“Shiny new object” syndrome is real, and if you’re not careful, you might just fall prey to it. 

Writing products are everywhere—new word processors, organisation tools, worldbuilding assistants, tablets, grammar checkers. . . you name it! As writers always looking for ways to improve, these new toys can be very tempting, especially when everyone’s trying them out. Most technology is like this; we all want the next big thing. And when new writing tools claim to make the writing process easier, it triggers a need in us. Who doesn’t want to write better and more efficiently? 

But here are a few questions to ask yourself before clicking “add to cart.” 

1. How, specifically, will you use this product? 

Imagine you have the product. Now what? How will you incorporate it into your writing process? If it’s a physical item, where will you store it? Will it be easy to get out when you need it? 

I made the mistake of not doing this before purchasing my standing desk (which was funded thanks to you!). First and foremost, I do use it often and I’m so glad I have it, but when I first got it, I came across a problem: It was too heavy. My desk is rather cheap, and it took quite a beating when I moved earlier this year. I wouldn’t trust putting my heavy standing desk on it all the time, which means I needed somewhere to store the standing desk in my teeny tiny apartment. Oh boy. . . Luckily, I was able to clear out a space right next to my desk, and it will be even easier once I move to a more permanent place and invest in a good desk.

The point is that I could have saved stress and time by really thinking this out beforehand. Going through this process might even make you realise you don’t need the product at all.

2. Can you get this product elsewhere cheaper or for free? 

Many companies now offer paid writing services and tools that you can easily find elsewhere for free or simply do yourself. Writing courses? There are tons of free ones. Conferences? Those too (although sometimes you might want to pay for them!). Grammar checkers? Lots of free ones. New tablet, pen, or other piece of tech? Look into slightly older models and consider buying refurbished. 

Do your research before you set your heart on one specific product.

3. Is this product worth it?

Always, always, always read reviews first! They are a great indicator of the actual quality of a product. Reddit is a great place to look if you can’t find product reviews on the site or think the company might be fishy.

4. Do you really need it? 

Keep this question at the front of your mind. Ads nowadays are great at making us think we need a certain product or service to be good at writing, but that’s just not true. Actually, I think you can create an amazing story without spending a dime. 

The bottom line is that a product cannot fix your writing. There’s no shortcut to learning and practice. Actually, you often need to already be a good writer before writing products will help you at all. Something might look cool and shiny, but knowing the writing craft trumps all. Don’t waste your money on something that won’t really help. 

The Good and Bad of Writing Products

Writing products aren’t bad—they can help us greatly! But with so many people out there ready to take advantage of you with their pricey and average-but-shiny products, you need to think deeply before you make an investment. Some tools are worth it; my reMarkable 2 has revolutionised the way I write! But remember that writing tools can’t fix your writing. Only you can do that. 

What writing products do you recommend? Have you ever made a purchase mistake like me? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!

Happy writing!
—E.J.

---

If you enjoyed this post, I hope you’ll consider buying one of my books, donating to the blog, reading my stories on Vocal, and/or taking a look at my RedBubble shop so I can continue to produce 100% free content!

Photo by Marta Filipczyk on Unsplash