*These tools are all free for download.*

1. Google Desktop
Ever had a moment where you’re trying to find a particular essay or article or news piece that you just knew you stored somewhere? You don’t remember where you saved the damn thing, and since it was untitled, you can’t remember what the file name was either. But you do remember saving it. And you do remember a particular phrase from it. Google Desktop is great for situations just like that. Finding files and folders on your computer, it’ll search through the text of them and not just the names. It’s great if you want to be able to look through e-mails and chats too.
http://desktop.google.com/

2. SAMM Submission Tracker
I’ve recommended this software dozens of times to hundreds of writers. Its features include reminding you of follow-ups and tasks that need to be done, has a place to store information about markets, stories and submissions, gives you the option of making special notes about each submission/market, has the ability to back-up; and will let you search submissions by market name/date sent out/etc.
http://www.sandbaggers.8m.com/samm.htm

3. Yeah Write Journaling Software
With colored pages and several different styled tabs, it’s almost like a real journal. Great for creativity, and very cool. If you’ve over-sensitive about keeping your journal personal, it has a feature enabling password-protection, too. There’s no Mac version, unfortunately.
http://www.yeahwrite.com

4. My Corkboard
I love this one. It can be used as a screensaver, but you can also just let it sit in the background and use it as per your convenience. It’s basically a corkboard on your computer where you can stick notes, put up framed pictures and have decorative items too. Work and fun, both in the same package.
http://www.mycorkboard.com/

5. Post-it Software Notes Lite
I’ve never met a writer who doesn’t adore Post-its. This site offers you several versions of electronic notes, including the free lite version. While it’s cool to stick real post-its to your computer screen, the electronic ones stuck to your desktop can be just as effective, if not more. Features include alarms, resizable windows, variable fonts, and several different colors to suit your style.
http://www.tucows.com/preview/337614

6. Webshots Screensaver and Desktop Wallpaper
There’s no real use for this one. But the pictures are so pretty!
http://www.webshots.com/

7. FileZilla
This is a free ftp client that can be used to upload files and pages to your website. It’s very easy to set up, very convenient, and makes uploading speedy and efficient.
http://filezilla.sourceforge.net/

8. Free PDF Writer
For those of you who can’t afford the actual Adobe Acrobat Writer, this is the way to go. The only inconvenience is that links aren’t clickable in the resulting pdf files. There are fixes available online though, if you care enough to look.
http://pdf995.com