A Look At My Tech Stack
as a Freelance Writer
· August 21st, 2025 ·
Hey friend 👋
I’ve been super busy this week getting ready for a cross-country move (yep, again 😅), so this one will be a little short.
I’m taking a page from my friend Liz Heflin’s playbook.
In her latest newsletter issue, she shared the technology and tools she uses in her freelance writing business.
As you know, I’m a huge fan of transparency in this industry. It’s more important than ever right now as freelance writers have a hard time finding work and breaking into the field.
I loved Liz’s breakdown and thought it would definitely be helpful if I was reading it as a new writer just getting started.
My own suite of tools is a little different, so I wanted to give you a peek behind the curtain at my setup.
Note: This is what I use for running my client-facing writing business, not Ravenwood… but let me know if you’re interested in seeing that breakdown too!
Without further ado, let’s dive in!
Hope you enjoy!
Best,
🐦⬛ Cody – Founder @ Ravenwood Writing Academy
P.S. If you have questions about my setup, feel free to hit reply and I’ll do my best to get you a helpful answer.
📬 Cody’s Tech Stack
Every Tool I Use to Run My
Freelance Writing Business in 2025
➡️ Microsoft 365 Personal (Office) Subscription: $99.99 per year
➡️ Hostinger Website Hosting (Business Tier): ~$168 per year
I have six websites hosted on this plan, including my business site and a personal portfolio. As a sidebar, I’ve been super pleased with Hostinger’s support and service quality while using it over the past six years or so.
➡️ Canva Pro: $120 per year
➡️ Google One Cloud Storage (100 GB): $20 per year
Always back up your files, friends!
➡️ Squarespace Domains: $30 per year
Again, I’ve got lots of domains under my belt, but the two I use for running my business run $15 a year each.
➡️ Copyscape Pro: ~$10 per year
This is an awesome tool for checking your work for inadvertent plagarism. You pay for credits and spend them per word on documents you run through the platform, so the cost can vary, but $10 bucks usually lasts me through the year.
➡️ Brain.fm: $69.99 per year
I consider this a bit of a splurge, but for me it’s a must-have when I’m working!
➡️ ProWritingAid (Grammar checker): $90 per year
I also write fiction, so this tool has been great for that, but it’s also a decent backup grammar checker for my work. Not sure if I’ll be using it once my plan expires, though since it can have trouble policing technical documents.
💸 Grand Total: $577.98 per year
I like to keep my tech stack pretty lean, and this setup has worked great for me for several years now. It’s also got some expenses a new freelancer wouldn’t need. So, if that number feels high to you, don’t think it’s all essential to get started.
In fact, I recommend starting with the basics and adding paid tools as your workflow develops.
Lastly, don’t forget to write expenses like these off on your taxes at the end of the year! I’m not a tax expert, so I can’t tell you what to do, but these investments in your business can save you at tax time while also making you way more productive throughout the year. Win-win!
Other Free Tools:
➡️ Turboscribe.ai: This is an AWESOME tool for transcribing audio to text. I use it all the time to get transcripts from interviews I conduct when writing case studies or bio pieces. You can get up to 90 minutes of free transcription PER DAY, and it’s the most accurate of these tools I’ve ever used. Highly recommend.
➡️ Google Drive Suite
➡️ LinkedIn
More From The Blog…
Cold Pitching for Freelance Writers: Turning Strangers Into Clients
Sick of cold pitching freelance writing clients? Try this approach to improve your success rate and land more jobs.
|
|
3 Places Find New Clients (That Aren’t Job Boards)
Want to find new freelance writing clients? Ditch the job boards and try these three methods instead for better results.
|
 |
|
Love our content? Share it and get free stuff!
|
|
Know a freelance writer in your network who would love Write Your Story? Now you can share the newsletter and get rewarded!
2 referrals = a $5 gift card as a thank-you.
6 referrals = a free Ravenwood tee
Sharing the word helps our human-first writing community grow. 🌱
Just share your unique referral link (below) and we’ll get in touch with your reward once they subscribe.
P.S. Please don’t sign up with your dog’s email or create fake accounts—we’ve got surprisingly good spidey senses for that kind of thing 🕵️♀️ (and they won’t count).
|
|
[RH_REFLINK_2 GOES HERE]
|
|
|
|
So far you’ve referred: [RH_TOTREF_2 GOES HERE] people (keep going!)
|
| Visit Your Personalized Referral Hub |
|
|
|
