# Writing Shed — Boost your productivity > Writing management tool for novels, short stories, and poetry. (iPhone/iPad app by Keith Lander.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/writing-shed/id1056997926 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Keith Lander](https://appshunter.io/developer/373949905) - Category: Productivity, Education - Price: $19.99 - Rating: 3.71/5 from 17 App Store ratings · 24 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 18 · 24 MB - Languages: English - Released: 2016-08-02 - Data updated: 2026-09-08 - Monetization: paid - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/writing-shed/id1056997926/reviews.md ## What is Writing Shed? Serious writers need serious tools to help with their work. Writing Shed has been designed with you, the writer, in mind. It is more than a word processor, it is a complete management tool for novels, short stories and poetry. MULTIPLE WRITING PROJECTS Most writers know there is a lot more to the task of writing than creating documents filled with text. For example, poets typically have hundreds if not thousands of poems. Novelists and short story writers have a similar problem. Writing shed allows you to split your work into projects so finding documents is simpler and faster MULTIPLE VERSIONS Usually there will be several versions of each poem/scene/story. Writing Shed lets you create multiple versions of a text without having to create a new name for each. BUILD OUTLINES You can build plot/character and location outlines for novels and short stories. CREATE COLLECTIONS Build collections of texts for sharing/printing/submitting. RESEARCH Import research material including PDF, HTML and image files. REMINDERS Add events to the Reminders app to keep track of completion dates, magazine submission windows, competition deadlines and more. WORK ANYWHERE Writing Shed can use iCloud to automatically Synchronise your work between your devices (including the forthcoming Mac OS version of the App). TRACK SUBMISSIONS/KEEP HISTORY In addition to document management the app provides features that let you track work submitted to magazines, competitions, commissions and other places. Add reminders to the Reminders App. The app maintains a historical record of all your submissions SUMMARY OF FEATURES • Multiple projects for Novels, Short Stories and Poetry • Scene, character and location outlines • Track submissions to magazines, competitions and publishers • Multiple versions for each poem, scene or story • Full featured rich text editor • Add notes to poems, scenes, stories and more • Synchronise between devices using iCloud • Create collections of poems, scenes or stories • Import research documents • Share work: projects, printing, email, social media, iCloud Drive etc • Import Word & Rich Text files from iCloud Drive, Airdrop, iTunes, and other apps • Comprehensive help screens • External Keyboard support (iPad) SUPPORT There is a website at www.writing-shed.com where you can submit comments. Alternatively email support@writing-shed.com ## Key features - Multiple writing projects - Multiple versions of texts - Outline building - Submission tracking - Research material import - iCloud synchronization ## Recent user reviews (10 of 24) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/writing-shed/id1056997926/reviews.md ### 1/5 — It won’t even open *2023-12-03, version 5.29* Although I have the latest version of the Writing Shed, the app still won’t open. I tap it, it shows briefly on the screen before shutting down again. I think the termites are eating the shed, please fix. ### 5/5 — Fantastic App *2022-06-11, version 5.28* Since it’s inception and over the years that I’ve used Writing Shed I’ve found it helps me organise my work and writing directly into the app is a huge bonus for me as I can write anywhere and all my machines sync hoorah for Writing Shed I recommend this App with 5 Stars! ### 4/5 — Wonderful writing and outlining app *2022-05-15, version 5.28* I would highly recommend this app to anyone who is interested in writing. It has something for everyone, templates are provided for Novelists, short stories or anyone interested in writing poetry. I have read all of the older and mostly negative reviews in regards to this app. I did experience some lost work in the beginning but once I took the time to read the help files, that was the end of my issues. Take the time to read the help files. It will greatly enhance your understanding and functionality of the app. In regards to support, I have found all the negativity to also be unjustified. I had a very minor issue that wasn’t even related to the app and I worked with the developer on resolving the situation. I can’t say enough good things about Keith. We exchanged emails daily while he worked to troubleshoot my issue. The developer is very passionate about this app and will assist you in resolving any issues you might run across. No app covers every base and there are small things that can be added to improve the quality of the app but for the price I honestly have no complaints. My suggestion is play around with the app first. Read the help files. There is a lot to this app that it’s easy to overlook at first. I look forward to using any future versions of Writing Shed. I hope you will enjoy using it as much as I have. ### 4/5 — Very good idea, could still be improved *2020-10-25* I am impressed by this app. Instead of using my Notes app, I will now use this. Improvements suggested: transfer Word headings as chapters in writing shed. Otherwise, I don’t think that I will be entering that info by hand. Not sure what it’s for. Chapter titles? A link with Word or Scrivener (for scenes) would be a nice addition to this very already helpful app. Also, auto capitalized words for each section would be nicer than always having to press shift when entering a character’s name. Links to competition sites and other tracking websites such as the submission Grinder or Submittable would be also good. Good job you guys! Update October 2020: the app started to crash after a few selections (scenes) **Developer response:** Thanks for the feedback. We'll add these items to the Wishlist. There are no crashlogs recorded for the past two weeks, so maybe you haven't got the Analytics & Improvements set up in Settings>Privacy. You can always contact us through the website at writing-shed.com. ### 3/5 — SammyDuck *2020-10-07, version 5.03* UPDATED REVIEW, OCT 7, 2020: I’ll still have to maintain that many developers—not just Mr. Lander—need to spend more time/energy/money on the coding process. Especially if they expect consumers to invest their hard-earned money in a subscription. As I indicated before, I like the UI and features of this app, so I tried Writing Shed again, and it seems to be working okay now. But I have been through this before—three times. At this point I simply can’t trust it with my work and I am reluctant to spend any more of my own time with it. I would like to see how other, especially “more representative”, users are faring with it. UPDATED REVIEW, OCT 4, 2020: DEVELOPER SEEMS TO HAVE FORGOTTEN OUR BACK-AND-FORTH EMAILS OF WELL OVER A YEAR AGO. SEEMS UNDERSTANDABLE BECAUSE OF THE TIME THAT HAS PASSED. HOWEVER, TO LET USERS OF THIS APP LANGUISH IN EXPECTATION OF ITS IMPROVEMENT—WHEN THEY NEED TO ACTUALLY BE USING IT—IS NOT SOMETHING I’D BE PROUD OF. AND NOW A SUBSCRIPTION? PERHAPS THE BUGS AND CRASHES HAVE NOW BEEN FIXED, BUT I DON’T SEE ANY REVIEWS THAT WOULD INDICATE THAT. ANYONE? Old Review: Lost text, crashing, too few bugs/glitches worked out—a pity because I really do like the UI and features of this creative writing app & submissions record keeper. Needs to be snappier, more reliable, better file management, better export, syncing, and versioning. What can readers do to convince developer to invest time/energy/money in coding? ### 5/5 — Excellent *2019-08-06, version 4.12* Been using this app for months it’s really impressive have found no fault with it yet ### 5/5 — Great app for writing and tracking submissions *2019-06-11, version 4.10* Nice layout, simple and effective. So handy to be able to track submissions from inside the app. Syncs well between devices too, perfect for writing on the go. Friendly developer responds when contacted and quickly sorts out issues. ### 1/5 — What the heck? *2019-06-07, version 4.09* Spent several frustrating hours trying to right the bizarre jumping of lines. This has rendered my texts impossible to print or email for competitions or any other use. Words jump onto the next line mid- sentence and I can't double space the whole text. Contact support? A blank page is all I get. ### 1/5 — Get a calendar *2018-12-14, version 4.04* I've just downloaded this app - 14 December - and the first thing I'm welcomed to is that my 14 day free trial ends on 17 December. I've got news for you - the free trial ends now - trashed. If that's how you welcome potential users, I don't want this app. ### 4/5 — Crashes when trying to open (Update) *2018-10-31, version 3.16* App has starting to crash and won’t open on iPad Pro. Hope for a fix if not it’s totally useless . Too bad because it was my go to app when writing. UPDATE. My iPad Pro was purchased two years ago. It’s updated with all the latest IOS. I stopped using this app because it kept crashing. The developer contacted me and asked a few questions recently. I decided to delete the app and reinstall it on the chance it would work again. It did. I am very pleased and plan on using it once again as my ‘go to’ writing app. ## Frequently asked questions about Writing Shed ### What does Writing Shed do? Writing Shed is a comprehensive management tool for writers of novels, short stories, and poetry. It goes beyond a simple word processor to help you organize multiple writing projects, manage different versions of your work, build outlines, and track submissions. ### What are the key features of Writing Shed? Key features include the ability to manage multiple writing projects, create various versions of a text without renaming, build plot/character/location outlines, track submissions to magazines and competitions, import research materials like PDFs and images, and synchronize your work across devices using iCloud. ### How much does Writing Shed cost? Based on the provided information, Writing Shed is a paid application. There is no mention of free trials, subscriptions, or in-app purchases, indicating a one-time purchase model. ### What devices is Writing Shed compatible with? Writing Shed is available for iOS devices and is designed to synchronize work between them using iCloud. A forthcoming Mac OS version is also mentioned, suggesting cross-platform compatibility for Apple users. ### Can I use Writing Shed for different types of writing? Yes, Writing Shed is specifically designed for various forms of creative writing. It supports novels, short stories, and poetry, offering features tailored to the organizational needs of each genre, such as managing numerous poems or scenes. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 10 — 2026-06-10 Minor bug fix ### 5.29 — 2023-08-04 Minor bug fix Allow editing of documents in collections/submissions ### 5.28 — 2022-05-01 Fixed issues with bold & italic buttons ### 5.27 — 2022-03-25 Fixed a sync bug ### 5.26 — 2021-10-31 Added a feature that enables you to save the contents of a project in an external document that can be shared with other Writing Shed users and/or used to restore a project to an earlier version. ## Apps similar to Writing Shed | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Werdsmith: Writing App](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/werdsmith-writing-app/id489746330) | 4.7 (7,962) | Free | Productivity | | [AI Writer Assistant - Lek](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ai-writer-assistant-lek/id1643403406) | 4.6 (83) | Free | Productivity | | [ChatBot Pro - Writer Assistant](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chatbot-pro-writer-assistant/id6446230583) | 4.6 (266) | Free | Productivity | | [IntelliMind - AI Chat Experts](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/intellimind-ai-chat-experts/id6449409636) | 4.8 (108) | Free | Productivity | | [Book Writer - Novel Writing](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/book-writer-novel-writing/id1489462831) | 3.9 (78) | Free | Productivity | | [Paper: Writing App, Notes](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paper-writing-app-notes/id1476984841) | 4.7 (1,703) | Free | Productivity | ## More apps by Keith Lander - [Word Chaser](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/word-chaser/id6443517365) - [VroomLog](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vroomlog/id6743052505) - [Writing Shed Pro](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/writing-shed-pro/id6747890719) - [WSP Reader](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wsp-reader/id6758263211) All apps by Keith Lander: https://appshunter.io/developer/373949905 --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-08.*