iA Writer

Beautiful clean app for when you need to focus on writing only

I was sold by the slick marketing and videos only to find the same clunky "sidebar" based interface generic to all ios apps and equally awkward "pulldown" menu. Once a file is opened there seems to be no way to actually get rid of its Editor window. That window will always be available/open unless you physically delete the file. I opened a file the first day I've downloaded the app and its Editor window is still open and no way to close it. The pulldown "delete" option does nothing. I've tried numerous ways to get it to do something but the only thing it will "delete" is a newly created and unnamed/unsaved buffer. The "swipe left to preview/swipe right for library" was also a nice selling point but the reality I'm finding is once you swipe to preview and swipe back to continue editing, the library bar on the side and the top menu both appear and you have to swipe the sidebar closed and tap the screen again to make the top bar disappear. This happens in both Focus and non-Focus modes. It's too much of a distraction, both visually and functionally, to be useful in the way it's been portrayed in the marketing (which is a smooth "edit/swipe/preview/swipe/continue editing"). All that said, I admit there's a strong case for user error on my part... When you go to the support/manual page for "Editor" it says "Coming soon...". So I can't, learn how it's supposed to work (on iPad). Really? This program has been around for years and I'm to believe there's no manual on how to use the main selling point feature (the Editor)? Am I missing something?

I’ve used iA Writer from the start and I’ve loved it the whole time. Attention to detail, and constant, well thought improvements.

Did use it regularly once upon a time... got too intricate... I use it now and again as have material on it.... I see you have put lots of new bits and pieces... be interesting see how we go. Will rate you again once have used it for a while.

iA writer has grown into a lovely writing app, which I much much prefer to Ulysses (or any other iOS writing app): files have real names; backup is to iCloud Drive where I can see my documents and can back them up to my PC; does markdown tables; can have html in the markdown; custom templates (style sheets) are standard CSS; is easy to embed (and change) pictures, csv files & code files; useful extra keys; preview is instant (swipe) and the editor and preview stay in sync both ways, a nice touch.

Great app! Very helpful for my lifestyle.

You are much better off with the basic version of IA Writer. The three different "writing modes" are literally just three different folders (which you could create in virtually any other writer application) - the only difference between them is they use different fonts or have editing rights turned-off. Pitching this product as some sort of writing revolution is just playing an expensive joke on writers. I regret this purchase.

I'm a dedicated iA Writer user, particularly drawn to its excellent cross-platform support for the fountain template. This seamless experience has significantly improved my screenwriting workflow. To further enhance iA Writer's appeal to a wider audience, I believe an "index card view" would be a valuable addition. Imagine a visual representation of your project, where chapters, scenes, or even individual comedy bits are displayed as individual cards. This feature would offer several advantages: * Streamlined Reorganization: Easily rearrange chapters, scenes, or comedy bits with simple drag-and-drop actions. * Enhanced Creative Flow: Gain a new perspective on the overall structure and flow of your work. This intuitive approach would not only improve workflow efficiency for screenwriters and novelists but also significantly benefit comedians seeking to refine the order and pacing of their acts. I'm confident that an index card view would attract a wider audience to iA Writer, solidifying its position as a leading writing application for creatives across various disciplines. I hope iA Writer considers this suggestion as a potential avenue for further enhancing this already exceptional tool.

Since the most recent update I can’t get it iA Writer to read from or write to iCloud. It just continuously says “Updating.” I made sure all settings and permissions were set properly, restarted the app and my iPad, and removed and reinstalled the app. Still nothing. When I try to write and save a new file, I get an error message saying the file doesn’t exist. Oh, well.

Hands down the very best writing app, thank you so much!