Features
Writing rarely happens in one straight line.
A document begins on the page, but it soon gathers notes, sources, questions, changes and feedback. Tolstoy Compose keeps that surrounding work close to the draft while giving you a calm place to think and write.
A clear space to write
Most of the time, you need the page and enough room to think. Compose keeps the editor open and uncluttered, with formatting and document tools ready when you need them.
- Organise the document with headings, lists, quotes and horizontal rules.
- Add links, images and tables without leaving the editor.
- Apply detailed formatting when the writing needs it.
- Adjust fonts, text size, spacing, line width and colours to make the page comfortable.
- Move the sidebar or show invisible characters when you need a closer view.
- Write in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian or German.
Find your place and keep moving
As a draft develops, finding the right passage should not break your train of thought. Move through the document by its structure, search for exact wording and make changes without losing your place.
- Use the outline to move directly between sections.
- Search for a phrase, name or repeated idea.
- Narrow a search by case or whole words.
- Replace wording in one place or across the document.
- Use shortcuts and the command palette for familiar actions.
- See word count and other document details as you write.
Keep the thinking around the draft
Not every useful thought belongs in the document straight away. Shelf gives notes, links, tasks, questions and saved passages somewhere to stay until you know what to do with them.
- Keep supporting material beside the document you are writing.
- Save a passage before cutting or moving it during a revision.
- Search, filter and sort Shelf items as they accumulate.
- Bring material into the document when it is ready.
- Save Shelf content with the
.composefile so the context stays with the writing.
Work with sources as you write
Sources are easier to use when they stay close to the claims and ideas they support. Save a reference once, return to it while you write and reuse it wherever it is needed.
- Add details for books, articles, websites and other sources.
- Record authors, publishers, journals, page numbers, DOIs and URLs.
- Reuse a reference without entering the same information again.
- Keep citation labels up to date as the document changes.
- Prepare references in styles including APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, Vancouver and IEEE.
- Show citations as footnotes, endnotes or both.
Review changes where they belong
Feedback is easier to understand when you can see the writing it refers to. Comments and suggested edits stay beside the draft, so you can consider each change in context.
- Attach a comment to a specific passage.
- Review suggested wording before deciding whether to use it.
- Accept or reject a suggestion without rebuilding the edit yourself.
- Keep review notes with the working document.
- Copy a review summary when you need to share decisions or next steps.
Change direction without starting over
A substantial rewrite can take the document somewhere better, but it helps to know the earlier draft is still there. Save a version before a major change and return to it if the new direction does not work.
- Create a snapshot before a rewrite, restructure or review round.
- Name important versions so they are easy to recognise later.
- Restore an earlier version when you need it.
- Open an older version as a separate document when you want to compare directions.
- Keep a useful history beyond ordinary undo.
Bring writing in and send it on
Writing often moves between people, formats and tools. Bring an existing draft into Compose, keep the complete working version there and export a clean file for whatever comes next.
- Open and save native
.composefiles with the draft and its supporting material. - Import Markdown, HTML, plain text, DOCX and compatible JSON files.
- Export plain text, Markdown, HTML or JSON.
- Pro and Teams plans also let you export polished DOCX and PDF files for professional use.
Keep control of your file
You can begin writing in the browser without creating an account and save the complete .compose file somewhere you control.
- Save the working file on your device.
- Put it in your preferred cloud folder when you want syncing or backup.
- Choose where copies live and how they are shared.
- Reopen the file later with its notes, sources, feedback and versions intact.