Bhavesh
Creator of Tolstoy Workspace
The person behind it
Compose is a free and focused writing environment for authors, journalists, academics, and knowledge workers. Your files open and save locally, your writing is always yours, and nothing gets in the way of the work.
Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. Everything was in confusion in the Oblonskys' house.
The wife had discovered that the husband was carrying on an intrigue with a French girl, who had been a governess in their family, and she had announced to her husband that she could not go on living in the same house with him.
This position of affairs had now lasted three days, and not only the husband and wife themselves, but all the members of their family and household, were painfully conscious of it.
Every person in the house felt that there was no sense in their living together, and that the stray people brought together by chance in any inn had more in common with one another than they, the members of the family.
What you get
Who Compose is for
Compose was built for people who need a tool that respects their time, their work, and their privacy. The interface stays out of the way so your thinking can stay centre stage.
Support ongoing development
Tolstoy Workspace is designed, built, and maintained by Bhavesh as an independent project.
Compose is used by writers, journalists, academics, and researchers around the world.
Select a contribution
Payments are processed securely by PayPal. Your card details are never shared with us.
Bhavesh
Creator of Tolstoy Workspace
The person behind it
Last updated: 19 March 2026
Compose is a web-based writing application developed and operated by Bhavesh, an independent developer based in England ("we", "us", "our"). The application is accessible at compose.tolstoyworkspace.com. This marketing website is hosted at tolstoyworkspace.com. This Privacy Policy applies to both.
For the purposes of applicable data protection law, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018, Bhavesh is the data controller. If you have questions about this policy or wish to exercise any of your rights, please contact us via the Tolstoy Workspace website. We will endeavour to respond within 30 days. We are not, however, a large organisation and our capacity to respond is that of a single independent developer.
By using Compose or this website, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with how we handle information, please discontinue use of the Service. This policy does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as such.
Compose is architected to collect as little information as possible. We do not require you to create an account. We do not track your behaviour across other websites. We do not sell, rent, share, or trade information about you to third parties for commercial purposes, and we have no intention of ever doing so. The application is designed so that your writing never reaches our infrastructure at all.
Infrastructure logs. When you visit this website or use the Compose application, our hosting provider Cloudflare automatically processes certain technical data to deliver the service. This may include your IP address, browser type and version, operating system, referrer URL, pages requested, and the timestamp of requests. This processing is carried out by Cloudflare as a data processor acting on our behalf. The lawful basis is our legitimate interest in delivering a functioning, secure service (UK GDPR Article 6(1)(f)). We do not independently access, store, or use these logs to identify or profile individual users.
Voluntary contributions. If you make a financial contribution via PayPal, all payment processing is handled entirely by PayPal under their own terms and privacy policy. We do not receive, process, or store your card or bank details. We may receive a transaction notification from PayPal confirming that a payment was made and the amount. The lawful basis for processing this notification is the performance of a transaction you have voluntarily initiated (UK GDPR Article 6(1)(b)).
Contact enquiries. If you contact us directly, we will process information you provide (such as your name and email address) solely to respond to your enquiry. We will not add you to any mailing list or use your details for any other purpose without your explicit consent. The lawful basis is our legitimate interest in responding to reasonable communications (UK GDPR Article 6(1)(f)).
Notify me sign-ups. If you submit your email address via our "Get notified at launch" form, that data is collected and held by Google via Google Forms, subject to Google's own privacy policy. We will use your email solely to notify you when the relevant product launches. We will not use it for any other purpose and will not share it with any third party. The lawful basis is your explicit consent (UK GDPR Article 6(1)(a)), which you may withdraw at any time by contacting us.
All documents you create in Compose are stored locally in your browser using the browser's built-in local storage mechanism. This data resides entirely on your device. It is not transmitted to our servers, is not accessible by us or any third party, and does not leave your device unless you take an explicit action to export or share it. We have no technical ability to access, read, copy, or recover the content of your writing.
Data loss risk. Because your documents are stored locally, you bear sole responsibility for backing them up. We strongly recommend exporting documents regularly. We have no ability to recover documents lost due to browser data being cleared, browser or system updates, hardware failure, accidental deletion, or any other cause. We accept no liability whatsoever for any such loss.
Security. While the local storage architecture means your documents are not exposed to our servers, we cannot guarantee the absolute security of data on your own device. Browser local storage is accessible to JavaScript running on the same origin and may be affected by vulnerabilities in your browser or operating system. You use the Service at your own risk in this respect.
Cloudflare, Inc. hosts and serves this website and the Compose application. Cloudflare acts as a data processor on our behalf and maintains its own comprehensive privacy and security programme. Cloudflare's privacy policy is available at cloudflare.com/privacypolicy. We have entered into a data processing agreement with Cloudflare as required by applicable law.
PayPal (Europe) S.à r.l. et Cie, S.C.A. acts as an independent data controller for any payment data you submit during a contribution. We have no access to or control over that data.
Google LLC processes data submitted via Google Forms if you use the launch notification feature. Google acts as an independent data controller for that data and its practices are governed by Google's Privacy Policy. We encourage you to review Google's policy before submitting your email address.
We do not use analytics platforms, advertising networks, social media pixels, session recording tools, or any other third-party tracking services. No third-party scripts are loaded by Compose other than those provided by Cloudflare as part of its infrastructure service.
We do not set tracking, advertising, or analytics cookies. The Compose application uses browser local storage rather than cookies to save documents and preferences on your device. Cloudflare may set strictly necessary infrastructure cookies. For full details, please see our Cookies policy.
Cloudflare operates a global network and may process technical request data on servers located outside the United Kingdom and the EEA. Cloudflare maintains appropriate transfer safeguards in accordance with applicable data protection law, including Standard Contractual Clauses. Google may also process data outside the UK if you use the notification feature. We do not independently transfer personal data outside the UK.
We do not maintain a database of user records. Infrastructure logs are held by Cloudflare subject to their own retention schedules, which we do not control. PayPal transaction notifications are retained only as long as necessary for accounting and legal compliance. Contact enquiry data is retained only as long as needed to resolve your enquiry and for a reasonable period thereafter. Notification sign-up data held via Google Forms will be deleted once it is no longer required for the stated purpose.
We take reasonable and proportionate steps to protect the limited information we process. However, no method of transmission or storage over the internet is entirely secure. We cannot guarantee the absolute security of any information and, to the fullest extent permitted by law, we accept no liability for any unauthorised access, disclosure, or loss of data that is beyond our reasonable control.
To the extent we hold personal data about you, you have the right to: be informed about how your data is used; access a copy of it; have inaccuracies corrected; request erasure in certain circumstances; restrict or object to processing; and receive your data in a portable format. To exercise any of these rights, contact us via the Tolstoy Workspace website. Because we hold very little data about any individual, many requests will be straightforwardly resolved.
You have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk. We would appreciate the opportunity to address any concern directly before you contact the ICO.
The Service is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has submitted personal data via this Service, please contact us and we will take reasonable steps to delete it promptly. We cannot, however, verify the age of users and accept no liability arising from a child's use of the Service contrary to this policy.
Nothing in this Privacy Policy constitutes legal, financial, or professional advice of any kind. We make no representations about the suitability of this policy for any purpose beyond its stated scope. If you have concerns about data protection compliance in your own context, you should seek independent legal advice.
We may update this policy from time to time. We will update the date at the top of this page when we do. Where changes are material, we will take reasonable steps to bring them to your attention. Your continued use of the Service after any updated policy is posted constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.
Last updated: 19 March 2026
These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the Compose writing application and the Tolstoy Workspace website (together, "the Service"), operated by Bhavesh, an independent developer based in England ("we", "us", "our"). By accessing or using the Service in any way, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms in full. If you do not agree, you must not use the Service.
These Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you and Bhavesh. If you are using the Service on behalf of an organisation, you represent and warrant that you have the authority to bind that organisation to these Terms, and references to "you" include that organisation.
Compose is a free, browser-based writing application provided by a single independent developer. It is provided without commercial subscription or mandatory payment, on an entirely voluntary basis.
While we take care to keep the Service reliable and useful, we cannot guarantee uninterrupted availability, error-free operation, or fitness for any particular purpose. The Service may be updated, modified, suspended, or discontinued at any time, with or without notice, and without liability.
We reserve the right to discontinue the Service permanently, in whole or in part, at any time and for any reason, including without limitation cessation of the project, technical constraints, or personal circumstances. No prior notice is guaranteed. You acknowledge that a free service operated by a single individual carries inherent availability risk and you accept the Service on that basis.
You must be at least 13 years of age to use the Service. By using Compose, you represent and warrant that you meet this requirement. If you are between 13 and 18 years of age, you represent that you have obtained your parent's or legal guardian's permission and that they have reviewed and accepted these Terms on your behalf. We accept no responsibility for use of the Service by minors contrary to this provision.
You may use Compose for any lawful purpose. You agree that you will not:
We reserve the right to take any action we deem necessary or appropriate in response to actual or suspected breaches of these provisions, including restricting or terminating access to the Service, with no obligation to notify you or provide reasons. Such action does not create any liability on our part.
All documents and content you create using Compose belong entirely to you. We claim no ownership, licence, or any other rights in or over your writing. Because documents are stored locally in your browser, we have no technical access to their contents at any time.
You are solely and exclusively responsible for any content you create, store, or export using the Service, including its legality, accuracy, and compliance with applicable law. We accept no liability of any kind for the content of your documents, including any claims brought by third parties in connection with that content. You agree to indemnify us against any such claims.
Data loss. Because documents are stored locally on your device, you bear sole and exclusive responsibility for their preservation and backup. We have no technical ability to recover documents lost for any reason, including but not limited to browser data being cleared, browser or operating system updates, hardware failure, accidental deletion, corruption, or expiry of browser storage. We accept no liability of any kind for any such loss, regardless of the circumstances.
Financial contributions made via PayPal are entirely voluntary. They are expressions of personal support for independent development and do not constitute the purchase of any product, service, subscription, feature set, or entitlement of any kind. No contribution, regardless of amount, creates any contractual obligation on our part to deliver any feature, update, fix, support, service level, or continued operation of the Service.
All contributions are non-refundable except where refusal of a refund would be unlawful under mandatory applicable law. We reserve the right to decline, reverse, or refund any contribution at our sole discretion without giving reasons. You acknowledge that contributing to a free project operated by an individual carries the same risk of non-delivery as any voluntary patronage arrangement.
The Compose application, its source code, design, visual elements, name, branding, and all associated materials, together with the Tolstoy Workspace name and brand, are the exclusive intellectual property of Bhavesh and are protected by the laws of England and Wales and equivalent laws in other jurisdictions, including copyright, trade mark, and database rights. All rights are expressly reserved.
Nothing in these Terms grants you any rights in or to our intellectual property, except the strictly limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable right to use the Service as a browser-based writing tool for your own personal or professional purposes, in accordance with these Terms. Any use beyond this is prohibited and may give rise to civil and criminal liability.
The Service relies on third-party providers including Cloudflare (infrastructure) and PayPal (payment processing). Your use of those services is governed exclusively by their respective terms and policies, over which we have no control. We are not responsible for the acts, omissions, errors, or policies of any third-party provider, and we make no warranty or representation of any kind regarding their services, availability, or reliability.
The Service may contain links to external websites or resources. We have no control over those resources and accept no responsibility for their content, availability, accuracy, or any loss or damage that may arise from your use of them. Links do not constitute endorsement.
The Service is provided strictly "as is" and "as available" without any warranties of any kind, whether express, implied, statutory, or otherwise. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, we expressly disclaim all warranties, including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, satisfactory quality, title, and non-infringement.
We make no warranty or representation that: the Service will be available, uninterrupted, timely, secure, or error-free; the results obtained from use of the Service will be accurate or reliable; defects will be corrected; the Service is free from viruses or other harmful components; or the Service meets your particular requirements or expectations. You use the Service entirely at your own risk.
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Bhavesh shall not be liable to you or to any third party for any loss or damage of any nature whatsoever arising out of or in connection with your use of, or inability to use, the Service, including but not limited to: loss of data; loss of documents or written work; loss of profits, revenue, business, or goodwill; loss of anticipated savings; indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages; or any other economic or non-economic loss, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such loss or damage.
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, our total aggregate liability shall not exceed the greater of the amount you have paid us in the twelve months preceding the claim or such amount as a court of competent jurisdiction determines to be reasonable in the circumstances.
Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits our liability for: death or personal injury caused by our negligence; fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation; or any other liability that cannot be excluded or limited under the laws of England and Wales. Nothing in these Terms affects your statutory rights as a consumer where those rights cannot be waived by agreement.
You agree to fully indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Bhavesh from and against any and all claims, demands, actions, liabilities, losses, damages, costs, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees and disbursements) arising out of or in connection with: your use of or access to the Service; your violation or alleged violation of these Terms; the content you create, store, or export using the Service; your violation of any applicable law or regulation; or your infringement or alleged infringement of any third-party rights, including intellectual property rights or privacy rights. This obligation survives termination of these Terms.
We shall not be in breach of these Terms or liable for any delay or failure to perform any obligation under these Terms if that delay or failure arises from circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to: acts of God; natural disasters; internet or infrastructure outages; actions of third-party service providers (including Cloudflare or PayPal); cyberattacks; changes in law or regulation; illness or incapacity of the individual operating the Service; or any other event outside our reasonable control. In such circumstances, our obligations will be suspended for the duration of the relevant event.
Failure by us to enforce any right or provision of these Terms at any time does not constitute a waiver of that right or provision and will not prevent us from enforcing it at a later time. A waiver of any breach of these Terms does not constitute a waiver of any subsequent breach.
If you have a complaint or dispute arising from these Terms or the Service, we encourage you to contact us in the first instance via the Tolstoy Workspace website so that we may attempt to resolve the matter informally. We will endeavour to respond within a reasonable time. Formal legal proceedings should be a last resort. Nothing in this clause prevents either party from seeking urgent injunctive or other interim relief from a court of competent jurisdiction where necessary.
If any provision of these Terms is held to be invalid, unlawful, or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, that provision shall be severed and the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect. The invalid provision shall be replaced with a valid provision that most closely achieves the original intent.
These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and Cookies policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and Bhavesh with respect to the Service. They supersede all prior agreements, representations, warranties, and understandings between you and us relating to the Service. No statement made by or on behalf of us outside these Terms shall be incorporated into this agreement unless made in writing and signed by Bhavesh.
These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. Each party irrevocably agrees to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales to settle any dispute or claim (including non-contractual disputes or claims) arising out of or in connection with these Terms or their subject matter or formation. We retain the right to bring proceedings against you in any jurisdiction in which you are resident or in which you have assets.
Last updated: 19 March 2026
This Cookies policy explains how Compose and the Tolstoy Workspace website use cookies and similar technologies, including browser local storage. It should be read alongside our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By continuing to use the Service, you acknowledge this policy.
We have deliberately designed Compose to minimise the use of cookies and tracking technologies. We do not use advertising cookies, analytics cookies, or any technologies designed to follow you across other websites.
Cookies are small text files placed on your device by a website when you visit it. They are used for a range of purposes — to keep a service functioning, to remember preferences, and in some cases to track users across the web for advertising purposes. Cookies set by the website you are visiting are called "first-party cookies". Cookies set by other organisations whose content appears on a page are called "third-party cookies".
Browser local storage is a closely related technology that allows a website to store data on your device. Unlike cookies, local storage data is not automatically transmitted to a server with each page request — it stays on your device until you delete it or the application removes it.
We do not set any first-party cookies on your device. We do not use session cookies, persistent cookies, analytics cookies, advertising cookies, or any other cookies for purposes beyond what is described in this policy.
Because Compose and this website are hosted on Cloudflare Pages, Cloudflare may set certain technical cookies on your device as part of delivering the service securely and protecting it from abuse. These are strictly necessary infrastructure cookies set and controlled by Cloudflare, not by us. They include:
These cookies are strictly necessary for the security and delivery of the Service. They cannot be disabled without affecting how the Service functions. They are not used for marketing, profiling, or tracking across other websites. They are set by Cloudflare under their own privacy framework, details of which are available at cloudflare.com/privacypolicy. We have no access to or control over the data collected via these cookies.
The Compose application uses your browser's local storage — not cookies — to save your documents and application preferences on your own device. This is technically essential to how the application works. Without local storage, Compose cannot save your documents between sessions.
Data stored in local storage by Compose:
You can delete local storage data at any time via your browser's settings or developer tools (typically found under Application > Storage > Local Storage for your domain). Be aware that doing so will permanently and irrecoverably delete all documents saved in Compose that you have not exported. We have no ability to recover this data once deleted. You take full responsibility for managing and backing up your local storage data.
Local storage data is accessible to JavaScript running on the same origin (compose.tolstoyworkspace.com). It is not shared with any other website or domain. We have no server-side access to it.
For the avoidance of doubt, we do not use and have not installed any of the following on this website or the Compose application:
The UK Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR) require informed consent before setting non-essential cookies. Because we do not set any non-essential cookies, consent is not required and we do not display a consent banner. The only cookies in use are strictly necessary infrastructure cookies set by Cloudflare, which fall within the exemption for cookies that are technically necessary for the provision of a requested service.
If this changes at any point — for example if we were to introduce analytics — we would update this policy and implement a compliant consent mechanism before doing so. We make no commitment to introduce such technologies and have no current plans to do so.
You can control, restrict, and delete cookies through your browser settings at any time. Most browsers allow you to: refuse all cookies; accept only certain cookies; be alerted when cookies are being set; and review and delete existing cookies. Instructions for managing cookies in the most common browsers are available at allaboutcookies.org. Disabling cookies may affect the functioning of some websites and services, including any security features provided by Cloudflare's infrastructure cookies.
We are not responsible for any adverse effects on your use of the Service arising from your choice to disable or delete cookies.
We may update this Cookies policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the date at the top of this page. Your continued use of the Service after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.
If you have questions about our use of cookies or local storage, please contact us via the Tolstoy Workspace website.