Like my previous list, this is to help people switch to Linux and Open Source. This time, the focus is on creative professionals and hobbyists: artists, musicians, writers, etc.
Not all apps and services listed will be open source or even free (as in free beer), but they will at the very least be either freedom-respecting or non-subscription-based. The simple rule is: once it requires an account (email, phone number, etc.) to use it, then it will be placed after the ones I actually recommend.
Of course, there will be a few exceptions, but these are ONLY to point out that even big, well-known software is available on Linux as well. These exceptions will be at the end of each section.
Each section lists my recommendations in order of best (in my opinion) to good enough. In most cases, proprietary and non-freedom-respecting app/services will be last in each category, except for Obsidian, which is proprietary but respects your freedom and privacy. If you don't like my choices, click on the app to search for alternatives right here on this website. Convenient.
Note: This list was originally started as an unfinished thread I was writing. A very long one that goes into more than just alternatives, but also why you should use them — like protecting democracy and freedom, how your tax dollars should be spent, how important open source is in our digital age, etc. Here is that unfinished thread: https://forum.endeavouros.com/t/wip-how-to-tell-if-you-can-switch-to-linux-software-alternatives/58912#p-574301-creators-31
Lastly, the Linux operating systems (or distros) are at the end of the list because no matter which you choose, the majority of these apps can be installed on Windows, and can certainly be installed on any of the distros.
Qtractor is an Audio/MIDI multi-track sequencer application written in C++ with the Qt framework. Target platform is GNU/Linux, where the Jack Audio Connection Kit (JACK) for audio, and the Advanced Linux Sound Architecture (ALSA) for MIDI, are the main infrastructures for...
Free open-source multi-track audio editor and recorder with 32-bit float processing. Supports many formats and plugins for Windows, macOS, Linux.
Tenacity is an easy-to-use, privacy-friendly, FLOSS, cross-platform multi-track audio editor/recorder for Windows, macOS, Linux and other operating systems.
Cross-platform DAW for multitrack audio and MIDI recording, editing, mixing, mastering, scriptable automation, plugin support, and customizable workflow.
Waveform is a commercial, cross-platform DAW. With a focus on design and composition, it offers tools to greatly simplify everything from initial inspiration to the final mix.
Either Waveform or Reaper could've started the proprietary section of this list. Reaper started it because there is an evaluation period where you don't need to register to use the app.
However, Waveform has a completely free version, unlike Reaper, which asks you politely to pay both during and after the evaluation period.
Waveform is a commercial, cross-platform DAW. With a focus on design and composition, it offers tools to greatly simplify everything from initial inspiration to the final mix.
Bitwig Studio is a multi-platform music-creation system for production, performance and DJing, with a focus on flexible editing tools and a super-fast workflow.
Studio One is an advanced digital audio workstation for Mac and Windows featuring a bevy of powerful composition, editing, mixing and mastering tools on top of standard multi-track DAW features. Highly praised for its intuitive chord track that lets users drag and drop both...
EDIT: HelixNotes! Everything I said below is still true, but HelixNotes is a much better open-source alternative to Obsidian specifically. I am in the process of testing it out, and everything important works as expected so far. There are a few minor issues in terms of UI/UX, but that's it.
Why Obsidian? Interoperability. No vendor lock-in. Freedom to use other apps. Multiplatform and Markdown support. Note/Character/Location/Planet linking. Extensibility with many available and useful plug-ins.
For novel writers specifically, Quoll Writer is actually the best available to be honest. However, the developer doesn't really care about Linux. The Linux app is an afterthought to him/her, and using the Windows version with WINE for compatibility may not work as expected or at all. All this, and the fact that files cannot be easily edited by other apps, similar to NovelWriter and Notesnook below.
NovelWriter is pretty much like a fusion between Obsidian and Quoll Writer, but with fewer features. But the developer fully supports Linux. The only real issues are importing notes and interoperability. You cannot import a folder, so you'd have to import them one-by-one. For someone who doesn't have much, it's not a big problem, though. As for interoperability, your files aren't stored with the names you expect, so editing with other apps is not feasible.
Notesnook. It's pretty much Notion, so it's great, but I can't edit my notes or stories unless I'm using it, so that's a HUGE no-go for me. That said, if you know that you have no intention of using any other app, then it's a great option since your notes will also be encrypted. Not just private, but also secure.
Joplin wasn't included in this list because it is (currently) inferior to all 4 of the above in small to large ways. It's getting better with every update, though.
Lastly, every writer is different. Depending on what you are writing, you may have different needs, and I guarantee you that a good enough, if not perfect, app is available on Linux for you. Writing tools, in all their forms, seem to be the easiest tools to find great alternatives for. In fact, this was written in Geany, a development (coding) tool, and I'm not a developer. It's just perfect for stuff like this. If you don't like my choices, click on the app to search for alternatives right here on this website. There are plenty.
HelixNotes is a local markdown note-taking app built with Rust, Tauri 2.0, and SvelteKit. Your notes are standard .md files on your filesystem - sync with whatever you want or nothing at all.
Obsidian is a note-taking app that lets you create a personal knowledge graph with ease. It is designed for non-linear thinking and allows you to easily link your notes together wiki-style.
Focus on your words not the interface. Quoll Writer is a writing application that helps you focus on your words. Clean and uncluttered. Feature rich. Features are where you would expect them to be.
novelWriter is a Markdown-like text editor designed for writing novels and larger projects of many smaller plain text documents. It uses its own flavor of Markdown that supports a meta data syntax for comments, synopsis and cross-referencing between files.
ghostwriter is a feature-rich text editor using Markdown syntax which makes it suitable for note-taking, document redaction, simple HTML website creation and much more.
The Kate project develops two main products: KatePart, the advanced editor component which is used in numerous KDE applications requiring a text editing component, and Kate, a MDI text editor application.
For generally useful tools (web browsers, media players, etc.), please check this list: https://alternativeto.net/list/40280/privacy-respecting-apps-and-services-computers-/
Making things simple here.
If you just want to do cool stuff and not worry about learning how your system works, get Ubuntu Studio.
If you want to do cool stuff and control how your system works, get EndeavourOS.
If you want something that comes with minimal packages and a set of easy-to-use tools for system maintenance, get MX Linux.
There are other options available — MANY — but creatives usually just want to create.
Ubuntu Studio is a multimedia editing/creation flavor of 
Ubuntu. It's built for the GNU/Linux audio, video, and graphic enthusiast or professional.
EndeavourOS is an Arch-based distro that provides an Arch experience without the hassle of installing it manually for both x86_64 and ARM systems. After installation, you’re provided with a lightweight and almost barebones environment ready to be explored with your terminal...
MX Linux is an operating system - a cooperative venture between the antiX and former MEPIS communities. It is a midweight OS that combines an elegant and efficient desktop with simple configuration, high stability and solid performance.
I hope this list is helpful to people of all sorts:
Like I said, this website has MANY alternatives to what I recommend, so click on an app's icon/name to see a list of alternatives if you prefer something else.
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