Before we talk about book writing apps for Android, we should check out what “book-writing apps” really mean. If you google the words, you can see there are lots of blog posts on them.

The problem is they often cover what is not a full-fledged book writing app. For example, they often include mobile versions of word processor software such as Microsoft Word or Apple Page in the category of book writing apps.

That is simply misleading because a book writing app, based on my experience, should meet the requirements as shown below.

• It should allow you to write separate chunks of text as a chapter or a folder, whatever you call it.
• You should be able to move the chunks around to change the order of the full text.
• You should be able to select all or some of the chunks and export them into a manuscript in formats such as pdf, txt, epub and etc.

These features can be found in the two most famous book writing apps for desktop computers, which are Scrivener and Ulysses.

Scrivener is available for Mac and Windows. Ulysses is only for Mac. However, both software has mobile apps for IOS.

As a result, iPhone and iPad users have no problem with book writing apps because they have two top-notch products available for their OS. They just can buy the IOS version of Scrivener or Ulysses.

Scrivener for IOS can sync files with its desktop version. Ulysses does the same. You can also use them as a standalone book writing app. Read a review on Scrivener for IOS for more information.

I have never used Scrivener for IOS but remember using Ulysses for IOS with great satisfaction right before I migrated to Android a few years ago. It is an excellent writing app that meets all the above-mentioned requirements for a book writing app.

It also has a nice-looking minimal and distraction-free interface. Here is my review of Ulysses, both desktop and IOS versions, about my experience of using it successfully to overcome the writer’s block.

Now, what options do Android users like me have? Unfortunately, we really have no book-writing apps like Scrivener or Ulysses that we can use to write texts and manage chapters of a book.

I even wrote a post to convince Android developers that here is a gap to be filled, a market for a book writing app. Looks like nobody listened:)

There have been words about Scrivener for Android coming soon but it has been delayed several times. It is hard to tell when it will be available. Developers of Ulysses seem to have no such plan at all.

So, what we, Android users, currently have are not “book writing” apps. They are just “writing” apps for Android.

Since I switched back to an Android phone two years ago, I have tried almost every app to find the right one. I could not find anything even remotely similar to Ulysses or Scrivener.

These days, I use only one writing app on my Android phone to write a book. It is the iA writer.

When it first appeared for Mac, iA writer got lots of rave reviews for its beautiful design. With its focus mode highlighting sentences that you are working on, and distraction-free screen, iA writer makes writing a pleasant experience. I am actually writing this post on the iA writer for Mac.

iA writer also comes as IOS and Android apps. iA Writer for Android can do almost everything its desktop counterpart does. Essential features such as dark theme, focus mode, and word count are all there.

To make it even better, it is free. iA Writer for Mac and Windows are not free but the Android app is.

You may remember that I said that there is no Android app that can really write a book because none of that allows you to work on chapters. I use an expedient to solve this situation.

I use Scrivener on Mac as my main writing tool. It can sync with files in the Dropbox folder. The same files sync with other devices that also have Dropbox.

I work on the same Dropbox files on my android phone using the iA writer. This is the method that I found as the next best thing compared to the direct sync between the IOS version of Scrivener or Ulysses and their desktop counterparts.

Why am I using iA writer for Android?

First, there are not many decent writing apps for Android after all. The closest competitor is JotterPad but its design is not as minimal as that of the iA writer. It does not show word count in the editing mode, either. Only when I stop writing, I can check the word count. iA writer mobile shows the word count on top of the screen while I am writing, which is important for me.

Second, I have the freedom of using different devices to work on the same file. I have the iA Writer on my Mac mini, MacBook Air, and even on Windows notebook, and my Android phone as well.

I can use any device to work on the same file in Dropbox depending on the situation. If I am sitting in the living room, I use iA writer on MacBook. If I am out and have some idling time, I work on the text with the iA writer for Android.

When I open Scrivener on Mac later, all the files on Dropbox are synced and I can finalize them for a book draft.

This method only requires a one-time investment for Scrivener for Mac or Windows. Dropbox and iA writer for Android are free.

Until Scrivener for Android is released, which some say might happen in late 2019, this is my system to fill the gap of book writing apps for Android. Try it. It works beautifully. I have completed a draft for my second book using this method.