Top 5 Writing macOS Apps For Authors Top 5 Writing macOS Apps For Authors

Sometimes, there can be too many annoying distractions and it can be quite difficult to concentrate on your work. Today, you can encounter a wide range of writing tools to simplify your life, boost your productivity and improve the quality of your text.

Here come 5 popular applications for authors that will help you focus on your work: Ulysses, OmniOutliner, Scrivener, Final Draft, and iA Writer.  

1. Ulysses 

Organizing your notesOrganizing your notes

Let's start with Ulysses, a simple text editor with powerful features. This app is an ideal choice to write novels and short stories.

The decisive advantage is that it keeps track of your writing and arranges all texts within one distraction-free interface. You can have topics and chapters conveniently organized and get fast access to any project you need in a structured library.  Also, you can add keyword labels to simplify your search.

There's Markdown formatting among the most outstanding features the app provides. It enables you to easily maintain the flow of their story when typing. Furthermore, Ulysses features a split view that allows you to control the entire writing process. Besides, sync your writing on your Mac, iPad or iPhone or integrate it to iCloud.

You can try the app for 14 days free of charge, then you have to pay $49.99 per year.

2. OmniOutliner

MultitaskingMultitasking

Now, go on and speak about OmniOutliner that is an essential app to capture your ideas, structure your writing and see the whole picture. 

The built-in Doc Browser allows you to quickly launch your latest documents or create a new project from scratch or using default templates. Moreover, you are able to synchronize your content via iCloud Drive and third-party tools like Box or Working Copy.

In addition, you can select between full-screen, slide-over, and split views for multitasking, write notes to every line, generate keyboard shortcuts and filter your outlines using keywords.   

Furthermore, there are nine themes to choose from as well as you can pick either Distraction-Free or Typewriter mode to your needs. Distraction-Free mode is of crucial importance when you want to focus on your text while Typewriter enables you to view only the text you're currently editing.

OmniOutliner provides a 14-day trial, after that you need to buy the full version for $99.99.

3. Scrivener

Text writingText writing

Scrivener is another word processor you should take into account for long-form writing purposes.

The application allows for setting your targets for this session or the whole book. Also, Scrivener makes it easy to structure your ideas, rearrange your text, link your writing and view different chapters side by side. 

Compose your text in the Full-Screen mode without distraction, then instantly switch to the Piece it Together option to preview your work, and export your output in PDF, ePub, DOCX, or RTF.

Along with that, the Corkboard feature lets you attach different sections to virtual index cards and makes it easy to reshuffle and manage them. 

Scrivener has a 30-day trial and then you have to acquire the lisence for $49.

4. Final Draft

Text composingText composing

Also, you may want to have a close look at Final Draft. It's a well-known screenwriting app designed for film and TV writers.  

The app allows brainstorming, visualizing your ideas as well as reporting, tagging and collaborating with your colleagues.   

Final Draft can be used to write prose and letters, however, its distinctive advantage is the option to automate screenwriting formats. This way, you can write your plots and have your text automatically formatted. 

Download a 30-day trial to check if you like the app and then buy the full version for $199.99 now (the usual cost is $249.99).

5. IA Writer

Text processingText processing

Last but not least, pay attention to iA Writer that allows you to structure your thoughts and get focused on your work by fading all, except the sentence you are currently editing. 

The app is able to highlight verbs, adjectives, and other parts of speech to enhance your writing and check if you don't over-use them. Moreover, the application is based on Markdown syntax so you can do formatting and change styles using text commands right in the text.

Moreover, iA Writer reviews your text for clichés, filler words and redundancies while you type. 

Furthermore, you can build flexible content blocks, swap different sections, attach media files, and add CSV tables and images. Besides, the app boasts a live PDF preview where you simultaneously view your text when composing it.

Enjoy the trial version for 14 days and then buy the app for $29.99.

Check out these top writing macOS apps for authors and choose the most suitable one to your needs.

Referenced Mac applications

Bear
FREE
rating

Easily write and keep track of your new ideas, plans, and prose.

Drafts
FREE
rating

Perform various editing actions to adjust your notes and documents.

Evernote
FREE
rating

Manage, share, and organize your important notes with ease.

Grammarly for Safari
FREE
rating

Enhances your written communication everywhere you type.

Hemingway Editor
rating

Hemingway Editor is an application that highlights common language errors.

Microsoft Word
rating

Create, edit, collaborate, and share documents using Word for Mac.

Pages
FREE
rating

A document editor for formatted text that provides a Mac alternative to Word.

ProWritingAid
FREE
rating

Our desktop app is designed to allow you to work with Scrivener projects.

Write
rating

A text editor that strips away all text formatting and focuses on the writing.

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