I don’t jump on the bandwagon of the latest and greatest text editor. I used Notational Velocity for the longest time, until I finally1 switched to the excellent nvALT for its Markdown support. Different applications such as iA Writer and Byword have been getting press for years, and I let them pass me by.
My Problem
My problem with writing is that I don’t write enough. I let myself get distracted by all sorts of nonsense. These problems are mine, and they can’t be fixed with a shiny new app, no matter how magical or distraction-free it is.
I’ve written before about my most productive writing setup. It is one where I turn off the Mac, and grab my iPad and bluetooth keyboard. I set it up on a desk with nothing else – no Mac. No iPhone. Just my fingers and the words they make appear on the screen. This hasn’t changed, and I don’t expect it to.
By its very nature, the iPad is designed for writing. You may not think so at first, but you have to get creative. One app at a time2 forces you to focus. It forces you to make words appear on the screen. Otherwise you’re just an idiot staring at a blank screen. No one wants to be that guy. I know I don’t.