APPS
November 2026 • 2 days
PUBLIC BETAPrivate Desktop Writing Studio
A free, private desktop writing studio for novelists, screenwriters, and copywriters. Eight structured writing modes, pro exports, and an optional AI editor, with every draft saved on your own computer.
Technologies
I'm writing constantly. Screenplays, two-column scripts for commercials, blog posts, podcast show notes, social captions...and every one of them lived in a different app. Each had its own subscription, its own file format, and its own idea of where my work should be stored.
I wanted one soothing place that understood the shape of each kind of writing and kept every draft on my own computer. I couldn't find it, so I built Stela.
The first public beta shipped on October 16, 2026, and beta.10 arrived on November 1.
Writing apps tend to fall into two camps. Specialized tools like Final Draft nail one format and ignore everything else. General-purpose apps like Google Docs and Notion will hold anything, but it is too free-form and unopinionated. I frequently found myself with multiple apps open and documents in multiple places.
The challenge was building something that felt as light as a plain text editor, but knew the rules of a screenplay, an ad script, or a LinkedIn carousel. It also had to be private by default...no account, no tracking, nothing uploaded. And AI had to be completely optional. Plenty of writers want nothing to do with it, and the ones who do usually already have an assistant they trust.
Designed the product, UX, and brand, starting from a product spec and system architecture
Built a native desktop app for Windows and macOS with Tauri, Rust, React, and the Lexical editor
Developed eight writing modes, each with its own document model, editor behavior, and exports
Kept every draft as an ordinary file on your own computer, with autosave, crash recovery, and save points
Added a bring-your-own-key editorial assistant for Gemini, OpenAI, and Anthropic
Built a native MCP server so agents like Claude can read and edit documents, with permission
Set up a signed, notarized release pipeline with in-app updates on Windows and Mac
Designed and built the marketing site at writewithstela.com
8
Writing Modes
Windows + macOS
Platform
On-device
Data Privacy
No
Account Required
Bring Your Own
AI Provider
Free for Local
Price
Novels, screenplays, articles, notes, social posts, ad scripts, emails, and a blank page. Each mode knows its own rules, from scene headings and dual dialogue to X's weighted character count.
Everything is saved as ordinary files on your own computer. No account, no telemetry, and nothing you write is uploaded or used to train AI.
Book-formatted PDF, Word, HTML, Markdown, and plain text. Screenplays export to Fountain and a paginated Courier Prime PDF, and social posts can package a LinkedIn carousel PDF.
Stela saves as you type, recovers drafts after a crash, and keeps save points you can compare side by side and restore.
Highlight a sentence and ask for a tighter rhythm or a better line of dialogue. It runs on your own Gemini, OpenAI, or Anthropic key, and nothing changes unless you accept it.
Connect Claude, Cursor, or any MCP agent to only the folders you choose. Every agent edit starts with a save point, and you can watch it work or pause it at any time.
Stela is for writers who want structure without the clutter. Novelists working through a multi-chapter draft, screenwriters who live in Fountain, essayists who want their outline beside the page, and copywriters juggling ad scripts, newsletters, and social posts for clients.
Since nothing ever leaves your computer, confidential briefs and unreleased campaigns stay exactly where you put them.
Paul Melluzzo is a creative director and technologist, and the founder of Omnislash Visual. His work brings together visual storytelling, design, and software development - from films and animation to apps and creative tools.