It crashes on you while writing
DO NOT BUY THIS. It crashed on me while writing and I lost my work. SO infuriating
Great App
Some mornings, I just don’t want to write. I have the app set to a 15 minute burst. At the end of that time I usually have 500-600 words written. After a few days, I have enough to begin editing down (and building up) a chapter. Simple idea, very valuable tool.
Great app!
Everything I’ve been looking but in a compact and minimal form! Just one suggestion. Could you add in a setting that allows you to set the duration of the timer? It would be great to see if longer time durations evoke a more demanding meditating state and more of an exercise to see if it can be trained. Again thanks again! And also could you update the app to fit the iPhones with the notch on the top of the screen?
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Wonderful to partner with editing & organizing apps
Flowstate excels at allowing (forcing) one to write “in the zone” and results in great productivity. Enabling the autocorrect feature results in usable text fro ppl like me whose touch typing is rather…well, let’s just say, I could practice more. Sharing a doc with another writing app (Ulysses, for example) makes sense and allows organization, especially for large projects, including novels. (Ulysses is great, but has no autocorrect, leaving poor typists frustrated.).
The reflow tool, allows you to challenge yourself by adding time to each exercise.
The reflow tool, allows you to challenge yourself by adding time to each exercise.
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Almost perfect
For what it is, this app is great. It looks great, runs great, and has a great concept behind it. What it’s missing for me is an option to disable deletion while you’re writing. I get distracted by spelling errors and impulsively go back to correct them, which ends my state of flow. Unfortunately this has ruined the app for me personally. I’d rather use a pen and paper as I don’t have that option.
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something wrong
love this app but i swear it used to have a five minute timer and now it only counts down from a minute?? havent even updated this so idk how this happened i cant find a way to change the timer....
Nice app, but...
As you can see from tdhe version history, this app is no longer supported. I found a bug while using split view, so I sent a email, but the developer didn’t replied.
Please, give me choice color
I like white theme like mac. i want choice color in option.
This.
Terrifying. Necessary. It’s probably easier than you think. Getting out of flow state is my problem, weirdly enough. Once I start writing, I get in such a compulsive state of flow, I can’t make myself stop typing even when I want to. I use this to train myself by letting the writing fade. It’s a backwards way to use it, but it took that problem I had and neutralized it down to ...what is now, in terms of writing ... not my issue, but my edge.
But if you want to be in flow-state, just do this until you’re no longer monitoring yourself, let anything come out, and don’t feel the need to read it again. It’s a good way to purge mental clutter, to learn things you didn’t know you thought about, to get some weird poetic dream-like writing (if you’re into that) or just to see what happens. Sometimes I like to write the best thing I’ve ever written, and let it almost disappear. Don’t do that though....it’s probably not healthy lol. 😏
To do this without this app (sorry developers) use a pad and pen and try not to let the pen leave the page... or stop moving, even if you are just scribbling for a minute, it’s the same effect minus the panic attacks from the documents disappearing. This app is genius ... I wish more developers did these cool little niche interest apps. 👍🏻🙏🏻
But if you want to be in flow-state, just do this until you’re no longer monitoring yourself, let anything come out, and don’t feel the need to read it again. It’s a good way to purge mental clutter, to learn things you didn’t know you thought about, to get some weird poetic dream-like writing (if you’re into that) or just to see what happens. Sometimes I like to write the best thing I’ve ever written, and let it almost disappear. Don’t do that though....it’s probably not healthy lol. 😏
To do this without this app (sorry developers) use a pad and pen and try not to let the pen leave the page... or stop moving, even if you are just scribbling for a minute, it’s the same effect minus the panic attacks from the documents disappearing. This app is genius ... I wish more developers did these cool little niche interest apps. 👍🏻🙏🏻
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Anyone know if this app is now broken like the Mac version?
I have written in this app every day for years, on iOS and OSX, and absolutely loved it, would have given it 6 stars. When I upgraded to Mojave, the Mac app ceased to work, eating my words before it was supposed to, with no warning. Anyone know if the developer has kept up better with this iOS version?
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Free flow writing
Whether you’re doing a brain dump so you can sleep, or jumpstart your writing at the beginning of the day, this app is a great tool. Flowstate doesn’t give you time for freak out over a blank word processor—no procrastination allowed. This is one of the best direct connectors to your mind you can have available.
My sole complaint is that I want to have the same app on my laptop—please grace us with a version for Mac OS!
My sole complaint is that I want to have the same app on my laptop—please grace us with a version for Mac OS!
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Awesomely inspiring
Just a great idea. A brilliant implementation of a strategy to force you (enjoyably) to come at things differently - from left field, however you want to put it - it is simultaneously making you try something different and yet, paradoxically, making you focus completely on what you want to do. No psychoactive substances were harmed during the writing of this review (apart from coffee)
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Fantastic tool
EDIT: Still using this app, but wish I could do sprints longer than 15 minutes on the app. Emailed the developer, but haven’t heard back - hope this isn’t an app they leave to languish without updates forever.
I am so excited about this. I am exactly the person this app is designed for - I definitely need the timer/don't stop or you'll lose your work function of this app.
I am working on an iPad Pro with the Smart Keyboard. For those previous reviewers who couldn't get the app to Landscape view, here is how I figured it out - go through the tutorial, tap on the contact link. Then, tap email and go to your mail client. Flip your iPad back and forth so the mail window goes to Landscape, then swipe back to Flowstate. It should then appear in Landscape and you can start your documents.
Yay!
I am so excited about this. I am exactly the person this app is designed for - I definitely need the timer/don't stop or you'll lose your work function of this app.
I am working on an iPad Pro with the Smart Keyboard. For those previous reviewers who couldn't get the app to Landscape view, here is how I figured it out - go through the tutorial, tap on the contact link. Then, tap email and go to your mail client. Flip your iPad back and forth so the mail window goes to Landscape, then swipe back to Flowstate. It should then appear in Landscape and you can start your documents.
Yay!
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I love this app
The app is designed to force you to write for a set number of minutes. I normally choose 5 minutes, and I sometimes start a second 5-minute flow. And then I write. I write whatever is on my mind.
This app is perfect for that. It’s just a blank screen that forces me to write. Other than what autocorrect makes, I don’t care about my typos, I don’t have time. I have to write or else my work disappears. I’d rather have a draft I can revise than no draft at all…so I write until my flow timer expires.
This app does precisely what it says it will do: write for a set time. If you stop for more than 5 seconds, your text will start to disappear. Trust me, I’ve lost work because I’ve paused for too long. So, I have to start my flow state again.
Sometimes the only way to create a draft is to force a draft. And that is what this app does.
I’ve found it is also useful to help me create entries for my Day One journal.
This app is perfect for that. It’s just a blank screen that forces me to write. Other than what autocorrect makes, I don’t care about my typos, I don’t have time. I have to write or else my work disappears. I’d rather have a draft I can revise than no draft at all…so I write until my flow timer expires.
This app does precisely what it says it will do: write for a set time. If you stop for more than 5 seconds, your text will start to disappear. Trust me, I’ve lost work because I’ve paused for too long. So, I have to start my flow state again.
Sometimes the only way to create a draft is to force a draft. And that is what this app does.
I’ve found it is also useful to help me create entries for my Day One journal.
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App
Good app with lots of potential
There are ways to work around the system like copy and pasting - Disabling the copy and pasting feature until after the time limit has passed would help
But if nothing else, it keeps you on your toes and your mind active
There are ways to work around the system like copy and pasting - Disabling the copy and pasting feature until after the time limit has passed would help
But if nothing else, it keeps you on your toes and your mind active
New version won't let you adjust the amount of time before the writing gets deleted
I have been using Flowstate for over a year and it has helped my writing a lot. The new update destroyed it for me though, for two reasons. First, I lost all the files I had created before the update. I tried to follow the procedures they recommended for recovering them from the cloud, but got nothing.
Second, on the earlier version I was able to adjust the time it took before it deleted everything. I was able to find a time short enough to spur my creativity but long enough to let the words flow naturally, rather than feeling frantic about getting them out in time. On the new version, I can't find any setting that allows me to adjust the delete time, and the default setting is too quick for me.
Others have written about great support from the developers. That has not been my experience. I have emailed them and have never received a response.
Second, on the earlier version I was able to adjust the time it took before it deleted everything. I was able to find a time short enough to spur my creativity but long enough to let the words flow naturally, rather than feeling frantic about getting them out in time. On the new version, I can't find any setting that allows me to adjust the delete time, and the default setting is too quick for me.
Others have written about great support from the developers. That has not been my experience. I have emailed them and have never received a response.
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Love love love
Great app to put you into flow
Well worth the money!
I love FlowState. I love how it focuses me and keeps me 'in the zone'. I like how, prior to a recent update, you could set it for a certain time frame: 5 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes. Unfortunately, this function is no longer available - a great pity, and I wish it would be brought back.
But other that that, I love this app. I wish I'd had it ages ago! It's well worth the money.
But other that that, I love this app. I wish I'd had it ages ago! It's well worth the money.
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Magic! In so many ways
Wrote a three star review yesterday complaining that Flowstate wouldn't work in landscape mode.
Decided in the middle of the night that I love FLowstate so much that it didn't matter if I felt like I was writing sideways. The way it works is that you just write anyway. You can go back to read it later.
So, I open it again this morning and it opened in landscape mode!
Fabulous. This is not only a writing tool - it is a great way to become your own psychiatrist. Just set it for 15-30 minutes and write. See if you aren't wiser by the time you are done.
———-
Updating this. All of the above remains true and what I'm about to write is what I would put out to support, if there were such a thing. If anyone has any tips about how to find it on the "too-cool-for-school" website, let me know. When my time is up, Flowstate disappears from my screen. I suppose that's not the worst thing that can happen. When I reopen it, all of my writing is still there, including the sentence or word I was typing when the app disappeared. So, it's OK, but it's disconcerting. Did you do this intentionally with the update? Or is it a bug?
————
It has been a year or so since the previous update. Whatever my problem was then has been taken care of. I want to repeat and emphasize one point from my first review. If the cost bothers you, compare it to the cost of psychotherapy. I find that 15 minutes on Flowstate a few times each week is more useful and insightful than many therapy sessions. Not many apps can claim to make you a better person, but I think Flowstate could make that claim.
Decided in the middle of the night that I love FLowstate so much that it didn't matter if I felt like I was writing sideways. The way it works is that you just write anyway. You can go back to read it later.
So, I open it again this morning and it opened in landscape mode!
Fabulous. This is not only a writing tool - it is a great way to become your own psychiatrist. Just set it for 15-30 minutes and write. See if you aren't wiser by the time you are done.
———-
Updating this. All of the above remains true and what I'm about to write is what I would put out to support, if there were such a thing. If anyone has any tips about how to find it on the "too-cool-for-school" website, let me know. When my time is up, Flowstate disappears from my screen. I suppose that's not the worst thing that can happen. When I reopen it, all of my writing is still there, including the sentence or word I was typing when the app disappeared. So, it's OK, but it's disconcerting. Did you do this intentionally with the update? Or is it a bug?
————
It has been a year or so since the previous update. Whatever my problem was then has been taken care of. I want to repeat and emphasize one point from my first review. If the cost bothers you, compare it to the cost of psychotherapy. I find that 15 minutes on Flowstate a few times each week is more useful and insightful than many therapy sessions. Not many apps can claim to make you a better person, but I think Flowstate could make that claim.
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God I wish i had this 15 years ago.
Need i say more?!
