The Best Apps to Capture Ideas Wherever you Are

Today we’re talking about the best apps to capture ideas wherever you are. Why? Let me tell you.

How many times have you missed out on a good idea for a blog post, a book or even a witty retort? I’m guessing lots of times, and often because the idea came to you at a time you weren’t ready.

You know who else wasn’t ready? Archimedes! If the story is to be believed, the idea of finding out the weight of Hiero’s crown came to Archimedes while he was taking a soak in his tub. Not exactly the ideal setting, but it didn’t stop him from running across the street screaming ‘Eureka’!

So why did Archimedes jump out of his tub right then? That’s because great ideas like his seldom stay long. They hover by briefly, and if you’re smart, you capture them immediately. And you are a lot luckier than Archimedes – you have a smartphone!

The Best Apps to Capture Ideas Wherever you Are

Since you never know when inspiration will strike, it’s better to be prepared, and an app is the perfect way since your phone is always on your person. Besides capturing ideas, these apps also help you jot down little reminders and tasks, which free up valuable mental space and help you keep commitments. It also helps you build healthy habits that improve the overall quality of your life. So let’s take a look at some of the best apps to capture ideas – now you don’t have to fear losing that million dollar idea just because you didn’t capture it!

1. Evernote

Probably the most popular and expert-recommended app, Evernote combines user-friendliness with a good combination of helpful features. The best part is that the free version itself is quite heavy with features, while the premium version offers lots more.

Free Evernote enables you to sync two different devices with your online account. So if you have a laptop and phone, you’re all set to jot down your ideas. You can capture your ideas in a Note, and categorize all your Notes into Notebooks. You can create checklists, and the search feature is quite advanced. You can also clip content from the internet, although there is a limit in the free version.

Evernote is available for download on Google Play, the App Store and Microsoft.

2. Microsoft OneNote

If you’ve always been a fan of pen and paper, you might find that Microsoft OneNote replicates the feeling for you. You get backgrounds that look like different kinds of paper, and the notebooks also look like the real thing!

The functionality also mimics the way you’d write or draw on paper. You aren’t limited to the cursor’s position – you can jot down your idea anywhere on the page, as well as drag and drop different elements wherever you like. You can also scan your handwriting and have your hand written notes converted to type.

Microsoft OneNote is available for download on Google Play, the App Store and Microsoft.

3. SimpleMind

Mind mapping is a technique many successful people swear by, and you can use it to track your thoughts and achieve your goals too. While traditional mind mapping is done using pen and paper, they are difficult to edit and can end up being messy and confusing.

SimpleMind solves both problems. You can easily create mind maps with whatever comes to mind, and then edit it later. You can also collapse and expand the maps so you can view a concise or detailed view, depending on what you want. It also has different color themes, and avoids the complexity of other mind mapping apps.

SimpleMind is available for download on Google Play, the App Store and Microsoft.

4. Zoho Notebook

Love color? Then you’ll love the Zoho Notebook app, that’s chock full of features and looks pretty too! And it’s got the brains to go with the beauty, with lots of functionality packed into a card format.

Zoho Notebook helps you jot down your ideas in checklists, audio notes, sketches, photos and of course, a basic note format – all for free. What’s more, you can color code your ideas, upload files and even blur things out when in public so no one can steal your valuable ideas!

Zoho Notebook is available for download on Google Play and the App Store.

5. A Novel Idea

Has writing a bestseller always been on your mind? If so, A Novel Idea is the app for you! Ideas for your story can come in at any time, and this app doesn’t just help you capture them, it also helps you categorize them into scenes, characters, locations and more.

A Novel Idea helps you build in-depth characters and storylines, and you can select multiple views. The app also helps you connect everything together so you have a cohesive structure even before you actually start writing your book!

A Novel Idea is available for download on the App Store.

6. Google Keep

Google’s very own note taking app, Keep has been around for a while. It is one of the simplest apps around, making it perfect if you’re the kind of person who gets turned off by too many features. Even if you have a sophisticated app for categorizing and things, Keep can act as a basic idea capturing tool, which you can later sort into your snazzier apps.

That’s not to say that Keep is for cavemen; it does have some basic add-ons like being able to tag notes, voice capture, making checklists and even adding images. And since it automatically syncs to your Google account, you can be assured it’s with you all the time.

Google Keep is available for download on Google Play, the App Store and Microsoft.

7. Dropbox Paper

Remember that million dollar idea I mentioned at the beginning? Well it’s quite possible that you have a partner-in-crime for said millions, and if you do, Dropbox Paper is worth a look. With the note-taking and idea-capturing features of other apps, this also offers some cool collaboration features.

You and your partner (or team) can access everything in real time, and you can also find out who else is viewing that content then. You can add comments to each other’s ideas and also make a plan to execute those ideas by assigning tasks and making checklists.

Dropbox Paper is available for download on Google Play and the App Store.

Remember, you don’t need all these apps to capture ideas – one will suffice! You can start by downloading a few at a time so you can find out the one you like the most. Most importantly, make a plan to put those ideas into execution, rather than letting them sit in the app! As Jens Martin Skibsted said, “Anyone can dream up great ideas, but an idea is nothing until it’s realized”.

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#WritingWednesday

Last month, we introduced #WritingWednesday on The Frangipani Creative. Do join us.

Prompts

• Fiction prompt – Begin a story/poem with : It was wrapped like a gift, but…
• Non-fiction prompt – How much do you trust the Internet, and its users, to guide your life?

This post first appeared on Write Tribe.