6 Minimal, Full-Screen Writing Apps for Mac
In the last 18 months or so, the world seems to have gone mad for minimalist writing software. The argument seems to be that the more pared back the software is, the more productive you’ll be.
In my experience, writing distractions tend to be more tangible and very little to do with whatever word processor I’m using. You know, stuff like having a full-time job, messing about on Twitter and more recently, organising a wedding.
So while this list of writing applications for the Mac is perfectly splendid, take heed:
Before highlighting our collection of these apps, I’d like to point out two things. First, choosing a new writing application won’t make you a better writer, nor will it magically motivate you to write. These two qualities need to come first.
Personally, I wrote my entire novel using Microsoft Word, first on a Windows PC and then on the Mac version when I made the switch. But I barely used any of its functionality beyond a few styles to help me keep track of chapters.
These days I am simply using TextEdit, which comes built-in on a Mac. When I press letters on my keyboard in a certain order, they appear on my screen. It’s like magic.
I understand and agree with the point you’re making here. However, if you’re using TextEdit, you owe it to yourself to take a look at Bean.
http://bean-osx.com
It’s as fast as TextEdit, has all the features of TextEdit, but adds a few extra such as a great full-screen mode that makes writing, even in low-light situations, much easier on the eyes – especially if your eyes are getting a little older.
Bean is free and under active continuing development. The only downside to Bean compared to TextEdit is that Bean has not yet been updated to incorporate some of the new features in Mac OS X Lion. However, Bean’s full-screen mode is more useful than Lion’s full-screen mode; Bean has a basic timed auto-save feature; and automatic backups can be enabled to sorta-kinda emulate Lion’s Versions feature.