Writing in Markdown
Bold, italics, links, headings, lists, quotes, and code are available when you need them. Use the toolbar when you need it, and shortcuts to keep you focused.
Native for Mac · Open source
Eliminate clutter.
Focus on the words.
Sable is a minimalist Markdown editor first and foremost, built for fiction writers who want to create expansive worlds while keeping their focus on the page.
Free · MIT licensed · Apple Silicon & Intel · macOS 14+
▶BIAa◎
Chapter 2
The harbor bell rang twice before dawn. The tide was out, which meant someone had lied.
Marren pulled her coat tight and walked toward the water. The boats knocked together in the dark, and the Harbor kept its count.
She did not answer. Counting was how the harbor kept its dead.
1,240 wordsSavedFocus
M
CharacterMarren Vale
•Harbor runner
Sable Markdown Writer
Sable is not just an editor. It is a Markdown program made for writing from scratch. Eight built-in themes let you customize it as you see fit.
First, a good Markdown editor
Eliminate distractions. Focus on writing.
Customize your space
The app is minimalist, but provides a variety of ways to make it yours. Choose themes, fonts, and settings that fit your workflow.
Focus
Distractions are a writer’s worst enemy. Sable is built for focus: an uncluttered interface, focus modes, and no multitasking unless you need it.
Fiction Projects
Crafted for Fiction Writers
Custom Fiction Projects help writers focus on one manuscript while keeping characters, locations, world notes, and other information at their fingertips. Sable gives you the folder structure; you write the Markdown.
- Toggle-able cards beside the page for characters, locations, and world notes.
- Who and Where tags for your chapter or scene.
- Manuscript tools for word goals, chapter lengths, and reading order.
NorthwatchFiction Project···
MANUSCRIPTThe Crossing
12,480 / 20,000 words
- 01 · Before dawn
- 02 · The crossing
- 03 · Low tide
Harbor runner
Fog before dawn
Never count aloud.
On the roadmap
Fiction Tools
More ways to see the shape of your story while keeping your writing in plain Markdown.
- 01Corkboard
See every scene at a glance, with status on each card.
- 02Relationships view
See how characters connect across your story.
Export Manuscript ×
Chapters 3 selected
PDFEPUBWordMarkdown
LookManuscriptBook
Version
From Draft to Publication
Turn your arranged chapters into one file without leaving Sable. Export PDF, EPUB, Word, or Markdown with a title page, selected chapters, and a Manuscript or Book look.
PDF exports include a clickable chapter outline. Choose US Letter or A4. Export the page you have open when one document is all you need.
No lock-in
Your Files, Your Privacy
Local first. No accounts and nothing collected. Everything stays on your Mac.
Cloud friendly. Keep your writing space in iCloud Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive for backup and sync.
No lock-in. Everything is Markdown, and it is yours.
Sable Markdown Writer
Focus on your story.
Free for Mac. Open source. The latest release opens as a disk image—drag Sable into Applications, choose a folder, and begin.
Sable is not currently notarized by Apple, so macOS asks you to approve it once. See the steps for opening it the first time.
First launch
Opening Sable for the first time
Sable is signed for updates but isn’t notarized by Apple, which needs a paid developer membership, so macOS asks you to approve it once. It takes about a minute, and you only do it the first time.
| Step | What you’ll see | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Open Sable from your Applications folder. macOS says it “can’t be opened” or that Apple couldn’t check it for malware. | Click Done. Don’t choose “Move to Bin”. |
| 2 | Open System Settings → Privacy & Security and scroll down to the Security section. It says “Sable Markdown Writer” was blocked. | Click Open Anyway. |
| 3 | macOS asks once more and may want your password or Touch ID. | Confirm, then click Open. |
| 4 | Sable opens and asks you to choose or create a writing folder. | From now on it opens like any other app. Updates arrive inside Sable, verified with the project’s signing key. |
On macOS 14 you can also Control-click the app and choose Open, then Open again. Prefer Terminal? xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine "/Applications/Sable Markdown Writer.app" does the same thing. Only do this for a download from this page or the GitHub releases.