My Writing Spot - Now on NOOK Tablet and NOOK Color

The My Writing Spot world domination plan continues. My Writing Spot is now the best writing app on the NOOK Tablet and NOOK Color. Now you can read great novels on the NOOK, and then go ahead and write a great novel yourself.

Some of you that have been using the app for a while might see this as an ironic plot twist, but hey, I say it's water under the bridge. Live and let write, I say. The goal of the app is to allow you to Write Simply Anywhere, and the Nook tablets are a nice place to be.

Click on the link below to grab the greatest writing app on the Nook.

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My Writing Spot is the best writing app for the Kindle Fire

You're used to reading novels on your Kindle - now you can write novels on your Kindle Fire! I'm pleased to announce that My Writing Spot is available for the amazing Kindle Fire device from Amazon.

Continuing on our quest to allow you to Write Simply Anywhere, we're excited to be on the Kindle Fire. Now you can write your novel whenever the muse strikes, and can sync your writing to the web app, or any of the other My Writing Spot mobile apps. Your writing is with you wherever you go.

For more information, you can check out the product page for My Writing Spot at Amazon.

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Novel in 30 helps writers become novelists

I took a short break from working on My Writing Spot and created an iPad app that will challenge and motivate you to write a novel.

Novel in 30 is an iPad app for novelists. Writers can set a deadline and target word count, and Novel in 30 will help them stay on track, offering encouragement and motivation along the way. Novel in 30 helps writers become novelists.

For more details about Novel in 30, please visit http://www.novelin30.com

To purchase the app, click this link.

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New release of My Writing Spot for Android

My Writing Spot is the best writing app out there for Android devices, and with this new release, it's even better! In this new release, we've added the ability to password-protect the app, so that you can keep your writing safe from prying eyes.

What haven't we added? Distractions. My Writing Spot is still distraction-free, allowing you to focus on getting the words out of your head and into your novel.

Click here to grab a copy of My Writing Spot for Android.

Oh, what a glorious time we live in! Get out there and write!

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Free ad-supported version of My Writing Spot now available for Android

The hits just keep on coming this week as we celebrate our new name. Today, I'm pleased to announce the availability of a free version of My Writing Spot for Android devices. The app is now available in the Android Market, so go check it out.

Now, there's no such thing as a free lunch, so there is a catch. This version of the app is ad-supported, which means that you will see the occasional advertisement while using the app. If you'd like a completely distraction-free writing environment, the original paid version of the app is still available, and will never contain a single ad.

But hey, different strokes for different folks. Now you Android folks have a choice.

Tomorrow: the great logo showdown!

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My Writing Spot for iPad gets better with new features

Hi everybody! Welcome back to rename week! In this installment, we'll talk about the new features in the My Writing Spot for iPad application. We looked at the rename as an opportunity to add some of the most-requested features to the app, and included as many as we could given time/resource constraints.

My Writing Spot for iPad continues to be the best app for writing a novel on your iPad. Just look at all these shiny new features:

* Fullscreen landscape mode
* Enhanced on-screen keyboard
* Support for 4.2 multitasking and AirPrint
* Word & Character count

When considering new features, it's always a balancing act. I'd like to be able to satisfy everyone and make the app all things to all people, but the reality is that such an app would be a bloated, jumbled mess of "features" that would confuse and frustrate most people (i.e.: Word). Whenever I get a request for a new feature, I weigh the feature carefully against the set goals of the application - ease of use, speed, distraction-free - and throw out any feature that doesn't further those goals. It's tough, but I think that My Writing Spot is all the better for it.

All of the new features in this release meet the goals of the app. Fullscreen landscape writing mode is something that should have been in the app from the beginning, and I apologize for that oversight on my part. The enhanced on-screen keyboard brings some of the most-used keys to the topmost keyboard, making it even more efficient for writers to boost their word counts. AirPrint support allows writers to easily print their docs directly to a local printer in just a few taps. And adding a character counter to the existing word counter is something that is apparently very useful to reporters and others writing to very specific space requirements. I didn't realize that, but I'm happy to be able to accommodate those users.

I hope that everyone enjoys these latest features in My Writing Spot for iPad. Feel free to drop me a quick email and let me know what you think. Your feedback is always welcome.

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My Writing Nook is now My Writing Spot

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Peter de Tagyos

Email: mywritingspot@gmail.com

NOOK PROVES TOO UNCOMFORTABLE FOR WRITING APP. ESCHEWS CRANNY AND HITS THE SPOT.

Independent developer changes app's name following bookseller's sabre-rattling.

Independent software developer PT Software Solutions is announcing a name change for their popular writing app My Writing Nook. Henceforth, the app will be named My Writing Spot. This renaming is in response to pressure from an ignoble bookseller pushing a device whose name is a common English word. The updated web app goes live today at http://www.mywritingspot.com, and free updated releases of the mobile apps are available for iPhone/iPod/iPad and Android today in their respective app stores.

"We've chosen to look at this as an opportunity," said developer Peter de Tagyos. "With all the features that we've added to the app in the latest release and over the past year, we've outgrown our little nook. Our current apps really do hit the sweet spot for writers, providing a fast, distraction-free writing environment that is easy to use anywhere. We'll leave the nooks to the little guys."

My Writing Spot also has a shiny new logo (as seen above) to go along with the new name.

For more details about the My Writing Spot name change and a bit of snark, visit http://www.mywritingspot.com/whats-in-a-name

My Writing Spot (formerly known as My Writing Nook) is a popular web and mobile app dedicated to helping writers "write simply anywhere." The free web app can be found at http://www.mywritingspot.com, and there are mobile versions available for iOS and Android devices.

If you'd like more information about this, or to schedule an interview with Peter de Tagyos, please email Peter at mywritingspot@gmail.com

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Updated Android app in the Market today

I just published the 1.3.0 release of My Writing Nook for Android devices to the Android Market. This release greatly improves landscape writing mode for devices with on-screen keyboards, and updates the color scheme to match the iOS apps.

I have also added auto-correction to the editor, which should provide a boost to your productivity.

I'm planning several more enhancements in the coming weeks, but I wanted to get these useful improvements to you as soon as possible.

Enjoy!

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My Writing Nook Anniversary - plus an iPad update

Today is the one year anniversary of the My Writing Nook iPhone app. The past year has been very satisfying - it's great to see that so many of you are enjoying the app. Thanks for your support and encouragement throughout the last year - you've helped to make My Writing Nook the best novel writing app on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

I'd also like to announce that the 1.0.7 release of My Writing Nook for iPad is now available in the App Store. This release includes the same delete synchronization and document conflict resolution features that I described in my previous post about the latest release for the iPhone/iPod touch. Enjoy the silky smoothness of the latest release.

Happy writing!

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iPhone app update - less conflict, no zombies, more stealth

I'm pleased to announce that version 1.8.3 of the iPhone/iPod app hit the App Store this evening. It's chock-full of enhancement goodness, just in time for NaNoWriMo. My Writing Nook continues to be the best novel writing app for the iPhone/iPod touch.

Dark & Stormy night mode just might turn you into a plot ninja

Turn on dark & stormy night mode for the ultimate in stealth writing. This feature has been brought over from the iPad version of the app, and switches the interface to display white text on a black background. The ultimate in distraction-free writing, or just spooky? You be the judge.

There were a few rougher edges that existed in the previous versions of the app, and with the 1.8.3 release, those edges have been polished and made smooth.

Kills zombie documents dead!

The first enhancement is delete synchronization. If you wanted to delete a document in previous versions of the app, you would need to delete it on both the device and the web app. This was awkward, and led to many questions about documents "coming back from the dead."

With delete synchronization, you need only delete a document in one place. There are no more zombies in My Writing Nook. If you want zombies in your app, you'll have to look elsewhere.

Conflict resolved

When you make changes to a document in the app and on the web without synching, you create a document conflict. This means that since both versions of a document are changed, the app doesn't know which one to keep.

Previous versions of the app would simply do nothing, since I believed that this was better than possibly choosing the wrong version to keep. But while this protected your data, it was admittedly a bit clumsy.

With the 1.8.3 release, My Writing Nook will now detect a document conflict and will inform you of the fact by adding an alert icon to the appropriate row in the document list. Tapping on this alert icon will bring you to the conflict resolution screen, which will allow you to view both versions of the conflicted document and decide which one to keep. You no longer need to go to the web app to resolve doc conflicts - you can do everything from your iPhone/iPod touch.

Retinawesome

While this update is all about smoothing out the rougher edges, it's also about sharpening. I've gone through and updated all the graphics for the retina display on the iPhone 4 and latest-generation iPod touches. Now the icons and graphics are really sharp. Handle with care, lest you hurt yourself. You've been warned.

With this update, My Writing Nook becomes even easier to use. They said that it couldn't be done, but when have we ever listened to them?

iPad users - don't fret! A similar update for the iPad version of the app should be hitting the App Store in the next few days.

Enjoy the update, and if you have a moment or two to spare, please leave a review in the App Store.

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New version of My Writing Nook for iPad now available

I'm happy to announce that a new update of My Writing Nook for iPad is now available in the App Store. I'm really excited about this update, since I've added some helpful and fun new features. My Writing Nook continues to be the best app for writing on the iPad.

Always-visible word count - previously the word count was not visible when the on-screen keyboard was showing. Now you can see how prolific you are at any time.

TextExpander touch integration - boost your productivity with TextExpander touch snippets. You'll need to have the TextExpander touch app to take advantage of this feature, but it's well worth your while if your writing lends itself to using repeatable blocks (for example - this would be great for screenplays).

Finally a bit of fun. I've added something called Dark and Stormy Night mode. This changes the color scheme for the app to be black with white text. Get your stealth on and become a plot ninja!

I hope that you enjoy the new features. As always, this is a free upgrade for those that already own My Writing Nook for iPad.

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New Release - My Writing Nook iPhone App - Features Galore!

I'm happy to announce that the 1.7.0 release of My Writing Nook for the iPhone is available in the App Store. For those of you who have already purchased the app, it's a free upgrade, and it is jam-packed with new features! My Writing Nook continues to be the best app for writing a novel on an iPhone.

So what's new? Oh, let me count the ways...

1. Password Protection.

There's now an optional password protection feature that can be enabled on the Settings page. Protect your work until you're ready to share it with the world.

2. Change Font/Font size.

You can now select your preferred font and font size for writing on the Settings page.

3. Single tap to change Document Groups.

On the My Documents page, the document group buttons are larger for easier tapping. Also, you no longer need to be in Edit mode to change a document's group. Just tap on the document group button for the desired document and the selection page will appear.

4. Larger dictionary and thesaurus buttons on the Word Lookup page for easier tapping.

5. Link to the MWN help page on the Settings page. If you have run into a problem or have a question, tap this link to jump right to the MWN help.

There's also a link that will allow you to rate the app in the App Store. If you enjoy the app and can spare a few moments, please tap this link and write up a quick review. It's much appreciated!

I hope everyone enjoys these new features.

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New Feature for iPad - password-protect your writing!

I'd like to announce an update to the My Writing Nook for iPad app. You now have the ability to password-protect the app. With the tight deadlines in the days before the launch I didn't have time to include this feature, and I'm happy that I've since had the time to build it in. Kudos also go to Apple for a lightning-fast approval process.

This feature is optional - you don't have to enable it. However, if you want that extra layer of protection for your writing, My Writing Nook has you covered.

For you iPhone writers out there - the next task on my plate is to add a password-protection feature to the iPhone version of My Writing Nook. Look for that in the next week or two.

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My Writing Nook for iPad

I'm very excited to announce that My Writing Nook for iPad is now available for sale in the iTunes App Store. I've said before that I feel that the iPad will be the perfect device for writing your novel on, and I also believe that My Writing Nook for iPad is the perfect app for writing simply anywhere on your iPad.

Now that the iPad's arrival is imminent, and Apple has removed the veil of secrecy, I can present you with some screenshots from the app. Or you can check out My Writing Nook for iPad in the iTunes App Store.

As you can see, My Writing Nook for iPad is a complete rewrite of the iPhone app - taking advantage of the iPad's form-factor and greater processing power. It's lightning-fast, and even easier to use than before. All the common actions are just a tap away, allowing you to maintain your flow while writing. No distractions here.

You can now customize the writing font and font-size, and you'll love the built-in spell-checker.

As always, synching with the My Writing Nook web app is a breeze - just tap the synch button and you'll always have the latest version of your novel.

Coming Soon

Due to the tight deadlines around the iPad release, we weren't able to squeeze in all the features that we wanted, but there will be a new release coming very soon (in the next week or so). This release will contain one of the most-requested features - a way to password-protect the app. So be sure to look for that in the next few days.

Until then, enjoy My Writing Nook for iPad.

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My Writing Nook now available on Android!

I'm pleased to announce that My Writing Nook is now available for Android-powered phones and devices. If you're reading this on your phone, you can get it here (this link will only work from Android's browser). It runs on all devices that run Android 1.5 and higher.

You can read all about the new version and see some screenshots by visiting the My Writing Nook for Android page.

Happy writing, Android users!

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iPhone App version 1.6 is out - Document Groups!

The 1.6 release of the My Writing Nook app for iPhone/iPod touch hit the App Store tonight. This release includes the much-requested document groups feature.

You'll also notice that I've updated the logo. It's now much crisper, since I reworked it and it's a much higher resolution now. Hmm.... now why would I possibly need a new, higher resolution logo...

As always, I recommend that you do a synch with the web app before you grab the update, just in case. Enjoy!

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New Feature - Document Groups

I have just finished rolling out a new feature to the My Writing Nook web app - Document Groups!

Probably the feature most requested for MWN has been for some way to collect several documents together into a project. With document groups, that request has been fulfilled.

If you look at the document list, you'll notice that for each document, the word count checkbox is gone. In its place is a round button, colored to represent which document group that document is a member of. Initially, all these buttons are black (that's the default value). To change a document's group, simply click on the button. This will bring up an overlay that will allow you to choose which group to assign the document to.

Documents in the same group stick together in the document list. Documents in the same group contribute their word count to the word count total for the group. Finally, document groups are sorted in the order that they are shown in the overlay.

When designing this feature, I tried to strike a balance between functionality and ease of use. I think that I've achieved that goal, but I'd like to hear what you think of the document groups feature.

iPhone users - fear not! I have submitted an update to the MWN iPhone app and it is currently pending approval. I'm hoping that the update will appear in the app store within the next two weeks.

If anyone runs into problems or has any questions, feel free to drop me an email at mywritingnookapp@gmail.com.

Happy Writing!

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Small update to My Writing Nook web app tonight

I deployed an update to the MWN web app this evening. If you look closely, you'll see that there is now a logout button in the toolbar.

I've also removed the Google AdSense ads and replaced them with ads from Project Wonderful. For some reason, AdSense couldn't seem to figure out what the site was about and displayed ads that were of no interest to the people visiting the site. The folks at Project Wonderful have come up with an interesting alternative, so I thought I'd give it a try. We'll see how it goes. I've left the AdSense ads on the blog because they seem to be fairly relevant to the content.

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My Writing Nook - Yes, there's an app for that!

I'm proud to announce that My Writing Nook for the iPhone/iPod touch is now available in the App Store. I'm really excited about this - I think that it's a perfect complement to the MWN web app.

The two apps work in concert to keep your docs in synch. Now you can have your latest work with you wherever you go. I think this will be really handy for jotting down notes on the go, or maximizing your daily word count, which makes it perfect for NaNoWriMo. Whenever you have a few minutes to spare, you can fire up the app and unleash those thumbs!

Check out the full feature-set and see more screenshots here.

Or if you've seen enough and just can't wait to get your hands on it - click here to buy it. For the price of a cup of coffee, you can now have the ability to write from anywhere.

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New Release = New Feature

I released a new version of My Writing Nook last night that contains a handy new feature - cross-document word counts.

Previously, you would see the word count only for the document currently being edited. Now, you can select to include multiple documents in a Total Word Count, which will appear right next to the current document's word count. This should be very useful for writers (like me) who use a separate document for each chapter of a manuscript. Now I can see both the word count for the chapter I'm working on, and for the manuscript as a whole.

I hope that you find this new feature useful. Enjoy!

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