Apple Notes is my primary writing application. I write more words in Notes than in any other app. I appreciate unadorned, straightforward writing experiences. If WordPerfect still existed on the MacOS platform, I’d be a full-screen WordPerfect user. I want to write, not fuss with formatting. (Yes, I know I can use WordPerfect for DOS via any of several emulators. I’d prefer a native MacOS application.)
I use Notes on my MacBook Pro, my iPhone, and my iPad. Individual notes synchronize, so whatever I’m working on in my “Writing” folder appears on every device we own. Even when I am offline, I can update a note.
Solutions like Google Docs and Microsoft Word don’t offer the same ease of use. They certainly don’t offer the same smooth synchronization.
My ideal process, whenever possible:
- Write on paper, especially legal pads, whenever possible.
- Compose chunks of documents in Notes.
- Copy short text from Notes into their destination, such as MarsEdit.
- Copy chunks of longer works into Scrivener.
- Organize the text chunks within folders in Scrivener.
- Export from Scrivener into the desired “final” format.
- Edit and format in the word processor best for the type of document: Word, Final Draft, Screenwriter, Mellel, etc.
Distraction-free writing works better for me. That’s why I use legal pads and pencils for much of my creative writing.
Some full-featured word processors offer a draft mode or full-screen mode, but they carry all the baggage of massive software. I don’t want complicated toolbars (or ribbons) and menus 28 items deep with three-levels of submenus. When you have to use the Help menu just to locate basic commands, the application design is a failure. Simplicity is a feature, one too often overlooked by software developers.
Notes on the iPhone and iPad offers a good experience. Word on an iPhone lacks the same ease of use.
I am disappointed that Apple keeps adding more and more to Notes. I must be one of the few people who would like Notes to remain simple. At least it remains relatively fast and responsive, especially compared to other apps.
I’m hoping that Apple doesn’t ruin Notes in future releases, or I’ll end up carrying legal pads everywhere I go. That’s what I used to do anyway.