When you’re starting a new writing project, it’s sometimes helpful to rethink the writing apps in your toolbox.
Even if you’re a pen-on-paper writer for the first draft, you’ll have to translate your writing to a digital format at some point in the process. Here are a few writing apps to help you, broken out by the type of project you might be working on.
Try using a distraction-free writing program like JDarkRoom, WriteRoom (Mac-only), or q10 (PC-only), or the online app Writer. All three run in full-screen and offer few options other than saving what you write. Or you can try one of several quality programs created especially for authors, like Scrivener or Avenir on Mac, or Liquid Story Binder on. WriteRoom 1.0 – The free version for a distraction free writing space on Mac Feb 27, 2007 - 6 Comments WriteRoom is founded on a great idea that is hard to find nowadays in the computing world, a distraction free workspace that emphasizes nothing but the task at hand.
3 Great Online Writing Apps
1 Grammarly
Grammarly is a writing assistant. We provide clear, constructive writing suggestions that work where you work, enabling better understanding between people. Our products can help you with grammar, spelling, punctuation, conciseness, clarity, readability, and more.
Distraction Free Writing Mac Pdf
Where to use it: grammarly.com
2 Evernote Web
Evernote is a platform that allows you to take all kinds of notes. It’s also a great place to start writing if you’d like a clean, easily-accessible interface. Using Evernote also can help you stay organized so you can juggle and locate multiple writing projects at once.
Where to use it: evernote.com
3 Google Docs
Google Docs is an online word processor that lets you create and format documents and work with other people. As a writing app, it’s helpful when you’d like to collaborate with someone else on a writing project, like an editor or co-author.
Where to use it: docs.google.com
4 Draft
Draft is an online writing app that combines collaboration and editing features. Its version control features are helpful for keeping track of your changes, and it can work with other online writing apps.
Where to use it: draftin.com
2 Helpful Blogging Apps
1 Medium
Medium allows you to share your stories and ideas with the world. It is both the home of several well-known publications and a great place to publish your writing if you’re interested in making your perspectives and experiences available to a wider audience.
Where to use it: medium.com
2 WordPress.com
WordPress.com helps you start a blog or build a website in seconds without any technical knowledge. The software it’s based on (confusingly named WordPress.org), powers 32% of the Internet, so it’s a very popular blogging platform. With WordPress, you can create custom blogs easily and share them on a custom website of your choosing.
Where to use it: wordpress.com
4 Distraction-Free Writing Apps
For some projects, you need a space to type out the first draft, without the temptation of social media, notifications, and other online distractors. There are several writing apps that offer you the ability to write in peace, but here are a few of our favorites.
1 Microsoft Word
Microsoft Word is one of the most widely-known word processors. But did you know that it can also be used for focused writing? Using “focus mode,” you can hide Word’s toolbars, allowing for minimal distractions.
Where to use it: Desktop app for Mac
2 WriteRoom
WriteRoom is a distraction-free environment for Mac. It promotes a full-screen environment that allows Mac users to “focus on writing.”
Where to use it: Desktop app for Mac
3 iA Writer
iA Writer removes distractions, giving you a calm, focused writing space. Their focused writing environment is available on desktop and mobile devices.
Where to use it: Desktop and mobile writing apps
4 Grammarly Native Apps for Mac and Windows
Grammarly’s native applications for Mac and Windows allow you to write what you mean, without distraction. You can either view helpful writing suggestions on everything from punctuation to tone, or you can hide them and keep typing your draft.
Where to use it: Desktop apps for Mac and Windows
Focused is an simplified word processor that eliminates distractions while you write. Its Zen mode keeps your writing front and center, while its built-in Markdown formatting means your work will look great no matter where on the Web you publish it.
But it’s not only helpful for composing: it makes sharing what you’ve written a snap by integrating with your social media accounts. Whether you write for a living or just for fun, look no further. Here’s how to put Focused to use:
Composing
Focused strips away all the distractions of a typical word processor. All you see is a blank page to type on. You can make a few adjustments by clicking the “T” button on the left hand side of the screen: changing the theme and text color, adjusting the column width, and changing the zoom.
If you need to read over your text or check your formatting, click the “glasses” icon to switch to read-only mode, which shows you how your text will look when published.
Formatting with Markdown
Nowadays, most writing gets published online, but most CMS program’s can’t register style changes from standard word processors.
Markdown is a formatting language that preserves the hierarchy of your headings and bolded, italicized, and underlined words for online publication. To use it to format your writing, click the “Format” tab and select how you’d like to transform a word.
Markdown also lets you add hyperlinks directly to a piece of text.
Zen Mode
The app’s interface is already simple, but Zen Mode takes its distraction-free approach to the next level. When you enter Zen mode, the text window will fill your entire screen and play soothing ambient music, letting you focus on the task at hand.
To enter Zen mode, press (command+y) or click the “Zen” tab and select “Enter Zen Mode.” That tab also lets you control the music.
Sharing your work
Sharing your work is simple. Click the “Share” button on the left-hand side of the text window and select how you’d like to export your writing. As mentioned, the app lets you save your text as HTML, so it’s easy to post online. You can click the “more” tab to sync with your social media accounts, letting you publish to your profile right without having to log on.
With its pared-down interface and web-ready formatting, Focused by Setapp supports both casual and serious writers. Tune in, let it fill your screen, and finally get that essay done.