iA Writer - Write with Focus

I just recently got back into blogging. Before, I would lean on the WYSIWYG’s or TinyMCE’s that blogging platforms like Wordpress and Tumblr provide. Occasionally, if I wanted to be overwhelmed, I would write in Microsoft Word for its editing features.

Then I had an epiphany. Writing is distracting. As you write, you are thinking; as you are thinking, you have things happening around you that can ultimately make you lose your train of focus.

This is where iA Writer comes in. Created/developed by the guys over at Information Architects, iA Writer’s premise is simple: bolster distraction free writing by removing the fluff of conventional writing tools. iA Writer out of the box is a plain text editor with very few visual bells and whistles. It helps you to focus on your one priority: writing. 

iA Writer does this exceptionally well. It’s touted feature is Focus Mode, which fades out all lines of the body besides the line you are currently writing. It also features the quick and easy Markdown, a plain text formatting syntax, which makes for quick inline editing that is exportable to HTML.

They are set to release an iOS version of the app - I could see this being very beneficial if they build in Dropbox support (it already supports iCloud, so that could be used as well on iOS5 devices).

For writers looking for a tool that will help boost their productivity, iA Writer provides an exceptional alternative option to everyday word programs.