The Cost Of Creativity Crisis

21 Alternative (Free) Pieces of Software For Writers To Help Cut The Cost Of Creativity

Photo of magazine spread © Simon Whaley

This article first appeared in the November 2022 issue of Writing Magazine (out Oct 22).
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With inflation at a forty-year high in the UK, we’re surrounded by rising prices. And when it comes to the business of writing, the cost of creativity is increasing, too.

There’s also a growing trend in the software industry to move away from one-time purchase options towards a subscription-based model. Microsoft Office began its annual subscription plan in 2013, and more companies are following suit. While we can still buy Microsoft Office for a one-off fee, they’d much prefer it if we gave them money every year. But why pay for something annually, when there are free alternatives available?

So as price rises continue, is it possible to cut the cost of writing, and still be creative?

Office Staples

The publishing industry has welcomed Bill Gates and his Microsoft Office with open arms. In the thirty-odd years I’ve been writing, every magazine and traditional…