Sunday Review: Apple Pages

In this week’s review, I’d like to tackle some writing software that is often under-appreciated. With 97% of the world that uses computers on Microsoft’s appalling Word, I’m happy to say I’ve sworn off Word once and for all, except for the very infrequent times when I have to format something for someone else. No, my writing life has improved enormously ever since I stopped letting myself get kicked around by Word and switched to Apple’s Pages.

Pages is part of Apple’s iWork suite of software, and it is true: you can only use it on a Mac. If you’re in that lucky camp, though, you’re in for a treat when it comes to sleek, minimalistic, and highly powered word-processing. Pages is part sophisticated page-layout software, and part not-in-your-face processor. When creating a new document, you can choose from a long list of attractive layouts in either of these two categories. In the page layout category, you can design flyers, brochures, lesson plans, and magazines, with smart, intuitive ways to create text boxes, adjust images, and continue text from one box to the next. We creative writers, however, are often more concerned with the word processing functions. The problem with programs like Word is that it distracts you from the writing with all its uncontrollable auto-formatting and inane rules about tabs. The problem with far more bare-bones software, like plain text editors, is that ultimately you want an attractive final document with some options like page numbers and formatting. Pages handily walks the line between these two.

When writing, you have a clean white page, with a single unobtrusive formatting bar at the top. Footers only appear when you hover over them; otherwise, it’s just you and the text. There is also a full-screen option, perfect for distraction-free writing for your creative work. It’s easy, elegant, and most importantly of all, it doesn’t get in your way. Even the commenting feature, when you are commenting on others’ writing, is both cleaner and easier to use than Word’s similar feature.

Ultimately, Apple has thought seriously about ease of use and creating a pleasurable word-processing experience. That’s what’s important to creative writers — an experience that won’t distract from the pleasure of writing.