Writers tend to make a very big deal of their tools, whether those tools are delicate pens or ancient typewriters. Increasingly, though, they'll talk about their software. Even the most genteel literary event can soon devolve into a fist-fight between fans of Scrivener and Ulysses (both of which cost around £27, US$40, AU$50).
Microsoft Word is the default tool for many writers, but a subscription to Office 365 costs £59.99/US$69.99/AU$89 per year for one user – pretty steep if you only need the word processing element.
If you’re a Mac owner, this might be the best book writing software for you. While you do have to pay $39.99 per year to use it, the cost to use Ulysses is completely justified. One of the best features has to be the distraction-free capabilities. The Best Book Writing Software. Writing a book isn’t just about putting down words on a page. You need to be able to organise and structure your book. You need to be able to look at research (ideally offline!), and your. Ulysses is the best writing app for Mac, iPad, and iPhone. For writers — from bloggers to authors to journalists and more — Ulysses offers the perfect combination of power and simplicity, combining feature-rich writing and research tools amidst a focused, distraction-free writing environment.
There's often a better option for those of us starving in garrets: free software. Come with us as we discover the best free apps to turn your writing talent into something tangible.
1. FocusWriter
Keep your mind on your work with the best free app for writers
Blocks all distractions
Auto-save function
Available for Linux, Windows and macOS, FocusWriter is designed to eliminate distractions so you can actually get on with the job of writing. To that effect it enables you to hide other apps, customize the way your text appears on screen and keep track of your progress. If you're feeling particularly old-school you can even add typewriter sound effects.
Best Writing App For Mac
![Best Creative Writing Software For Mac Best Creative Writing Software For Mac](/uploads/1/3/3/2/133281722/505415159.jpg)
FocusWriter isn't for everyone – it's not the right tool for going back through and editing your work – but it's a lovely little app with a very modest footprint that stops you keeping an eye on Twitter all day.
2. WriteMonkey
A text editor that cuts down on distractions, not features
Distraction-free interface
Handy keyboard shortcuts
We're big fans of Markdown, the text-editing language that enables you to format, annotate, classify and link as you type with the minimum of fuss, and the superb WriteMonkey makes good use of it.
This free program delivers an incredibly stripped-down user interface that's considerably more powerful than it looks. There's an excellent outliner, automatic syntax highlighting and file organisation, and although markdown takes a bit of getting used to, you'll be very glad you made the effort.
Once you've mastered WriteMonkey, you can use it to create blog posts, print publications and anything else that needs words in it.
3. LibreOffice Writer
A fully-featured free alternative to Microsoft Word
Document template galleries
LibreOffice is a free, open source alternative to Microsoft Office, and that means its word processing app, Writer, has many of the power features of Word without the accompanying price tag.
One of its most useful features is the LibreOffice Template Center, where you'll find templates for all kinds of content.
If you're interested in more full office suites, see our guide to the best free office software.
4. Scribus
Create great-looking magazines and books without InDesign
Professional-level print design tools
Cross-platform
If your words' appearance is as important as their meaning, give Scribus a go: it's a free, highly-rated desktop publishing application for Linux, OS X and Windows that's suitable for producing entire magazines.
It's been kicking around – and regularly updated – since 2001, and while it's a little tricky to use at first, it offers professional-grade publishing with layered, multi-page documents and good colour management support. If you've ever used Adobe InDesign, you'll find the similarity striking. If you can use one, you'll pick up the other in seconds.
We wouldn't want to lay out a 400-page book in it (though that's quite possible), but for shorter works it's ideal.
5. Freemind
Organize your ideas and defeat writer's block before it can strike
Very flexible
Looks a little old-fashioned
Best settings for virtualbox mac os. Here's another app for writers that isn't strictly for putting your words on the screen: Freemind is all about mind mapping, and it enables you to record all the leaps and bounds your imagination makes whether you're plotting a potboiler or trying to organize complex threads of an investigation.
Freemind isn't something we'd necessarily recommend for mind mapping beginners – it looks a bit like a desktop publishing app having some kind of breakdown – but if you're an experienced intellectual explorer it's a lot tidier than a wall full of index cards and sticky notes.
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Best Novel Writing Program Mac
November is National Novel Writing Month, an event in which thousands of people attempt to write 50,000 words of a novel in the course of 30 days. As a once and future participant in the event, I’m a big proponent of it as a way to unlock one’s creativity and give those of us who are not inclined to run marathons or climb tall mountains a massive accomplishment to shoot for.
Last year, we published a bunch of stories about NaNoWriMo, and I encourage you to check them out—they’re as relevant today as they were in 2008. We offered tips on how to succeed at NaNoWriMo from two experts, including our own Dan Moren and contributor Nathan Alderman, both of whom are multi-time winners. We’ve also reviewed most of the Mac writing software out there.
In this video, I give you a quick tour of the tools that I’ve used during NaNoWriMo, as well as a few other novel-writing tools. There’s also a peek at a fantastic (if brutal) productivity enhancer that blocks off your Mac’s Internet connection and forces you to get some work done.
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Show notes
During the video, I mention these products:
And if you do decide to sign up for NaNoWriMo, you can find my user page here.
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