Creative writing/journal software?

I was wondering if anybody here knows of any good computer programs or applications, preferably free, that are made specifically for creative writing and/or journaling?

Lately I have been slowly trying to get myself back into my old hobby of creative writing. I have always been more of a traditional writer, putting pen to paper to allow my creative juices to flow, and keeping journals and books in my bag and around the house to jot down stuff when I feel like it.

However, writing technology is becoming increasingly popular these days with people blogging, writing web articles, sharing information over forums, having office/desk jobs that require people to send e-mails and write reports all day long, and teachers/professors demanding students to type up their final copies of assignments and essays on a computer before they hand them in. Most people use computers nearly everyday and find typing much easier than having to use a pen and paper.

I don't think I will ever give up writing with pen & paper completely, but I would love to try writing from my computer, as I spend alot of time during the day using my computer anyways. I have regular programs such as Microsoft Word and Notepad, but I'm looking for something a little more interesting that is designed purely for writing and has some cool features If you have any suggestions, please share!

 

I always thought Wordperfect was kindof cool. But it's only got a little bit more than Word.

 

TBH, I've never had much of a problem using programs such as MS Word or Notepad.
Those other sophisticated programs may just give you a hunger for even more, even when you don't need it.

But if I were you, I would stick with the pen and paper when it comes to creativity and writing. It might just be me, but I have a lot of trouble concentrating on one thing (that's not a game) when I'm in front of the computer because of all the distractions

I personally learned calligraphy and write whatever I have that is creative in my mind with my fountain pen in a beautiful cursive that even I adore <3

 

Thanks for the feedback guys.

MistahBee - I found a cool program last night called "Dark Room" that is really neat, and very effective at minimizing distractions while you write. Once you open the program, it is basically just a pure black background with green text. Very easy on the eyes, and a nice feel, without all the distractions that come with most Word programs.

I also like the idea of learning calligraphy with a fountain pen... it would go great with one of my writing projects! I have a special book that I fill up only with quotes, nothing else.. I often write seperate quotes in there in different colour pens, styles of writing, sizes, uppercase, lowercase letters etc. to give each seperate quote entry a unique feel. Having a nice fountain pen with real ink would be so damn cool for writing quotes down in there. I like that idea! Thanks

 

Dark Room? Thanks man, I'll try that out, too
As for the fountain pens, you don't have to waste too much money on good brands like Parker or Montblanc (Montblanc is extreme.)
There are actually nice fountain pens made by Chinese companies.

For example, I have one by a Chinese company called Baoer, and it glides like butter across paper. It was only like $11, with free shipping

 

Yes, Dark Room. It is a pretty cool program actually. I have been using it again tonight to write and it is definitely a fantastic choice for you if you find writing on a computer to be highly distractive. Give it a try! I feels just like having your head buried in a notebook, except your fingers glide with ease across the keyboard and I find I can actually produce words quite a bit faster than I ever could with a pen. It may not be for everyone, but if you are new to writing with computer like I am, its perfect!

And thankyou for the advice on the fountain pens. I will be keeping my eyes peeled for anything like that next time I am out shopping, and if I have no luck I will certainly take the search to the internet and see if I can order some nice ones. I would love to give it a try