Word Processor

A Word Processor, in a modern context, is a software used to write and develop documents.

Purpose

Word processors are meant to allow not only for the easy creation of text, but also for its convienent manipulation and deletion. Most modern word processors have a myriad of features that allow for advanced formatting of text, alongside many fonts.

Word processors can be used for a variety of different forms of writing, including essays, short stories, and novels. They often have documents pre-formatted for whatever the desired form is. They also have formats for different styles of essays, such as MLA or APA.

Word processing apps typically either utilize the device they run on's spell-checking features, or contain their own. They also, to varying degrees, check for grammar and conciseness. They generally do not make suggestions to the level that editing-based softwares such as Grammarly do, but they are normally able to recommend fixes for the most obvious of mistakes.

Examples

The interface of Microsoft Word, an accessible, general-use word processor.

Word processors generally serve different purposes, rather than aiming entirely to be the most versatile. There are several general-use ones, perhaps the most popular of which is Microsoft Word. Word is a feature-heavy but also easy-to-use tool that is very commonly used for essays and academic work, but is also usable for creative writing, note-taking, and more.

Google Docs is an internet-based word processor with fewer tools than Word, but slightly more accessibility. Since it operates almost entirely online and comes with free storage space, documents created on it can be accessed from multiple devices without any hassle. Though it has fewer features, it still contains everything that is typically regarded as essential to a modern word processor. It is typically used more for personal documents than academic work, though the ease of document sharing it allows for does mean it can be useful for group projects.

The interface of Scrivener, a complex, specialized word processor.

Scrivener is an example of a more specialized word processor. It is meant primarily for long-form creative writing projects, as it is based around having many different sub-documents and folders in one project that is useful for dividing things such as scenes and chapters. It also has many useful tools for a writer, such as a name generator and the ability to set goals for word count. However, it is significantly more difficult to use to full effect than Docs and Word. This shows the importance of general-use word processors; for dedicated writers, Scrivener may be the best processor to use thanks to its variety of tools, but it is certainly good that there is a more accessible option for everyone else.