Write the book.
Not the layout.
RuscaWriter is a focused, three-column writing editor — chapters, text, and notes side by side — for texts and non-fiction writing. Write in plain text, then export a finished book in PDF, EPUB, DOCX, ODT and more. Free software, part of the RuscaLinux project.
A writing desk, not a word processor.
Three columns, one view
Your chapter list, the text you're writing, and your notes for that chapter — all visible at once. Reorder chapters by dragging, jump between them in a click, and keep your margin notes next to the prose they belong to.
Plain text, lightly marked
Write in simple Markdown. No hidden formatting, no fragile documents — just text you'll still be able to open in ten years.
Real book export
Generate a typeset PDF with EB Garamond embedded, a proper title page, a colophon, an automatic index with real page numbers, and running headers per chapter.
Many formats, no extra software
Export to TXT, Markdown, PDF, EPUB, HTML, DOCX and ODT using only Python's standard library — nothing else to install (AZW3 for Kindle is also available if Calibre is installed). Add a cover image, a structured frontispiece and a colophon, and they're carried into every format that supports them.
Spell-check that understands elision
On GTK 4 it uses libspelling (the GNOME Text Editor engine). Italian and French elisions like dell'anima or l'uomo are handled correctly, automatically.
40 languages · light & dark
The interface speaks 40 languages and follows a calm plum theme in both light and dark. Import text files as new chapters, one file per chapter.
One manuscript, every shape.
The same project, exported to whichever format you need — no plugins, no external converters.
Output formats08 targets
Install & run.
RuscaWriter needs Python 3, PyGObject and GTK 4. On Debian, Ubuntu and RuscaLinux:
sudo apt install python3-gi gir1.2-gtk-4.0
sudo apt install gir1.2-spelling-1 gir1.2-gtksource-5 hunspell-en-us
ruscawriter
Free software.
Get the code.
Designed and directed by the RuscaLinux project — concept, interface and visual design are human work; the Python code was written with AI assistance under step-by-step human direction and review.