[WilliamDhalgren]

curious: what kind of txt editor(s) would make sense for non-code writing, say a novel, say w markdown or something similar? Especially if the person writing is non-technical so stuff like emacs, vim, atom don't seem like a great fit? I'm thinking something non-obtrusive and with limited options, so that UI is not getting in the way of writing, but with very litte learning curve?

And, given the example of GeorgeRRMartin, perhaps something WordStar-like would fit the bill? If so, are there good free editors in the style of WordStar?

I have this friend, and I've seen the mess of unintended font changes, sizes, styles, bulleted lists, indentation changes. and all kinds of horrible stuff in his manuscripts when I had to repair some of that damage because it was getting unusable - think he'd appreciate a more focused alternative..

[pikzen]

For serious book writing, with proper chaptering and everything, I would probably use GitBooks.

For anything else, even though it is not open source, Typora is to me the best visual markdown editor. It even makes me tolerate it being an Electron app, so it's pretty good.

https://www.gitbook.com/

https://typora.io/

[themodelplumber]

I use Geany and really like it. Customizable. Even easy to e.g. type something in, press tab, and it inserts the output of your shell script or program. I use that to put the day's weather in my journal.

[yjftsjthsd-h]

I know it's extreme, but Notepad. Literally and unironically; write in markdown, and it should work.

[WalterGR]

No. If for absolutely no other reason, through Windows 7 at least, Notepad allows you to undo only the last thing you've done. That's a perfect, one ingredient recipe for inevitably losing work.

[themodelplumber]

Notepad++, PSPad, AkelPad, Notepad2, and SciTE are all free & good replacements for stock Notepad.