May 12, 2017 Note that it's only available for Windows and Linux systems. Unlike many other dedicated writing apps I've reviewed, yWriter has no macOS or iOS versions. If you'd prefer a writing experience. Download the Alpha Test. Show your support. Current version is 7.0.3.3 released 18/Jun/2020. YWriterMac.pkg(8mb) yWriterMac zip file (8.2mb) (Please make sure yWriterMac isn't running while you're trying to update it!) Don't forget, this is an early alpha release.
What is yWriter? If you'd like to support development of yWriter for Mac, I have a Patreon right here. YWriter is powerful novel-writing software which breaks your novel into chapters and scenes, helping you keep track of your work while leaving your mind free to create. Thank you for checking out my Patreon page for yWriter, whether you decide to become a patron or not. Developing software for IOS/MacOS is not cheap. There's a modest annual developer fee, and I had to buy a Mac to compile the software. I ended up with a second-hand 2011-era Mac Mini and, to be. Download the latest version of FocusWriter for Mac. Write without any distractions. Focus Writer is a minimalist text editor created specifically for writers.
Getting frustrated with a standard writing tool like Microsoft Word is often the starting point which leads to a number of questions.
Is there something better out there? How can it benefit me? Is it worth the cost? Whose opinion can I trust?
Two of the most popular upgrades for writers seeking something better are Scrivener and Ywriter. Scrivener is relatively well-known and used by bestselling authors such as Michael Hyatt. But Ywriter is another option well worth considering.
Read on to discover –
- What Ywriter Is
- Ywriter’s Strengths
- Ywriter’s Weaknesses
- How Ywriter and Scrivener Compare
Ywriter 101
Ywriter was created by programmer and writer Simon Haynes of Spacejock software. His experience in those two fields allowed him to program something to meet the exact needs of writers such as himself.
Ywriter provides the standard writing environment that you would expect from any word processor, along with a number of organizational features and options that offer a greater range of benefits than found when using Microsoft Word or Google Docs.
Ywriter allows you to organize your writing into scenes and chapters. It has also built into the software particular sections for characters, locations and items. This allows you to keep track of your scenes and chapters, as well as the people and places that populate them, quickly and easily.
Ywriter’s bread and butter is running on Windows. There are versions available for almost every version of Windows out there, and betas in development.
There are also beta versions of Ywriter available for iOS and Android. These are currently in development so probably aren’t the best choice for your primary writing software if you use these platforms.
Ywriter Strengths
The main strengths of Ywriter are as follows –
- Windows version is totally free
- Cool data such as quickly showing how often a character has appeared
- Dedicated programmer who uses his own software and releases updates
- Shorter learning curve than Scrivener due to less functionality
The main attraction for a lot of people will be the lack of payment needed to get started using Ywriter. If you are on a very tight budget, this is a major attraction. However, there are ways to save money on Scrivener which we will get to shortly.
A lot of writers have reported how much they enjoy the fact that aspects such as characters and locations are hardcoded into Ywriter and are integral to the software. It’s worth exploring this aspect of the software for yourself to see if it benefits your own creative process.
The fact that Ywriter has been created and is regularly updated by someone who both programs and writers is a major draw. It’s good to know that every feature found in Ywriter has been chosen and put together by a real writer who know what it is to be on the frontline of creative pursuits.
Finally, Ywriter is in many ways simpler than Scrivener, and takes less time to learn. Whether you see this as a strength or not depends entirely upon your perspective. If you want something you can jump into without worry, Ywriter might be the way to go.
Ywriter Weaknesses
Some of the downsides to Ywriter include –
- No support for Mac, Ywriter runs on Windows in its main iteration
- Less functionality than Scrivener
- Less customizability than Scrivener
- Worse mobile options
If you use Mac, there is no point in checking out Ywriter. It is intended for Windows. Scrivener is the far better bet for Mac users, and is even promoted directly on the creator of Ywriter’s website.
Ywriter also lacks the customizability of Scrivener. Whereas in Scrivener you can choose whether to make use of locations and characters, these options are hardcoded into Ywriter. While it may be easier and more immediate to make use of the features provided by Ywriter, taking the time to get to grips with the flexibility of Scrivener provides a richer wealth of options.
Also, if you enjoy the mobile features Scrivener offers through its iOS version, Ywriter is unlikely to be a great choice for you. It has beta versions which are mobile friendly but these lack the functionality and stability of Scrivener’s more established apps.
Ywriter VS Scrivener
If you want to skip the detail and just understand how Scrivener and Ywriter match up, consider the following short and sweet comparisons –
- Ywriter is better for Windows users who are happy to use totally free software with less functionality than the paid option, Scrivener
- Scrivener is the only option for Mac users
- Scrivener has better mobile apps than Ywriter
- Ywriter has a shorter learning curve due to its lesser functionality
- Scrivener is more customizable and richly-featured
If you are a Windows user who is leaning towards Ywriter based on price alone, it’s worth at least checking out Scrivener first. You can download a fully functional free trial of Scrivener here. It’s worth using this free trial in conjunction with Ywriter, as you will be able to get a feel for how each compare, side by side, without paying a penny.
If you eventually decide that Scrivener is a better fit for your needs, but you still want to be thrifty, use a Scrivener coupon to make the software as affordable as possible.
Ywriter and Scrivener Final Thoughts
There are a lot of similarities between Ywriter and Scrivener and both are great choices that offer higher levels of functionality than standard writing tools such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs.
Ywriter is a great choice for Windows users on a budget, although it’s still advisable to try out Scrivener for free first, just to make sure it isn’t a better fit.
Ywriter Software
For Mac users, mobile users, and Windows users who are prepared to learn the ins and outs of Scrivener in return for a higher level of functionality and customizability, Scrivener remains the smartest choice.
If you have experience using Ywriter, or have tried both Ywriter and Scrivener, we’d love to hear from you in the comments!
From the Reedsy Blog:
Ywriter Free
Whether you’re writing an email, a blog post, or a full-on novel, you’ll likely find the task impossible without the right tools. Which raises the question: what are the best writing apps to help you with everything from basic composition to firing-on-all-cylinders productivity?
This blog post sets out to answer that question.
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Writing apps for creative writing
While Google Docs and Microsoft Word are more-or-less fine, a dedicated writer like yourself deserves something more substantial. Here are seven writing apps designed specifically for creative writing, with various organizational tools to take your work to the next level.
1. Reedsy Book Editor
Price: Free
Runs on: Web
Best for: Authors seeking a web-based, budget-friendly writing and formatting solution
The Reedsy Book Editor is a first-rate choice for the modern author on a budget, offering a sleek interface and easily navigable formatting options. You can drag and drop chapters, insert images, and even track changes and look at past versions of your work — a function that even many paid creative writing apps don’t possess.
You won’t find story templates here, but we think the formatting options more than make up for it. The RBE enables you to create intricate front and back matter for your book and export it as a clean, professional file that can be uploaded to any ebook retailer immediately. If you’re looking for an all-in-one writing and formatting tool to help you publish your book ASAP, look no further than the Reedsy Book Editor. You can check out the RBE for free right here.
. . . .
3. Ulysses
Price: $4.99/month or $39.99/year subscription
Runs on: Mac and iOS devices
Best for: Writers who want to productivity-hack their formatting
At first glance, Ulysses looks a lot like Scrivener, but closer inspection reveals that they cater to different experience levels and interests. While Scrivener is known for its steep learning curve, Ulysses offers several tutorials alongside its features. This is especially useful because Ulysses uses “Markdown” rather than manual formatting — for instance, in Ulysses, you’d type # to create a header, or > to create a blockquote.
While it may seem inconsequential now, writers who familiarize themselves with Markdown will likely find that it helps them keep their “flow” during a writing session, and it also makes editing much easier. Other than this, Ulysses is a fairly standard writing app; it’s not as outline-friendly as Scrivener, but you’ll have no trouble staying organized with keyword labels, split view capability, progress tracking, and all your projects lined up neatly in the sidebar.
. . . .
5. yWriter
Price: Free
Runs on: Windows
Best for: Authors who like to break their stories into bite-sized pieces
Pivoting to the non-Apple side of things, we have yWriter, an app designed for Windows in a similar vein to Scrivener. yWriter boasts a well-organized interface that divides your story into scenes rather than chapters, which is less stressful for easily intimidated writers. This app is also great for tracking your progress, with features like a storyboard to review your narrative arc, and reports you can generate about your daily word count, the state of your draft, etc.
But perhaps the best thing about yWriter is that it’s a free writing app — astounding in light of all it provides. The only “missing” feature is story templates, which experienced writers can disregard anyway. However, we’d caution users not to disregard yWriter’s intended platform, as the Mac trial is pretty glitchy and unreliable.
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Writing apps for editing
Ywriter5
All writing is rewriting, as they say. If you’re ready to take on the “rewriting” stage of your project — or if you prefer to edit as you write, either because you’re a perfectionist or you just want to save yourself the work later — these five apps will let you revise to your heart’s content.
8. Grammarly
Price: Free
Runs on: Web, including browser extension
Best for: Writers who want to carefully check short pieces, such as articles and emails
Grammarly is the writing world’s go-to spelling and grammar checker outside of standard word processors. Like any good editor, it underlines the errors and weak phrases in your writing — but Grammarly also goes above and beyond by providing a label and detailed reason for each correction, so you’ll actually learn from your mistakes
On top of these notes, Grammarly has a number of nuanced features to ensure your writing accomplishes exactly what you want it to do. You can “set goals” in terms of your audience, formality level, and tone (happy, confident, urgent, etc.) and analyze your text for factors like clarity, engagement, and delivery.
All this makes for a very well-rounded writing experience. However, we will say that Grammarly, with its goal-oriented interface and meticulous suggestions, is better for short-form copywriting than long-form storytelling.
So if you write a ton of emails, Grammarly could be perfect for you! But if you write books, you might benefit more from the tools to follow.
. . . .
12. NaturalReaders
Price: Free
Runs on: Web, Mac, and Windows
Best for: Writers who need fresh eyes — or rather, ears — for editing
Reading one’s work aloud is a great way to catch awkward phrasing and typos. But what if you’re already so accustomed to your own prose that, when reading to yourself, you skim right over these issues?
That’s when you can turn to NaturalReaders, the best text-to-speech reader we’ve found this side of an actual person. To use it, simply copy/paste your writing into the text box, choose a voice and reading speed, and follow along with the magnified text at the bottom. You can pause, rewind, fast-forward, and change the other settings at any time; it’s all incredibly easy and conducive to comprehension. (Just make sure you’re actually listening, not zoning out.)
We’d recommend NaturalReaders for anyone with a short piece to proofread, as it may not be practical to feed your entire book through the app. Then again, if you’ve got the time, have at it!
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Writing apps for focus and organization
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15. Evernote
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Price: Free basic plan, $4.99/month for premium
Runs on: Mac, iOS, Windows, and Android
Best for: Multitalented writers who want a single space to collect all their thoughts
Another one of the best free writing apps out there, Evernote takes written organization to a whole new level. With dozens of templates for everything from classroom note-taking to personal planning to structuring a novel, Evernote makes admin not only easy, but fun!
Besides abundant organizational templates — again, all for free with the basic plan — Evernote also lets you tag everything in specific categories, share your notes with collaborators, and even chat with them in-app. One of its coolest features is the Web Clipper, which you can use to save any excerpt of web content that appeals to you. More than anything, Evernote is a work-saving app designed to be adaptable and accessible for all kinds of writers and their projects.
16. Reedsy Prompts
Price: Free
Runs on: Web
Best for: Writers who just need a spark of an idea to get started
Okay, this one’s not exactly an app, at least not yet. But after comparing Reedsy Prompts to similar writing inspiration apps like Writing Challenge and The Brainstormer, we can honestly say it has much more to offer. For one thing, you’ll get five new prompts every single week — and not just on the Reedsy Prompts page, but sent straight to your email inbox. And if you write a short story based on one of those prompts, you could win $50 in our weekly contest!
That said, if you’re not inspired by the prompts of a particular week, you can explore the infinite possibilities of the 700+ prompts that already live on the Reedsy Prompts page. Though you’ll only be able to enter the competition with one of the five featured prompts for that week, we’re always excited to see what our users create… so if you write a story based on any of the available prompts, make sure to let us know.
At the end of the day, that’s what writing is all about: creating something wonderful and unique to share with others, whether it’s an informative article, a personal essay, or a 300-page book. Whatever your writing project, we hope these apps can be of use to you — and indeed, of service to everyone who gets to enjoy your work.
Link to the rest at the Reedsy Blog
Although PG doesn’t generally use Evernote as a tool in his legal writing, he is a giant Evernote fan and uses it to simply keep track of the zillions of interesting things he encounters that he wants to remember, as in, “What was that macro keyboard app you saw sometime before yesterday that does things that AutoHotkey can’t handle?”
(For those who haven’t the slightest idea what AutoHotkey is, it’s an ancient (started in 2003) open-source scripting language that can do just about anything that takes several keystrokes with many fewer keystrokes.)
As a simple example, at the end of any excerpted item he posts on TPV you will find “Link to the rest at the (wherever.com)”. When PG types ltr and then the Space bar, Autohotkey types “Link to the rest at ” and waits for PG to insert the name and URL of the OP. See here and here for more info. (User Warning: It’s a geek thing, better to be privately appreciated than discussed at parties.)
PG just checked and he has over 200 AutoHotkey macro scripts that he has concocted over the years for the purpose of saving keystrokes during his daily activities. As a result, PG has typed more documents than any person under 100 years old has ever created and his fingers feel like they’re still 23 (except on cold days when they’re 49).
If there were only an AutoHotkey open-source project for his back (which, along with the rest of PG’s body, was riding a motor scooter that collided with a car during his college years) PG’s life would be sublime.