Best Distraction-Free Writing Apps: iA Writer, Ulysses, FocusWriter, Google Docs, Obsidian

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 thought of a distraction-free working atmosphere to spring for iA Author.

Ulysses

The fundamental format 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 principal pane for composing. Nevertheless it’s undoubtedly extra feature-rich, together with instruments for aim monitoring and proofreading. Because of its easy however considerate group system, you would 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 varied components of it individually the primary time. One in all its greater attracts is its kinds that let you export paperwork utilizing templates personalized for scripts, novels, weblog posts, and extra.

The knock towards Ulysses is that it’s obtainable solely as a $40 annual subscription. And it’s strictly for macOS, iOS, and iPadOS. For those who’re a Home windows person, you’re out of luck.

FocusWriter

That is maybe essentially the most bare-bones of the bunch, nevertheless it shouldn’t be neglected. FocusWriter has all of the fundamentals you’d anticipate 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 critical writers, like stat monitoring and aim setting.

In contrast to 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 essentially the most customizable interface of the bunch, although. You’ll be able to meticulously select the interface colours, fonts, and background.

One of many largest attracts will likely be that it’s free and open supply, although proper now it’s obtainable for Home windows and Linux solely. Whilst you can in all probability get it working on macOS if your approach round a command line, it’s going to take some legwork, and there’s no cellular consumer or file syncing.

OmmWriter

The concept of distraction-free writing is, inherently, type of gimmicky. However OmmWriter might be essentially 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 circulation state. That features light soundscapes that will help 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 heart and some buttons to the appropriate for altering settings. It’s the most cost effective of the industrial choices right here at $9.93 for macOS or Home windows. However you too can give it a whirl in your browser by taking part in with a stripped down model totally free.

Scrivener

Scrivener has a devoted following amongst long-form writers, and for good purpose. Whereas the app does have a superb distraction-free mode, full with typewriter-style scrolling, it additionally sports activities superior organizing instruments that you just’re certain to understand in the event you’re engaged on a e-book or a screenplay. It’s made particularly with longer writing tasks in thoughts.

Its venture outlines make it easy to gather analysis or rearrange concepts till you discover what clicks. When it comes time to truly write, the complete display screen composition mode eliminates every little thing however the textual content field. It’s essentially the most minimal of editors.