Each time I commit to sharing my writing process, I jinx myself to undergo a radical change within a month. Yet, my hubris tells me that this update is different.
The Text Editor
The most notable change: I’ve returned to Ulysses.
Despite my initial hope that Dropbox sync had been resolved in iA Writer on iPad, the new API they’re forced to use is frustratingly inadequate. I could either keep trudging along with different tools on every device, none of which made me entirely happy, or give Ulysses another honest try and see how I enjoy it.
I forgot what I’d been missing.
Ulysses handles Dropbox files better than I recall across all devices. Dropbox is not its preferred storage and organization option, so I’ve switched to writing and publishing all my drafts in the native Ulysses library that relies on iCloud. I then export each final draft to Dropbox. My previous uneasiness about file syncing reliability across devices is unfounded so far. Ulysses has been solid, and committing to its approach lets me benefit from its additions to Markdown: comments, annotations, notes, simple image insertion, and native publishing to WordPress.1Because I use a few weird WordPress add-ons I still use the editor on my blog to dot some i’s and cross some t’s, but it’s slick to initiate publishing from Ulysses.
It’s been a treat to use. I’ve found new editor themes, including one that matches iA Writer’s simplicity. There’s no futzing around when I switch between my laptop, iPad, and phone. It feels the same on each platform, with small changes that increase its usability for each format.
Ulysses has an intangible quality that makes me want to write. I’ve used it for all my personal writing during the past few months and the desire to write in the app each day hasn’t dissipated.
Editing and Refining
My approach to rewriting and editing fluctuates, but a few tools have been consistent companions in the process this year.
Terminology is a word reference app, or, as its developers say, a browser for the English language. A dictionary at its core, the word-level page has a customizable set of shortcuts to explore further. I have my shortcuts set to:
- Wikipedia
- Oxford English Dictionary
- Etymonline
- Green’s Dictionary of Slang
- Thesaurus.com
- New prompt in Claude using the form “Define: word“
Selecting a shortcut opens the word in the relevant reference. Its ability to facilitate exploring all facets of a word so I can iterate on my diction makes it invaluable to my writing process. I’ve installed it on all my devices.
As implied above, I use Claude for additional word definitions. It’s also an excellent tip-of-my-tongue reverse thesaurus: I verbosely describe the word or short phrase that is escaping me, and Claude almost always uncovers precisely what I want. I’ve occasionally fed it entire posts to solicit feedback, but those results are spotty. So, LLMs remain a writing tool I steadfastly use only to support my style and diction.
I also use Grammarly for final proof-reading assistance. I focus almost exclusively on what it spots as errors: misspelled words, verb-tense disagreement, awful comma usage. Its style, even with the provided options to adjust tone, audience, and purpose, is overly prescriptive so I’m more suspicious of any color that isn’t red in its review. I dislike its aggressive browser plug-in and desktop app that insists on highlighting my writing in the moment. So, I only use the Grammarly browser application where I paste in my writing, edit according to its suggestions, and paste back to my original document.
A New Approach
Many short-form nonfiction writers suggest reading one’s work aloud to capture flow and more easily spot errors. It’s a good idea.
I don’t read my work aloud.
I could get over myself, but instead I’m using technology to help. I built a shortcut that runs Apple’s native text-to-speech engine on any exported text. Then, I can listen to a computer-generated voice speak my post—including full URLs—while I read along. It’s not perfect, but I recently learned you can install higher-quality voice models that vastly improve upon the default options. For long or complicated posts, it’s been a useful tool to catch both silly mistakes and identify my writing’s flow.
Hubris
I haven’t distracted myself from writing by accumulating these apps or refining my process. Instead, each new tool has been additive. I’ve lately focused on the style, mechanics, and concision of my writing (when appropriate). I’ve developed a rough flow that gets out of my way when I need to get words on a page, but supports me when it’s time to tear those words apart. I’ve no doubt more tweaks will crest the horizon, but I see no gaps, no points of discomfort. It’s all humming along and the blame for an uninteresting bit of writing lays solely at my feet.
- 1Because I use a few weird WordPress add-ons I still use the editor on my blog to dot some i’s and cross some t’s, but it’s slick to initiate publishing from Ulysses.