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.
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...
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.
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. Similarly, Omarchy allows full control and comes with some default proprietary apps you may already be used to, like Zoom and proprietary web apps, like those from Google.
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.
Omarchy is an Arch-based Linux distribution featuring the Hyprland tiling window manager. It ships with what a modern software developer would need to be productive immediately, including Neovim, Spotify, Chromium, Typora, Alacritty, LibreOffice and Zoom.
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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