iA Writer for Designers: Distraction-Free Markdown Writing

iA Writer is a distraction-free writing app built around Markdown and plain text files. It strips away toolbars, formatting panels, and everything else that isn’t your words. Designers use it for documentation, blog posts, design specs, and anything that needs focused writing without the bloat of Word or Google Docs.

Key Specs

How Designers Use iA Writer

Writers and designers use iA Writer differently than traditional word processors. Here’s how it fits into creative workflows.

For Design Documentation and Specs

Write design specifications in Markdown with headings, lists, and links. Use file transclusion to embed images or tables without leaving the keyboard. Export to PDF for client delivery or HTML for web publishing. The plain text format means your docs never break when software updates, and you can version control them in Git alongside your design files.

For Blog Posts and Content Writing

Draft blog posts in Markdown, preview them with iA Writer’s built-in renderer, then copy as HTML to paste into WordPress, Medium, or your static site generator. The Reading Time feature shows how long your post takes to read, helping you hit target lengths. Syntax Highlight mode color-codes nouns, verbs, and adjectives to catch repetitive writing patterns.

For Distraction-Free Writing Sessions

Turn on Focus Mode (Cmd+D) when you’re stuck. It dims everything except the current sentence, forcing you to write linearly without editing earlier paragraphs. Pair it with full-screen mode to hide your entire operating system. This setup is popular with writers who need to turn off their internal editor and just generate a first draft.

For Cross-Platform Note-Taking

Store notes as plain .md files in iCloud or Dropbox folders. Access them from any device with iA Writer, or open them in any text editor (VS Code, Sublime, even Notepad). The file structure is simple folders, not a proprietary database, so you’re never locked into the app. This portability makes iA Writer a good choice for design teams that use different operating systems.

iA Writer vs. Alternatives

How does iA Writer compare to other Markdown and writing apps?

Choose iA Writer if: You want a clean, one-time purchase writing app that stays out of your way and stores files as portable plain text.

Choose Ulysses if: You need advanced organization (goals, keywords, filters) and don’t mind a subscription for a more feature-rich writing environment.

Choose Obsidian if: You’re building a knowledge base with linked notes, prefer extensive customization with plugins, and want free software with optional paid sync.

Getting Started with iA Writer

A 15-minute quick start to understand iA Writer’s approach:

Step 1: Write in Markdown, see live formatting

Type # Heading to create a heading, or **bold** for bold text. iA Writer’s Auto Markdown feature subtly formats the text on-screen as you type, so you see styled text without leaving the keyboard. Press Cmd+R to open the preview panel and see the final formatted result side-by-side with your Markdown.

Step 2: Use Focus Mode to write without editing

Press Cmd+D to activate Focus Mode. Everything except the current sentence dims to gray. Write one sentence, move to the next, repeat. This mode forces you to draft linearly without going back to edit, which helps break writer’s block. Turn it off (Cmd+D again) when you’re ready to revise.

Step 3: Organize files in folders, sync via cloud

iA Writer uses your file system. Create folders in iCloud Drive or Dropbox, save .md files there, and they sync across devices automatically. The app doesn’t have a fancy library or database. It’s just files in folders. This simplicity means you can open your writing in any app, anytime.

iA Writer in Your Design Workflow

iA Writer pairs well with other tools designers already use for documentation and content.

• Before iA Writer: Brainstorming in FigJam or Notion, outlining structure in bullet points
• During writing: iA Writer for focused drafting, no distractions, clean Markdown formatting
• After iA Writer: Export to PDF for client delivery, HTML for Gatsby/Hugo, or paste into Notion/Confluence for team wikis

Common tool pairings:

• iA Writer + Notion for drafting long-form docs in iA Writer, then pasting Markdown into Notion for collaboration
• iA Writer + GitHub for design documentation in repositories, versioned alongside code
• iA Writer + Medium/Substack for writing newsletters and blog posts offline, then copying HTML on publish
• iA Writer + Obsidian for drafting individual notes in iA Writer, managing the knowledge graph in Obsidian

Common Problems (and How to Fix Them)

These issues come up regularly with iA Writer users. Here’s how to solve them.

“I can’t figure out how to organize my files”

iA Writer doesn’t have a built-in library like Ulysses. It uses your file system directly. Create folders in iCloud Drive or Dropbox (like “Writing/Drafts” or “Projects/Blog”), then save files there. iA Writer shows these folders in the sidebar. The simplicity is intentional: your files are portable and never locked into the app. If this feels too basic, consider Ulysses or Obsidian instead.

“The Android app stopped syncing with Google Drive”

Google revoked iA Writer’s API access to Google Drive on Android, breaking sync for Android users. The developer has acknowledged this issue but hasn’t fixed it due to the complexity of supporting thousands of Android device configurations. Switch to iCloud or Dropbox sync, or use a different app on Android. iOS, Mac, and Windows versions still support Google Drive.

“I want more formatting options”

You don’t. iA Writer intentionally limits formatting to what Markdown supports (headings, bold, italics, links, lists). This keeps your writing portable and forces you to focus on content, not fonts and colors. If you need advanced formatting, export to Word or use a different tool. iA Writer’s philosophy is “you can’t fiddle with fonts and colors; all you can do is write.”

“Focus Mode is too aggressive”

Focus Mode dims everything except the current sentence, which some people find disorienting. If it’s too much, try Typewriter Mode instead (keeps the current line centered vertically) or just use regular full-screen mode. You can also adjust the dimming intensity in Preferences. Focus Mode isn’t for everyone; it’s designed for specific moments when you’re stuck, not as a default writing mode.

“I can’t collaborate in real-time”

iA Writer doesn’t support real-time collaboration like Google Docs or Notion. It’s built for solo writing. If you need to co-edit with others, write your draft in iA Writer, then paste it into a collaborative tool for feedback. The plain text format makes this easy: Markdown copies cleanly into any system.