Art resources

Below, we have listed some useful resources for artists and authors. If you have any suggestions for other resources we could include, please contact the mods and we'll look into adding them to the list!

Software, Extensions, and Web Apps
Krita

Free

An open source painting program compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux.

GIMP

Free

An open source raster graphics and photoshop alternative, compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Coolors

Free

A color palette generator, for when you can't quite settle on which colors you want to work with.

Art Reference Sites
SenshiStock

Free (with option to support via Patreon)

A great source for pose references -- various models in just about every pose you could need.

Pixabay

Free

Stock photo library, perfect for finding inspiring landscape and background ideas for your art.

Pexels

Free

Stock photo library, perfect for finding inspiring landscape and background ideas for your art.

Screencapped

Free | Option to donate

High quality screencaps for every season of Supernatural. Great for finding reference images for characters and locations! A free account is needed to access the screencaps.

Software, Extensions, and Web Apps
Bibisco

Free for basic app | Pay-What-You-Want for additional features

A free, open source writing app with many story planning features. The free version allows unlimited projects, exports to pdf, docx, txt, & archive formats, and has features to assist with character building, premise, fabula, setting, narrative strands, and arranging chapters & scenes.

There's also a pay-what-you-want version of the app with additional features that assist with timeline arrangement, moving scenes between chapters, setting writing goals, and more.

Grammarly

Free for basic app | Paid Premium for additional features

A free extension for Google Chrome which helps to correct grammar and spelling errors in your writing.

There is also a paid premium version of the extension which can help identify use of the passive voice, frequent word repetition, and inconsistencies in spelling.

Milanote

Free trial for first 100 notes, then a monthly subscription fee

An app to help visual planners put together story ideas, with templates for brainstorming, character mapping, and lots more.

Trello

Free

A free online pinboard service that happens to be great for story planning. Especially helpful for those who are writing with a friend, as multiple people can collaborate. Check out this guide for writers for some examples of how Trello can be used by writers in the planning stage.

WordKeeperAlpha

Free (with the option of supporting the app via Patreon)

A handy widget to set writing goals and keep track of your word count output.

Writing Reference Sites
Genre, Plot, and Story Prompt Generators

If you're having trouble getting started, one of these prompt generators might do the trick!

List of Tropes in Fanworks

Whether you want to write the most trope-heavy fic you can manage, find a way to subvert a popular trope to create something completely new, or just want to check to see what that one thing you've included in your fic is called, this list of commonly used tropes on Fanlore is an invaluable resource.

General Resources
Mynoise.net

Free

A fully customizable soundscape generator to help you focus.

SelfControl

Free

For the easily distracted among us. SelfControl is a free app for Mac that lets you block your own access to certain websites, your mail servers, or anything else on the Internet. Just set a period of time to block for, add sites to your blacklist, and click "Start." Until the timer expires, you will be unable to access those sites—even if you restart your computer or delete the application.

Freedom

Free trial for first seven sessions, then a monthly subscription fee

Freedom is similar to SelfControl, but it works across all of your devices, and is compatible with Windows, Mac, and Android. This means you won't find yourself picking up your phone to visit that distracting website that you blocked on your laptop!