When it comes to writing, every user has very specific needs. Some require music, others absolute silence. Coffee or tea, cigarettes or something sweet, and of course, a suitable word processor. Write! is another example of the new wave of minimalist processors that strip away all secondary interface elements to focus entirely on what matters: the text.
I've spent nearly a decade seated in front of a word processor, whether for work or pleasure. This journey led me beyond Office to discover open-source alternatives like AbiWord and online office suites, finally landing on Google Docs, which I haven't abandoned yet. Can I really abandon it? The answer is “of course not”. If something new appears that offers the same functionality and excels in other aspects, I don't think it would be too traumatic to make the leap. The word processor is a tool, and it must meet our demands. George R. R. Martin admitted to using an old MS-DOS-compatible copy of WordStar 4.0 to write the famous Game of Thrones saga, and his reason was simple: It does what he wants, and nothing more.
A focus on the essentials
Minimalist word processors are hardly new. The built-in Notepad on Windows is used by many for writing, though it carries associated risks, including the possibility of losing your work without frequent backups. One of the newest members of this category is Write!. I imagine the exclamation mark is there to avoid Microsoft's wrath, but the Write! we see on our screens today is completely different. No toolbars, no rulers, no margin tools, and none of the 250 icons that usually assault traditional processors. While you write, Write! does everything possible to step aside and let you enjoy your text. To see available options, simply click the upper-left corner of the window, or click at the bottom, where you'll find document statistics, including a word-count limiter that I've come to appreciate.
Of course, Write! isn't perfect (as a reference, the dictionary has several sharp edges) because it's still in development. The free version includes the most important features, such as tabbed document management. But if you decide to subscribe, you'll gain access to more advanced resources, including online synchronization and the dark interface that looks quite good. Format support is extensive, and it has an integrated module to check for updates. Try it and tell us how it went.
