3 of My Favorite Minimalist Writing Apps
I am a big proponent of “distraction free” writing. No matter what topic I am blogging about I love it when I get “in the flow.” Those of you who write on a regular basis know what I am talking about. There is something great about getting fully absorbed into your writing as one idea flows after another.
On the contrariwise, there is nothing more frustrating than constantly being interrupted when writing and taking twice as long to finish the article. Oftentimes, these are internal distractions that we do to ourselves. Our environment is not conducive to allowing us to produce our best work. Minimalist is a big buzzword these days when it comes to work flow. I have to admit the simpler I make my environment the better my ability has become to focus and get more done.
3 of My Favorite Minimalist Writing Apps
1. The New Worpress Full Screen Option
If you have the latest version of WordPress, you have got to check out the new and improved “full-screen” button. It removes everything except for your content and allows you to write with just a white background. This is a big improvement from the WordPress full screen version of the past. All of the noise, buttons, and distractions are hidden. You also have a much bigger window to write in making it much easier to get in the flow when writing.
I also like that some of the tools such as bold, italic, underline, add a picture, and others are still accessible. All you do is move your mouse to the top of the page and these options show up. I now find myself creating most of my blog post inside WordPress using the full screen version. It has become my favorite minimalist writing tool.
2. WriteSpace Chrome Extension
When it comes to writing guest posts or writing freelance articles in general, WordPress is not necessarily the best option since these articles will be published elsewhere. When I write these types of articles, I like to use a really cool Chrome extension called WriteSpace. You can do search for it in the Chrome Web Store. I am sure Firefox has a version of WriteSpace as well. Basically, it turns your chrome browser into a full screen minimalist writing app that allows you to focus just on writing. I also really like being able to see my total word count that is displayed in the bottom left corner of the screen. Beyond that, there is really nothing else to look at besides your writing. I also like that it automatically saves my content along the way. Even if you accidentally close out the browser, when you open the WriteSpace extension again all your content is still there.
3. The Blogsy iPad App
When it comes to minimalist writing apps, the Blogsy app is my favorite on the iPad. Sometimes I need to change my scenery in order to get inspired to write. I will often sit on the front porch swing and write or drive to the local library and spend the afternoon. Flexibility is important to me. The iPad and Blogsy allows me to do this. The Blogsy App leaves plenty of room for both the on-screen keyboard and space to write my blog post. It also has a handy sidebar that enables me to add pictures or videos right into my post. I can also create links wherever I want and publish or schedule my posts.
Regardless of what you use to write your blog posts, I would encourage you to find a minimalist writing app that helps you to focus. There is something incredibly powerful about being able to focus in on one task at a time and this is especially important when it comes to writing.
