Midcent review
When an opening paragraph keeps me rewriting the same sentence, I want to see what I’ve already tried and get on with the next line. Midcent’s “Purist Mode” can leave the words I backspace crossed out on the page. The paid Mac app requires macOS 12 or later on Apple silicon.
Leave the crossed-out lines in the first pass
I’d start a short article in Midcent with “Purist Mode” and use its strikethrough behaviour. If I try two openings, I can read both attempts after I’ve written the rest. I’d keep the interview notes and longer outline in Scrivener if I already had them there.
Read a clean copy out loud
Once the first pass is down, Midcent offers a clean export. I’d open that copy and read the first paragraph out loud. If a crossed-out phrase reads better than the one that replaced it, I’d bring it back during the edit. Midcent exports a single chapter or the whole project.
Anabel’s take
I’d try it on one troublesome opening first. A page of crossed-out lines can be handy while I’m finding the sentence. Once I’ve got it, I want a plain copy I can read from top to bottom.