While Microsoft Word has dominated the world of word processing for a long time now, you may well find that there are one or two options that you prefer. There are a number of reasons for this, but many people are looking for the same functions without the price tag. When you look at the online world, there is rarely just one option available to you; so, it is certainly worth comparing and contrasting the different features to get a better handle on this. To help out with this, take a look at a few of the below options.
Google Docs
The most obvious and popular choice comes from the tech giant in the form of Google Docs. It has the immediate obvious advantage of saving your work automatically, so you do not have to worry about a tech failure. You can also use it for collaborative working as it will back up to the Google Drive and you can simply share the link with others – either allowing them viewing or editing privileges. You will not need to upload to a separate cloud storage system. Also, you can use it on all different types of laptop from a Lenovo to an Apple Mac. On the downside, there are a limited number of online templates available to you.
LibreOffice Writer
LibreOffice has been getting a lot more traction in recent months and years – thanks to a whole host of different advantages that it offers including strong format compatibility, a range of document template galleries, plugin support, and a lack of paywalls or ads of any other kind. There are a host of different office programs within LibreOffice, but Writer is the one that is an alternative to Word. You can create all sorts of different documents on it and even set up your own template. There are plenty of updates that filter through on a regular basis, which is yet another positive feature.
WPS Office Free Writer
Next up, we have this word processer which has the natural advantage of offering cloud storage and support for tech files. The main advantages include the fact that this one offers a user interface that is almost identical to Word. Not only this, but it also offers file format support and free cloud storage. On the downside, it does contain a few ads, which may be off-putting to some people. If you have used a more modern version of Word, you should find that it is a cinch to make the switch from one to the other. There is even the equivalent of the Microsoft storage system OneDrive as well. There are plenty of pre-installed templates for you to choose between. If you want to sidestep the ads, you could always make the switch to the premium version which is available for a subscription fee.
FocusWriter
Great for first drafts that do not require too much in the way of formatting, FocusWriter helps you to block out any distractions and really get some words down on a page. You can use various timers and alarms to help out with this as well. Plus, there is an auto-save function, which means that you are not going to lose your work as you go. A negative feature is that it is not the best for editing, but if you are looking for first draft functionality, it is great. Ultimately, there are many people who need this greater level of focus when they are writing, and FocusWriter is certainly great at offering this.
Writemonkey
Our final choice on the list is Writemonkey, which is also one that aims to minimize the number of distractions that you face as a writer on a regular basis. There is not much in the way of formatting, but for getting your early ideas down onto a page, it does the job with aplomb. Bear in mind that it only works with TXT files, which means that you will need to convert any pre-existing works in progress. There are plenty of keyboard shortcuts that allow you to move through the system. However, you are going to have to take the time to commit these to memory in order to get the most out of your system.
When it comes to choosing a different word processing system, these are just a few of the options that you have available to you. Ultimately, it is worth trying them out to see what works well for you.
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