Writing a novel-length project is incredibly challenging. How do you keep track of plot points and character arcs, revise and rearrange scenes, organize notes and research? In the past I’ve attempted to do these things with the use of 3-subject notebooks, post-its, highlighters, and lots and lots of Word documents.

To be honest, Google Docs is my favourite distraction free writing software.

You can use page breaks and the summary and outline sidebar to view your entire work in a single document. It’s free of cost, connected to my drive, and it’s clutter free. What more could I need?

If you find Google Docs too plain and want to look at other great options, here’s a list of 10 most popular distraction free writing software preferred by creative writers.

These writing software offer a full-screen, clutter-free writing environment that blocks out everything else on your screen and lets you focus on writing.

They also support features like markdown, typewriter mode, word count, goals, and more to boost your experience and output.

How to Choose the Right Writing Software For You

It’s actually quite simple.

Check out the pricing and features section for each of the writing software I’ve listed below.

Since these are all highly rated apps, I’d suggest you to focus on their look, feel and compatibility with your personal preferences instead.

I’ve provided a comparison matrix for you to look at first. It summarizes the main differences between the distraction free writing software in my list.

1 – Make sure the app is compatible with all the devices and operating systems you plan to write on

Some of the distraction free writing software listed below are only available for Mac or Windows, while others work on both.

Some apps also have mobile versions that sync with your desktop app, which can be handy if you want to write on the go.

2 – Also think about customization

Do you prefer a minimalist interface with no bells and whistles, or do you like to tweak the appearance and functionality of your writing environment?

Some apps let you customize the font, color, background, and layout of your writing screen, while others offer a fixed or limited set of options.

Some apps also have features like dark mode, focus mode, typewriter sounds, and more to get you in the right mood.

3 – Markdown is a simple way to format your text using plain symbols like asterisks and hashtags

It can make your writing look more organized and professional, and it can also help you export your work to different formats like HTML, PDF, or Word.

If you want to use Markdown in your writing, look for an app that supports it natively or has a plugin for it.

4 – Cloud sync and backup

You don’t want to overlook this one.

Make sure the app you pick automatically saves and backs up your work to your cloud and lets you easily restore it if anything goes wrong.

You should also be able to access your work from any device, if you prefer to work with several devices.

Some of these writing software also let you sync your work with other services like Dropbox, Google Drive, or Evernote for extra security.

5 – Once you finish your writing, you may want to export it to a different format, print it, or share it with others

Look for an app that offers a variety of export and sharing options, such as PDF, Word, HTML, email, or social media.

Some apps also let you publish your work directly to platforms like Medium, WordPress, or Blogger without leaving the app.

6 – Finally, consider how much you are willing to pay for a distraction free writing software

Some apps are free, some are paid, and some have a freemium model where you can use the basic features for free and upgrade for more advanced features.

Compare the features and benefits of different apps and see which one offers the best value for your money.

Overview: 10 Best Distraction Free Writing Software in 2024

Here’s a comparison matrix of all the apps in my list:

Writing Software	Distraction Free Mode Available	Typewriter Mode Available	Markdown Support	Export Formats Supported	Goal Feature	Pricing
Ulysses	✔️	✔️	✔️	PDF, HTML, DOCX, ePub	✔️	$5.99/month or $49.99/year
Scrivener	✔️	✔️	✔️	PDF, DOCX, ePub, Kindle	✔️	$49 for Windows and Mac, $19.99 for iOS
IA Writer	✔️	✔️	✔️	PDF, HTML, DOCX, ePub	✔️	$29.99 for Windows and Mac, $8.99 for Android and iOS
Focus Writer	✔️	✔️	No	PDF, HTML, DOCX, ODT	✔️	Free
Byword	✔️	✔️	✔️	PDF, HTML, DOCX, ePub	No	$10.99 for Mac, $5.99 for iOS
Typora	✔️	✔️	✔️	PDF, HTML, DOCX, ePub	✔️	Free
Calmly Writer	✔️	✔️	✔️	PDF, HTML, DOCX, ODT	✔️	Free online, $4.99 for Windows, Mac, and Android, $2.99 for Chrome
ZenWriter	✔️	✔️	No	PDF, HTML, DOCX, TXT	✔️	$17.50 for Windows
WriteMonkey	✔️	✔️	✔️	PDF, HTML, DOCX, TXT	✔️	Free
Atticus	✔️	No	✔️	EPUB, PDF DOCX	✔️	Lifetime Price of $147

Now let’s get into the list.

10 Best Distraction Free Writing Software in 2024

1 – Ulysses

Pricing: $39.99 yearly or $5.99 monthly

Ulysses offers a 14-day trial period. Subscribe to a monthly, yearly or get the lifetime plan.

Ulysses is a sleek novel writing software for Mac and iOS devices. You can use Markdown to format your text. You can also full screen with its distraction free mode.

Features:

• Lets you organize on Mac and iOS devices
• Sync your work across iCloud
• Organize projects into folders & subfolders
• Export your work to PDF, HTML, DOCX, ePub, as well as Word
• Set goals (word count or session time) and track progress
• Version history feature to access and restore previous versions of your work
• Integrate with WordPress, Medium, Dropbox and TextExpander

2 – Scrivener

Pricing: $49

Scrivener offers a 30-day trial period. Buy a license for Windows or Mac.

Scrivener is a really popular novel writing software for big projects, like books, movie scripts, plays, essays, and dissertations.

Scrivener lets you write without distractions by going full-screen or typewriter mode. It also lets you customize your background, font and text color.

You can split your work into chapters, scenes and sub-scenes and move them around as you like. You can also view your outline and notes in a board as index cards.

Features:

• Templates for different types of writing projects
• Scrivenings mode to work on individual pieces of your work
• Switch between different parts of your manuscript, notes and references
• Import & export as Word, PDF ePub and HTML formats
• Easily rearrange chapters or scenes
• Use formatting presets for consistent style
• A corkboard to visualize your project using virtual index cards
• Composition mode for distraction free writing
• Constant autosave
• Integrate with Dropbox, Evernote and Grammarly
• Set targets and track your progress

3 – iA Writer

Pricing: $49.99

iA Writer offers a 14-day trial period for Windows, Mac, Apple and Android devices.

iA Writer provides a simple and elegant way to create beautiful documents using Markdown, a format that lets you style your text with symbols like * and #.

You can use iA Writer on any device, whether it’s a Windows PC, a Mac, an iPhone, or an Android phone.

Features:

• Templates for blog posts, essays, letters and resumes
• Focus mode to highlight the sentence or paragraph you’re working on while dimming the rest of the text
• Syntax highlight to spot weak verbs, repetitive words, clutter, fillers, clichés, and redundancies
• Syntax control panel where you can see your document structure
• Style check feature
• Dynamic outline feature where the active library element is turned into an outline
• Track your own and AI generated text with authorship
• Link your notes and ideas with Wikilinks
• Language support for writing in multiple languages
• Import local images
• Set writing goals
• Integrate with WordPress, Medium, Dropbox and Google Drive

4 – FocusWriter

Pricing: Free

FocusWriter is a free, open source software.

FocusWriter is another simple and lightweight novel writing software that works on Windows and Linux.

It has a distraction free mode, where you can go full screen and hide all the menus and toolbars.

You can customize your writing environment with a custom background, font, color, and theme. You can also set timers, goals and see statistics to improve your writing.

Features:

• Minimalist interface
• Customizable themes and background
• Timers and targets for focused writing
• Daily writing goal setting
• Typewriter sound effects
• Support file formats like TXT, basic RTF and basic ODT files
• Portable version available to run from a USB drive
• Lanaguage support for over 20 languages

5 – Byword

Pricing: $10.99

One-time purchase for each or a bundle for both Mac and iOS.

Byword is another great distraction free writing software. It syncs your documents across all devices.

Byword also supports exporting and publishing your documents to various formats and platforms.

You can export your work to HTML, PDF or rich text or publish them directly to Medium, WordPress, Blogger, Tumblr and Evernote.

Features:

• Designed for iOS 13
• Dark mode and Preview mode
• MultiMarkdown for cross-references and footnotes
• Sync your work across all devices via iCloud or Dropbox
• Export to PDF, HTML, ePub, and Word
• Publish to Medium, WordPress, Blogger, Tumblr and Evernote
• Integrate with Evernote, TextExpander and Grammarly

6 – Typora

Pricing: $14.99

Typora offers a 15 day free trial which you can upgrade to a lifetime plan.

Typora is a minimalist, distraction free writing software that works on Windows, Mac, and Linux.

It supports Markdown syntax, but it also has a unique feature: it renders your Markdown text as you type, so you can see the final result without switching modes.

Typora removes the need for a preview window or mode switcher, and shows you how your document looks like in real time.

You can write anything from plain text to complex diagrams, tables, code blocks, and math formulas with Typora. 

Features:

• Compatible with Mac, Windows, and Linux
• Customize with different themes or create your own with CSS
• Plugins like diagrams, tables, code block, math formulas, charts, etc
• Auto pair function
• Outline panel, word count and focus mode
• Easy management with a file tree panel
• Export to PDF, HTML, ePub, and Word

7 – Calmly Writer

Pricing: $11.45

Calmly Writer is a free app, with no hidden costs or subscriptions. You can buy a one-time license to download the desktop version for Windows, Mac, or Linux.

Calmly Writer is a simple and minimalist writing app that works on web browsers and Chromebooks. It supports Markdown syntax, which allows you to format your text with plain symbols like asterisks and hashtags. It also has a focus mode, where you can highlight only the paragraph you are editing at the time.

Calmly Writer has many features that make it a distraction-free writing app, such as:

Saving and backing up your work automatically to the cloud Choosing between different color themes, such as light, dark, dark blue, dune, and old school Exporting your documents to various formats, such as PDF, Word, HTML, and email Setting a word count target and tracking your progress Publishing your work directly to platforms like Medium, WordPress, or Blogger

8 – ZenWriter

Pricing:

ZenWriter is a writing app that offers a free 15-day trial period. After the trial period, the app costs $2.95 per month.

ZenWriter is a simple and relaxing writing software that works on Windows. It has a distraction free mode, where you can enter a full-screen mode and hide all the menus and toolbars. You can also customize the background, font, and color of your writing, and choose from various ambient sounds and music to create a soothing atmosphere.

ZenWriter has some features that make it a relaxing writing software, such as:

• Saving your work automatically and restoring it when you reopen the software
• Setting goals and tracking your progress
• Exporting your documents to various formats, such as PDF, HTML, and Word
• Supporting multiple languages and spell-checking
• Offering a portable version that you can run from a USB drive

9 – WriteMonkey

Pricing: Free

WriteMonkey is a free and donationware software, and you can download it from its official website.

WriteMonkey is a minimalist and zen-like writing software that works on Windows. It has a distraction free mode, where you can enter a full-screen mode and hide all the menus and toolbars. You can also customize the background, font, and color of your writing, and choose from various typewriter sounds and effects.

WriteMonkey has some features that make it a flexible writing software, such as:

• Supporting Markdown syntax and various extensions and plugins, such as tables, footnotes, and code blocks
• Providing a document statistics and readability panel, where you can see the word count, reading time, and readability score of your document
• Offering a pomodoro timer and a progress bar, where you can set and track your writing goals
• Integrating with external apps and services, such as Dropbox, Evernote, and WordPress
• Offering a portable version that you can run from a USB drive

10 – Atticus

Pricing: $147

Atticus is not a free app, but it offers a 14-day trial period. After that, you can subscribe to a monthly or yearly plan, or buy a lifetime license.

Atticus is a new and innovative writing app that works online and on Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android devices. It allows you to write in a simple and clean interface, where you can format your text with Markdown syntax or a pop-up menu. It also has a distraction free mode, where you can fill the screen with the text window and hide the chapter bar and the toolbar.

Atticus has some features that make it a unique writing app, such as:

• Collaborating with other writers in real-time and leaving comments and feedback
• Creating and managing multiple projects and genres
• Generating and editing book covers and metadata
• Publishing your work directly to Amazon Kindle and other platforms
• Integrating with external apps and services, such as Dropbox, Google Drive, and Grammarly

Finding the right writing software may be just what you need to deal with that persistent writer’s block. The tools listed above cater to various writing styles and preferences. Whether you prefer minimalist interfaces or advanced features, there’s a perfect fit for you.

Experiment with some of the best distraction free writing software to discover which software best supports your writing journey. Embrace the distraction-free experience and watch your ideas flow effortlessly onto the page!