iA Author has darkish mode and shortcut integration for macOS, iOS, and iPadOS. Plus it’s simply plain fairly. Given the excessive worth although, you need to be fairly devoted to the concept of a distraction-free working atmosphere to spring for iA Author.
Ulysses
The essential structure and have set of Ulysses isn’t terribly totally different from iA Author. There’s a sidebar for navigating and organizing your recordsdata, and a big essential pane for composing. Nevertheless it’s undoubtedly extra feature-rich, together with instruments for purpose monitoring and proofreading. Due to its easy however considerate group system, you may in all probability even use Ulysses as a note-taking app in a pinch.
Like iA Author it has a typewriter mode with line highlighting and textual content scrolling. However you need to activate the assorted components of it individually the primary time. Considered one of its larger attracts is its types that permit you to export paperwork utilizing templates custom-made for scripts, novels, weblog posts, and extra.
The knock in opposition to Ulysses is that it’s out there solely as a $40 annual subscription. And it’s strictly for macOS, iOS, and iPadOS. If you happen to’re a Home windows person, you’re out of luck.
FocusWriter
That is maybe probably the most bare-bones of the bunch, however it shouldn’t be ignored. FocusWriter has all of the fundamentals you’d count on from a textual content editor, together with spell verify and the flexibility to have a number of paperwork open concurrently. It additionally has instruments for severe writers, like stat monitoring and purpose setting.
Not like many of the different apps right here, FocusWriter makes use of wealthy textual content (RTF) for formatting as a substitute of Markdown. It in all probability has probably the most customizable interface of the bunch, although. You’ll be able to meticulously select the interface colours, fonts, and background.
One of many greatest attracts will probably be that it’s free and open supply, although proper now it’s out there for Home windows and Linux solely. Whilst you can in all probability get it operating on macOS if your method round a command line, it’s going to take some legwork, and there’s no cell shopper or file syncing.
OmmWriter
The thought of distraction-free writing is, inherently, form of gimmicky. However OmmWriter might be probably the most gimmicky of the bunch. It doesn’t simply strip away the extraneous nonsense; it goals to immerse you in an atmosphere conducive to a circulate state. That features light soundscapes that can assist you focus and even numerous typing sound results to boost the vibes.
If you’d like extra audible suggestions whereas typing, however don’t need to put money into a pleasant mechanical keyboard, this would possibly do the job. Although, the very slight lag between your fingers hitting the keys and the sound popping out of the audio system bugged me.
In any other case, the UI is fairly naked, with a resizable textual content field within the middle and some buttons to the fitting for altering settings. It’s the most affordable of the industrial choices right here at $9.93 for macOS or Home windows. However it’s also possible to give it a whirl in your browser by taking part in with a stripped down model without cost.
Scrivener
Scrivener has a devoted following amongst long-form writers, and for good cause. Whereas the app does have a wonderful distraction-free mode, full with typewriter-style scrolling, it additionally sports activities superior organizing instruments that you simply’re certain to understand in the event you’re engaged on a guide or a screenplay. It’s made particularly with longer writing initiatives in thoughts.
Its challenge outlines make it easy to gather analysis or rearrange concepts till you discover what clicks. When it comes time to truly write, the total display screen composition mode removes every part however the textual content field. It’s probably the most minimal of editors.
