Many writing apps need an internet connection to work. But offline writing apps give you much more freedom and choice about where, when, and how you write.
While it’s almost natural now to be online, having the option to write offline means you can take your work to a cafe, a park, or a river shore.
Even if you work online most of the time, software that works both online and offline gives you much more flexibility.
In some cases, you might already be using some writing software that works offline. But do you have all the tools you need to do it successfully?
The freedom of offline writing apps and software
Many free writing apps today only work online.
That’s fine when you have a good internet connection, but sometimes you just want to open an app and write.
You might be traveling, working somewhere without Wi-Fi, or simply want to keep your manuscript on your computer.
It’s times like these when free offline writing apps and software come in very handy.
You might be pleasantly surprised by how much you can do without being online.
Much of the software you install on your computer can work offline, with your files stored locally on your device.
So you can write, check words, organize research, design a book cover, and even edit and format an ebook without being online.
One of the biggest advantages of offline apps is easy to overlook. Your writing can be saved and stored on your device rather than relying entirely on an online cloud service.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make regular backups. In fact, you absolutely should.
But you aren’t dependent on an internet connection or an online account simply to open and edit your writing project.
Software options for offline writing
When you think about how you write and prepare for publishing, what stages do you go through?
That’s what you should consider when reviewing your existing tools or searching for new ones.
You might be very happy with an online tool. But perhaps having an offline fallback would be useful.
You don’t need to go to extremes.
Only look at the writing and related tasks you do all the time and see if you can do them without being online.
You might discover one or two of your must-have writing or publishing tools that need online access. Then you only need to look for one or two offline options.
To give you some help, here are some of the most common writing tasks with offline options.
Your primary writing program
For most writers, this is your word processor.
Luckily, most popular programs like MS Word, Apple Pages, and LibreOffice will work happily offline.
The only exceptions are online tools like the free Microsoft Word Online version and Google Docs.
However, you can change a few settings to get offline access to Google Docs.
Another option is FocusWriter, which is a distraction-free word processor.
If you use a program other than these, check it to see if you can use it without a connection.
A dictionary and thesaurus
Some operating systems, like macOS, have an in-built dictionary and thesaurus.
But if yours doesn’t, it’s quite easy to find apps that will work offline.
WordWeb is one popular choice, with a dictionary and thesaurus available without needing to be online.
But you can probably find more by searching your system’s app store.
A writing checker
This task is almost always done with an online tool because a server needs to process your text.
However, most word processors have an in-built basic grammar and spell checker.
They are usually quite limited, but you can always wait until you are back online to do a thorough writing check.
Your notes tool
You probably have a notes tool on your phone, and perhaps on your desktop. I use Apple Notes, and it works offline.
When I’m back online, it syncs my new notes or changes.
If you don’t have something like this, you can find apps such as Obsidian that work offline.
Check your app store for your options.
A novel organizer
While a word processor is still the most common tool for writing a book, you could look at yWriter if you want to have more options and flexibility.
It’s a free novel writing program you install on your computer, so it works offline.
Many free book writing programs store your work online. That’s one reason yWriter is different.
An image tool
Images are often part of the writing process, and most writers now use online apps like Canva.
If you’re working offline, I doubt you will need to do much image design, but you might need to edit an image.
GIMP is a free, open-source image editor that you need to install. Once you have it, you can edit images anywhere.
Ebook formatting and editing
For authors, the Calibre ebook management tool is one of the most useful free programs for working with ebooks.
It’s open-source software you can install on your computer, so you can use it without an internet connection.
If you’re writing and publishing ebooks, you may already have it installed.
A layout tool
While not a necessity for most writers, a desktop publishing program can be useful for some.
Scribus is a free, open-source option that you can install on your computer.
It can help you design books, magazines, newsletters, and other documents.
Summary
Yes, we all work online now. But occasionally, it’s nice to find a park bench under a shady tree and write without any distractions.
You certainly won’t need all of the options I’ve covered. However, if you can check the basics you need for offline access, it will give you a little more freedom. You’ll also be able to keep working through an unexpected internet outage.
One benefit of doing this is that you know your work is saved locally and not reliant on a distant cloud server.
While it’s normal now to use cloud storage, I prefer to use it for backups or a synced copy of a file on my device.
Relying entirely on cloud access for your original files isn’t the safest approach.
As with all technology, something can and will go wrong.
That’s why making sure all your original files are stored locally and available offline is such good practice.
Related Reading: 10 Useful Word Processor Tools Writers Often Overlook
English teacher, writer, and author. Passionate about grammar, creative writing, and self-publishing. Always exploring new tools and tech to help writers succeed.
