It can be very time consuming doing research, and it's very easy to get distracted with all of the information that's available on the internet.

These tools will help you spend less time focusing on the administrative tasks in your writing business and more time focusing on your writing.

1. Research

Part of being a writer is having to do research. If you want credibility as a writer, your facts had better be right.

It's vitally important to use only credible websites as resources. With billions of pages on the internet, it's too easy to offer a resource that isn't credible, or doesn't stand up to scrutiny.

To avoid that, I recommend the site below.

Ref Desk - http://www.refdesk.com - This site is addictive. It should also be the first place you start when you do any type of research.

You'll have access to some of the top research tools like the CIA Factbook, as well as dictionaries, thesauruses, and other tools to help you quickly locate the information you need.

2. Research Tracking

If you do a lot of research, all of those notes can quickly become out of control. To keep track of all that data you find in your research, you need a good management program to help you organize your data.

Keynote - http://www.tranglos.com/free/index.html - This piece of free software will take the hassle out of keeping track of your research. You can use it to quickly and easily organize all of your research notes.

Although this project is currently shut down, you can download a copy of the software, it works on any Windows computer, and it's open source.

3. Word Processor

Although the current standard for word processing is Microsoft Word, the problem with this program is that if it isn't loaded onto your computer when you buy it, it's expensive. Also, it can be unwieldy at times because it has too many features.

If the main reason you use word processing is because you are a writer, then you need a word processor specifically for writers. Not only will this save you time, it will help you better organize your writing.

Jarte - http://www.jarte.com/ - This free word processor is specifically designed for writers. It is free of the bloat of a lot of other word processors in terms of features, and it can once again make your writing a pleasurable experience. Easy to integrate with a free dictionary and thesaurus.

4. Article Formatter

Formatting articles or other documents for submission can be a pain. If you need a document that's exactly a certain width, like 65 characters, you have to hit the return key at exactly the right time at the end of each sentence. This can quickly become a hassle when you're writing.

Article Formatter - http://www.fwointl.com/FWOFormatter.html - This free online formatting tool will not only format your document to the correct width, but it will give you character and word counts, a tool that's absolutely invaluable to a writer.

5. Manuscript Tracking

It's not only vitally important that you keep track of all your data from your research, but you also need to keep track of your manuscripts. Track your manuscripts, and you can actually increase your income because you're submitting on a regular schedule.

Tracking your income from your writing is important too. You need to know how much income you've made from a particular manuscript.

Sonar2 - http://www.spacejock.com/Sonar.html - This free software makes keeping track of your manuscripts and publishers a breeze.

All you have to do is add the publishers you want to submit to. Then add the manuscript. When you're ready to submit, just enter the submission, use the drop down menu to select the publisher, and you'll know where your manuscript is all the time.

You can also use this program to track your income.

This program is a lot less clunky than a lot of other tracking programs, and since it's free, even better.

6. Ecourses

Ecourses are a great way to try before you buy a product from a site. These courses will give you an idea of the quality of information you'll be getting.

It's also a great way to get some new ideas for your writing, as well as pick up a few writing tips.

The two sites below offers free ecourses on article writing, freelancing, and writing an ebook. There are tons more of these free courses on the internet. Just search for free writing ecourses.

Writing Ecourses - http://www.digital-e.biz/freecourses.html

Article Writing Ecourse - http://www.freetraffictip.com/2-article-marketing/

7. Ebooks

Ebooks are a great way to acquire new writing skills, find new information on a topic you are researching, or just take a break from your writing.

There are plenty of places to get free ebooks on the internet on just about any topic you can imagine, but if you need ebooks on writing, I recommend the two sites below:

Ebook Directory - http://www.ebookdirectory.com - This site contains over 12,000 ebooks available for immediate download. The directory is fully searchable, and you can find free ebooks on just about any topic, including writing.

Article Writing - http://www.articlewritingtips.com/ - When it comes to writing articles to promote your writing, this site goes to the top of the list. You'll find plenty of resources on article writing and promotion, including ebooks on writing articles.

As a writer, the more you write, and the more you sell, the more money you make. By using the right tools, you can make more money from your writing and find the writing success you're looking for.