For some of you, writing might be a hobby, an enjoyable activity. For others, it might be serious work and their source of income. Whatever the case, there’s so much more to writing than simply putting words on a page.
A writer has to think about many different things to finish a document, manuscript, or article, such as brainstorming ideas, grammar and spelling, sentence formation, structuring, using the right words for their specific audience, and so on. When all of this is taken into consideration, writing can become pretty tedious.
However, if you are using a Mac for your writing endeavors, you don’t need to worry much. Mac computers are sleek, reliable, and fast. They are also equipped with almost everything you need to streamline your writing workflow. Continue reading for some helpful tips to improve your efficiency when writing on your Mac.
- Choose a writing application that aligns with your needs
Most of you are so blinded by standard word processors like Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and Pages that you refuse to see beyond. But if you don’t take the plunge, you are truly missing out on productivity and efficiency.
Writing on Mac gives you access to user-friendly, distraction-free writing tools, such as Ulysses, Scrivener, Simplenote, Markdown, and many more. These tools are specifically designed for writers.
Take Scrivener, for example. This is a popular choice for novelists and screenwriters because it allows them to create multiple sub-files, move sections around, and view chapters as index cards. Ulysses is another popular app that offers a distraction-free writing environment and even comes with Markdown tools to help with formatting.
- Learn keyboard shortcuts for speed
By learning just a few keyboard shortcuts, you could potentially save several hours over the course of a year. Memorize the following shortcuts to speed up your writing workflow:
- Switch between open windows by pressing Command + Tab, which is the closest thing to Alt Tab on Mac. This will help you quickly access your research materials without reaching for the mouse.
- Copy and paste text by pressing Command + C/V.
- If you don’t like the word or sentence you’ve just written, press Command + Z to undo the action.
- Select all text on your document without a fuss by pressing Command + A.
Similarly, there are other keyboard shortcuts you must learn to speed up your writing process on your Mac. You can start with the ones mentioned here and then discover the rest by searching for them online.
- Utilize the built-in Dictionary
There’s no need to keep a dictionary at hand or head over to your browser to look up the meaning of difficult words when writing on a Mac. Your Mac comes with the built-in Dictionary application that is a powerful tool for searching definitions, Wikipedia entries, and Thesaurus. Simply point to a word and press Control + Command + D.
- Use Focus Mode to write free of distractions
Writing demands a lot of focus. Even the slightest distraction can break your stream of thoughts and make you forget what you want to write. Hence, to finish writing on time, you must create a distraction-free environment.
One way of doing so is choosing a distraction-free writing app. Second, you can use the full-screen mode when writing to hide everything else in the background. Third and most important, use Focus Mode on your Mac.
With Focus, you can choose the notifications you want to silence and selectively allow the important ones. Essentially, this is an upgrade to the Do Not Disturb Mode. Open the Control Center, click on the Focus section, and create a Focus Mode for writing.
- Multitask using Split View
Often, writers need to juggle multiple referencing research materials or documents. While Command + Tab helps seamlessly switch between open windows, Split View takes that efficiency a step further. This feature allows you to work on two apps simultaneously, side by side. You can open two documents or apps and drag one to the left side of the screen and the other to the right.
For example, you can have your research material on one side and your writing document on the other. This will save you time from not having to constantly switch between them.
- Leverage Mac’s Dictation feature
Dictation is truly a game-changer, especially if you are on a tight deadline but need to give your hands a break. It is also a useful feature if you think faster than you type. By enabling Mac’s built-in Dictation feature (System Settings > Keyboard > Dictation), you can turn your speech into text and quickly draft content.
Conclusion
Improving efficiency on a Mac as a writer involves using the features and functionalities at your fingertips. Streamline your writing process by implementing the tips given above. These strategies will help you get the most out of your time.