Imagine if all Matthew Vaughn had to create the Kingsman series was a decade-old, glitchy camcorder. No amount of talent or skill would make those movies look half as good as the blockbuster films that collectively grossed nearly $1 billion worldwide.

The point?

Tools maketh a man.

You can have the best ideas in the world, but without the right tools, your content won’t hit as hard as it should.

After years of working as a B2B content writer, I’ve tested a ridiculous number of tools. Some were useful, others just added clutter. But a few have become part of my workflow because they help me write faster, cut down editing time, and stay organized without being overwhelmed.

So, if you’re serious about improving your writing and handling your projects, you need the right tools.

Here are the tools for content writers that made the biggest difference for me and how they can do the same for you.

Google Docs

Best for: Writers who need a simple, no-fuss writing tool that syncs across devices.

As a B2B freelance content writer, I need a writing tool that allows me to draft, edit, and collaborate with clients effortlessly. Google Docs is my go-to writing platform because it combines the simplicity of a word processor (like Microsoft Word) with the flexibility of real-time collaboration. 

Whether I’m fleshing out a content idea or writing a blog post, Google Docs helps me keep everything organized and easily accessible from anywhere. 

Oh look, I’m writing this post in a Google Doc.

But beyond being a “cloud-based Microsoft Word alternative,” Google Docs has many cool features that make my workflow smoother. 

For starters, typing “doc.new” fires up a new doc on my browser. 

I sometimes use the voice typing feature to get ideas down quickly without worrying about structure. I also dictate ideas straight to the doc when my hands are tired. It’s surprisingly accurate and a great way to beat writer’s block.

I like the new “Document tabs” section that allows me to create multiple tabs.

Now, I can dump all my research into a single doc without switching tabs. I can have my content brief on one tab while writing my draft on another. 

Another feature I love is the commenting and suggesting mode.

I work remotely, so it’s a lifesaver for collaborating with editors and clients. Instead of dealing with messy email chains, I simply tag stakeholders in the document, and they can leave feedback directly in the text. This eliminates confusion and speeds up the revision process.

Call me vain, but I collect the nice comments editors leave when I deliver high-quality content, like the one below.

Underrated Way To Use Google Docs

With the “WordPress for Google Docs” add-on, you can draft blog posts in Docs and publish them directly to your site — no copy-pasting required.

To install Add-ons on your Google Doc, click Extensions at the top menu → Add-ons → Get add-ons.

Use the search bar to look for the add-on you want. In this case, I’m looking for the WordPress add-on.

When you click “Install,” you’ll be prompted to log into your WordPress account and add your WordPress Site to Google Docs.

Once you’ve logged in, you can choose the type of post you’re creating in your doc, which populates automatically on WordPress.

Easy-peasy.

Features

• Real-time collaboration: Multiple people can edit the document simultaneously.
• Version history: Access and restore previous versions of your document.
• Offline editing: Work without an internet connection and sync changes later.
• Voice typing: Dictate content instead of typing (great for brainstorming).
• Add-ons & integrations: Extend functionality with Grammarly, Wordtune, and more.

Pricing

I like to think of Google Docs as a free tool (and I think most people do). You can create unlimited documents with 15GB of storage shared across Google Drive.

Google Docs is also part of Google Workspace, a paid subscription service. The lowest tier is the Business Starter plan, which costs $6.30/month. This comes with business-grade security, additional storage, and admin controls.

MarketMuse

Best for: B2B writers who want to create high-ranking SEO content and do content optimization without spending hours second-guessing strategy.

You already know the struggle of balancing writing for search engines and humans. On the one hand, you must include keywords so crawlers understand your site. However, you also need to write clearly so that the readers can understand your blog post.

MarketMuse can help.

MarketMuse helps you write SEO-optimized content by analyzing competitors and suggesting keywords, topics, and content gaps. Think of it as an AI-powered research assistant that makes sure your articles rank.

Here are some ways I use MarketMuse to optimize my writing.

I use MarketMuse to ensure my drafts are optimized for search engines before submission. Once I finish a draft, I paste it into MarketMuse’s Optimize tool.

It gives me a content score compared to competitors, then suggests missing terms, semantic keywords, and structural improvements to close the gap.

This ensures my work isn’t just well-written but also well-positioned to rank.

Sometimes, I use the SERP X-Ray feature to analyze the top-ranking pages for a specific keyword.

It’s not exactly the greatest tool for keyword research, but it shows content gaps my competitors missed, which means I can fill those gaps and give my piece an edge.

Underrated Way to Use MarketMuse

MarketMuse doesn’t just help you write better content. It helps you charge more for it.

Before working with a new client, you can:

• Run their blog through MarketMuse to identify content gaps.
• Use a MarketMuse Content Brief to create a data-backed blog idea.
• Present the research in your pitch, showing how their competitors rank higher and how you can fix it.

This strategy makes you stand out from other freelance writers and justifies your higher rates.

Instead of just saying, “I can write an SEO-friendly blog post,” You say:

“I analyzed your content gaps using MarketMuse and see a clear opportunity to rank for [keyword]. If we optimize your existing posts and add fresh content, you’ll rank higher on the search engine results page and attract more traffic. I can build that content strategy for you.”

Boom. Clients see you as a strategist who understands content marketing, not just a freelance writer, and are happy to pay more.

Features

• AI-generated content briefs: Takes the guesswork out of structuring high-ranking articles.
• Content optimization scores: Ensures my drafts are SEO-ready before submission.
• SERP X-Ray: Helps me outshine competitors by spotting content gaps.
• Content audits: Shows which client blog posts need updating for more traffic and opportunities to create more engaging content.
• Topic clustering: Gives me data-backed blog ideas for long-term content strategy.

Pricing

The free plan lets you make up to 10 queries each month. Queries count for any search you make in the Research and Optimize tab.

The paid plans start with the Optimize Plan, which costs $99/month.

Grammarly

Best for: Catching grammar, punctuation, and style mistakes in real time before my clients ever see them.

Let’s be honest: Even the best writers make typos. I can proofread my work ten times, but I always miss something, especially when I’m on a tight deadline.

Those typos creep up on me, like Jason Momoa on Henry Cavill in that viral picture.

That’s why Grammarly is my first line of defense before I submit any written content to a client.

Grammarly is an AI-powered writing assistant that flags grammatical errors, suggests better word choices, and even analyzes my tone. It automatically underlines mistakes and offers real-time corrections.

It fixes misplaced commas, passive voice, and tricky subject-verb agreements — stuff that’s easy to overlook.

Beyond basic grammar, Grammarly suggests stronger word choices to make my writing more precise and professional.

However, I’m courteous not to blindly accept all the suggestions Grammarly makes. I’ve experienced cases where the suggestions just didn’t make sense, and others have had similar experiences too.

Often, Grammarly doesn’t have context around an event or understand cultural nuances affecting writing. That’s why you still need a great command of English to use the tool well.

When Grammarly isn’t hallucinating, I use its Tone Detector to ensure my writing sounds confident, friendly, or formal, depending on the project.

This is a lifesaver when switching between corporate B2B clients and more casual brands.

Grammarly also offers a downloadable performance score. Here, you can find information like word count, readability score, average sentence length, reading time, and more.

I like how Grammarly integrates with other tools and applications. For instance, I have a Grammarly Chrome extension that allows me to use the software when writing in Google Docs, Gmail, X, and LinkedIn.

Such integration helps me create the best content (at least grammatically) wherever I find myself.

Underrated Way To Use Grammarly

Grammarly now has generative AI features that let you paraphrase or edit existing text.

You can use its AI writer to shorten the text, make it more descriptive, simplify it, etc. You can also adjust the tone to sound more formal, informal, diplomatic, friendly, etc.

If you’re staring at a blank page, you can use the AI article writer to create a first draft.

Features

• Real-time grammar and punctuation checker
• Advanced clarity and conciseness suggestions
• Tone adjustment recommendations
• Plagiarism detection (Premium feature)
• Integration with Google Docs, Gmail, and social media

Pricing

Grammarly has a free plan offering basic grammar, spelling, and punctuation checks. 

The premium plan is where it’s at, though. Starting at $12/month, you can adjust your writing tone, rewrite full sentences, create AI-generated content, and more.

Hemingway Editor

Best for: Simplifying complex writing, reducing fluff, and making content easy to read.

I often tackle technical topics that can become dense with industry jargon. While my clients love in-depth content, readers won’t stick around if my writing is too wordy or jargon-heavy.

That’s why I use the Hemingway App. It is a freemium content writing tool that highlights hard-to-read sentences, passive voice, and unnecessary adverbs so I can tighten my writing.

I use it as a final polish before submitting content, ensuring my work is punchy, clear, and easy to digest.

Hemingway grades your writing’s readability on a scale (lower = easier to read).

I often aim for Grades 6-8 for blogs.

After Grammarly catches typos, I run my article through Hemingway to trim the fat and boost readability.

Underrated Way To Use Hemingway

You can write your tweets (do we still call them that?), LinkedIn posts, and article drafts in Hemingway without worrying about the red or orange highlights, thanks to its distraction-free mode.

To enable this mode, click the Write button at the top-left corner.

You still get formatting options like switching between paragraphs, headers, bold texts, italics, and adding external links.

Once you finish your draft, you can switch back to the editing tool by clicking the Edit button beside the Write button.

Features

• Highlights hard-to-read sentences (yellow = tricky, red = very difficult).
• Flags passive voice to encourage stronger writing.
• Suggests removing adverbs for more concise phrasing.
• Assigns a readability score to measure clarity. 

Pricing

The web version is free and has all the basic checkers you need. However, they’ve introduced a paid plan that allows you to edit your work with AI. This plan starts from $8.33/month.

Notion

Best for: Organizing research, tracking projects, and building a custom content system that adapts to your workflow.

Notion is the most flexible productivity tool I’ve ever used. It’s like a notebook, database, task manager, and knowledge hub all rolled into one.

While I love it, it can quickly become overwhelming. That is why I only use the features I absolutely need. 

It wouldn’t make sense to spend more time setting up my “productivity” tool than actually being productive.

Right now, I use Notion to maintain a content calendar that keeps me on track. Instead of juggling Google Calendar and spreadsheets, I use Notion’s Kanban board and calendar view to track my projects.

I can drag and drop articles between stages: Idea → Drafting → Editing → Submitted → Published.

When researching an article, I save key insights, screenshots, and links directly in Notion. I mostly use the Notion Web Clipper Chrome extension, which allows me to quickly save stuff with a few clicks.

I no longer have to dig through bookmarks or lose track of sources.

Notion also helps me to track my pitches and client outreach.

I use a simple Notion database to track who I’ve pitched, follow-ups, and responses.

This tracker helps me stay proactive in finding new clients and projects.

Underrated Way to Use Notion

Use Notion to host your writing portfolio.

Your portfolio is the first thing clients see. A messy, outdated, or hard-to-navigate portfolio can cost you opportunities before you even get a chance to pitch.

Here’s how to build a sleek, professional Notion portfolio that attracts clients and effortlessly showcases your best work.

First, choose a clean, writer-friendly template. 

Instead of starting from scratch, use a Notion portfolio template designed specifically for content writers. 

Next, make your portfolio uniquely yours by tailoring key sections:

• About Me: A short, compelling introduction that tells clients who you are and what you do.
• Portfolio Highlights: A curated selection of your best work, complete with links and brief descriptions.
• Services: A breakdown of what you offer, from content creation, editing, and SEO content to anything else.
• Testimonials: Social proof builds trust. So, include client feedback if you have it.
• Contact Information: Make it easy for potential clients to reach you.

To keep things organized, use clear headings, bullet points, and concise descriptions. If relevant, add visuals like article thumbnails or company logos to make your work stand out.

Once your portfolio is polished, publish it through Notion by selecting “Share” → “Publish to web.” This gives you a shareable link you can send to clients or post on social media.

Features

• Custom content dashboards for organizing everything from research to final drafts.
• Kanban and calendar views to track writing projects visually.
• Databases for client and pitch tracking to never forget a follow-up.
• AI-powered writing assistant for refining content and brainstorming ideas.
• Cross-device syncing so I can write anywhere, anytime.

Pricing

There’s a free plan that provides most of what you’ll need if you’re a light user. The paid plans start from $8/month.

TickTick

Best for: Managing writing deadlines, daily to-dos, and tracking habits for consistent productivity.

TickTick is my personal task manager. It keeps me from forgetting deadlines, missing client calls, or letting tasks pile up.

I love it because, unlike other project management and productivity tools, it doesn’t try to do too many things at once.

It has a clean and simple interface.

It lets me schedule recurring writing tasks (daily, weekly, or monthly). And my favorite part? It includes a built-in Pomodoro timer for focused work sessions.

I work in 30-minute sprints, then take short breaks to stay productive without burning out.

Creating separate lists for each client and project has improved how I manage my workload.

Instead of juggling tasks in one endless list, I break everything down into individual lists per client. This way, I can open TickTick and immediately see what’s due, what stage a project is in, and what needs my attention next — without wading through unrelated tasks.

To keep things even more organized, I use tags like #urgent, #editing, and #SEO to quickly filter my tasks. 

If I only want to see what needs immediate action, I check the #urgent tag. 

If I have a couple of hours dedicated to editing, I pull up everything labeled #editing so I can batch similar tasks. 

The ability to sort by specific project types or task categories helps me focus without context-switching, which makes my workdays far more efficient.

One of my favorite TickTick features is its Habit Tracker. It helps me to reinforce the routines that keep my freelance business running smoothly.

For me, this means logging daily habits like “Write 500 words,” “Pitch two clients,” and “Post on LinkedIn.” 

These aren’t just tasks I check off; they’re behaviors that compound over time to grow my writing career. 

Seeing these habits tracked visually helps me stay motivated, and TickTick even provides streaks and progress insights that encourage me to stick with them. 

If I ever notice I’ve gone a few days without pitching or writing a set amount, it’s a clear sign that I need to get back on track.

Underrated Way to Use TickTick

Instead of feeling overwhelmed by a never-ending to-do list, TickTick’s Eisenhower Matrix helps me focus on what truly matters while eliminating distractions.

Setting up the Eisenhower Matrix in TickTick is quick and makes prioritizing tasks effortless. 

Open Settings in the app, go to Tab Bar and enable Eisenhower Matrix.

Once activated, it will be added to your tab bar for easy access. This instantly gives me a visual breakdown of my tasks, helping me see what’s urgent, what can wait, and what doesn’t need my attention at all.

The Eisenhower Matrix divides tasks into four priority levels, and I use this breakdown every morning to organize my workload.

• Quadrant 1: Urgent & Important – Client deadlines, meetings, and anything with immediate consequences.
• Quadrant 2: Important but Not Urgent – Long-term projects, pitch writing, and content planning.
• Quadrant 3: Urgent but Not Important – Emails, admin tasks, and things that can be delegated.
• Quadrant 4: Neither Urgent nor Important – Distractions, unnecessary meetings, and things that don’t add value.

This framework forces me to prioritize deep work over busy work, making my days far more productive.

I don’t use the Eisenhower Matrix exactly as it comes. I tweak it to match how I work. 

What’s urgent for me might not be urgent for someone else, so I customize these categories to reflect my freelance writing priorities rather than generic business tasks. 

I modify the matrix to highlight recurring tasks (like writing and editing) while setting up automation for admin work. I also use color codes for different types of work — client projects, personal projects, and marketing efforts — to visually balance my workload.

This small shift in how I organize tasks has made a massive impact on my efficiency and focus.

Try it out; you might be surprised at how much clearer your priorities become.

Features

• Task scheduling and reminders to never miss a deadline.
• Pomodoro focus timer to stay productive without distractions.
• Habit tracking to encourage daily writing consistency.
• Priority sorting and smart lists to rank tasks by urgency.
• Cross-platform sync to manage my tasks on desktop, mobile, and even Apple Watch.

Pricing

There’s a free plan with essential task management and reminders. The premium plan costs $35.99/year.

The Right Tools Make All The Difference

The right tools won’t make you a great writer overnight, but they will make your writing process smoother, faster, and more efficient. 

After testing countless apps, I’ve shared the ones I actually use because they help me write better content, meet deadlines without stress, and stay ahead in a competitive industry.

If you’re serious about improving your workflow, don’t just collect tools — use them strategically. 

Find what fits your style, experiment with new features, and build a system that makes writing easier. 

Because, at the end of the day, the best content writing tools aren’t the fanciest or most expensive. They’re the ones that help you do your best work every single day.