iA Writer 5.3

IA Writer can help you write any type of text without having to worry about superfluous aspects such as text formatting and page layout.

Since it is mainly intended for writing digital documents, it does not try to simulate a paper page. In this respect, if you are into WYSWYG editors and avoid using code, this tool is probably not for you.

The editor has an extremely minimalistic interface; so much so that, while you are typing, there is nothing visible but the writing space and the cursor. However, this does not make it less powerful, as most of its finest features are actually hidden under the hood.

As said, IA Writer is meant to let you concentrate on the contents of your writing. In this respect, one of the features that takes this idea to the extremes is the so-called Focus Mode, which can darken all the text except the sentence or paragraph you are working on. There is also the Night Mode to help you read with a dimmed light. In Typewriter Mode, in turn, it is the text that will roll while the cursor stays on the same line.

One of my favorite features, which I do not see very often in other text processors, is that the application can use color codes for the different parts of speech in your text. And, if you need to keep a count of how much you have typed, there is a word and character counter. What is more, the tool can even predict how long it will take to read your text.

If you feel distracted by continuously needing to use the mouse to access given functions, you will be glad to hear that IA Writer can be used without ever taking your fingers off the keyboard, thanks to its support of using markdown language. In this regard, using just code, you can give format to your text as well as embed images, tables and text blocks. Fortunately, it is not indispensable to know all the codes, as the editor also lets you use the small unobtrusive buttons on the lower part of the window.

Since IA Writer is not a WYSIWYG editor, it is a good thing that it supports previewing your text. Then, you can export it to various popular formats, such as DOCX, HTML and PDF. Not only that, you can also send it to WordPress or Medium. It is excellent news that the editor supports synchronizing files across devices and storing them both locally or remotely. However, it certainly lacks features that allow writing collaborately.

All in all, deciding to use IA Writer or not is a matter of personal preferences. IA Writer is for those users who prefer simplicity over sophistication and do not mind using some light code. As the product can be tried at no cost, you can see for yourself if it is what you have been looking for.