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Resources for writers who write to survive
15
items I didn't plan to be a writer. I just needed somewhere to put everything I couldn't say out loud. These are the platforms, spaces, and tools that helped me build a voice and keep using it
Sections
6
Where I write
Where I publish
Communities that held me
Tools that help
How I find my words
Where I share
Where I write
Every single thing I've written started here. No formatting, no pressure, just thoughts. Don't overthink your tools. Start where you are.
Notes App - App Store
Where I publish
I haven't gone all in here yet, but the community of writers on Substack is different. People actually read. It feels more intimate than most platforms.
Introducing the Substack app
A Medium publication for writers who are still figuring it out, openly and without apology. I submitted my first essay here. If you write personal work, this is a good place to aim for.
Practice in Public
Before any draft, I sit with whatever I'm feeling. I journal it, I let it settle, and then I write from it. My emotions aren't a distraction from my writing, they are the writing. If you write personal work, this might be the most important resource ...
Nafisat Abimbola Akanni – Medium
Communities that held me
A community that reminded me I wasn't alone in this. Sometimes you just need to be around other people who take words seriously.
The Writers Circle Creative Writing Workshops
One of my first real publications. Seeing your name somewhere that isn't your own blog does something to you. Submit your work. You might be surprised.
Awari App | Discover and Experience your City
Tools that help
I write from feeling, not grammar rules. Grammarly catches what I miss so I can focus on saying what I mean.
Grammarly: Free AI Writing Assistance
I use this to think out loud. When a draft feels stuck or I can't tell if something lands, this is where I bring it. It doesn't write for me, it helps me hear myself more clearly.
Claude
Another AI I use in my writing process. Different energy from Claude but useful in its own way.
ChatGPT
How I find my words
I can't write in silence and I can't write to lyrics. Peaceful piano is the sweet spot. It keeps me in my head without pulling me out of it.
Peaceful Piano
Sometimes I need to see a feeling before I can write it. Pinterest is where I go to find the mood, the aesthetic, the visual that unlocks the words. It sounds strange but it works.
Pinterest
This is where I started taking my writing seriously. It's not perfect, but it gave me a real audience and a reason to keep going. If you write personal essays, this is still one of the best places to put them.
Medium: Read and write stories.
Where I share
Where I share my writing with a professional audience. More people read deeply on LinkedIn than you'd think. Don't underestimate it as a platform for writers.
LinkedIn
Short thoughts, fragments, half-formed ideas. Sometimes a tweet is where a full essay starts. Good for writers who think in bursts.
X
My most honest feedback comes from people I share my writing with directly. Sometimes your first reader is just someone in your contacts who gets it.
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