Hi folks,

Oh dear, should be doing more serious things, but I came across an interesting new writing app quite by chance. Okay, first things first: macOS only, I'm afraid.

It's only been released very recently, and it's called Novellus. Many more details can be found at https://novellussoftware.com and a downloadable trial is available here: https://novellussoftware.com/downloads/Novellus.pkg

Now there are quite a few writing apps about, some better than others. This one really looks quite good, and this is partly because, like Ulysses, you can view "scenes" (as it calls text fragments) either individually, or as part of a sequence. It also has a very powerful grammar/writing checker in the form of the editor from PaperEdit, a separate app which is already quite well known. It also has some nice export options (PDF or ePub) and a pleasantly practical selection of features (so nothing as overwhelming as Scrivener, but still pretty comprehensive).

I'm enjoying it so far, and the developer appears to be responsive (the "download" button on the web page leads straight to the payable app in the Mac App Store, so he sent me a link to the trial version).

Cheers!
Bill

Thanks for this, Bill.

Novellus seems much more like a dumbed-down Scrivener than a Ulysses. For me, the issue with Scrivener is its (pretty awful) publishing. Haven't used Novellus enough to asses whether it's an improvement but it couldn't be much worse.

Is there a demand for another "great writing app" among Mac users? Is there a demand for *a* great writing app, something like Ulysses, maybe, among Windows users? Hmm...

Listerene wrote:

Novellus seems much more like a dumbed-down Scrivener than a Ulysses.

It seems like a Scrivener competitor for $15 less than Scrivener. But it includes the company's other app, a Scrivener-compatible document and grammar analyzer called PaperEdit, which sells for $15 by itself. If the app runs well and people don't need all the features of Scrivener, it could fill a niche at the right price.

Lots of niche apps in the Mac sphere. We don't here much any more about Highland 2, the Markdown-based app by screenwriter John August that is minimalist but has some nice features for writers (goals, sprints, themes, word cloud analysis, revision mode, templates, navigator overview), which I like a lot but struggle to choose instead of Ulysses or IA Writer.

The website structure and the two products, minimal Scriv knock off & grammar police app look similar to the guy's website who made pagefour then abandoned buyers to make Scribbler. Of course he did the same and made that freeware and abandonware too. Then he launched smartedit. Very similar but ported for the Mac. Looks the same guy but trying to hide who's behind this.

I can't trust any of his software on my systems. Not after my attention was drawn to an Irish newspaper story, legal report, about him some years ago. Not with that record. If anyone knows who is actually behind this, please enlighten us.

satis wrote:

Lots of niche apps in the Mac sphere. We don't here much any more about
Highland 2, the Markdown-based app by screenwriter John August that is
minimalist but has some nice features for writers (goals, sprints,
themes, word cloud analysis, revision mode, templates, navigator
overview), which I like a lot but struggle to choose instead of Ulysses
or IA Writer.

John August has a lot of small things going on, but his app is not bad. Good effort and he's a good guy. His old buddy, Craig uses and recommends Fade-in which is a better app IMHO, and on multi platforms. IA is good for quick jobs in MD, short articles etc. Not big jobs.

First, a request:

Please do be careful about coming across as patronising or dismissive, washere. It's not fair to treat independent developers as a bunch of feckless rip-off merchants when you know nothing about them. Most of the rest of us make strenuous attempts to avoid being judgemental, but you seem to prefer to make suspicious/dismissive/judgemental comments by default. This is a shame, because you've got plenty of interesting and valuable things to say. But in a friendly forum of peers, your tone often comes across as deliberately alienating, which I'm sure is not your intention. Relax, enjoy!

PageFour, Scribbler etc. are all Windows apps. They're pretty good, actually, but as you say, abandonware. I forget the developer's name (long time since I corresponded with him), but he was pretty amiable as well. Developing and maintaining an app is hard work. Even the famous Jesse Grosjean is primarily famous for abandoning his many excellent apps (and then picking them back up again, in the case of TaskPaper). I just wish he'd pick up FoldingText again (and produce a mobile version), but hey...

Second, on Novellus:

No hiding involved - if you look at the app in Mac App Store, you'll find the name of the developer (Jesse Wood), and I've already corresponded with him a few times (easy to do via his website, which is elegant and informative). He's very responsive, and his other app (PaperEdit) has been around for a while and is highly thought of. Novellus is brand new, and Jesse is very open to suggestions (I've already made a couple, as ever!).

Novellus is a nice, neat, tidy app which, impressively, takes up very little disk space (less than 13 MB; yes, you read that right, MB) but still has an immensely powerful, built-in grammar and writing checker. You could call it a Scrivener rip-off. I prefer to call it a classic writing app that's definitely been inspired by Scrivener, but has attempted to make the whole Scrivener experience much simpler. From my point of view, that's highly desirable (much as I love Scrivener)! It could do with a mobile version, of course, and that's where he falls short, because he's competing with writing apps (Scrivener, Ulysses, iaWriter et al) which already have excellent mobile clients.

The two obvious shortcomings in Novellus are a lack of styles, and no option to open multiple windows on your working file (desirable not least so you can look at your Notebook alongside your Manuscript). I've suggested both things, and Jesse has agreed with them and prioritised styles in particular because he's found the lack of them irritating himself. So he clearly eats his own dog food.

All the best,
Bill

washere wrote:

The website structure and the two products, minimal Scriv knock off &
grammar police app look similar to the guy's website who made pagefour
then abandoned buyers to make Scribbler. Of course he did the same and
made that freeware and abandonware too. Then he launched smartedit. Very
similar but ported for the Mac. Looks the same guy but trying to hide
who's behind this.

I can't trust any of his software on my systems. Not after my attention
was drawn to an Irish newspaper story, legal report, about him some
years ago. Not with that record. If anyone knows who is actually behind
this, please enlighten us.

The guy who created PageFour calls his company Bad Wolf and his name is Darren. He created Atomic Scribbler after Page Four, and now calls it SmartEdit Writer. It is free, but for Windows. I highly doubt it is the same person responsible for Novellus. The two apps have entirely different UIs and features. Also Bad Wolf still sells add-ins for Word, so it isn't as if he has abandoned his Windows business.

https://www.atomicscribbler.com

Steve Z

I don't think washere comes off as "patronizing or dismissive". His posts are usually informative, helpful, and a breath of fresh air - not to mention a necessary counter-weight to the many vapid pro-developer posts. In the effort to always come across as collegial, some folks here forget that a developer who is charging for his product is in business, and so open to criticism. For those developers the harsh fluorescent light, not the warm yellow rays of afternoon sun.

@madaboutdana

1) Thanks. I said it seems similar and please tell us who is the dev if you know. It TOO is a mini Scriv app plus grammar police app and the website structure is similar. Thanks for answering my request to "enlighten us about who's behind novellus". I won't need it but will probably buy it to support Jesse.

2) Your personal attacks: nothing new really. Same happened before by you and a few when you suddenly went off topic and got personal. Including when I suggested a parallel forum to this would be parasitical and waste of time and bifurcated discussions many would not follow and not nice on our host. So like in that thread, which you per se did not personally attack me IIRC, but you did elsewhere, when it gets personal I don't respond, as someone from there did recently in another thread. That's ok, I don't mind. I always ask to get back on-topic and not personal or nasty as you did here again. That's ok by me, I always type, actually Swype on phone, with a smile. It's only a few times personal attacks happen. I simply wish you all the best. And I sincerely mean that. I never write what I don't mean.

3) pagefour dev: you're wrong again. Many complained online, even here, after he they paid and he ended it. Then he made a lot of people pay for Scribbler, then he ended developing it after only a year and made it freeware. Again your wrong as many who paid complained. Then he ended that too. Made smartedit or whatever he calls it now. You're saying this repetitive pattern of charging new people every year and then killing their purchase is ok. But many complained online about this unusual behavior including on this forum. So you're wrong, it's not just me.

4) I also said after reading an archived newspaper report, by a court reporter in Ireland, which was brought to my attention I won't trust his software on my systems anymore. Similarly I asked someone where a software company was based. Was attacked by the usual few plus someone new. I sensed he was genuine, not personal, explained legal recourse re personal data abuse and he was convinced and kind to acknowledge so. Others though were not convinced, but after a while started asking others where a company was registered. Which brought many a smile to my face. What can I say? That's life.

The two apps' functions and UI and jesse's web structure are similar to the other guy. But idea-wise novellus and paperedit are basically Mac ports of Scribbler and smartedit. Which is perfectly ok.

Best wishes my friend and as you say: Peace and love, Shanti Shanti and all that man.

Have a good weekend. :)

tightbeam wrote:

His posts are usually informative, helpful, and a breath of fresh air - not
to mention a necessary counter-weight to the many vapid pro-developer
posts. In the effort to always come across as collegial, some folks here
forget that a developer who is charging for his product is in business,
and so open to criticism. For those developers the harsh fluorescent
light, not the warm yellow rays of afternoon sun.

I totally agree with this point. I also feel that Bill and Stephen come out too pro-developers. I see the reason why they are supporting the developers. But, how abou the end users? Shouldn't our resource and time matter?
It is ok for a developer to sell an app and abandon it?
Is it ok to be sold to an untrust worthy developer to collect personal information and sell it off?

Bill and Stephene are extemely informative guys; many of us look up to very much. They also have a tendecy to defend developers because they want them to flourish. My tendency is to be critical; show the flaws of an app so that the end user would protect himself/herself. Some of us are pro-users.

Well, if I seem too pro-developer, I'm afraid it's just the way I am.

I LOVE independent developers. How could we CRIMP without them? Besides, you all know perfectly well that at some point in the not-too-distant future, one of them is going to develop the Holy Grail, the perfect app, the program that successfully manages all info in the most streamlined, perfectly intuitive, fluidly interactive, elegantly logical way. Pierre's almost there, I can feel it, but I still haven't managed to persuade him to focus his attention on the (vastly superior, just saying) Mac platform...

THAT's why I'm pro-developer!

I'm pro-user, too, of course. But then I am one, so that goes without saying.

As for criticism: I have absolutely nothing against criticism. But let it be founded, solidly argued and compassionately delivered. Otherwise, one may as well just rant.

Love 'n' kisses to everybody!
Bill