iA Author has darkish mode and shortcut integration for macOS, iOS, and iPadOS. Plus it’s simply plain fairly. Given the excessive value although, you must be fairly devoted to the concept of a distraction-free working setting 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 primary pane for composing. However it’s positively extra feature-rich, together with instruments for aim monitoring and proofreading. Because of its easy however considerate group system, you can 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 must activate the assorted components of it individually the primary time. One among its larger attracts is its kinds that will let you export paperwork utilizing templates custom-made for scripts, novels, weblog posts, and extra.
The knock towards Ulysses is that it’s out there solely as a $40 annual subscription. And it’s strictly for macOS, iOS, and iPadOS. In the event you’re a Home windows consumer, you’re out of luck.
FocusWriter
That is maybe probably the most bare-bones of the bunch, but it surely shouldn’t be missed. FocusWriter has all of the fundamentals you’d count on from a textual content editor, together with spell examine and the power to have a number of paperwork open concurrently. It additionally has instruments for critical writers, like stat monitoring and aim setting.
Not like a lot of the different apps right here, FocusWriter makes use of wealthy textual content (RTF) for formatting as an alternative of Markdown. It in all probability has probably the most customizable interface of the bunch, although. You possibly can 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 out there for Home windows and Linux solely. When you can in all probability get it working on macOS if you recognize your approach round a command line, it’ll take some legwork, and there’s no cellular consumer or file syncing.
OmmWriter
The concept 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 setting conducive to a stream state. That features light soundscapes that will help you focus and even varied typing sound results to reinforce the vibes.
If you would like extra audible suggestions whereas typing, however don’t wish 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 affordable of the business choices right here at $9.93 for macOS or Home windows. However you may also give it a whirl in your browser by enjoying with a stripped down model without cost.
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 simply’re certain to understand should you’re engaged on a guide or a screenplay. It’s made particularly with longer writing tasks 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 little thing however the textual content field. It’s probably the most minimal of editors.
