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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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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Summer Update

First off, sorry for the lapse in time since my last posting. Such opening sentences are often death knells for blogs, but I want to assure you that isn't the case here. I haven't been resting on my laurels. I've been busy planning and implementing new features for My Writing Nook, and unfortunately this blog has suffered as a result. I plan to get back to a more regular updating schedule once I get this current batch of enhancements out the door. There have been lots of exciting developments in the publishing landscape, and I am looking forward to discussing them in future posts.

So what have I been so busy at work on lately? Well, I've been listening to your helpful feedback and comments, and have been working on improving the rougher edges of the apps, while at the same time building in some of the most-requested features. The future is bright for My Writing Nook, and it will continue to be the best app for writing on the web or on the go with your iPhone, iPad, or Android device.

For both the iPhone and the iPad apps, there are vast improvements in the detection and resolution of document conflicts. You'll soon be able to resolve such conflicts right from within the app. I'm also adding delete synchronization, so previously deleted documents won't keep coming back from the dead. No more zombie docs!

For the iPad app, I'm working on full-screen landscape mode, which should be cause for much rejoicing, since it is one of the top requested features. It's a fairly large change, due to how the frameworks work, but is well worth it.

The Android app will be brought up to similar levels of functionality as its iOS brethren. As a solo developer, it can be tough to keep several apps aligned with respect to feature sets, and the Android app will be getting some necessary TLC.

Don't worry - I haven't forgotten about the web app. You'll soon be able to download all your documents in one fell swoop, instead of one at a time. Easy backups!

I'm also rethinking the organizational features of the app - trying to maintain the ease of use while enhancing the flexibility and functionality. It's a tricky balancing act, and I want to make sure that I get it right.

My current plan is to have new releases out in plenty of time for NaNoWriMo preparation. I'm excited about the coming enhancements, and I hope you will be too.

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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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T-minus 11 days until the iPad

I apologize for the recent radio silence. I've been very busy lately working on My Writing Nook for iPad. I can't share any details yet, other than that I think that the iPad is the perfect device for an app like My Writing Nook.

I have completely reworked the design and workflow for MWN to take advantage of what the iPad offers. At the same time, I've kept the writing environment distraction-free and easy to use. My Writing Nook for iPad is excellent for writing drafts of your novel, jotting down quick notes or ideas, and keeping everything in synch across your various computers and mobile devices.

All the existing features from the iPhone app will be included, and I've also managed to add a few new features that will only be available on the iPad.

April 3rd is almost here! I can't wait.

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What's next for My Writing Nook?

I've been quite busy here at the My Writing Nook labs. OK, there aren't actually any labs, but saying that sounds kinda cool, so please indulge me. With this week's 1.6 release of the MWN iPhone/iPod touch app, the roll out of the shiny new document groups feature is complete. I hope that everyone is enjoying that feature.

I've got a lot of things planned for MWN, so I thought I'd take a few moments and share some of them with you.

Very near term happenings

I'm excited to announce that very soon there will be a My Writing Nook application available to devices that run Android. That means that your shiny new Droid or Nexus One phone will be yet another place that you can Write Simply Anywhere.

I'm putting the final touches on the app now, so I'd expect to get it into the Android Marketplace within the next two weeks or so. It's been an interesting experience - doing Android development. Once the dust settles, I plan to write a post comparing iPhone development to Android development.

Near term happenings

Once the Android app is out the door, I will turn my focus to working on the iPad version of My Writing Nook. I think that MWN is an application that will be very well-suited to the iPad, and I plan to be in the App Store from day one.

But what about the iPhone/iPod app?

Don't worry, I won't be neglecting the iPhone app. For the 1.7 release, I'm planning to integrate support for TextExpander touch into the app, which will allow you to really boost your word count. There will also be a few other minor features.

And the web app?

The web app continues to be fast and stable. It's the foundation of the entire MWN empire. I've got some interesting things planned for the future, but don't want to share them just yet.

It will be an interesting next few months here at MWN. I hope you'll come along for the ride.

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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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Implications of the iPad

Wow. Apple debuted the iPad today, and it looks beautiful. Here are my initial thoughts on the device, and its implications:

My Writing Nook - iPad edition

First of all, let me say: there will most definitely be an iPad-specific version of My Writing Nook. I've already read through the developer documents and will be exploring the SDK in the coming weeks.

Rather than simply port the iPhone/iPod app to the iPad, I am completely rethinking the interface to take advantage of the iPad's screen real estate and new interface paradigms. I am really excited about what the device offers - and I think the iPad version of MWN is going to knock your socks off.

iBooks

The iPad also represents a tremendous opportunity for writers. There aren't too many details about the iBook store yet, but I have to believe that Apple will allow independent third-parties to submit their eBooks for sale. Apple has chosen the ePub format, which is a free and open format.

If they use a model similar to the App Store, with 70% of the take going to the author, then the iPad could really be a boon for self-published authors. This is likely the reason why Amazon announced their new royalty plans last week, and others will be forced to follow suit.

Web Fiction

The iPad will also provide a boost for web fiction. With it's form-factor and excellent browsing capabilities, it will make reading web fiction a breeze. No more clunky laptops or netbooks - you can sit in bed and read web fiction like you would a regular book.

I can't wait until this thing ships in March. What do you think? Is the iPad a game-changer?

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Bring it on, GQ!

I cannot put into words how satisfying it is to see something that I have built being used and enjoyed by so many people. The My Writing Nook iPhone app has been steadily rising in the rankings of the App Store, which has been amazing to watch.

It's already passed by the app made by the people of The Secret^®, and now it's broken into the top 10 (in the Lifestyle paid category) and has got its sights set squarely on GQ. Look out GQ! We're coming for you!

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My Writing Nook is "What's Hot"!

Just wanted to share some exciting news: yesterday, the My Writing Nook iPhone app was featured in the "What's Hot" section of the US App Store, putting it right there on the front page!

It's still there today, and MWN has climbed to the #22 spot in the top 100 paid apps in the Lifestyle category.

I shall now do a happy dance. :)

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This is what the App Store feels like these days

Perhaps I am being a tad facetious, but this is what the App Store feels like these days. I think it's high time Apple added a new "Adult" category and forced all the 17+ rated apps into it.

But hey - as you can see, the My Writing Nook iPhone app managed to break into the top 100 paid apps in the Lifestyle category. I'm enjoying a nice boost from all the happy NaNoWriMo participants.

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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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Coming Soon

Many of you have asked me about using My Writing Nook on an iPhone. I built the app primarily for use on laptops and netbooks, and paid careful attention to maximizing the use of screen space on smaller screens.

While the iPhone has a full-featured browser, using it with MWN is a less than optimal experience. You've got to zoom in to see what you're doing, and it's just a bit clunky. I never intended for My Writing Nook to be used from an iPhone.

Until now.

I'd like to announce that My Writing Nook will soon be available as an app on the iPhone.

I'm very excited about this - the iPhone app synchs seamlessly with the web app, so that you can always have the latest versions of your documents with you. If you find yourself with a few minutes of down time, you can whip out your iPhone and write for a spell. If an idea strikes, you can jot it down quickly and synch everything up so that when you get back to your computer, your ideas are there.

It will be perfect for NaNoWriMo. You'll be able to add to your daily word counts from anywhere - standing at line, at the doctor's office, at the park.

I'm aiming to have My Writing Nook in the App Store in early October. Watch for updates here.

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