#writing software

Many people create lists of synonyms for the word 'said,' but what about the word 'look'? Here are some synonyms that I enjoy using in my writing, along with their meanings for your reference. While all these words relate to 'look,' they each carry distinct meanings and nuances, so I thought it would be helpful to provide meanings for each one.

Gaze - To look steadily and intently, especially in admiration or thought.

Glance - A brief or hurried look.

Peek - A quick and typically secretive look.

Peer - To look with difficulty or concentration.

Scan - To look over quickly but thoroughly.

Observe - To watch carefully and attentively.

Inspect - To look at closely in order to assess condition or quality.

Stare - To look fixedly or vacantly at someone or something.

Glimpse - To see or perceive briefly or partially.

Eye - To look or stare at intently.

Peruse - To read or examine something with great care.

Scrutinize - To examine or inspect closely and thoroughly.

Behold - To see or observe a thing or person, especially a remarkable one.

Witness - To see something happen, typically a significant event.

Spot - To see, notice, or recognize someone or something.

Contemplate - To look thoughtfully for a long time at.

Sight - To suddenly or unexpectedly see something or someone.

Ogle - To stare at in a lecherous manner.

Leer - To look or gaze in an unpleasant, malicious way.

Gawk - To stare openly and stupidly.

Gape - To stare with one's mouth open wide, in amazement.

Squint - To look with eyes partially closed.

Regard - To consider or think of in a specified way.

Admire - To regard with pleasure, wonder, and approval.

Skim - To look through quickly to gain superficial knowledge.

Reconnoiter - To make a military observation of a region.

Flick - To look or move the eyes quickly.

Rake - To look through something rapidly and unsystematically.

Glare - To look angrily or fiercely.

Peep - To look quickly and secretly through an opening.

Focus - To concentrate one's visual effort on.

Discover - To find or realize something not clear before.

Spot-check - To examine something briefly or at random.

Devour - To look over with eager enthusiasm.

Examine - To inspect in detail to determine condition.

Feast one's eyes - To look at something with great enjoyment.

Catch sight of - To suddenly or unexpectedly see.

Clap eyes on - To suddenly see someone or something.

Set eyes on - To look at, especially for the first time.

Take a dekko - Colloquial for taking a look.

Leer at - To look or gaze in a suggestive manner.

Rubberneck - To stare at something in a foolish way.

Make out - To manage to see or read with difficulty.

Lay eyes on - To see or look at.

Pore over - To look at or read something intently.

Ogle at - To look at in a lecherous or predatory way.

Pry - To look or inquire into something in a determined manner.

Dart - To look quickly or furtively.

Drink in - To look at with great enjoyment or fascination.

Bask in - To look at or enjoy something for a period of time.

This is such a good question. Thank you.

So, a little backstory. Ever since Google removed their motto "do no evil" they have gone down the rather predictable path of all big players of the rot economy: putting profits over user experience.

A little while back, there was rumor that Google trains AI with the content of google docs, then they said they don't really, they only scan the content and do nothing with it, and then they started blocking access to documents with sexy images. Do we believe that Google has our own best interest at heart? That's something everyone has to decide for themselves.

Back then, I made a post with alternatives for Google Docs, you can find it here, also check the reblogs for more options:

Now, is it a good idea to switch from google docs? I think it is, but I'm also not consistent with it. As you mentioned, it seems to be the easiest to share writing with beta readers, and I also still often use it for fanfiction.

But there are alternatives, and they require very little adjustment in the process. Let me give you two free options.

Ellipsus is webbased, meaning you can write in it in the browser on any device. They have sharing, specifically for beta reading, and an export function for AO3.

Reedsy (marketplace around everything self-publishing) has an editor. It is webbased, and they also have an option for sharing with beta readers. This software is aimed at book type-setting and exporting but it works just fine for copying to web.

Personally, I'm currently switching everything to LibreOffice (also free!) files in some cloud connected folder. I used to do a lot of mobile writing on my phone with a bluetooth keyboard but currently, I'm taking my laptop everywhere so LibreOffice works great for me. If I have to use my phone or tablet for some lightweight mobile writing, on vacation for instance, I can still use something webbased.

So, I hope I gave you some interesting options. Do I think it's a good idea to make us less dependent on Google? Yes, I do. I don't trust them.

We have alternatives, and they cost us nothing more than a little adjustment.

Ways You Can Write a Secret Villain (Without Saying "Villain")

A helpful resource for writers! Follow and reblog for more!

How they blend in:

Helpfulness — always nearby when someone needs help. Agreeableness — nodding along just enough to stay trusted. Politeness — always courteous, never raising suspicion.

When something feels slightly off:

Deflection — redirecting attention before questions linger too long. Knowing looks — reacting to things they shouldn't know yet. Curiosity — interest in how far people can be pushed. Detachment — watching conflict as if it were a game. Amusement — a faint smile at situations that shouldn't be amusing.

How they influence others:

Suggestion — planting ideas so gently that others believe they thought of them. Encouragement — nudging someone toward choices that serve a hidden plan. Reassurance — calming doubts before suspicion can grow.

When their schemes start to unfold:

Strings — events aligning a little too neatly. Timing — appearing exactly when needed. Leverage — knowing the right secret to hold over someone.

When their true nature is glimpsed:

Cold strategy — people becoming pieces on a board. Sharpness — kindness disappearing for a split second. Satisfaction — quiet pride in a plan working perfectly. Silence — letting others take the blame while they step back into the crowd. Calculation — every action revealed as deliberate.

01. Ellipsus

Discription: Ellipsus is a principled alternative to Google Docs—built for writers, by writers.

For: Beginner and intermediate

It has easy interface to navigate and offers variety of convenient tools for writers.

Cost: Free but includes premium plan for some features.

Type: Website.

02. Scrivener

Description: Scrivener is a word-processing program and outliner designed for writers. Scrivener provides a management system for documents, notes and metadata. This allows the user to organize notes, concepts, research, and whole documents for easy access and reference.

For: Intermediate and expert

It is designed primarily for intermediate to expert users who are working on long-form, complex writing projects such as novels, screenplays, or academic theses. While beginners can learn to use it, the software has a notoriously steep learning curve due to its extensive, high-powered feature set.

Cost: Paid with a free trial.

Type: App.

03. Campfire Writing

Description: Campfire is a reading and writing platform for genre fiction. Discover books & bonus content, write novels, and self-publish with royalties.

For: Beginner and intermediate

It is accessible to beginners but is specifically tailored for intermediate, who require heavy worldbuilding, organization, and planning tools etc.

Cost: Free but includes premium plan for some features.

Type: Website and app.

04. Reedsy Studio

Description: Reedsy Studio is a free online app for authors to plan, draft, edit, and format their book, creating professional ePub and print-ready files easily.

For: Beginner and intermediate

It is primarily designed for beginners and intermediate authors, particularly those self-publishing for the first time who need a free, all-in-one, and user-friendly platform.

Cost: Free but includes premium plan for some features.

Type: Website.

05. Atticus

Description: Create professional print books and eBooks easily with the all-in-one book writing software.

For: Beginner and intermediate

It is designed to be accessible to a variety of users, but it is primarily tailored for intermediate to advanced (professional) indie authors, though beginners can use it due to its intuitive interface.

Cost: Paid.

Type: Website and app.

06. Novlr

Description: Novlr is writer-owned creative writing platform. Join a community with writers and their goals at the heart of everything we do.

For: Beginner and intermediate

It is designed for beginners to intermediate writer. It is often recommended as a more user-friendly alternative to complex software like Scrivener, making it ideal for those who are intimidated by steep learning curves.

Cost: Free but includes premium plan for some features.

Type: Website.

07. JotterPad

Description: JotterPad is a text editor app for Android, developed by Two App Studio. It is proprietary software that uses the freemium pricing strategy.

For: Anyone

It is designed for beginners, intermediate, and expert writers alike, making it a versatile tool for anyone focused on creative writing, screenwriting, or plain-text drafting. Its primary appeal lies in its minimalistic, distraction-free interface, which is useful for beginners.

Cost: Free but includes premium plan for some features.

Type: Website and app.

08. FocusWriter

Description: It's a simple distraction-free word processor. It provides customizable themes, font, colors, and background image to add ambiance. It also features on-the-fly updating statistics, daily goals, multiple open documents, spell-checking, and much more.

For: Beginner.

Suitable for writers who like simple and distraction-free word processor.

Cost: Free.

Type: App.

09. yWriter

Description: yWriter is a word processor which breaks your novel into chapters and scenes, helping you keep track of your work while leaving your mind free to create.

For: Intermediate and expert

It is designed for intermediate to advanced writers, particularly those who are plotting-heavy, structure-focused novelists or screenwriters. While it is free and has a straightforward interface, its focus on organizing scenes, tracking character data, and data-heavy analytics makes it most useful for writers tackling complex, long-form projects.

Cost: Free but includes premium plan for some features.

Type: App.

10. Grammarly

Description: Grammarly is an American English-language writing assistant software tool. It started as a tool to review the spelling, grammar, and tone of a piece of writing.

For: Anyone

It is designed for a broad range of users, offering utility for beginners, intermediate, and expert writers, though it serves different purposes for each level. It is primarily targeted at anyone who writes using a computer for work or pleasure, including students, professionals, bloggers, and non-native English speakers.

Cost: Free but includes premium plan for some features.

Type: Website and app.

11. Obsidian

Description: Obsidian is a proprietary personal knowledge base and note-taking application that operates on markdown files.

For: Intermediate.

It best for intermediate to expert users—especially those who want a powerful system for organizing and connecting ideas, but beginners can use it too if they’re willing to learn.

Cost: Free but includes premium plan for some features.

Type: App.

12. AutoCrit

Description: AutoCrit is an online manuscript editing tool that gives fiction and non-fiction writers the power to quickly and effectively self-edit their work anytime.

For: Intermediate and expert

It is best for intermediate and expert writers during the editing phase. It’s an analysis tool, not a beginner writing one.

Cost: Free but includes premium plan for some features.

Type: Website.

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Hi! So I stay rather old school when it comes to writing and know very little new-fangled software for organizing. That said, the easy go-to is the open source LibreOffice which fits what you described: more complex than notes apps, does not contain AI anything. It is everything Microsoft Office used to be before it became subscription and account based.

While they do have an app, my experience with LibreOffice is all desktop based as I do not do serious writing or outlining on my phone. Seeing as my phone has unavoidable AI features and happily studies my photos and tracks my writing habits, I try to keep my creative endeavors off of it.

Plus its FREE. With all features included and no ads!!

(also for those upset about the chat who don't know why it got moved, look on their faq: the collab chat is "powered by a paid third-party" and "rising costs and low usage" has made it difficult to keep on free. they didn't just move the chat for no reason, but with ellipsus' rising popularity, they couldn't afford to keep it free. unfortunate, but makes sense.)

Brainstorming:

Campfire: Great for organising your thoughts and making detailed character profiles, customised maps, worldbuilding, plot organisation—amongst other features. You can write your manuscript here and post it; and they have many helpful writing tips on their blog. Here's a general overview (customisable):

Notion: Although not conventionally a writing software, I find it immensely helpful for getting my thoughts sorted out. It's organised and easy to navigate, and the interface is manageable and uncluttered. (Keep in mind it's hard to cowrite on Notion—if you're planning to, I suggest making a separate Gmail account and both logging in with that.)

Microsoft Word, with spellcheck off, in Comic Sans (I saw the font thing somewhere and hate that it works). This is what I use when writing excerpts or spontaneous ideas, and it's actually quite effective, though I couldn't tell you why.

Writing/Editing:

Reedsy: The manuscript editor is organised and lets you set writing goals, split chapters, and jot down notes for later. I highly recommend it for authors looking to self-publish—once you're done, you can format and export your book as an eBook or PDF; and you can connect with various editors and find the one that's right for your novel.

Scrivener: Although, unlike the others I've mentioned so far, this software isn't free, the formatting is great for making an outline, collecting any research and notes, and writing your manuscript.

Feel free to add on any more you know of! Hope this was helpful ❤