iOS devices have completely changed the way we write. Not only has iOS given us the flexibility to quickly jot down our thoughts wherever and whenever they strike, it's fundamentally flipped our expectations of the humble text editor. In an effort to maximize every pixel of screen real estate, developers rethought what was necessary for productivity and efficiency on our mobile devices, from the size of the canvas to the way we interact with buttons, bars and ribbons.

The result left us with minimal, distraction-free environments where the only things that matter are our words. And as formatting bars and font menus became obsolete on our iPhones and iPads, a funny thing happened: They became less important on our Macs, too. From iAWriter to Pages and even Microsoft Word, the streamlining of the word processor has created a world of smart, lightweight interfaces built to adapt to whatever device we happen to be using.

As someone constantly switching between my Mac, iPad, and iPhone, the seamless experience has become an indispensable part of my workflow. My writing sessions are no longer tethered to a desk, but it's not just the freedom I enjoy—the cross-platform congruity has become just as important to my productivity, letting me literally pick up where I left off without losing any momentum my train of thought may have.

Writers are involved in creative writing like script writing, book writing, writing for kids and also academics. In the current scenario, writers have started using computers to write. Some may use pen and paper and then transcribe into a software on the computer. There are writing software available which understands what structure is required and the tools needed by the writers. We’ve also reviewed most of the Mac writing software out there. In this video, I give you a quick tour of the tools that I’ve used during NaNoWriMo, as well as a few other novel-writing tools.

But even more than that, the tailored interfaces help maintain my focus no matter the size of the screen I'm working on. Having a digital notepad within constant arm’s reach is one thing, but staying in a writing groove is quite another—the feature and font familiarity across my Mac and iOS devices keeps my eyes and concentration from wandering. When I come across a new writing app in either the iOS or Mac App Store, the first thing I do is check the other to see if a companion is available.

It’s hard to say definitively what makes a good cross-platform writing app, but I instantly know when I’ve found one. A good use of fonts is important, but a wide selection isn't necessary—for example, Vesper doesn't let you stray very far from Ideal Sans, but it absolutely would be on this list if a Mac component were available. Also, a pure writing space is nice, but menus and sidebars aren't an immediate turnoff. Simply put, the essence of a great text editor is more than the sum of its fonts or keyboard bars.

The bottom line is focus. The best cross-platform apps know what to leave behind when switching from a 21-inch-screen to a 9.7-inch one, and they do it without trampling over any of our individual writing styles and preferences. And while mine may certainly differ from yours, here are my picks for the best ones:

Best: Ulysses III

Long before the minimalist trend, Ulysses put a heavy focus on writing rather than formatting, giving authors the tools they needed to brainstorm, organize, and create their projects with ease. Today, Ulysses III (Mac, $45; iPad, $20; iPhone, $1) has evolved and matured into the premier writing experience on the Mac. The recent release of a major version 2.0 upgrade has raised the bar so high it’s hard to imagine a better experience on any platform. With full support for Yosemite and an overall refining of the paneled interface, its eloquence is only trumped by its flexibility.

Ulysses may be a simple Markdown text editor at heart, but an array of carefully crafted features makes it a true multipurpose utility for writers. All of your documents are stored right within the app's attractive sidebar, allowing you to search and organize your projects with ease. A slide-out panel stores notes and images related to the document you're working on, while typewriter scrolling keeps your eyes from losing their focus.

And unlike many of the other text editors I’ve used, The Soulmen didn’t water down its vision for iOS. On the iPad, you’ll find a full version of Ulysses formatted to fit the smaller screen and reimagined for multitouch. Everything from its minimal interface to its professional features has been brought to the iPad, but nothing about it feels cramped or crowded.

As you switch between Ulysses for Mac and Ulysses for iPad, iCloud keeps your documents safe and synced, but it's the uniform experience that will keep your words flowing. Fonts and themes match across both devices, and many of the things that make Ulysses great in OS X, such as attachments, exporting, and picture-perfect previews, all make an appearance.

And of course there are some features that only make sense on the iPad. Slide your finger over the keyboard to control the cursor. Tap the extra row above the keyboard to bring up things like word and character count (including within selections), Markup styles (and an excellent set of punctuation shortcuts if Markdown isn’t your thing). Swipe a document name to move, copy, or export. It's all extremely simple and intuitive, and The Soulmen has gone to considerable lengths to create a smooth transition between the two apps.

On the iPhone, there's Daedalus Touch, a unique, extraordinary text editor in its own right, but it doesn’t follow the Ulysses aesthetic, at least not yet. Instead of panels there’s a system of stacks and sheets that mirror the ones in your OS X sidebar. However, since it syncs only with the Mac and not the iPad, working across all three devices isn’t exactly seamless. Thankfully, an iPhone version of Ulysses is already in the works, so these continuity issues shouldn't last too long. Besides, the Mac-iPad Ulysses tandem is so tight, it's not a deal-breaker in the slightest.

Runner-up: Byword

A canvas free of icons, menus, and other distractions has become a staple of the modern text editor, but Byword (Mac, $12; iOS, $6) takes it to a whole new level. Starting a new document is a lot like opening Apple’s classic TextEdit app: The only identifying marking you’ll find is a word counter at the bottom of the window. (And even that can be turned off.) Whether all that extra space makes you a better writer is debatable, but Byword’s mission is to keep you focused, and in that it succeeds admirably.

Just because there aren't any font menus or icons in your line of sight doesn't mean there aren't any options. Whether you’re using the full-screen mode or a floating window, an excellent implementation of customizable text widths (which can be set to narrow, medium, or wide) will help you set up your perfect workspace. Byword also includes several typing modes designed to help you write and edit with ease; a pair of “focus” modes dim any excess words around the paragraph or line you’re working on, and small touches like paragraph indents and insert-able lists make outlines and quick notes simple and elegant.

Byword excels as a Markdown editor, but if you're not proficient in the language, you can also write using rich text, just like you would in Microsoft Word. Having another option is a nice touch; unfortunately it's not one that extends beyond the Mac. Only plain text documents will sync with iOS, so if you want to use bolding and italicizing across your devices, you'll need to get comfortable with asterisks and underscores.

But it'll be worth it. Byword's iOS offerings are gorgeous exercises in style and restraint, delivering an experience that isn’t just minimal for minimal’s sake. While the iPhone and iPad versions offer identical interfaces and features, each of the two apps take advantage of the screen they’re presented with; for example, the iPad app presents your documents in a sidebar that isn’t feasible on the iPhone, but both utilize the same simple gestures to navigate between files. And you're not stuck with iCloud—Byword also lets you store files in your Dropbox folder for easier sharing between other apps.

Byword on iOS includes many of the same excellent exporting options that the Mac version does, including PDF, HTML, and rich-text email. Also like the desktop version, a separate $5 in-app purchase lets you publish to WordPress, Tumblr, and Blogger, or upload to Scriptogr.am and Evern

Writing Program Free For Mac