telephone or video conferencing in your freelancing business? How? And which app do you use?

What is an office productivity software suite? Simply put, it is a group of business-oriented software packages that are bundled together for distribution. The most common bundles include word processing and spreadsheet software, but other bundle configurations exist as well.

Office productivity suites used to cost businesses hundreds of dollars, but freelancers should be aware that many low cost and even free options are now available. In this list, I’ve included 13 of the most popular office productivity software suites.

13 Office Productivity Suites

In no particular order here are thirteen choices for office productivity software:

1. Google Apps for Business. Google’s office suite includes a selection of office productivity tools including enhanced-for-business versions of Gmail, Google Talk, Google Calendar, Google Docs, Google Sites, and Google Video. Several pricing options are available, based on the size of your business, and limited-time free trial is also available.
2. LibreOffice Productivity Suite. This free office productivity suite comes from the not-for-profit organization, The Document Foundation. Applications include Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw, Base, and Math. Because it’s free, support comes primarily from the community of users and the developers. The license for this suite is LGPL, meaning it can be customized as needed.
3. OpenOffice. Another free office productivity suite. The following are included in this suite: Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw, Base, and Math. Oracle is the primary contributor of code to OpenOffice, but other major companies also contribute. For technical support, they offer a forum and a FAQ site as well as a user guide.
4. Microsoft Office. The Microsoft Office Suite has a variety of configurations from home use to student use to use by various size businesses. Depending on the configuration, the applications included in the suite can change, but it usually includes at least Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote. The suite is not free (although some versions may have a free trial), but there are a huge number of free templates available on the Microsoft site.
5. WordPerfect Office X5. Another office productivity suite that offers multiple configurations based on the customer need. The home and student version includes software for word processing, spreadsheets, slideshows and presentations, and a digital notebook. Free trials are available although the productivity suite is not free. Some templates are also available. Support plans are available and there is also knowledgebase of frequently asked questions.
6. Zoho. Zoho offers a large number of productivity software tools, but as far as I could tell they are not packaged together in a suite. As of the time of publication, Zoho products were free for personal use, although the site stated that business and corporate users may be charged. Some Zoho tools that may be of particular interest include: Writer, Sheet, Show, and Calendar. Support is available.
7. Quickoffice & OfficeSuite Pro5. While these are technically not office suites themselves, these apps give the capability to access your Microsoft Office files from your mobile device. For the freelancer on the go this means mobility. OfficeSuite Pro5 is specifically for the Android Market. Quickoffice can work with a variety of mobile devices.
8. PlusOffice Free 3.0. A freeware package is based on OpenOffice. Use this on Windows 7/Vista (I did not see a Mac version). The suite includes a text editor, spreadsheet, presentation package, and more. Compare with commercial packages.
9. IBM (r) Lotus (r) SmartSuite (r). This suite will cost money, but the product also has the support of IBM. It includes Word Pro (r), Freelance Graphics (r), and Approach (r). Additional software options are available for an added cost.
10. ThinkFree. This office productivity prides itself on being compatible with MS Office. Use it for word processing, creating spreadsheets, and presentations. There are many versions of this suite available, including one for the Windows, the Mac, Linux, and even Android operating systems. Even though this suite costs money, you can download a trial version.
11. KOffice. This is another free office productivity suite alternative. It includes KWord (a word processor), KCells (a spreadsheet) and Showcase (presentation software). Because it’s free, it largely depends on volunteers and users to maintain and update it. There is a Userbase and forum.
12. NEOOffice. This is an office suite specifically for MAC OS X. They’ve even included a mobile version that can be accessed remotely. It is distributed under the GNU General Public License (GPL). It is funded entirely by user donations.
13. Softmaker. This office productivity suite includes TextMaker (word processing), PlanMaker (spreadsheet), and Presentations. There are multiple versions available including a mobile version. This package does cost money.

Whichever package you choose, always make sure that you understand the licensing agreement (and any limitations) that comes with your software.

Your Turn

Do you have a favorite office productivity software suite? What is it?

Share your favorites in the comments below. If you know of any packages we’ve left off the list, share that too.

Image by ford

The choice is so great that sometimes you just don’t know which tool to add to your writer’s toolkit first. This post should help with that problem.

However, it’s also worth noting that only a few of the software tools and other resources that are out there are unique. Most software packages are variations of already established solutions.

In my opinion the following list, grouped by categories, showcases some of the most useful resources of their kind. Some of these resources are even free!

Office and Billing Tools

To start off our list, here are some office and billing tools:

1. OpenOffice. The free alternative to Microsoft Office, it provides all the features and tools you need as a professional writer. Don’t be discouraged by the fact that it’s open source: it’s well worth it. Also consider LibreOffice, which has branched off of OpenOffice.
2. RightSignature. Use it to get your clients to electronically sign invoices or contracts, without having to rely always on fax. It’s also available as an iPhone app.
3. Timeloc. This is a light tool that helps you keep track of ongoing projects done for different clients, with different billing rates. It includes plenty of useful little features like sound alerts.
4. Ora Time and Expense. This tool lets you keep a close account of current and completed tasks, run a timer, and track expenses.
5. BillMyClients.com. A powerful invoicing tool, BillMyClients allows to you save invoices whenever you want. It lets you customize the invoice template, and have invoices done automatically on set dates. It works with PayPal.
6. InvoiceMachine.com. This package helps you create invoices that look professional by letting you use colors and logos. It is a useful tool because it can save invoices as PDFs.
7. InvoiceJournal.com. InvoiceJournal lets you send invoices through the mail or email while using different currencies. Free.
8. GetHarvest.com. One of the best tools out there for tracking time spent on projects, it can be integrated into WordPress or used with the iPhone.
9. Rates Calculator on FreelanceSwitch.com. This helpful little calculator gives you an idea of how much you should charge for your work. After answering questions about your skills, goals, and qualifications, you get an approximate price per hour.

Storage Tools

Here are some tools to help with your storage needs:

10. DivShare. A great alternative for storage, it also offers 5GB storage for free.
11. First Backup. Powerful hard-disk backup tool, it helps you keep your essential working files protected. Different account plans are available.

Communication

The following tools can help with your communication needs:

12. Gizmo5 (now Google Voice). This tool helps you make international calls that are up to 98% cheaper than those offered by your network operator.
13. Skype. Skype is probably the most accessible tool for calling clients directly from your computer and discussing the projects with them.
14. Yugma. Yugma is amazing since it lets you video chat online for free.

Fonts

Are you you looking for more fonts? Look here:

15. Better Fonts. BetterFonts is a great resource for fonts. It provides thousands of fonts that are great for your documents.
16. Dafont. Dafont is another great online resource for fonts (probably the best?). It provides thousands of free fonts, in all shapes and sizes.
17. Urban Fonts. This is an alternative to Dafont. It features a smaller, but more provocative, selection of fonts.

Stock Photos

Writers often need stock photos. Here are some great sources:

18. Stock Xchng. It offers tons of free photos that you can use in your articles or blog posts.
19. Flickr. Of the many photos available for use on the Web, the ones featured on Flickr are some of the best you can get for blog posts. (Be sure to check the licensing since it may vary depending on the photo.)

SEO Tools

Here is an SEO tool freelance writers may wish to consider:

20. WordTracker. This is a potent tool that you can use to look up the keywords you plan to use in your next SEO articles.

Your Turn

This is just a partial list of the resources out there, made up of some of my favorites.

What are your favorite tools and resources for freelance writers? What’s in your writer’s toolkit? Share your answers in the comments.

Image by Neil T.

As you’ll see below, various apps will help you perform various aspects of writing, from researching to brainstorming, to actually writing, and tracking your work.

This has big implications for you, if you’re a writer (or a blogger) with an iPhone. It means no moment need be idle. No bright idea needs to be forgotten. No snippets of your next, or first, great novel need go unrecorded. Even if it appears in the middle of the night. You can, with your handy, dandy iPhone, capture it.

Don’t have an iPhone? Most of these apps can be used in an iPod Touch and iPad as well. Others have versions for other smart phones, so keep reading.

Research

Much of writing does not wait for inspiration. Rather, it’s fueled by research. Your iphone can help you find information when you need it, and record it for easy reference when you’re ready to write.

1. Wikipanion. This is the app that brings Wikipedia to your iPhone. With font size controls and other features, Wikipanion is a much easier and more pleasant way to access Wikipedia than by using your phone’s web browser.
2. Evernote. If you already use Evernote on your desktop computer, you’ll expand its usefulness by having it on your iPhone as well. This app syncs with your desktop account, so you can record information on your iPhone then access it later on your desktop.
3. Google Mobile. Sure, you can always use Google on your web browser. But then you wouldn’t be able to search by using your voice or pictures. Pretty neat, huh?
4. Voice Memos. This app comes preloaded in newer iPhones and allows you to record any audio. It’s perfect for recording audio reminders, snippets of text that come to you when pen and paper aren’t handy, and for many other uses.
5. Dragon Dictation. This voice recognition app records your speech and instantly transcribes it. You can then edit then copy and paste into an email or other application. You gotta admit, speaking is faster than typing, especially on the iPhone’s very tiny keyboard.
6. Camera. Your iPhone’s camera can help you capture images that inspire you, take pictures of people you interview, or make a visual record of an interesting place or object you want to write about later on. You probably always have your phone with you, which means you’ll never miss a photo opportunity again.

Brainstorming

If you need help to brainstorm ideas or topics, you’ve got plenty of apps to choose from:

7. Idea Generator. This app is super simple, but it’s ultra useful when you’re brain-dead but have to write. Right now. It generates three random words, which will hopefully get your writing juices flowing. But it doesn’t stop there, you can select the language and customize it other ways.
8. Method Cards. This app gives you cards, which you can use to generate ideas, look for inspiration, raise questions, get a different point of view on something… the possibilities are endless (especially if you get the paid app with 51 cards. The free version has only 8 cards)
9. Creative Whack Pack. With this app, you get 84 creativity strategies and workshops designed to “stimulate your thinking.” Watch out, you’ve got no excuse for your writer’s block now.
10. iStop WritersBlock. If you write fiction, iStop WritersBlock will help you get ideas for plots, plot twists and even characters. It’s even got writing challenges and other features to get you to the last page of your novel.
11. Mindjet. I don’t know about you, but mind mapping has become an indispensable writing tool for me. In fact, this post started its life as a mindmap. Mindjet lets you create visual maps on your cellphone so you can map out ideas, outlines for articles and many more.
12. iBlue Sky. Another mindmapping software that allows you to, not only brainstorm, but also to plan tasks, analyze, summarize, solve problems and so much more.
13. Writing Prompts. Writing.com gives you an app, which generates prompts for anything from words, colors, genres and writing types. Plus, you’ll get access to the 600 creative writing prompts from the site. It also lets you save your favorite prompts.

Writing

Your iPhone may be a tiny device, but yes, you can actually write in it! These apps make it easier:

14. My Writing Spot. My Writing Spot provides a clutter-free writing environment on your iPhone, so you can write on the go. You’ll also have access to a dictionary and thesaurus, font controls, autosave, and word count.
15. Office.² If you prefer to write using Microsoft Word, Office2 will let you edit your Microsoft Word and Excel documents. It’s also compatible with Google Docs and MobileMe, so you can access your files from your iPhone. You’ll even be able to do text and paragraph formatting.
16. Writer’s Studio. With this app, not only can you write, you can create an entire book! Format text, add images and graphics, lay out the pages–even embed music and a voice recording!
17. TextGuru. Another app that lets you create and edit documents on your iPhone. It supports all kinds of documents, including HTML! You can even preview web documents. I may not need to sit in front of my desktop to edit sales pages, after all.
18. EasyWriter Pro. Made originally for writing emails on your iPhone, EasyWriter Pro gives you a wide keyboard for easier typing. You can also use text clips and autotext to type faster. Spell check increases your accuracy. Its uses don’t have to be limited to emailing.
19. Word Count. A simple app for a simple task. Need to know how long your written piece is? Copy and paste it into the app, and it gives you the number of words, characters (with and without spaces), lines, and paragraphs.

Blogging

Freelancers who are also bloggers need some type of blogging app. I wish there were better options than the ones listed below, but I haven’t found any.

20. WordPress. Write and publish blog posts, moderate, edit and reply to comments, add photos to your posts on your WordPress blog. All of that is possible on your iPhone with this app.
21. BlogPress. This blogging app supports, not only WordPress, but also Blogger, Movable Type, TypePad, LiveJournal, Drupal, Joomla, tumblr and Squarespace. Aside from writing and publishing posts, you can also insert photos and YouTube videos, and use simple HTML to make links and format your text. It even lets you announce your new posts in your Twitter and Facebook accounts.

Vocabulary

Good writing is all about using the perfect word to express what you want to convey. These apps will help you do that.

22. Dictionary.com. With this free app, you’ll have 1 million words and 90,000 synonyms and antonyms on your fingertips. You’ll also have access to the website’s Dictionary of the Day feature, so you can learn even more words.
23. Concise Oxford English Dictionary. When I worked in UNICEF, this dictionary was our deciding authority on how to spell, pronounce and use words. If you rely on it too, you’ll want to have this app.
24. WordBook English Dictionary & Thesaurus. WordBook is one of the bestselling dictionary apps on iTunes. It’s a dictionary and thesaurus in one, and also includes pronunciation guides, word links, vocabulary builder, and the ability to supplement its contents with web dictionaries.
25. Vocabdaily. If you like Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day, then this free app is for you. It pulls the most recent words from the Merriam-Webster site, so you can learn new words, hear the correct pronunciations, and bookmark your favorite ones.
26. SAT Vocabulary Builder. You don’t have to be a 12th grader to appreciate this app. This app brings you the most commonly tested vocabulary words on the SAT and ACT exams and gives you four different ways to learn them. This app is designed to help you learn and memorize words quickly.
27. Word of the Day. No-muss, no-fuss, you get a new word and its definition every day.

Productivity

Because we write for a living, it’s imperative that we’re able to write–and write well–in as short a time as possible. These apps help with productive writing.

28. Meditate. This app was created to time meditation, but who says you can’t use it to time your writing sessions instead? If you’re more productive when writing in timed bursts, then you’ll find this app useful.
29. Pomodoro Time Management. Remember my post about Pomodoro Time Management and how it can help you become more productive? Well, there’s an app for that.
30. WriteChain. WriteChain is a word count app, but it’s more than that. It tracks the amount of writing you’ve done, creating a chain every day you write. When you miss writing for a day, the chain is broken. In short, it motivates you to write every day, because, you know, writers write.

Work Management

These apps help you manage your written work.

31. Dropbox. Dropbox is one service I use every day. Not only does it back up your files in real time, but it syncs them and keeps 30 days worth of versions. It’s great for accessing your files anywhere, and lets you sleep soundly at night, knowing your precious writing is safe and sound.
32. SaiSuke. This schedule management app helps you keep track of writing deadlines. It’s synchronizes with Google calendar, so you can see and modify events on your desktop as well as on your phone.
33. WorkLog. WorkLog is a handy tool for writers who charge by the hour. Track your work time, calculate fees, generate reports for clients, and export to a variety of calendars, such as Google, iCal and Outlook.

I hope this post has given you ideas for getting more writing done with your mobile devices.

Tell Me

Did I miss any of your favorite writing tools? If so, share them with our readers in the comments below.

We’re always on the lookout for tools that will help us do our work better and more easily as freelancers.

Image by Johan Larsson

In this post, I’ll discuss what crowdsourcing is and explain how the new hybrid crowdsource agencies have evolved away from the spec model. I’ll also provide examples of four of those new agencies.

What Is Crowdsourcing?

Crowdsourcing as a set of principles, processes and platforms isn’t all about doing spec work. Spec work can be an element of some creative contests out there such as design and naming, however, for the most part, crowdsourcing companies are compensating workers for work and workers can bid on jobs without having to turn over a nearly finished product.

Nowhere is there a “rule book” that says crowdsourcing should translate into getting work done for free. Crowdsourcing starts with an online crowd, an open call that goes out to the crowd, and a system for receiving and managing input from the crowd. Crowdsourcing happens because of the Internet and Internet technologies that allow companies to cast a wide net to reach workers and participants. After that, it is up to the crowdsourcing company or site and the workers themselves to agree on–or accept–the terms.

There are more and more hybrid creative agencies forming that carefully vet their crowd, meaning that they only allow people into their crowd community who have specific skills rather than allowing anyone to participate. They hand-pick workers for a project based on a proposal in response to a client’s creative brief. Then they pay members of their crowd community for work rendered.

Four New Model Crowd Source Agencies

Here are some agencies that bring freelancers into vetted and managed communities, particularly creatives and marketers, and that use a more typical bidding approach where the best proposal wins the job or a portion of the job.

• blur Group–This UK-based full-service “integrated creative agency” leverages crowdsourcing to create a “services exchange” that taps into solo creatives and smaller agencies as their “crowd.” They gather and manage five specific crowds: designers, writers, marketers, photographers/videographers/artists and innovators or entrepreneurs. As an agency, they work closely with clients to develop creative briefs that are put out as an open call to the relevant crowd. Then they help narrow down the choices to find the right person or people for a particular job. Compensation is pretty much market value and being part of their communities means you are privy to multiple open calls each month.
• GeniusRocket–Focusing on video content production for television and Web as well as animation and motion graphics, GeniusRocket holds creative contests, but with the assurance that creatives are paid. They call their model of carefully vetting participants Curated Crowdsourcing and their crowd members can pitch ideas first rather than doing work on spec in the hopes of winning the contract. Participants submit their ideas privately and they retain ownership of any ideas they submit.
• Victors and Spoils–This is an ad agency that works with top brands such as Harley Davidson, Gap and Levi’s. They have account directors, strategy directors and creative directors on staff, but they are also “built on crowdsourcing principles” and manage a carefully vetted creative community of writers, artists, art directors, designers, producers and strategists. They match creatives to the right creative brief and manage and pay them for the work they do or for ideas the client buys.
• Whinot–What began as a marketing and business consultancy with a crowdsourcing component is morphing into a more sustainable model that may become closer to “Expert Sourcing.” The new site and business model is still under wraps, but it is worth reading about the lessons the company learned from its first iteration and finding out more about their new direction.

Your Turn

For freelancers, being a part of agencies with a crowdsourcing component can be like having a business development department drumming up work opportunities. Sure, you still have to win the business, but you usually don’t have to create work on spec in these work eco-systems, and when you win the business, you get paid.

Do you know of any other new hybrid agencies that don’t require work on spec? Share your answer in the comments.

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Whether it’s a tool that’s general to business usage (such as an accounting package) or something specific to your field (such as a graphic design package), I’m sure there’s one software tool that you absolutely couldn’t run your business without.

For me, I think that tool would probably be the Microsoft Office suite. Yes, I know there are alternatives (and I’ve tried a few of them), but it still seems that most clients want their files compatible with MS Office.

Our question for you is this:

What Software Package Is Absolutely Necessary for Your Freelancing Business?

Share your answers in the comments and we can all learn from each other’s answers. Who knows? You may discover a software tool that you’d never considered before.

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No freelancer today can ignore social media (click here for a definition of social media). In fact, if you find your clients through offline marketing or advertising only, you may find yourself soon left behind by your competitors who use social media.

They’re increasing their exposure, building their authority, engaging with prospects and clients with lightning speed, learning about new niches or markets to explore, and widening their influence.

And your clients probably want you to support their own social media marketing efforts. They want, not just a brochure, but a web page as well. Or aside from logo design, they want website and email branding too

The point is, freelancers need to understand social media–what it is, how it works, and how to use it to promote, not just our own freelancing businesses, but our clients’ businesses as well.

In this post, I’ve compiled ten books on social media, which will help freelancers do exactly that.

None of these books, unfortunately, were written specifically for freelancers. However, if you consider freelancing work as a form of business (which it is!), then it would be easy to translate what these books teach to your freelancing.

I’ve included books that talk about social media in general, as well as a few that focus on specific social networking platforms, such as Facebook and LinkedIn. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a satisfactory book on Twitter.

Finally, because social media changes so quickly, I’ve included only those books that were published from 2010 onwards. I give you the following reading list in no particular order.

Freelancers’ Social Media Reading List

Here’s the list of books that I recommend:

1. The New Rules of Marketing & PR: How to Use Social Media, Online Video, Mobile Applications, Blogs, News Releases, and Viral Marketing to Reach Buyers (3rd edition), by David Meerman Scott. Think of this is a university-level course in marketing and public relations. If you can afford to buy and read only one book, get this one.
2. The Zen of Social Media Marketing: An Easier Way to Build Credibility, Generate Buzz, and Increase Revenue, by Shama Kabani. This promises to teach you how to reap the benefits of social media marketing, but without the stress. If you want something simple and step-by-step, then this is it. When you buy the book, you’ll also get access to a website with regular updates, a workbook and other bonus content.
3. Content Rules: How to Create Killer Blogs, Podcasts, Videos, Ebooks, Webinars (and More) That Engage Customers and Ignite Your Business, by Ann Handley and C.C. Chapman. Social media is all about content, and this book shows you how to create content–whether text, audio, video or a combination–that your prospects want and will love you for. You can sign for a free chapter of the book on this page.
4. Launch: How to Quickly Propel Your Business Beyond the Competition, by Michael Stelzner. Stelzner is the creator of Social Media Examiner, one of the top blogs about social media. In this book, he shares the exact strategies and processes he used to make Social Media Examiner a social media authority and multi-million dollar business. Another plus is the fact that Stelzner was a freelance copywriter himself. Download the first chapter of the book at elevationprinciple.com.
5. Clout: The Art and Science of Influential Web Content, by Colleen Jones. Here’s another take on creating web content. Jones draws on the principles of influence and psychology and applies them to the creation of web content that’s compelling and effective. Read an excerpt from the book at content-science.com.
6. Return on Engagement: Content, Strategy, and Design Techniques for Digital Marketing, by Tim Frick. This is probably the most “techie” sounding book on this list, and one of the few that addresses the importance of design. Frick begins with strategies and then moves on to execution, a progression that makes perfect sense. Go to returnonengagement.net to read chapter summaries.
7. Zarella’s Hierarchy of Contagiousness: The Science, Design, and Engineering of Contagious Ideas, by Dan Zarrella. If you aren’t familiar yet with Dan Zarrella, he’s all about measuring results. In this book, Zarrella gives the hard facts and real data of social media marketing and warns readers of “unicorns-and-rainbows advice.” One of the best features of social media is how measurable it is, and Zarrella takes advantage of this to reverse-engineer how ideas, brands and products become contagious. You can get the Kindle version of this book for free in Amazon.com.
8. Likeable Social Media: How to Delight Your Customers, Create an Irresistible Brand, and Be Generally Amazing on Facebook (& Other Social Networks), by Dave Kerpen. As the title suggests, Likeable Social Media is more focused on Facebook. However, the principles in this book apply to other social networks as well. This book goes into the nitty-gritty of engaging online and how to get earn social proof for your product or service.
9. Facebook Marketing All-in-One for Dummies, by Amy Porterfield, Phyllis Khare and Andrea Vahl. One of the newest kids in town, this book is already getting positive reviews for being comprehensive, practical, and a pleasure to read. Download a free chapter by going to the book’s, what else, Facebook page (click on the “Welcome” tab on the left sidebar).
10. The Power Formula for LinkedIn Success: Kick-start Your Business, Brand, and Job Search, by Wayne Breitbarth. Why is an office furniture dealer writing a book about LinkedIn? Because he has used it himself to promote his business, and got so good he’s now consulting with other businesses so they can do it, too. If your prospects are in LinkedIn, you’ll want to check out Breitbarth’s startup and maintenance plans. A free chapter is available at http://www.powerformula.net.

Where to Go From Here

I realize it’s not realistic to expect any freelancer to have the time to read all the books in this list–not a freelancer who works, anyway! So I suggest two possible ways of attacking this reading list.

The first option is to begin with one of the general social media books, specifically anything from #1 to 7. Any of these books will provide broad strategies you can apply immediately no matter which social networking platform you use.

The other option is to choose one of the platform-specific books from #8 to #10, depending on which social network you want to focus on. For example, if you’ve been wanting to put up a Facebook page, or tweak your existing page, then Facebook Marketing All-in-One makes perfect sense.

Whichever approach you decide to take, the most important thing is to implement what you learn. Take notes as you read, and decide on the next steps you’re going to take. Do those steps and see what results you get. You may get so busy you won’t have time to worry about social media marketing again.

Did I Miss Anything?

Did I miss an excellent social media book you think should be on this list? Or did I include a book you feel is unworthy? I’d also appreciate a recommendation for a book on Twitter marketing. Post them in the comments below.

I’m looking forward to seeing your suggestions in the comments below.

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For successful communication and file sharing many freelancers use online services like Skype, email and ICQ. However, anyone who has used these tools knows that having too many active applications is not convenient and may cause your computer to become overloaded. As a result of an overloaded machine, you may have to stop all your project work for an undetermined period of time.

Let’s face it–having a common workspace with all the necessary collaboration and project management (PM) tools in one place is much easier and more effective! (You get a lot with less effort!)

Luckily, today business software is one of the most developed areas in the IT world and freelancers have quite a wide choice of collaboration tools available. I would like to share my own experience of using collaboration and PM software by reviewing seven solutions that meet all the requirements of most freelancers. All the applications have either open source code or are available at zero cost for at least a trial period.

Top 7 Collaboration Tools

Here are my top seven collaboration tools for freelancers:

1. IBN Instant Business Network. This tool is from Mediachase. It provides users with an open source solution so the platform can be modified to meet your needs. The trial version is available for 30 days. IBN has a flexible access rights system. All the users are divided into three groups: inside users (company workers, administrators, project managers, etc), outside users (those who have access to certain pages of IBN portal only), and partners (those who do not work in a company, but appear in the group of its partners). Instant Business Network also has a document workflow system. You can download docs, attach them to concrete projects, set up the priority and even project work(ing) hours, so that your customer is able to see how long it will take you to get things done. There is also a possibility to rollback the document to the previous version and integrate files with Microsoft Project.
2. ProjectPier. This application enables you to set up tasks and project milestones and send messages to other members of your team. You can host ProjectPier on your server for free. The only (but quite significant shortcoming) is that the system doesn’t have access rights. This means that clients and freelancers can both track current projects. At the same time, I can’t but thank the authors for the ability to download and store files directly in the portal, comment on them, and watch the versions.
3. Clocking IT. This free project management system was developed for those who work as consultants. Even the pickiest users will be satisfied when they get the complete report detailing each minute that you’ve spent on their project. GANTT charts help them to visualize the project schedule and update it with date changes. The application is translated into 15 languages and it has absolutely no limitations on the number of users or projects.
4. Teamlab. This is a web-based Open Source document and project management system. The main advantage that distinguishes Teamlab from similar PM solutions is that it has a powerful document management module, represented by the built-in Open Office application. It includes their newest feature–an Online Document Editor that easily competes with Google Docs. It enables users to create, share and edit documents and spreadsheets online directly in the corporate portal. As for the basic features, there is a huge toolkit of everything you need for successful collaboration: time tracking, tasks and milestones, blogs, forums, chat and multi-chat, the ability to create polls and vote, automatic reports and other nice functions that can enhance your communication efficiently at zero cost.
5. TeamworkPM. This tool helps you do things on time and under budget. It will certainly be useful for those who always miss project milestones–the notification system is almost perfect! The application has an intuitive user interface. It never makes you think twice before pushing a button. Even if you hesitate, the system prompts you about what to do. The functionality of TeamworkPM is similar to Basecamp–there are many similar features and data can be imported easily without any data loss (which is a great advantage if you are moving from one platform to another). You can use the free version as long as you only need two projects and no more than 10MB of storage space.
6. Ardzo.Teamwork. This is the simplest system created for small and medium groups of freelancers who manage projects online. The application is quite popular among programmers, designers and content managers. As for the basic features, Ardzo.Teamwork enables you to track project progress, set up tasks, and manage the list of clients/partners and colleagues. They made the system simple so that anyone can use it whether or not they are knowledgeable about project management. It also provides self-hosting on PHP and is available for free to those who send a query with a description of their activity.
7. Freedcamp. This is one of the newest and the most promising collaboration solutions. You can register via Facebook. Freedcamp developers can be proud of the nice, friendly interface. The system provides users with instant communication tools such as the built-in Meebo Chat that can easily be integrated not only with Gtalk and ICQ, but also with Facebook Chat and other IM clients. All the essential options are available for free: time tracking, automatic reports, and the ability to create discussions and set up milestones for a project. To me the most “delicious” feature is those small to-do lists that you can create with just one click when the button “To-Do” appears on the main Dashboard. This small feature may seem simple and insignificant, but I can’t keep silent–this is missing from many other applications.

Tools I Would Like to Add to the List

There are many options for freelancing collaboration tools. The previous list barely scratches the surface of what’s available. Here are some additional tools that I haven’t had time to review:

• Dotproject.net–as an example of a project management system supported by volunteers.
• Project-open.org–as a powerful PM solution fully integrated with ERP.
• Redmine–as a bug-tracking tool and as a PM solution for Gantt Charts.

There is no doubt that such collaboration giants as Basecamp, Zoho and Microsoft Project will stay up to date, but in this post I was trying to cover platforms that are not that well-known. Besides, the ideal collaboration system has not been created yet, so I strongly recommend that you try as many applications as possible and choose the one that suits your needs.

Your Turn

What other freelancing collaboration tools do you use?

Share your answers in the comments.

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