iPad Pro review for writers

I have had my beloved iPad Pro for about 4 months now. I always said when I got the iPad 1 that I couldn’t wait until they brought out a larger one, so you can imagine my delight when a mere 5 years later I was able to upgrade. The original one still works – the hardware at least, the software is somewhat reluctant to run that slow. Poor old thing.

The iPad Pro was a pretty bastardly expensive device but I was able to justify it quite easily. For one thing, I had saved a fortune by skipping all the versions between 1 and Pro.

I should also point out that I am writing using the Logitech keyboard and writing about the big iPad.

Personal Writing

The iPad Pro satisfies all my personal writing needs. As in the stuff I do for fun, like this blog, www.scifiward.com, my short stories (see top right), and a couple of books I am writing. My personal preference at the moment for novels is to write all notes, characters, place description, plot drafts, etc, in One Note, and then write the draft on Ulysses. I know you can make notes on Ulysses but I find it distracting to have to switch out of what I am writing to check on something. As the iPad Pro has the option to pull in another screen from the right, it makes checking notes on One Note a lot easier. You can pull it just a little in, for a quick check, or go for full-on half screen action.

For everything else, there is Word or a ton of other writing apps. Sadly no Scrivener, but you can’t have everything. I am writing this on the iPad Pro, so WordPress is obviously ok.

Professional Writing

Sadly, for now, I still have a full-time day job and have the gloriously underwhelming job title of Senior Content Writer. My first ever job, when I was 18, was a ‘Reporter’, which sounds a lot cooler. Anyway, I have to write a variety of stuff. Sometimes it is on the Internet, Word, PDF, proofreading artwork, writing brochures, and so on. All of these are pretty much fine on their own, but I sometimes have to combine things from a variety of sources and double check facts on the Internet. That is where it starts to get tricky and I frequently have to bring my phone into play just to have a separate screen to play with.

So it is largely ok but sometimes just a bit quicker and much less confusing to go old-school and use a laptop if I need a lot of windows open. I should also add that the more I use the IPad Pro, the more I get used to doing things slightly different from a laptop. The feeling of being slightly restricted while on a tablet diminishes with use. You adjust. Mostly.

iPad Keyboard

As I said earlier, I use the backlit Logitech keyboard, and it is a delight to write on. I find it just as good as my 12″ MacBook Air to touch-type on. Obviously experiences vary. The only real downside is that with the keyboard attached, it is basically a laptop in relation to its size and weight. Although it is a laptop that has an incredible battery (over 10 hours if gaming or watching films, longer for writing) and I can fully recharge it using a portable battery bank. Also, this is what I have been wanting for half a decade – a MacBook Air where you can detach the screen and use it for films/books/comics/internet, etc.

Non-writing related stuff

Writing aside, the iPad Pro is just an incredible tablet. It is possible that I am easily impressed having come from an iPad 1 but for reading comics, watching films, surfing the web, or gaming, it is the best tablet I have seen or researched. The four speakers sound great and the screen is crisp and lovely. Basically, all the stuff you do on a tablet but with a bigger better screen.

I have also started drawing again. I’m not great but it was a something I enjoyed when younger and I have been carrying drawing pads and pencil sets from country to country for decades now. I am also going to use it to design book covers, so it all kind of ties in.

Conclusion

For writers, I think the iPad Pro is bloody superb. It takes a while to get used to but with the Logitech keyboard, it is surprisingly easy. If you are a business type and do presentations and need multiple media outputs or whatever the hell you people do, then this probably isn’t for you. Apple keep saying this can replace a laptop and I don’t really think it can. I do about 95% of things on my iPad but my needs are simple. I said earlier that this was what I had been waiting for but I actually want the full OS experience, perhaps with a button that switches to iOS. Make this happen Apple!

I don’t know if this review will help anyone but before I bought my iPad Pro I was looking for exactly this, so maybe it will help someone somewhere. If you disagree and think this review is flawed feel free to discuss it with your friends. I don’t care.