About a year ago I started writing more seriously on my iPad. For a long time I had swore that it wouldn’t be possible. I grew up writing around a ritualistic space that involved the hum of a hard drive anchored to a desk running Microsoft Word.

How my writing evolved on to the iPad Pro

How did I make the move from a traditional computer to the iPad Pro? Here’s the sequence:

Ulysses. True portable writing started with my discovery of Ulysses. Ulysses is based in markdown, a format for writing that effectively ignores formatting in writing process. It’s optimized for IOS. I started by carrying a small Bluetooth keyboard. I’m hooked on Ulysses and its dead-on focus format. As hard as it is to believe, the Ulysses iPhone app has allowed me to work on posts and projects in contexts where inspiration strikes. I reviewed Ulysses here if you are interested.

iPad Pro. This summer I picked up the new iPad Pro (10 inch) with the Smart keyboard. The size and beauty of the iPad Pro screen represented something of a sweet spot for being big enough to act as a ‘real screen’ for writing while bringing real portability. The keyboard doubling as a cover made the whole unit more portable and compact. I found myself writing at times and places where I normally would be idle.

IOS 11. In September IOS11 released which further evolved the mobile Apple platform as a place for serious writing. The update brings things closer to true functionality when juggling open applications. Basic functions once only accessible on my MacBook are now available on a propped iPad Pro.

I love my MacBook and it remains indispensable for my serious work. But the portability of my iPad Pro and the availability of an inviting platform and operating system has created new opportunities for building on the things I capture. I suspect we’re at a point where truly portable writing is a reality.