Five ways iA Writer surpasses macOS’ TextEdit
iA Writer simplifies authoring, copywriting and text composition for creatives, digital content creators, writers and other Mac business professionals. Here’s 5 ways the app proves a better solution than macOS’ own TextEdit. Image: iA Writer Mac users authoring text snippets, composing content, writing copy and otherwise drafting notes and ideas commonly turn to macOS’ own TextEdit. While it’s a competent text app, there’s no natural equivalent for Apple’s iOS users, who also commonly use Macs. Information Architects’ iA Writer is a deceptively simple Markdown language text editing app that permits accessing and editing files across all Apple devices (Macs, iPads and iPhones ), should a user desire and purchase both the macOS and the iOS corresponding licenses. In addition to the program’s ease of use and minimal user interface, iA Writer is a powerful writing program that exceeds TextEdit in many other ways. Here are 5 ways iA Writer provides important functionality TextEdit lacks. 1. Complete Markdown support
iA Writer provides complete Markdown language support, making it easy for authors to stay within the writing flow when composing web copy, informational articles, blog entries, social media posts and similar content that often includes hypertext (HTML) language. There’s no need to lift hands from the keyboard, break rhythm, reach for a mouse and begin right-clicking, copying and inserting hyperlinks, as is sometimes necessary using TextEdit.
Instead, with full Markdown support, links can be embedded within the natural flow of writing, as can be seen in Figure A . This year alone I’ve written tens of thousands of words for corporate webpages, marketing materials, newsletters, informational websites, blog posts and similar outlets and I’ve found such convenience transforming. With today’s distractions and our own short attention spans, don’t underestimate the importance of remaining within a single headspace while writing.
Figure A iA Writer provides full Markdown formatting features, as well as multiple focus and export capabilities. If you’re unfamiliar with Markdown formatting, and if you perform any kind of writing either for work or to better organize your thoughts and plans, you should take a look at iA’s Markdown Guide . Using simple punctuation, such as a single hashmark to format a word or phrase as a headline, you can style the text as you write.
With Markdown, you can stay in the writing flow and never need to reach for the mouse to seek a style selection somewhere within an ever-changing menu. The same is true for specifying italic (single asterisks around a word or phrase) and bold (double asterisks) styles. With the addition of a couple of keystrokes, you can remain within the zone while also smoothly embedding hyperlinks, emphases, lists, bullets and highlights. The convenience is a game changer. 2. Multiple export options
While I sometimes write content within iA Writer that I never intend for publication elsewhere, I typically write for a newsletter, website, publication or other outlet. While some outlets work directly with a Markdown-formatted file, often the endpoint is WordPress , an HTML newsletter, a Website or […]
