As a writer, entrepreneur, coffee shop meandering, general misfit nobody, the TOOLS I use and the RESOURCES that get me through the day are important indeed. In this Post, I detail the products, books, courses, services, and people I love; and will update as time goes by…
This is a peek into the world of Turndog, and whether you’re just starting out, a seasoned pro, or a curious mind, I’m sure you’ll find a few gems. But before we begin, I must say that the majority of links are affiliate ones – meaning if you happen to trial or buy said product or service, I receive a commission in return. But don’t worry, it costs you no extra 
WRITING TOOLS:
LAPTOP = I do the majority of my work on my trusty MACBOOK PRO, which isn’t only a great machine for writing and travel, but for more robust editing and design.
WRITING PROCESSOR = The best money I’ve ever spent to further my writing career is on SCRIVENER, my processor of choice. Tailored for every type of writer, this is an absolute vital-addition to your world.
RESEARCH/NOTE TAKING = I almost exclusively use EVERNOTE to make notes, which is a simple yet wonderful tool connected to the cloud - meaning you have access at all times, on laptop, phone & tablet. I also use BYWORD to make quick notes on the go.
EDITING = I use professional editing whenever possible, but when it comes to self-editing, there are a couple tools I use. One is HEMMINGWAY, a super simple app; and another is AUDACITY, to record myself reading.
BOOK PRINTING = For POD (print on demand) I use CREATESPACE to both print and publish my books. For closer to home, I use fellow Yorkshire company, BOOK EMPIRE.
BOOK PUBLISHING = I do the majority of my publishing through the AMAZON KDP PROGRAM and CREATESPACE. Both are simple to join, and place your book in front of a global audience.
PRODUCTS I COULDN’T LIVE WITHOUT
FILMMAKING KIT:
CAMERA = My main camera is the CANON 600D, which is a wonderful DSLR and starter camera. So light, yet oh so powerful, too. (Check out my current Camera Wish List)
LENSES = I’m a fan of vintage prime lenses, and love the TAKUMAR 50MM 1.4, and the TAKUMAR 28MM. I like other lenses too, but there’s something about these old boys I doubt I’ll ever grow tired of. (Check out my current Lens Wish List)
AUDIO = I use the RODE VIDEO PRO for most of my audio, a lovely little mic that can fit practically everywhere. If you only have a budget for one mic, I’d personally look no further. (Check out my current Audio Wish List)
TRIPOD = I’m in the process of acquiring a FANCIER FC270A, a tripod with a lovely fluid head and a sturdy set of legs – vital for visual storytellers like me. (Check out my current Tripod Wish List)
POWER SUPPLY = I take a DIY approach to my battery solution, using a combination of a LANPARTE PORTABLE BATTERY and an ANKER to power my gear. Won’t a suit every setup, but a great alternative to more expensive options.
MEMORY = I use LEXAR PRO SD CARDS to capture my HD Video footage. Fast, powerful, and robust, these little beauties are top notch.
RIG/STABILISATION = I’m currently building a DIY Cage & Shoulder Rig, which I shall document in detail once complete. I sense this will be one of my more enjoyable blog posts once finished
LIGHTING = My current lighting setup is rather sparse, but you may like to: Check out my current Lighting Wish List
EDITING = I use my MACBOOK PRO for editing, combined with FINAL CUT PRO (for more robust edits) and SCREENFLOW (for smaller projects and capturing screenshots and presentations). (Check out my current Editing Wish List)
MISCELLANEOUS GEAR = I use the 50 DOLLAR FOLLOW FOCUS to improve my video footage, and get most of my DSLR parts from SMALL RIG. As for where I place my videos, I use VIMEO (for The Purple Coffee Podcast), and YOUTUBE for almost everything else.
***I’ve included links to my WISH LISTS, because I’m always researching new gear and building my own kit. Hopefully you can see how I capture my storytelling ways, and what I have planned for the future. It may also help you build your own setup, but be sure to visit: DSLRVIDEOSHOOTER.COM & CHEESYCAM.COM - two sites I visit often***
PRODUCTS I COULDN’T LIVE WITHOUT
WEBSITE/ONLINE:
HOSTING = This website is hosted by SYNTHESIS, which is optimised for WordPress. An alternative you may like to check out is my very first hosting partner, WEBHOSTING.COM
WEBSITE THEME = My current theme is MEGALITHE, which is part of the STUDIOPRESS network. Considered one of the best premium WordPress networks around, you’re sure to find a theme that suits your needs.
BLOGGING = I’ve used many apps & plugins over the years, but a few stellar examples I use again and again include: MARSEDIT (write blog posts offline and on the go) and SCRIBE (brilliant SEO and optimisation tool).
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT = My main social media management system is HOOTSUITE, which covers just about all your social media needs. I also use PAGEMODO (for Facebook), and am a HUGE fan of BUFFER.
SEO = This site is run of the GENESIS framework, which is optimised for SEO. A great alternative is YOAST, which have numerous apps and plugins to save your SEO bacon – which is great for someone like me who hates SEO
EMAIL = All of my newsletters are sent via GETRESPONSE, an amazing and affordable email solution. For personal emails I use GOOGLE APPS, and link it with two amazing plugins: FOLLOWUP.CC (use code MA30TT14 for 30% off any annual/monthly plan) and SIGNALS. Check them out and thank me later
LANDING PAGES = I currently use PREMISE for all my landing/product pages. However, I do hope to upgrade to LEADPAGES in the not too distant future. I highly recommend you check out what Clay and his team have built. Genius!
MARKETING = At this moment in time I don’t do much in terms of advertising, but I do love what BOOKBUB are doing (Ebook promotion experts) and ADROLL (a re-targeting platform that puts others to shame).
ECOMMERCE = For selling books and products through this website, I use SELZ – a simple and effective platform that makes venturing into the world of Ecommerce a breeze. By linking this to PAYPAL, I have little else to worry about.
PRODUCTS I COULDN’T LIVE WITHOUT
PODCAST TOOLS:
MICROPHONE = I record my interviews and podcasts with the BLUE SNOWBALL. For the price, it truly is the best bang for your buck. When capturing audio direct form a camera, I use my RODE VIDEO PRO.
RECORDING = I capture the majority of my interviews via SKYPE, and record these through the ECAMM RECORDER software. I love this little plugin, and is a must for all bloggers and podcasters.
EDITING = As I publish The Purple Coffee Podcast in both video & audio, I edit everything in FINAL CUT PRO, and export a video & audio file. Sometime I need to compress my files (if they’re too big), in which case I use HANDBRAKE.
HOSTING = I host The Purple Coffee Podcast on LIBSYN, which allows me to link my account to the iTunes Store. For video, I upload to VIMEO, a site I use exclusively for the podcast.
PRODUCTS I COULDN’T LIVE WITHOUT
EVERYTHING ELSE:
FINANCIAL STUFF = For my accounts, invoicing and bookkeeping, I use WAVE: a free platform that’s rather incredible to be honest. You have to see it to believe it.
CRM SYSTEM = My current CRM system is INSIGHTLY, which is not only free (at least to an extent), but a great platform to organises all of your contacts, set recurring tasks, and generally stagy atop of your hectic diary. Ever since I integrated a CRM system, life is stress(ish) free.
TIME MANAGEMENT = The three tools that keep me on top of my daily day are EVERNOTE, WUNDERLIST, and ICAL. Seriously, I could not function without these three cloud based apps.
DESIGN & ARTWORK = I love designing my own book covers, t-shirts, and promotions, and everything I do is within the ADOBE CS6 SUITE (I primarily use Photoshop 90% of the time).
MUSIC = When it comes to music, I’m an avid listener, and I look no further than SPOTIFY.
HEALTH & WELLBEING = Staying active and healthy is important to me, and use use several apps to track my progress. these are: MOVES (a step counter on steroids), SLEEP CYCLE (measures your sleeping patterns), MY FITNESS PAL (measures my calorie intake), and RESCUE TIME (tracks when and how I work).
PRODUCTS I COULDN’T LIVE WITHOUT
POSTS I LIKE:
If you’re new around these parts, or would like to read my most popular posts, the following is a good place to start:
Who, Why & What of a Turndog
The Definitive Post on Nomadic Storytelling
My Monthly Income Reports
Your Story Matters Damn It!
Storytelling Provides YOU Freedom
The Secret To Wandering In The Startup Wilderness
10 Incredible Storytellers
50 Great Brand Stories: 2013
Get Your Book On Amazon For FREE
An Honest Insight Into A Self Published Book Launch
Next Time You Feel Average, Read This Post & High Five The God Of Awesome
BOOKS I LOVE:
$100 Startup by Chris Guillebeua
The Snow Child by Ivey Eowyn
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerals
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
The Small Army Strategy by Srinvas Rao
Like a Virgin by Richard Branson
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World by Michael Hyatt
Beyond Parallel & TICK to the TOCK (I suppose I should include these haha)
**To be honest this merely scratches the surface, but I’ll update this list over time, I’m sure**
PEOPLE I ADORE:
THOMAS JOHAN PHOTOGRAPHY = Many of the pictures on this website were taken by the very talented Thomas Johan. Much love for this man.
HANNAH CORDINGLEY PHOTOGRAPHY = The rest of the pictures taken on this site were shot by the equally talented Hannah, who I also have much love for :)
THE LIONS RAMPANT = I’ve known Stu-Mac for years, and when it came to choosing an intro song for The Purple Coffee Podcast, this classic tune was a no brainer. It literally takes me back to the summer of 2005.
KEVIN MACLEOD = The background music in many of the videos on this site are done by the talented Mr MaClod. What an eclectic skill he has!
DARREN FLEMING = A local photographer and budding videographer I’m lucky to know.
EFFY AUTUNNO = My cousin, who just so happens to be a super skilled photo taker. She’s rarely in the country to come say hello to me, but I love her all the same.
AJ LEON = The king misfit himself, AJ and his crew of misfit inspire me no end. Lucky to know him, and excited about EVERYTHING he does.
JIM HOPKINSON = Jim is one cool guy, with an awesome podcast, a great style of writing, and a general winning attitude that is always great to see.
SRINIVAS RAO = One of the main men behind The Unmistakable Creative, Srini has crafted an incredible journey over the last few years. Such an inspiration, and what a set of guests he chats to on a weekly basis.
NATALIE SISSON = A true nomad, Natalie roams the lands helping entrepreneurs and business folk alike. Smart, witty, and pretty, Naltalie has it all (plus an awesome Kiwi accent).
MARIANE CANTWELL = From a Kiwi to an Aussie, Mariane also nomads the globe, helping an array of business folk fulfil their dreams. Such a wonderful lass, with a great book to her name, too.
CHRIS BROGAN = One of my biggest influences when first starting out, Chris Brogan is ‘da man!. To not follow Chris would be crazy. So, be sure that you do – and you know, not be crazy and such.
This is my list of the TOOLS & RESOURCES I love and use, but I’m sure I’ll add to this post as time goes by. After all, barely a day passes without me finding a great new brand.
However, if you happen to know of something amazing that I have not listed, please let me know. I’d love to hear your own daily-day-loves, so don’t be shy and share your nuggets of wisdom with me
Speak soon, cool cat
Turndog