Our Programs

best novel writing software reddit

Publish Your Nonfiction Book

Follow the proven publishing path that has helped thousands of people write bestselling books

best novel writing software reddit

Author Accelerator

Grow your business, authority, and income with clear a roadmap for bestseller status

best novel writing software reddit

Publish Your Fiction Book

Bring your story to life with 1:1 coaching, publishing guidance, & an inspiring community of authors

Author Accelerator Fiction

Gain access to the all-inclusive training and support system designed by full-time fiction authors

best novel writing software reddit

Market Your Book

Unlock the true potential of your book and learn how to consistently sell more copies

best novel writing software reddit

Author Accelerator Elite

Discover our most exclusive program with done-for-you editing and marketing services to fast-track success

Free Tools & Resources

Free Copy of Published

The proven path from blank page to 10,000 copies sold.

Publishing Path Assessment

Discover which path will be the best for you to succeed in your author goals.

Nonfiction Outline Template

25 pages of pre-formatted material structured to industry standards.

Weekly Live Trainings

Fiction outline template, author dna assessment.

Find out Which Famous Author You Are!

Companies Assessment

Discover which type of company can help you publish!

Character Worksheet

Make your characters feel REAL!

Learn About

Children's Book

Non-fiction.

How to Get An ISBN Number

A Beginner’s Guide to Self-Publishing

How Much Do Self-Published Authors Make on Amazon?

Book Template: 9 Free Layouts

How to Write a Book in 12 Steps

The 15 Best Book Writing Software Tools

The 15 Best Novel Writing Software For Authors (2023 Update)

POSTED ON Aug 18, 2023

P.J McNulty

Written by P.J McNulty

Do you really need novel writing software?  That answer depends on who you ask, of course…but ask any seasoned, career novelist and they’ll tell you: Efficient novel writing software is an integral part of any fiction author’s writing routine. 

At first glance, the idea of novel writing software might seem a little superfluous. Can’t you just use a standard word processor?

While it's possible to learn how to write a novel using standard software, it might not be the best approach. A novel intended for self-publishing is a complex project, requiring drafting and redrafting, as well as collaboration with others. Specialist novel writing software can make the production process much smoother. 

To make your life a little easier, we've produced a guide to the best novel writing software out there.

Here is a rundown of your main novel writing software options, along with which operating systems each works with, the associated price, and the pros and cons of each tool.

New Call-To-Action

This Guide to the Best Novel Writing Software Covers:

1. autocrit.

AutoCrit is an automated editing tool aimed at fiction authors.

The software works by analyzing real bestselling novels of different genres to come up with guidelines on aspects such as pacing, the number of adverbs, and if your word choices are cliche or not. 

Autocrit Novel Writing Software

On top of providing feedback on the style of your prose and its technical competence, AutoCrit acts as a word processing environment and basic grammar and spellcheck. 

How much does AutoCrit cost?

AutoCrit is available at three different price points:

  • Free . Basic access to the word processing, spellcheck, and grammar check features of AutoCrit. 
  • $30 per month . Access to the basic capabilities in the free plan plus the full suite of editing reports that are the main feature of AutoCrit.
  • $144 per year . The same access to the editing reports found in the $30 per month plan as well as access to two free courses on varied writing and improved dialogue.  

Which platforms is AutoCrit available for?

AutoCrit is available in the cloud. To use it, you need a machine capable of logging in online. There is no app to download, so no requirements in that area. 

What are the pros and cons of using AutoCrit?

So what are the advantages and disadvantages of using AutoCrit as your novel writing software?

Pros of AutoCrit:

AutoCrit takes its data from real novels. If you’re interested in comparing your work to some of the titans of the genre you write in (see our list of book genres here), AutoCrit is a good choice.

Many AutoCrit users have reported that the software’s suggestions match up well with those made by human readers. 

Cons of AutoCrit:

One common criticism of AutoCrit is that its suggestions sometimes lack context. For example, it might criticize you for repetition, even if that repetition was a stylistic choice.

Bibisco is a small novel writing software made by an Italian author. 

Its major selling point is the ability to plan your novel with different narrative strands and that it allows you to add in-depth notes and planning cards for different scenes.

Bibisco Software

Bibisco is attractive as the best writing software for novels. The free version offers a lot of functionality while the paid option is available on a pay-what-you-want basis. 

Bibisco is a good choice of novel writing software for authors who want to make notes on their novel without being weighed down by a complex interface. 

How much does Bibisco cost?

In terms of value for money, Bibisco is superb. It's a passion project from its creator, and that's reflected in its pricing.

The Community Edition of Bibisco is available for free . This is a fairly functional version of Bibisco, but lacks some important options, such as the ability to export to epub. 

If you want the full edition, go for the Supporter’s Edition of Bibisco. This is available on a pay-what-you-want basis . It includes features such as timelines and writing goals as well as the ability to export your novel to epub. 

Which platforms is Bibisco available for?

At this time, Bibisco is available for users of:

  • MacOS Mojave

What are the pros and cons of using Bibisco?

So what are some reasons to consider using Bibisco, as well as some signs that this novel writing software might not be the right choice for your needs?

Pros of Bibisco:

On the plus side, Bibisco has an intuitive and easy-to-understand design. This isn't one of those novel writing software options that require you to put hours and hours in to learn how it functions. It's also great to see a value-for-money passion project produced by the author community. 

Cons of Bibisco:

In terms of its drawbacks, some users of Bibisco have reported that they find writing scene by scene to be a little frustrating , at least at first. Also, compared to some of the more powerful book writing software options on this list, Bibisco doesn’t offer full editing feedback and capabilities. 

Bibisco is worth a look if you want an intuitive novel writing assistant, made by an author with the author community in mind.

3. Dramatica

Of all the apps on this list claiming to help you write a better novel, Dramatica is arguably the one with the loftiest aims.

Rather than presenting itself as a novel writing software product, Dramatica claims to have a unique philosophy on the concept of story itself. 

Software For Writing Novels

Dramatica is a tool providing an in-depth look at story structure and character motivation .

To get a feel for the lens through which Dramatica sees stories, check out how it breaks down the indie film classic Donnie Darko . 

How much does Dramatica cost?

If you want to try out Dramatica, you have both free and paid options. There are also different editions for Windows and Mac, as follows: 

  • There is a free demo of Dramatica available for both Windows and Mac.
  • The paid version of Dramatica for Mac, Dramatica Story Expert 5, costs $199.95.
  • The paid version of Dramatica for Windows, Dramatica Pro, costs $119.95. 

Which platforms is Dramatica available for?

Dramatica is available for Mac and Windows , but each platform has a different version.

Dramatica Story Expert is the version for Mac, offering a greater level of functionality than the Windows version.

Dramatica Pro is available for Windows and is similar to the Mac version but a little less powerful. 

What are the pros and cons of using Dramatica?

So what are the strongest and weakest aspects of Dramatica?

Pros of Dramatica:

While a lot of the novel writing software in this guide offer similar levels of functionality, Dramatica brings something different to the table. The way it analyzes story and character is truly unique and like nothing else out there. A lot of major fiction and screenplay writers have thrown their support and praise behind Dramatica. 

Cons of Dramatica:

If you're looking for novel writing software that helps you with structure and grammar, Dramatica might be more powerful than you need it to be. Not everyone will agree with (or want) to learn the theory and philosophy underpinning Dramatica. Those who do will find there is a learning curve involved in understanding its take on story.

Dramatica is one of the most interesting and unique products in this novel writing software guide. While it won’t be right for every aspiring novelist, if you like the sound of its philosophy of story and character, it will give you a unique insight into your writing. 

4. FastPencil/Opyrus

For years, FastPencil was a standalone writing and collaboration platform available in the cloud.

Now, it’s part of a larger self-publishing services package that has been rebranded as Opyrus.

The novel writing software is still known as FastPencil, so we will refer to it by that name for the rest of the review.

Fastpencil Software

How much does FastPencil cost?

FastPencil is no longer available as a standalone product. Instead, it's available as part of an Opyrus package, available at three different price points:

  • Free. Access to only basic features.
  • Personal. $45.67 annual billing or $4.95 per month. 
  • Professional. $138 annually or $14.95 per month. 

Which platforms is FastPencil available for?

If you want to use FastPencil, you simply need any computer capable of logging into the cloud. 

What are the pros and cons of using FastPencil?

So what are some advantages and disadvantages of opting for FastPencil as your choice of novel writing software?

Pros of FastPencil:

Unlike some of the other novel writing software out there, FastPencil has been going a long time. There are two decades of experience behind the product. 

Cons of FastPencil:

While FastPencil is good at what it does, it doesn't bring anything unique to the table. You can get a lot of the same functionality elsewhere at a lower price point .

Also, now that FastPencil is part of the wider Opyrus system, many authors will find that they don't need everything they are paying for. 

By all means, see if you like the way that FastPencil helps you craft a novel, but we feel the majority of authors are better off looking elsewhere for their novel writing software. 

5. FocusWriter

At this point in our guide, you’ll notice that some novel writing software options aim to offer almost every function you could think of, while others try and do one thing well. 

FocusWriter is very much an example of the latter. This isn't a tool that aims to pack itself full of bells and whistles.

Instead, FocusWriter aims to solve a common pain point for novelists – the ability to drill down into your work, get into a creative flow state, and make progress on your word count target.

FocusWriter does this by offering a very minimalist writing environment, with some degree of customization . You can set timers and goals to help you write.

Focuswriter

Ultimately, FocusWriter doesn’t offer everything you need to produce a novel. However, for times when you’re distracted, it might just help to improve focus . 

How much does FocusWriter cost?

FocusWriter is available for free on every platform, but if you’re a fan of the tool, you have the option to leave a tip and support its creator. 

Which platforms is FocusWriter available for?

At this time, FocusWriter is compatible with:

What are the pros and cons of using FocusWriter?

So what are the best and worst things about using FocusWriter as your novel writing software?

Pros of FocusWriter:

FocusWriter is a great choice if you’re finding it hard to make progress with your writing. You can create a minimalist, distraction-free environment that is customized to your needs. 

Cons of FocusWriter:

The major downside to using FocusWriter is it doesn’t offer the functionality you need to produce a novel. It will help you break through periods of writer’s block , but you’ll need different novel writing software for planning, editing, and exporting your work.

FocusWriter is a great choice to get you out of a sticky situation where you're struggling with your word count. For every other stage of the novel writing process, it probably isn't the smartest choice. 

6. Milanote

Milanote is a tool that allows you to gather together ideas and inspiration and store them in mood boards and mindmaps. 

Milanote

One specific application of Milanote featured on its website is its use as a novel planning tool. You can create book outlines , make character information cards, and more. 

There’s no denying that Milanote is a stylish-looking novel writing software option. But how much will it set you back, and is it right for your next book?

How much does Milanote cost?

You can try out Milanote for free, but the paid option has a lot more functionality.

  • Free – Store 100 notes, images, and links without the ability to search.
  • $12.50 per month or $119.98 annually – Allows for unlimited notes, images, and links and full search functionality.

Which platforms is Milanote available for?

If you want to give Milanote a go for yourself, you can get it for:

What are the pros and cons of using Milanote?

So which kind of novelist might find Milanote a good choice of novel writing software?

Pros of Milanote:

Milanote is very stylish and easy to use. If you are prone to moments of inspiration on the move and want to ensure they aren't lost, Milanote is a great way to capture them and use them as creative fuel for a novel. 

Cons of Milanote:

Perhaps the major drawback to Milanote is its cost. You need to be comfortable with paying for a research and planning tool, albeit a really good one.

Ultimately, if you're looking for an all-in-one novel writing software, Milanote isn't it. If you are comfortable using a separate tool for research and planning, consider checking out Milanote. 

7. Novellus

Novellus is an affordable solution for novelists that offers some advantages over a standard Word Processor app.

Unlike a standard word processor document that quickly becomes cluttered and unwieldy, Novellus allows you to better organize a lengthy project into different scenes and sections. 

Novellus Writing Software

Novellus also offers some functionality as a proofreading aid. While this will never take the place of a human editor, it will help you send your editor cleaner text to work with.

How much does Novellus cost?

Novellus is available for a one-off cost of $29.99 . This is an advantage if you don’t like signing up to a subscription plan. 

Which platforms is Novellus available for?

At this time, Novellus is available only for MacOS . 

What are the pros and cons of using Novellus?

How should you weigh up if Novellus is the right novel writing software for you?

Pros of Novellus:

Novellus is preferable to using a standard word processor. Its functionality will make planning and keeping track of your novel far easier. 

Cons of Novellus:

Unless you have MacOS, you won’t be able to use this novel writing software. Also, for a slightly higher investment, you can purchase a more powerful solution.

Although Novellus isn’t the best choice for the majority of self-published authors, if you’re using MacOS and want an affordable upgrade over a standard word processor, Novellus may work well for you. 

Novlr is a stylish, specialist writing tool intended just for novelists. 

Novlr Writing Tool

When you use Novlr, you enjoy better planning and organization capabilities than those offered by a standard word processor.

There is also upcoming support for features such as the ability to connect with designers and editors directly through Novlr. In addition, Novlr is now writer-owned!

How much does Novlr cost?

Novlr has multiple price options, including:

  • Starter – FREE
  • Plus – $5 a month or $48 a year
  • Pro – $18 a month or $168 a year

You can even pay $499 for lifetime membership and co-ownership of this novel writing software!

Which platforms is Novlr available for?

Novlr is available on any device capable of logging into the cloud, which makes it one of the best writing apps for Android or iOS.

What are the pros and cons of using Novlr?

So, why should or shouldn’t you choose Novlr as your novel writing software?

Pros of Novlr:

Novlr is a stylish novel writing software that will help you create a comfortable virtual writing environment . It also offers productivity and tracking advantages over more standardized solutions. Plus, you can even invest in being a co-owner of the software!

Cons of Novlr:

There aren't many downsides to Novlr if you like using it! Overall, Novlr is an attractive place to write your next novel.

9. Scrivener

Scrivener has a cult following among the writing community. It’s a novel writing software option famed for both its power and complexity.

If you ask around about Scrivener, many writers will admit that they find it a bit intimidating to learn. What many writers don't know is that the latest version of Scrivener is a lot easier to use than earlier editions.

Scrivener Novel Writing

In terms of planning, writing, and even exporting your novel, Scrivener offers a level of power not found elsewhere. 

If you’re willing to learn how to use it, Scrivener is the only novel writing software you’ll ever need. 

How much does Scrivener cost?

Scrivener has one of the best free trials in the whole industry, and is available at an affordable price point to buy as a one-off software:

  • 30-day free trial , even use on non-consecutive days
  • $49 macOS standard license
  • $49 Windows standard license
  • $19.99 for the iOS version of Scrivener 

Which platforms is Scrivener available for?

At this time, Scrivener is available for:

What are the pros and cons of using Scrivener?

So how can you decide if Scrivener is the best choice of novel writing software for your book?

Pros of Scrivener:

In terms of sheer functionality, Scrivener is unmatched. It does anything and everything you could dream of when writing a novel. It’s also available at a one-off price point , so you avoid being tied into an expensive monthly or annual subscription. 

Cons of Scrivener:

The major downside to using Scrivener is its learning curve . However, since the release of Scrivener 3, the software is a lot easier to learn and use than older versions were. 

10. Storyist

If you’re looking to produce a novel or screenplay, and you happen to use Apple products, Storyist is one option available to you.

Storyist Software

As well as full word processing capabilities, Storyist has outlining and story development functions that you won't find in Microsoft Word. You can also easily create and track info on your characters to avoid any errors or gaps. 

How much does Storyist cost?

Storyist is available at two price points, depending on if you choose the mobile or desktop version:

  • Storyist for iOS $19.00

Which platforms is Storyist available for?

If you’re a Windows or Linux user, Storyist isn’t available to you. 

It’s currently only available for:

What are the pros and cons of using Storyist?

Should you use Storyist to write your next novel?

Pros of Storyist:

Storyist is a good choice for screenwriters. Its functionality is also useful for novelists, but it seems that screenwriting is Storyist’s prime concern.

As a one-off purchase, it’s more affordable than the majority of subscription novel writing software options. 

Cons of Storyist:

Most novelists will find software intended for novelists only, rather than screenwriters and novelists, to be a better fit. Windows users are out of luck here.

11. The Novel Factory

The Novel Factory is available as both a downloadable app and a cloud login platform.

It aims to give novelists a specialist environment to work on their book, full of features not found in standard writing applications. 

The Novel Factory

Some of the features created with novelists in mind include the ability to store information on and track your characters, access detailed notes about the different locations your novel takes place in, manage version control for different drafts, and to set targets and writing goals .

How much does The Novel Factory cost?

To get started with The Novel Factory, you have three options:

  • Basic – One novel and 50MB of storage for $75 a year
  • Standard – Unlimited novels and 500MB of storage for $198 a year
  • Premium – Unlimited novels and 5GB of storage for $600 a year

Which platforms is The Novel Factory available for?

The Novel Factory can currently be used in two ways:

  • Downloaded app. Available only for Windows.
  • Cloud login. Available for any device capable of logging into the Cloud. 

What are the pros and cons of using The Novel Factory?

So what are the good and bad points of using The Novel Factory as your novel writing software?

Pros of The Novel Factory:

The Novel Factory is very simple and easy to use. There’s no chance you’ll be confused by its interface. It also offers better functionality in terms of tracking your characters and locations than a standard word processor. 

Cons of The Novel Factory:

If you opt for the online version, you need to have an active internet connection to work on your novel. This is a drawback if you want to work on a plane or disconnect to focus better. The Novel Factory can also be very expensive depending on the amount of space you are looking for.

If you want a very easy-to-use novel writing software, and are comfortable with having to be online to use it, give The Novel Factory's free trial a spin to see if it's a good fit for your writing style. 

12. Ulysses

Broadly speaking, specialist novel writing software usually falls into one of two categories – fully-featured and complicated, or minimalist and easy to use.

Ulysses is an example of the minimalist school of thought. But how can it help novelists?

Ulysses

Ulysses is known for its minimalist writing interface and how it syncs between desktop and mobile. It also supports writing markups, and allows you to publish directly from the app to blogs. 

How much does Ulysses cost?

Ulysses is available at three price points:

  • Free trial. 
  • Monthly subscription for $5.99
  • Annual subscription for $39.99

Which platforms is Ulysses available for?

Like many writing tools, Ulysses is only available for Apple users. You can get it for:

  • MacOS 

What are the pros and cons of using Ulysses?

So what are the major pros and cons of using Ulysses as your novel writing software?

Pros of Ulysses:

Ulysses is a stylish, focused place to write. It’s easy to access your notes and images and use them for inspiration while you work. 

Cons of Ulysses:

As is often the case, Windows users aren't able to enjoy Ulysses. Also, while Ulysses supports markup and publishing directly to WordPress or Ghost, these are features more suited to blogging than novel writing. 

Ulysses is a great writing app for Apple users who blog , but novelists might want to seek another solution. 

13. WriteItNow

Unlike some of the other tools featured in this guide, WriteItNow is intended just for novelists.

Writeitnow Software

Some of the functionality offered by WriteItNow includes support for chapters and scenes, the inclusion of research and background notes, the option to view your novel as a storyboard, and the setting of writing targets and goals to help you stay on schedule. 

How much does WriteItNow cost?

So how much does it cost to get started with WriteItNow?

  • Free trial. Fully-featured but doesn't allow for saving. 
  • $59.95. One-off purchase price

Which platforms is WriteItNow available for?

At this time, WriteItNow is available for:

What are the pros and cons of using WriteItNow?

Here are some things to consider before choosing WriteItNow as your novel writing software:

Pros of WriteItNow:

WriteItNow offers some great features that will make writing your next novel far easier than using a standard writing app. It's also available at an affordable price point that doesn't tie you into a subscription.

Cons of WriteItNow:

If you’re looking for a mobile novel writing software, or one which supports Cloud functionality, WriteItNow isn’t the right option for you.

14. Writer’s Blocks

Do you struggle to plan and organize your thoughts? If so, Writer’s Blocks is intended for writers just like you!

Writer's Blocks is aimed at both screenwriters and novelists. In addition to full word processing capabilities, the software organizes your writing into blocks. These can be color-coded, dragged and dropped, and rearranged. 

Novel Software Writers Blocks

While the organizational abilities of Writer's Blocks are useful, it doesn't offer the level of functionality seen in some other options on this list. 

How much does Writer’s Blocks cost?

Writer's Blocks costs $149 as a one-off payment.

Which platforms is Writer’s Blocks available for?

Writer’s Blocks is only available for Windows . 

What are the pros and cons of using Writer’s Blocks?

What do you need to know about using Writer’s Blocks?

Pros of Writer's Blocks:

If you struggle with organizing your writing and planning , Writer’s Blocks makes life a lot easier in comparison to most word processors. 

Cons of Writer's Blocks:

In our opinion, Writer’s Blocks offers a lower level of functionality than some other software. It also costs more . 

Unless you’ve tried out Writer’s Blocks and prefer the way it works, we’d suggest looking at Scrivener or WriteItNow instead of this. 

15. yWriter 

yWriter has gained an appreciative fanbase in the author community. It was made by an author who also happens to be a programmer. 

Ywriter

yWriter also has a long history of being updated and offering improvements.

Best of all? yWriter is free. It offers a lot of power and functionality for a free tool. Because it was made by a novelist with novelists in mind, it allows you to track info related to your characters, settings , and even objects. 

It’s a great choice for detail-rich novels. 

How much does yWriter cost?

yWriter is free across all versions and platforms. 

Which platforms is yWriter available for?

yWriter’s primary platform is Windows, but you can find it on:

  • Full version available for Windows 
  • Mac Alpha version (the creator of yWriter suggests using Scrivener for Mac instead of yWriter

What are the pros and cons of using yWriter?

Is yWriter the right choice of software for your novel?

Pros of yWriter:

If you’re a novelist working on Windows, you can’t do better than yWriter as a free tool . It offers a lot of the functionality of paid tools without the need to spend a single cent. 

Cons of yWriter:

If you work on a Mac or iOS device , yWriter isn't the best choice for you. Consider software such as Scrivener instead or one of the specialist Mac-only novel writing apps found in this guide. 

Final Verdict: What is the Best Novel Writing Software?

YouTube video

Thank you for checking out our guide to specialist novel writing software available for authors.

At this point, you know you have a lot of options! But which one is the best writing software for novels?

Ultimately, there’s no substitute for trying out software for yourself and seeing if you enjoy the experience of using it. 

The best writing software for novels is an entirely personal choice, and will come down to the following factors:

  • Functionality. Which features are available in one software but not another? Which features do you need, and which are you unlikely to make use of when working on a novel?
  • Price. How much are you willing to invest? Would you prefer a one-off payment cost or a monthly or annual subscription?
  • Compatibility. Is the novel writing software you're considering compatible with your operating system? Is it still being updated and likely to remain compatible in the future?

If you’re looking for somewhere to start, we suggest taking advantage of the free trial edition of Scrivener.

As Scrivener offers almost everything out there in terms of functionality, by using it, you’ll soon get a feel for the features you do and don’t need. 

By the time your 30 days of Scrivener are over, you can make the choice to either stick with the full version or opt for something a little less complex.

If you’ve used any of the novel writing software in this guide, please feel free to leave a comment!

Now that you're equipped with the right tools to start writing your book, it's a good time to also think about what happens after you have your manuscript. Book writing software will help you make sure your book is polished and ready to publish.

What is your favorite novel writing software?

best novel writing software reddit

FREE EBOOK & AUDIOBOOK

The proven path from blank page to 10,000 copies sold

Related posts

Skyhorse publishing review: the right path for your book, masterclass review 2024: pros, cons, costs & alternatives, mindstir media review (2024 guide for authors).

Novel Factory

It will come as little surprise that we think the Novel Factory is the best writing software. That’s because we’ve spent the last ten years trying to work out what makes novel writing software great, and then building it.

Nonetheless, we are aware that writers’ needs vary, and that there are apps out there that are more established or have a different focus or a development team with different areas of expertise.

So we have genuinely done our best in this review to give an honest rundown of some of the best novel writing software options, analysing their strengths and weaknesses. But we’ll start with the one we know best.

The main strengths of Novel Factory are its intuitive, clean design and the wealth and detail of the novel writing resources.

As well as providing a word processor, features for creating plots and managing subplots, and areas for keeping notes on characters, locations and items – the software integrates what some have described as ‘an MA in writing’.

As well as the Roadmap, which is a step-by-step guide to writing a novel, it includes detailed character development questionnaires, world building guides and plot templates based on popular genres.

So it’s not just the car, but the engine and map as well.

The software has a section for setting your writing targets, and then automatically updates colour-coded graphs so you can track your progress towards them.

It also autosaves your manuscript and has version history, so you can access previous drafts of your writing.

And as the data is centrally stored, it’s easy for writers to collaborate on a single novel, always able to access the latest changes.

If we have to focus on the weaknesses of the Novel Factory, then we have to admit it’s not the cheapest option out there. Writers on a tight budget may not be able to stretch to $7.50 per month. We hate the idea of anyone being priced out, so we do run promos a few times a year which bring the price down, and we offer educational discounts and occasionally free licences on a hardship basis (get in touch with us for more info).

Is the Novel Factory the best novel writing software for me?

The Novel Factory is perfect for new writers, who want to learn their craft while writing their first novel.

It’s great for planners, who want to use established structures to make their story skeleton bullet-proof and develop complex characters with desires, flaws and internal conflicts.

It’s the right fit if you want somewhere to keep track of all supporting data, as well as writing the novel itself, and if you want options to work Online and Offline, as it suits you.

It’s good for visual learners, who appreciate being able to add a lot of images, who like to see how different aspects of the novel link together and who like everything clearly categorised and aesthetically appealing.

It’s less useful for writers who want something more freeform, or something where they can set up and rearrange the categories themselves. And discovery writers may prefer something a bit more streamlined and simple, as they may not need the additional sections for supporting data.

Click here to find out more about the features included in the Novel Factory 3.0, or click here for a free 30 day trial .

Scrivener Novel Writing Software

No novel writing software list would be complete without Scrivener – the Goliath of the writing software world.

Scrivener was one of the first apps to appear on the market, and is by far the most well-known program today.

The main strengths of Scrivener are its flexibility and richness of features. It has had a long time to mature, and take into account feedback from its huge community, so it is packed full of features, from index cards to name generators. It offers goal tracking, word counts and places to keep your notes.

Plus, because the community is so huge, you can take advantage of freely shared resources, such as character and plot templates.

Scrivener is very reasonably priced at £47, and is available for Mac, PC and even IOS (though the licences for each of these are sold separately), though there isn’t a web-based version.

The widely accepted main weakness of Scrivener is the other side of the coin of its strength – it’s complexity.

The ‘steep learning curve’ is cited by many as a real issue, and while there are dozens of courses to help you get to grips with the intricacies of the program, people who are trying to write a novel are usually already struggling to find enough time just to write their manuscript. And it’s quite a big ask to require someone to invest dozens of hours learning a program before they’re even sure it’s the right one for them.

Is Scrivener the best creative writing software for me?

Scrivener is a great app, with tons of fantastic features, and there’s a reason it’s used by so many writers.

As they state on their website, they, ‘won’t tell you how to write’, so this it’s best suited to an experienced novelist who has time to learn the features and work out how to use them to plan and write their novel.

It offers a lot of flexibility and customisation so, you can use the tools in lots of different ways, to suit your style.

But for a newer novelist, who is just learning their craft and might want a little more guidance, it can be a bit overwhelming, while not offering guidance on how to actually write a novel.

And having so many choices can also lead to decision paralysis, or not really knowing the best way to proceed, so it probably won’t suit people who are less comfortable with advanced technology and customisation.

Click here to find out more about Scrivener and get a free trial.

best novel writing software reddit

YWriter is another veteran piece of software which is widely respected and loved.

YWriter contains all the key features you’d expect from novel writing software, including clearly defined places to keep track of your characters , locations, scenes, chapters and somewhere to write your novel.

A big strength is that it allows you to link everything together and handily cross-reference, and it has lots of tools to keep track of your word counts and progress.

The main weakness of yWriter is that it’s not clear where to start when you first open it, and the word processor takes a while to find. Also, some sections of the interface are a bit primitive, requiring you to enter code syntax, rather than offering a proper graphic user interface where you can simply, click, drag and drop.

The characters, locations and tools tabs are all fairly straightforward, but the interface is all table-based, which can get a bit monotonous. While you can add images to characters, locations and items, they’re not displayed in the main interface for quick reference.

Like Scrivener, it doesn’t give you any guidance on how to actually write a novel.

Is yWriter the best free novel writing software for me?

While yWriter isn’t the most intuitive software to use, or the most fully featured, it has one major advantage which, for many writers, will rocket it above all the competitors.

That is that it is completely free.

For a free product, yWriter is quite phenomenal and it is extremely generous of the developer to give away such a great app with no charge at all. Of course, you can donate to help support future development, but even the suggested donations are only up to $24.95 as a one off.

So if you are looking for dedicated software to keep track of the key aspects of your novel but you’re on a tight budget, then yWriter is a fantastic option.

Click here to find out more about yWriter.

Fictionary Novel Editing Software

Fictionary is an online creative writing software that approaches the process from a different point of view. Instead of starting with an idea and helping the writer grow it into a full novel, Fictionary has a stronger focus on improving your manuscript after you’ve written it.

The main strength of Fictionary is its analytical capabilities once you import your manuscript. It can help you get an overarching view of your story arc.

It has an attractive interface and a sidebar with lots of useful prompts to help you think about various aspects of each scene.

The ‘Plot’ section of the sidebar gives useful prompts to encourage you to consider the type, role and goals of each scene.

Likewise, the ‘settings’ section offers useful prompts to help you think not only about the practical details of your setting, but also how it impacts the story.

The main weakness of Fictionary is that the data is only as good as what you enter, and the analysis relies a lot on your own understanding of story and character.

It offers a lot of numerical analysis and helps you identify tangible things such as chapters or scenes which are excessively long, or which contain excessive numbers of characters, but whether those things are actually an issue or not depends a lot on context and your own choices, and at the end of the day, the quality of a novel can’t be boiled down to statistics.

Also, everything is viewed by scenes, so you can’t get much of an overview of your plot, apart from the quite limited Story Arc.

Also, like Novlr, it doesn’t have much support for plot structure development or developing your characters, which isn’t that surprising, since its focus is on after you’ve written the novel. You can enter your characters, but the data is limited to name and whether that character is POV. You can’t add any further information, or images. You can add information about locations to each scene, but there’s no database of locations that stands alone.

It’s also the most expensive option on our list, at $20 per month or $200 per year.

Is Fictionary the best novel editing software for me?

Fictionary is useful if you’ve already written a manuscript and you want to analyse it to find out where the inconsistencies or weak areas are.

It’s great if you love obsessing over data, and it can help you think about aspects of scenes to make them stronger and more compelling.

It’s not very useful for new novelists who want to learn how to write their first novel, or for planners who are looking for tools to structure, outline and develop characters before writing their novel.

Click here to find out more about Fictionary and get a free trial.

Atticus Novel Writing Software

Atticus is a newcomer to the market, created by established self-publishing marketing guru, Dave Chesson.

The key unique strength of Atticus is its formatting and publishing functions. As a self-published author, Dave rightly recognised that there were few options on the market that allowed you to easily ready your manuscript for self-publishing – and even fewer if you weren’t on a Mac.

Atticus allows you to easily select between various formatting styles, and export your novel to a ready-to-go ebook format for all the major self-publishing platforms.

In conjunction with that, Atticus includes dedicated spaces for front matter and back matter, and it allows you to set writing goals, and even select which days of the week you plan to write, which is a nice touch.

It works in a browser, and you can also download apps for Windows and Mac, making it one of the most cross-platform options out there.

It’s got a slick, attractive, highly intuitive interface. It even features a cute cartoon dog – what’s not to like?

The weakness of Atticus compared to other novel writing software, is that it doesn’t offer any areas for keeping track of characters or locations, managing your plot. Of course if you don’t need those features, then that’s not a problem at all.

It also doesn’t get into the business of teaching you how to write a novel, so if you’re a beginner looking for more craft guidance, you’ll need to find that info somewhere else.

It doesn’t offer any free trial, which could be quite off-putting to some people, and the price isn’t that cheap, at $147, though that is a one-off cost. Asking people to pay that much without having been able to poke at the software first demands quite a lot of trust, though there is a no-quibble 30 day money back guarantee.

Is Atticus the best novel formatting software for me?

Atticus is almost certainly the best option for actively self-publishing authors who have a reasonable budget available and prefer to just get on with writing their novels without doing a lot of additional work creating character profiles, locations sheets or planning documents.

It offers a clean interface for writing, and easy formatting and publishing to all the major platforms, something very few of the other options offer.

On the other hand, if you’re looking for more comprehensive novel writing software which includes features and functions to help you keep track of characters, manage your plot and subplots and give novel writing advice, then Atticus is not that sort of one-stop-shop.

Click here to check out Atticus.

Write It Now

WriteItNow Novel Writing Software

Write it Now is a desktop based novel writing software app available for both Windows and Mac, with a wide range of features, but quite a cluttered, dated interface.

The main strength of Write It Now is the wide range of features it includes.

As well as having sections to keep your characters, locations, events, props, notes and research, it has some cool tools which are rare in other programs, such as character relationship charts.

There are some prompts and guidance with regards to characters, such as including their birth and death date, and their relationship to other characters, but ‘personality’ is limited to sliders on different personality traits, such as ‘health’ or ‘aggression’.

Another strength is that it includes places for front and back matter, and offers a wide range of export options.

By far the biggest weakness of the software is its interface. Balance, style and consistency are lacking and it’s cluttered with fussy icons. And while at the top level the sections are quite intuitive, many of the buttons within the sections are quite confusing and it’s unclear what the intent behind them is, even after you’ve clicked them.

Finally, it doesn’t appear to offer many overview options, so apart from the tree list on the left hand side, you can’t view all of your characters at a glance. There also doesn’t seem to be a way to get an overview of your plot structure.

Is Write It Now the best novel planning software for me?

Write It Now is good for writers who are comfortable with technology and like to have lots of detailed features and functions, and who want to be able to drill down into lots of detail, and customise the software to suit themselves. And who aren’t that fussed about aesthetics.

It’s also a good option for users who prefer Desktop software, as many of the novel writing apps out there now are solely web-based.

It’s not good for people who value an aesthetically pleasing, intuitive interface. It’s also not good for people who want to keep things simple.

It doesn’t include any guidance on how to write a novel, so it’s less useful for new novel writers.

Click here to check out Write It Now.

FocusWriter

Focus Writer Novel Writing App

FocusWriter is a super-simple, free app to help writers focus and avoid distractions.

It’s biggest strength is exactly what it says – its focus. Its main objective is to minimise distractions, so you can get on with writing your novel.

It also has some customisation options, so you can change the background image to something you like and it’s available in multiple languages.

Its weakness is that it doesn’t offer anything else.

There is nowhere to keep track of any supporting information, such as that of characters, locations, items, research or notes. Of course, it doesn’t intend to offer those things, but if you want them – that’s a problem.

There’s no support on how to write a novel, and despite its simplicity, the interface still manages to look slightly dated.

Is FocusWriter the best novel writing software for me?

FocusWriter is perfect for authors who just want to get on and write a manuscript and not faff around with lots of planning and research. So it’s far better suited to discovery writers, rather than planners.

People who like to have a completely clear desk, and who find clutter impacts on their train of thought, will find FocusWriter the perfect solution.

If you’re looking for a more fully featured program, which will help keep track of supporting information, as well as the manuscript itself, then this is not the app for you.

Likewise, if you’re a new writer who wants a program that integrates guidance, templates and novel writing advice, then this is not a good option.

Click here to download FocusWriter.

Bibisco Novel Writing Software

Bibisco is a desktop based app with a clean, uncluttered layout and a good range of features.

It’s main strengths are the simplicity of its interface and the fact it has sections for all the major aspects of novel writing.

It’s nicely laid out, with the option to add images to things such as characters and locations. It has graphs to visualise things such as chapter lengths and character and object distribution. Another great feature is the character relationships tool.

It includes quite a few character development prompts, though how you fill them in is a little confusing at first, and it’s not possible to easily see all the information at a glance, you have to keep clicking to drill down, and then clicking to go back up to the top level again.

Another nice touch is the popup help boxes that appear as you move through the app, giving you extra hints and tips without making you grind to a halt to complete a lengthy tutorial.

The biggest weaknesses of the software are the fact that it has no free trial, and the lack of clear flow of overarching structure to the software.

This is one of the only programs that doesn’t offer a free trial. The price is very low (only $18, though you can pay more if you feel inclined to), so you could just take a punt on it, but it seems a big ask to require people to fork out before they’ve ever had a chance to take it for a test drive and see if it suits them.

The other issue is that it’s not always clear the best way to use the software. For many this is fine, as they’ll use it how they please – but if you’re looking for something that will guide you through the novel writing process, you’ll be disappointed.

Is Bibisco the best novel writing software for me?

If you’re looking for a low-cost desktop app to keep track of key information relating to your novel, then Bibisco is a great choice. It has a nice clean interface, contains all the key sections you could require with a few nice extras, and is very modestly priced.

However, if you’re a discovery writer who just wants to get writing, it’s unlikely to suit you, as the emphasis is on supporting data, rather than the manuscript. It actually takes a while to find the word processor.

And if you’re a planner looking for a way to shuffle around plot points and get a bird’s eye view of your structure, Bibisco doesn’t provide that.

It also isn’t designed for new writers who are looking for guidance on how to actually write their novel, as it doesn’t contain that sort of information.

Click here to find out more about Bibisco.

Wavemaler Novel Writing Software

Wavemaker is a smart novel writing app which contains a range of useful features for novelists.

Like yWriter, it is a labour of love by a single developer who wanted to create software for his own writing, and like yWriter it is also available for free, with a gentle encouragement for you to donate money so he can spend more time on it.

It’s a progressive web app, which means it runs in a browser, but continues to work if you go offline, syncing as soon as it gets a connection back.

Our favourite Wavemaker strengths are its range of elegant planning features and its beautiful interface.

Wavemaker contains several different ways to plan your novel and gather your notes, each slightly different to take into account different ways of processing information, but allowing you to drag and drop items, and link ideas and notes in different ways.

It includes tagging, which can be very useful for cross-referencing and sorting, and it has a sidebar so you can view some of your notes while writing your manuscript.

It is very clean and pleasing to look at, and using the tools is very intuitive.

The main weakness of Wavemaker is that while it is a great selection of tools, they don’t integrate in any coherent way. You can’t enter info in one and then view it in one of the other sections to get a different perspective. There’s no flow, where you start in one section, then when that’s complete, move to the next. Then again, the freeform way will work better for many people.

Also, the tools mostly stop at the top level functionality, so they do what they say, but there’s not a lot more below the surface.

It doesn’t have any novel writing teaching resources, so people who are looking to write their first novel will need to find that information somewhere else, and there’s little in the way of prompts, to show you how to develop characters or settings, or structure a plot.

Is Wavemaker the best free novel writing software for me?

Wavemaker is great if you want a flexible, intuitive and aesthetically pleasing toolbox for working out the plot of your novel.

It will also be good for discovery writers who want a clean interface which works online and offline.

It’s less useful for new writers who are looking for writing craft guidance, or for those who like to see how all their data links together across the different sections.

Click here to check out Wavemaker.

Novlr Novel Writing Software

Novlr is a web-based novel writing app with a beautiful interface, a bunch of great features and plenty of resources to help teach you how to write a novel.

One of the biggest strengths of Novlr is how attractive and pleasing it is to look at, with its slick layout. For some people, this may be considered unimportant compared to the features available, but for many of us a clear, uncluttered interface helps our thoughts flow more clearly.

It also offers spelling and grammar suggestions, in the same way Word does, which not many novel writing apps do.

It autosaves and creates a version history, which gives great peace of mind.

It includes word count info and even motivational messages when you achieve your goals.

One of its weaknesses is the price – it is among the higher priced apps at $100 per year.

Another potential weakness (though could be a strength, depending on your point of view), is that it doesn’t have any features relating to characters, plotting or locations. The focus of Novlr is solely on the manuscript, so any related research or development you want to do has to be done elsewhere.

Is Novlr the right story writing software for me?

Novlr is perfect for discovery writers (also known as pantsers), with its beautiful, clean interface, proofreading tools and version history.

It’s also good for new writers as, like the Novel Factory, it has an integrated course to help you write your novel.

It’s not so useful for writers who are looking for a more all round software, which will give them somewhere to keep track of their cast of characters, offer plotting tools and world building resources.

Click here to find out more about Novlr and get a free trial.

In summary – what is the best novel writing software for you? Our top three recommendations, for planners, pantsers, and those on a budget.

As we’ve seen, if you’re looking for novel writing software, you’re spoiled for choice. You can find software that will take care of all your supporting novel data, such as characters and locations, or you can find absolute minimalist apps to help you avoid distractions.

There is software that teaches you how to write a novel, and there’s software that gives you imaginative ways to view your data, such as index cards, mind maps and relationship charts.

Some of the software is perfect for discovery writers, while others are a dream come true for planners. You may also want to consider using Papertyper, a free AI essay writer tool that can help you organize your thoughts and ideas. This is also worth your attention.

Some are aesthetically pleasing and calming to look at and use, while others prioritise highly customisable detail.

The right software for you will depend on your personal preferences and priorities, but here’s a summary of our top three favourites, for the most diverse requirements:

Here are our top recommendations:

  • Best all round novel writing software: The Novel Factory
  • Best minimalist writing software: FocusWriter
  • Best free novel writing software: Wavemaker

Whatever your needs, we hope you find the tool that’s a perfect partner for your novel writing future!

Unlock your writing potential

If you liked this article by the Novel Factory, then why not try the Novel Factory app for writers?

It includes:

  • Plot Templates
  • Character Questionnaires
  • Writing Guides
  • Drag & Drop Plotting Tools
  • World Building resources
  • Much, much more

best novel writing software reddit

content mavericks logo

How to Make $100K Per Month

7 Best Novel Writing Software 2024 (50 Story Planners Ranked)

CM Post - Featured Image Narrow Content

by Chris Von Wilpert, BBusMan • Last updated November 23, 2023

Expert Verified by Leandro Langeani, BBA

Disclosure:   We test and review software products based on an independent, multi-step rating methodology.  When you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission.  Read full disclosure and rating methodology .

Today there are 321 different novel writing software to help with your creative writing. We spent 95 hours comparing the top 50 to find the seven best you can use to write your novels.

What is the Best Novel Writing Software?

  • The Novel Factory — best of the best
  • Publisher Rocket — best for Amazon publishers
  • Plottr — best for plot planning
  • Scrivener — best bang for buck
  • Google Docs — best free option
  • ProWritingAid — best for novel editing
  • Atticus — best for self-publishers

1.   The Novel Factory

Our verdict — best of the best.

Price: Starts at $7.50/month

best novel writing software reddit

The Novel Factory is our favorite tool for novel writers. We think it’s the best of the best because it’s stupidly easy to use, saves a ton of time, and enables you to develop airtight plots.  

The Best Part:

There’s a tool for everything. The Novel Factory is full of tools that will make your work smarter, faster, and stronger, from “a to z” — from idea to publishing.

The Worst Part:

The desktop app falls a bit short, when compared to the cloud app. If you want to download and install the desktop version of The Novel Factory, you’ll need Windows. On a Mac, you’ll need to stick to the web version (which is awesome, by the way).

Get it if you want a writing tool that will enable you to materialize your ideas quicker and easier. 

I recommend you get started with the 30-day free trial, then get started on the Basic plan at $7.50/month.

(30-day free trial)

The Novel Factory is best for all kinds of fiction writers who want to get their novel idea out of their head, once and for all.

Top Features

  • It enables you to develop an airtight plot. The Novel Factory allows you to visually structure the plot, characters, locations, and more, so you’re always on top of your story.
  • It’s beginner friendly. Newbies will love the roadmap feature, which is a step-by-step guide to writing a novel, from the story premise, the final manuscript,  all the way through to the publishing.
  • DFY plot outlines. You get eight proven plot structures to build your story’s skeleton, in order to make the writing process way more efficient in writing your horror, romance, or detective noir story, for example.
  • In-depth character development. Create a character and get prompts which allow you to develop your characters’ motivations, archetype, physical descriptions, and much more.
  • Your seven year old could use it. The Novel Factory is so intuitive, you’ll probably learn your way around it the first time you open it — and their tutorials are a delight.

best novel writing software reddit

The Novel Factory offers three pricing plans:

  • Basic: $7.50/month for new writers, or experienced writers wanting to give it a shot.
  • Standard: $20/month for experienced writers to develop as many novels as they wish.
  • Premium: $60/month for writers who produce a massive amount of content.

Annual subscriptions provide a 17% discount.

Try The Novel Factory today with a free 30-day trial.

2. Publisher Rocket

Our verdict — best for amazon publishers.

Price:  $97

best novel writing software reddit

Selling books on Amazon with Publisher Rocket is almost like bringing a motorbike to a kid’s tricycle competition. Use it right, and you will sell more novels than the top sellers in your category.

  • Huge money & time saver. A few minutes of research now and then will give you deep, meaningful insight into what sells — genres, keywords, categories, title ideas… You give Amazon what Amazon wants, and it will give you buyers. You’d have to spend tons of time and money to gather all of the same insights by hand.
  • It takes some learning. Publisher Rocket’s got a somewhat steep learning curve. Commit to going through their tutorials to learn how to get value from the software, instead of trying to guess it, and you’ll do just fine.

Get it if you want to sell your self-published books on Amazon as ebooks, physical books, or audiobooks.

I recommend you try Publisher Rocket for 30 days, with a 100% money-back guarantee.

(30 day money-back guarantee)

Publisher Rocket is best for self-published novel writers who want to take advantage of Amazon’s colossal list of buyers.

  • It reads your reader’s minds. When you look at the hard data, like phrases Amazon shoppers are searching for, and how much they spend on which topics or genres, you get a much better shot at winning the “positioning” game. Use this information to craft your book title, tags, and descriptions, and Amazon will reward you with more shoppers.
  • Saves time and money. If you were to hire an agency to figure out all your “Amazon SEO”, you’d likely spend way more money than what you have to pay for Publisher Rocket… And there’s a chance said agency gets their intel from the same tool, anyway. A good 20 minutes of deep-dive research gives you a month’s worth of strategic information.
  • Publish your novel in the highest revenue potential category. Choosing the right book categories for your novel is like choosing which street to open a shop at. Positioning your book in the right categories and subcategories will put your story in front of more people… Then, you’ll use the power of Publisher Rocket to help you rank #1 (and you can even figure out which categories are more or less competitive).
  • Helps you spot book sale trends for your next novel. With a few clicks, you can figure out estimated book sales in all Amazon categories, and get a better understanding of what’s hot and what’s not. By understanding what genres people are buying, you can get your creative juices flowing in the right direction.
  • Incredible support. There are quite a few online reviews where users comment on how Publisher Rocket’s customer service is a superstar. They have a deep understanding of Amazon with their Amazon Best Seller Rank (ABSR), keywords, categories, and whatnot. They offer personalized advice and a ton of tutorials that will help anyone shoot their Amazon rankings up.

best novel writing software reddit

Publisher Rocket has a single pricing option:

Publisher Rocket: $97 one time, for a lifetime license.

Try Publisher Rocket today with a 30-day money back guarantee.

Our Verdict — Best For Plot Planning

Price:  Starts at $25

best novel writing software reddit

Plottr is a tool made for planners. If you’re a novel writer who likes to plan your stories before you ever sit down to start your actual writing sessions, Plottr will be your best friend.

  • Plottr enables you to write tight. We all have read novels that get lost in their own story plot. If you want to write an airtight novel plot, Plottr will allow you to be strategic with your writing, all the way through.
  • No writing capabilities. Plottr is only for planning and outlining. In order to write your draft, you’ll need a writing processor, like Scrivener or Word.

Get it if you want a tool that will enable you to create a strong, cohesive plot that will make your story stronger and believable.

I recommend you get started with the 14-day free trial, then get the annual or lifetime plan.

(14-day free trial)

Plottr is best for novel writers who want to have a clear overview of their plots, chapters, characters, and so on, before they ever start writing… It’s especially important for very intricate stories.

  • Visual timelines. Plottr makes it super simple to create visual timelines, allowing you to create interesting plots which can be reorganized with simple drag-and-drop actions. It’s almost like having a digital corkboard filled with your scenes, storylines, and chapters for you to play with.
  • It’s beginner friendly. If you’ve never outlined a plot before, Plottr’s got your back. Their templates are super helpful, so you’ll get the hang of strategizing your story that much faster. You get proven storytelling structures that will help you make your idea come to life.
  • Kickass tutorials. Plottr has an incredible collection of video tutorials that teach every little aspect of the software. The best part is, while they teach you how to use their software, they indirectly give you a “masterclass” on plotting and planning stories. Top notch. 
  • One-click export function. You can export your story and chapter outlines from Plottr to Word or Scrivener. Not only can you easily have all your development easily shared, but you can also use that for an extra layer of backup.
  • Character profiles. Hop into the characters tab and you can create in-depth character descriptions like a pro. You can add a name and a thumbnail, but the most useful part is that you can add trackable attributes, like flaws, backstories, personality traits, and so on. This will allow you to have an extra layer of consistency in your character development.

best novel writing software reddit

Plottr has six different pricing tiers:

  • Annual 1 Device: $25/year, for the basic version on one device. Use it forever + 1 year of updates.
  • Annual 3 Devices: $45/year, for the basic version on three devices. Use it forever + 1 year of updates.
  • Annual Pro: $79/year, with all the basic features plus cloud features and real time collaboration features on unlimited devices. Use it forever + 1 year of updates.
  • Lifetime 1 Device: $99 one time, for the basic version on one device. Use it forever with lifetime updates.
  • Lifetime 3 Devices: $149 one time, for the basic version on three devices. Use it forever with lifetime updates.
  • Lifetime Pro: $249 one time, with all basic features plus cloud features and real time collaboration features on unlimited devices. Use it forever with lifetime updates.

All paid plans have a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Try Plottr today with a free 14-day trial.

4. Scrivener

Our verdict — best bang for buck.

Price:  $49

best novel writing software reddit

Scrivener is one of our favorite writing tools for novel writers. You get features that help you every step of the way: researching, composing, writing, and editing your novels. No wonder it’s the tool of choice for renowned writers like J.K. Rowling, Steven Kotler, and Ryan Holiday, to name a few. Oh, and it works on Windows, Mac, Android, and iPhones!

Tons of great tools. Scrivener is a toolbox, from start to finish for the whole writing process. From having all your research and notes handy, to advanced features like tagging, editing, composing, and writing, this tool delivers stellar value for its one-time price. 

One license per device. Maybe you’ve bought yourself a Windows license before, but needed to work from your iPhone one weekend? Too bad. You’ll need separate licenses for your desktop and mobile devices (there’s no online version, either).

Get it if you want a writing tool that will push you towards your daily novel writing goals.. 

I recommend you get started with the 30-day free trial period, then get both the mobile and desktop app paid versions.

Scrivener is best for creative writers who write in a non-linear fashion and would benefit from visualizing their novel structure.

  • Drag, drop, and organize. Scrivener allows you to break up your novel into chapters and sections. Once you hop into the “binder” view, you can move scenes and even entire chapters around with a simple drag-and-drop move. The “corkboard view” creates index cards as you add scenes and chapters to your novel, so when you move those index cards around, you also rearrange your entire story.
  • Visual feedback. When you’re writing an intricate story, it’s a great idea to be able to visually manage your narrative, in order to avoid plot holes. You could use color-coded note cards in order to make sure all your open loops are being closed, or that you recall a sub-plot at the right time, for example.
  • Work with templates. Scrivener offers a few different writing project templates, for different creative writing styles like fiction, non-fiction, and scriptwriting, to name a few. Then, you can create your own collection of presets to reuse on future books. Imagine you were working on a trilogy — Scrivener makes it easy to keep everything consistent, like fonts, printing standards, front and back matter, and so on.
  • Helps you to keep the pace. The “dialogue focus” is a key feature that lets you isolate one of the most important pieces of the novel writing process: Dialogues. This feature makes it a lot easier to keep your scenes dynamic and relevant, within the realm of your story. 
  • Quick and easy formatting. With the compile function, you can publish your drafts in the standard industry standards, or any format a publisher asks, without messing with your original work in the main project. You could change fonts, exclude the foreword, or even change the title of your book.

best novel writing software reddit

Scrivener offers six pricing plans:

  • macOS: $49 one time, for mac users.
  • macOS educational: $41.65 one time, for mac users who are students or academics.
  • Windows: $49 one time, for Windows users.
  • Windows educational: $41.65 one time, for Windows users who are students or academics.
  • iOS: $19.99 one time, for iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch users.
  • Bundle: $80 one time, for both a macOS and a Windows license.

Try Scrivener today with a free 30-day trial.

Our Top Three Picks

Here’s a quick summary of our top three picks:

Here’s a quick comparison of our top seven picks:

Here are the top 50 novel writing tools we considered in this review:

  • The Novel Factory
  • Publisher Rocket
  • Google Docs
  • ProWritingAid
  • Living Writer
  • Hemingway App
  • Novlr 
  • Storyline Creator
  • Reedsy Book Editor
  • Writer’s Blocks
  • Ginger Grammar
  • FocusWriter
  • Microsoft Word
  • Libre Office
  • Apple Pages
  • Grammar Lookup
  • The Most Dangerous Writing App
  • NaturalReader
  • Kindle Create
  • Zoho Writer

The Bottom Line

Here are our top picks for the best novel writing software to try this year:

best novel writing software reddit

A 150 page playbook on how to make $100,000+ per month using a blog + smart AI for anyone serious about making money online.

TCK Publishing

The Best Novel Writing Software: Tools Every Fiction Writer Should Use

by Tom Corson-Knowles | 21 comments

The Best Novel Writing Software image

If you’re writing a novel, it’s important you have the right tools to help you stay organized and write your book efficiently.

There are a few things you’re going to want to make sure you have:

  • A word processor you can write and save in
  • Software or a processor that allows you to make notes, comments, or jot down ideas for your book
  • A way to organize your manuscript with an outline, plot, or storyboard, so you can quickly see the “big picture” of your story while you’re working on it
  • Grammar checkers and software that will help you improve your writing

With these systems in place, writing a novel will be a whole lot easier.

The Best Novel Writing Software

Here’s our list of the best software for writing a novel.

1. Microsoft Word

best novel writing software reddit

Microsoft Word is one of the oldest word processors out there, and it is still widely used for writing books. Word has a lot of features to offer, and with a new suite of productivity features added regularly, this software makes writing more accessible to the average writer.

Furthermore, Word has been around for so long that most people are already familiar with using it. If that’s you, it’ll probably be a lot easier and better to keep using Word than switching to another program because it takes time to learn new software.

You can use headers to organize your chapters, use the navigation pane to navigate through them, and create templates that you can use repeatedly with multiple manuscripts or projects.

You can collaborate with co-authors and editors, reorganize your draft in outline view, use it as a brainstorming tool, and even go distraction-free when you want to. You can even format and publish an eBook using a Microsoft Word template for free.

Most editors still prefer Word documents for manuscripts, so it’s a great tool to use for writing because it makes tracking and reviewing changes and comments really easy.

You can buy Microsoft Word here .

Price: $159.99, or $6.99/month when you buy Microsoft Office. See full pricing details here .

2. Scrivener

Scrivener image

Scrivener is an advanced writing software created with serious novelists and nonfiction writers in mind. It has a collection of templates for both fiction and nonfiction writing.

Both Mac and PC users can use Scrivener. You can export books easily to other digital platforms like Kindle, Kobo, and iBooks which is handy because it’ll save you time when it comes to formatting your manuscript.

This software is made for writers, and you can tell. It’s easy to drag and drops sections, create outlines and scenes, and you can even develop sub-files so that your manuscript is organized. It is also super easy to keep track of all your research and notes with a project binder.

For more complicated work, you can split the screen, work in outliner views, or use the corkboard view and move index cards to plot your storylines.

You can buy Scrivener for Mac or PC here.

Ulysse image

Ulysses is a tool that creates a document out of fragments and makes it a complete story. It has a feature that inserts words with automatic synchronization, and any programmers would probably love this function.

This tool allows you to work on your novel anytime and anywhere you want.

You can download its 14-day trial here .

Price: $49.99/year

4. Google Docs

Google Docs image

Google Docs is a simpler version of Microsoft Word. It’s a barebones, simple word processor that does not offer much regarding formatting and outlining.

While it is simple, it is quite a capable word processor for those writers looking for free writing software. You can share files and content, and communicate via comments too. You can even access previous versions of your work to review all the changes that have been made to your book file.

However, if you want to use Google Docs as your main writing software, you’ll want to make sure you enable Google Docs for offline use so you can still write without internet access.

Price: Free!

5. Evernote

Evernote is an application for storing, creating, and searching through notes in a very sophisticated way. You don’t need to type everything manually and you can access all your notes in any of your devices. It even allows you to search the handwritten words and you can share it with your friends and family.

It is a very powerful tool for writers, researchers, and anyone who wants to organize lots of notes and research.

Learn more about this novel writing software in our Evernote review .

Price: Free, or upgrade for premium features at $7.99/month.

6. Grammarly

grammarly grammar tool for writers

Grammarly is one of the best-known grammar correctors used by millions of people. You can install it in any web browser, and it’ll automatically let you know when there are any errors in your grammar, spelling, or other typos in anything you write online (including email, websites, and other documents).

It can detect errors such as grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, contextual spelling, and writing style.

Grammarly is free. You can upgrade to a premium plan that supplies language enhancement hints to increase your writing knowledge and skills. The premium version also includes a plagiarism checker software tool that’s pretty awesome as well.

To get started, just download the software extension and install it in your web browser in a few seconds.

Learn more in our Grammarly review .

Price: Free, or upgrade to a premium account for $12/month.

7. Dramatica

Dramatica Logo image

Dramatica is the writer’s tool that can tell you things about your story you didn’t tell it. This tool helps solidify character interactions, plug plot holes, and complete your story in a way that will resonate with your audience.

You can download your free demo here . You can also check the full version here .

Price: $99.95

8. AutoCrit

AutoCrit Logo image

This is a genre-specific tool that can customize your results when you select one of seven fiction styles.

You can start your free trial here .

Price: Free, or upgrade to premium version for $30/month. See full pricing details here .

ywriter logo

yWriter is a free word processor that was designed by an experienced programmer and published author, Simon Haynes.

The tool breaks your novel into chapters and scenes, making it easy for you to keep track of your work and focus more on creating.

The Best Software for Writing a Novel

There are lots of great tools out there that can help you plan, organize, and write your novel.

For more excellent writing resources, check out this list of author tools that can help you write, publish, and market your next book.

Did you find this post helpful? Let us know in the comments below!

If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:

  • The Best Mobile Apps for Writers

Evernote Review: Is This Note-Taking Tool Still Worth It in 2022?

  • 10 Grammar Software Tools and Punctuation Checkers
  • Top 10 Free and Cheap Plagiarism Detection Tools

Tom Corson-Knowles

Tom Corson-Knowles is the founder of TCK Publishing, and the bestselling author of 27 books including Secrets of the Six-Figure author. He is also the host of the Publishing Profits Podcast show where we interview successful authors and publishing industry experts to share their tips for creating a successful writing career.

21 Comments

Hannah

I am 11 and I am thinking of writing a novel. Thank you so much for these websites.

Sanvi

Actually I was writing my debut novel in MS word but my draft kind of freezed midway and when I tried to edit it, they said you have to pay a monthly subscription charge if you wish to use it. So can I write my novel in Google Doc since it’s free and will publishers accept a manuscript typed in Google Doc?

Hilda

I find Microsoft Word hard to understand, particularly about the saved files. How can I back up my manuscripts formatted ready for backup and ready to paste to another program if necessary?

Kaelyn Barron

Hi Hilda, we have a post on how to back up files that you might find helpful :)

Sky

Hi Tom, Thanks for the suggested list. Is there a good Novel Writing Software that is not online for Mac OS?

Hi Sky, Scrivener, Google Docs and Evernote both have pretty good offline versions :)

Nnamdi Ogor

What’s your opinion on Bibisco?

Hi Nnamdi, I actually haven’t used Bibisco, but I’ll try it out and update the post! :)

Sheryl Schreck

Thank you very much for the list. I have been waiting all of my life to write my novel. I am excited there are so many tools. I tried Scrvnr because I liked the idea of the features, but found it was too complex for me. What do you suggest?

Hi Sheryl, thanks for your comment! Personally, I prefer to keep it simple with MS Word (or Google Docs, if you don’t have Word)

Gary Greenbaum

Scrivener is fantastic value for money IMO. I use MS Word at work and think that’s great too but it’s a general purpose word processor. Scrivener has been specifically designed for writers of novels, reference books, and screenplays. It’s really excellent in my view BUT it’s true that there’s a lot to it. I’ve been using it for about 10 years and have no connection with the company other than being a happy user. A couple of points:

a) Remember the 80:20 rule for software. For 80% of the time we’ll only ever need to use 20% of the features/ So don’t worry about all the peripheral complexities that are of no interest (or certainly not to begin with).

b) Before diving in, take an hour or so to work through the tutorial. Most of us want to jump straight into new things, hoping everything’s totally intuitive. It rarely is. So invest an hour at the start to learn the basics.

Happy writing!

Mitesh Sharma

Thank you for tool list. It is really helpful for new authors like me.

you’re very welcome, Mitesh! We’re glad you found the list helpful :)

kay knowles

Mt last name is Ms.Knowles no relationship to mr. Carson-Knowles.To recall can i still join?

Hi Kay, I’m not sure I understand your question. What are you asking about joining?

Aspry Writes

By any chance is there a piece of software that will just format what I wrote for me? I don’t need scenes, notes or any of that fancy stuff that I like writing by hand. I just need to format correctly and don’t need anything extra.

Hi Aspry, MS Word can actually be pretty good for simple and efficient formatting. You can set your preferred styles to format your entire book quickly.

Parvez Dewan

Thank you for this very useful information

You’re very welcome, we’re glad you found it helpful! :)

abhishek maurya

hi Tom Corson, I am impressed by the above author’s bio and also very thankful for the above information you provided above.

I have a serious question for you If I want to become a writer for movies and TV shows, then what should I do or which educational degree must I go for. I belong from India.

Hi Abhishek, thanks for your comment!If you want to write screenplays, I would suggest creative writing, or maybe film. However, anything related to writing will help you a lot :)

Book Deals

Learn More About

  • Fiction (223)
  • Nonfiction (69)
  • Blogging (46)
  • Book Promotion (28)
  • How to Get Reviews (9)
  • Audiobooks (17)
  • Book Design (11)
  • Ebook Publishing (13)
  • Hybrid Publishing (8)
  • Print Publishing (9)
  • Self Publishing (70)
  • Traditional Publishing (53)
  • How to Find an Editor (11)
  • Fitness (4)
  • Mindfulness and Meditation (7)
  • Miscellaneous (113)
  • New Releases (17)
  • Career Development (73)
  • Online Courses (46)
  • Productivity (45)
  • Personal Finance (21)
  • Podcast (179)
  • Poetry Awards Contest (2)
  • Publishing News (8)
  • Readers Choice Awards (5)
  • Reading Tips (145)
  • Software (17)
  • Technology (13)
  • Contests (4)
  • Grammar (50)
  • Word Choice (63)
  • Writing a Book (62)
  • Writing Fiction (195)
  • Writing Nonfiction (63)

Looking to publish? Meet your dream editor, designer and marketer on Reedsy.

Find the perfect editor for your next book

1 million authors trust the professionals on Reedsy, come meet them.

Blog • Perfecting your Craft

Last updated on Feb 07, 2023

The Best Book Writing Software of 2024: Scrivener, yWriter, and More

There isn’t any writing software that can miraculously make you a professional author. However, plenty of digital tools can help you improve your writing, become more productive and publish a book. To help you sort through a sea of apps available on PC, Mac, and mobile, we’ll run through some of the best book writing software available today.

This post will help you find the best app for your particular needs as a writer.

Developing your craft

The best way to become a better writer is simply to write prolifically. But it might also help to have a kindly electronic tutor looking over your shoulder.

Price: Free online, or $19.99 to download the desktop app

The Hemingway app is for authors who want to bring out their inner Ernest by writing prose that’s “bold and clear.”

Book Writing Software | Text highlighted and annotated in the Hemingway App

To help you improve your writing in real-time, the app highlights text with colors that indicate run-on sentences, passive voice, qualifiers, adverbs, and complex phrasing to reduce. Our full Hemingway app review discusses these functions in more detail, but one drawback is that it doesn’t exist as an extension to browsers and word processors. You either have to write your book elsewhere and import it onto Hemingway for an edit, or you write on Hemingway and forfeit other book-related functions like formatting tools and goal-tracking.

If you struggle to write consistently, sign up for our How to Write a Novel course to finish a novel in just 3 months.  

NEW REEDSY COURSE

NEW REEDSY COURSE

How to Write a Novel

Enroll in our course and become an author in three months.

ProWritingAid

Price: $120/year

Book Writing Software | Text analysed by ProWritingAid on Microsoft Word

ProWritingAid aims to improve your writing by providing language-checking features that spot not only grammar mistakes but also stylistic weaknesses like purple prose or passive voice — though these should be taken with a grain of salt. The app has integrations to most major word processors and browsers, so you can easily apply it to book writing software like Word or the Reedsy Book Editor. For a more in-depth analysis of its functions and uses (plus a discount code!), head to our ProWritingAid review .

Writing productivity

Inspiration is nothing without the discipline to complete your first drafts. The features on these apps are designed to help you become more productive writers.

FocusWriter

Price: Free

Sometimes even word processors like the ones discussed so far feel overwhelming and distracting with all of its formatting tools and features. What if you just want a clean slate with absolutely nothing to distract you from the flow of your words — not even a toolbar with unnecessary functions? FocusWriter can provide you with a virtual sheet of paper (cloaked in the theme of your choice). 

Book Writing Software | A manuscript written on FocusWriter's wooden background

Now, you can access a toolbar with several features like a timer for writing sprints, and a daily goal tracker — but in its default state, this writing software tucks them safely out of view. Recent updates have made it possible to save your work as Word files, which means you can write with FocusWriter and easily share your manuscript with others for feedback.

Reedsy Book Editor

Book Writing Software | A sceenshot of text in the Reedsy Book Editor

Designed to meet the key needs of authors, our Reedsy Book Editor is a free, all-in-one piece of book writing software . On its unobtrusive interface, you can write your book with the help of a built-in spell-check system (tailored to your preferred language) and a goal-tracking feature that will help you hit your deadlines. Simply enter your target length, tell the RBE which days of the week you intend to write, and the app will automatically set your daily word count goals .

FREE WRITING APP

FREE WRITING APP

The Reedsy Book Editor

Set goals, track progress, and establish your writing routine in our free app.

Price: $39.96/year

If you’re struggling to find enough discipline to make the Pomodoro method work, it might be time to call in the distraction-busting big guns. You can install freedom on one or all of your devices, and during your writing sprints, the app will cut off your access to your apps, the entire internet, or a self-selected collection of ‘distracting websites’ (Facebook, Instagram, OK Cupid, etc.).

A screengrab of the Freedom App's dashboard.

Planning your story

Many writers love plotting out their books on corkboards and spiral-bound notebooks. But if you’re looking for tidier alternatives (or programs that can prompt you in the right direction), you may want to check these out.

Price : Free

Book Writing Software | screenshot of a new scene in yWriter

yWriter looks a bit dated, and it’s not yet available to Mac users, but it’s a formidable piece of writing software for anyone writing science fiction or fantasy — or any project with a lot of complex worldbuilding details. By dividing your work into scenes (on which you can tag relevant characters and locations), yWriter helps you track every development in the manuscript as you write. 

Campfire Write

Price: Starting at $1.50 per month 

Another option for science fiction and fantasy writers is Campfire Write. Created with these genres in mind, this web-based book writing software lets you map your story by Elements (characters, locations, maps, species, cultures, philosophies, etc.), which can be purchased individually, as needed. Say you only subscribe to the manuscript writing feature, it’ll cost $1.50 a month. If you want to have several character profiles, a culture outline, and a couple of interactive maps, you can expect to pay $5.25 a month. 

Book Writing Software | Campfire Write App

Your work here can also be shared with an editor (who can leave comments on your work) or with the Campfire writing community at large. While it takes some time to familiarize yourself with its many details, Campfire can be a useful and fun tool for writers to build their universes. We've also reviewed Campfire Write in more detail.

For 20% off all lifetime purchases on Campfire, use the promo code REEDSY20 at checkout.

Price: $49 

Scrivener is a favorite among authors in no small part because it is one of the first writing programs created with authors in mind. With its corkboard function that allows you to see your whole project in one view, its split-screen mode for you to reference research as you write, and its clean-cut filing system, Scrivener gives authors a good workspace whether they need to outline their book before writing or figure out the big picture as they write.

Book Writing Software | Screenshot of Scrivener

Formatting your book

If you’re looking to join the self-publishing revolution and become the next big author on Kindle, you’ll need a way to turn your manuscript into a professional-grade ebook and paperback. Thankfully, there’s an app for that!

Oh look! A second appearance for the Reedsy Book Editor. But hey-ho: our site, our rules. 

With the RBE’s formatting abilities, you can import your manuscript from a .docx file and apply stylistic flourishes in minutes. Simply click ‘Export’ and choose a style — the Reedsy Book Editor will take care of aligning the text, inserting drop caps and chapter titles, and turning your work into an elegant EPUB or PDF file that can immediately be uploaded to ebook distribution platforms or printing services. It’s an effortless process that allows self-publishing authors to spend time and resources on other parts of their publishing projects.

At the end of the day, no app is going to be fully able to outline, write, or edit your book for you — but with these book writing software options in mind, you’ll at least be able to find something that makes the process easier, streamlined, and more enjoyable. Now get out there and start creating!

Continue reading

Recommended posts from the Reedsy Blog

best novel writing software reddit

Narrative Structure: Definition, Examples, and Writing Tips

What's the difference between story structure and narrative structure? And how do you choose the right narrative structure for you novel?

best novel writing software reddit

What is the Proust Questionnaire? 22 Questions to Write Better Characters

Inspired by Marcel Proust, check out the questionnaire that will help your characters remember things past.

best novel writing software reddit

What is Pathos? Definition and Examples in Literature

Pathos is a literary device that uses language to evoke an emotional response, typically to connect readers with the characters in a story.

best novel writing software reddit

How to Start a Children’s Book: Coming Up with Your Big Idea

If you've ever dreamed of writing a children's book but aren't sure where to start, check out this post to learn more about how you can create the perfect story for kids.

best novel writing software reddit

How to Become a Travel Writer in 5 Steps: A Guide for Travel Bugs

If you want to get paid to share your adventures, learn how to become a travel writer with these five tips.

best novel writing software reddit

How to Write a Biography: A 7-Step Guide [+Template]

Portraying someone’s life on paper in a comprehensive and engaging way requires solid preparation. Here are 7 steps you can follow.

Join a community of over 1 million authors

Reedsy is more than just a blog. Become a member today to discover how we can help you publish a beautiful book.

Which writing app is best for you?

Take our 1 minute quiz to find out.

Reedsy Marketplace UI

1 million authors trust the professionals on Reedsy, come meet them.

Enter your email or get started with a social account:

Kindlepreneur

Book Marketing for Self-Publishing Authors

Home / Book Writing / Best Book Writing Software 2024 [Writing, Editing & Focus]

Best Book Writing Software 2024 [Writing, Editing & Focus]

What is the best software for writing a book ? Well, that depends. There are many things an author needs to consider , as well as their personal preference. But as you'll see, not all writing apps and software are created equal.

There are various novel writing tools available that cater to different authors. For example:

  • Atticus is the ultimate all-in-one writing and formatting software
  • Scrivener is a powerful word processor that many authors use.
  • Google Docs would be great for a shorter work with multiple co-authors.
  • Bibisco may satisfy your need to develop the heck out of your characters.
  • yWriter is for all those data-hungry authors out there.
  • Apple Pages comes free for Mac users. Not all writers have that extra $50 to spare.

Every author asks themselves if they are really using the best book writing software to effectively organize their novel, as well as their book writing process.

Thankfully, the right tools can save you time and frustration and may even make the long process of writing a novel or nonfiction book more enjoyable.

Bottom Line: I personally hate it when articles like this one beat around the bush, so I'm going to get this over with now, and you can keep reading for more of my reasoning. My favorite book writing software is Atticus , because it's not just a great writing program, but it's also good for formatting. For those seeking a free word processor to make your writing process easier, I recommend Google Docs.

  • The best free and paid book writing software (plus the cost and pros/cons of each)
  • The best book editing software
  • Other software every writer should have (to help with everything from focus to book marketing)

Table of contents

  • 1. Atticus: Editor's Choice
  • 2. Scrivener: Best for Pure Writing
  • 3. Microsoft Word
  • 4. Google Docs: Best for Collaboration
  • 9. LibreOffice
  • 10. FocusWriter
  • 12. Bibisco
  • 13. Squibler
  • Best Book Writing Software Comparison Table
  • The Best Book Editing Software
  • Other Software Every Writer Should Have

Why am I Qualified to write about the Best Book Writing Software?

Let's face it, there are many people out there that write these kind of articles by just doing some research on what others say, and regurgitating it out without actually trying the best writing software themselves (or worse, have AI write it for them). That's not the case here.

As someone who's been publishing books for over 13 years, I've seen many book writing apps come and go. Some seemed promising, while others never quite enhanced the writing process as they promised.

As a matter of fact, while I was working for Apple, I was given one of the first ever copies of Scrivener (a writing software we'll discuss a bit later). Over the years, I've truly tried many writing apps for my own book creation, including some free book writing software options.

However, there's a lot more to the writing process than just dabbling in a writing software. I have certain preferences that other authors don't agree with and vice-versa. What works for me might not work for you.

So, in order to create a top-notch review of the best book writing software programs, I sent out surveys to my readers, and talked to some heavy-hitting authors in the industry – many of which I have been a consultant to as well.

Based on my observations, the results from those surveys, and talking with some of the most well-known authors out there, I feel very strongly that this is a subject I can truly tackle.

So, with that, let's jump into a list of what I think is the best overall writing software in the industry and I'll even try to break them down into best categories based on their strengths.

Atticus is the best all-in-one software for writing and formatting a book , the perfect book writing software, and my personal favorite. It provides full capabilities for both of these, and works on Mac, Windows, Linux and Chromebook. Atticus is the only software that provides both an elegant formatting software and a word processor specifically for authors. If Scrivener, Google Docs, and Vellum had a baby, it's name would be Atticus.

Overall, I find it to have everything that I need in a book writing program, plus a lot more.

Read my more in-depth review of Atticus .

Can I write a book in Atticus? Yes, you absolutely can. In fact, it's even built in with goal tracking and other tools that make writing in Atticus a way to increase your writing momentum.

But not only that, Atticus is also the best formatting tool for creating books that exists on all platforms, including Windows, Mac, Linux, and Chromebook. It also exports to EPUB, PDFs for print, and DOCX.

How much does Atticus cost? Atticus is a one-time fee of $147 USD. That includes all future updates, which you will receive at no extra cost. Forever. No subscriptions.

I like that you can access Atticus online, or use the progressive web app to install it on your computer for use offline (note: you will need to be online to install it and to export a book).

Pros for using Atticus to write a novel:

  • It's available on all platforms
  • More affordable than the leading formatting alternatives
  • Easy to use
  • Combines features of Vellum and Scrivener
  • Works as a formatting software and a word processor

Cons for using Atticus to write a novel:

  • Not all features are available at launch

Scrivener is an amazing creative writing software developed by Literature & Latte that lets you view multiple documents at once, set writing goals, leave yourself brainstorming comments for later, and even import research files to keep on hand.

What is the most complicated program for writing a book? The most complicated program for writing a book is Scrivener in my experience. It’s inexpensive and its myriad features more than make up the price tag.

Read my more in-depth review of Scrivener version 3.0 .

How much does Scrivener cost?

  • Scrivener costs $49 (one-time) for Mac or Windows. 
  • It’s $19.99 for iOS devices (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch).
  • If you use both Windows and Mac, you can buy the combined bundle for a discounted price of $80. You get a separate license for each platform.
  • Reduced pricing of $41.65 is available for “students & academics.”
  • Click Here , and then use Kindlepreneur’s unique discount code ( KINDLEPRENEUR ) to get 20% OFF your purchase.

Follow these steps to use my discount coupon.

Before you purchase it, you can try Scrivener’s full trial for 30 working days, for free. 30 working days means that Scrivener only counts the trial days when you actually open the app and work on it.

Within Scrivener, you open projects, not documents. Its developers realized that one project itself can entail endless files and folders and spreadsheets, so they made it incredibly simple to navigate through multiple documents within the same Scrivener project. Also, you can find some excellent Scrivener templates for just about every creative writing form out there.

Unfortunately, when I imported a TXT file into Scrivener, it seemed to undo all italics I had in the file. I had no formatting problems when importing DOCXs or RTFs.

Pros of using Scrivener:

  • Organizes entire projects in one file with easy access to countless documents and research
  • Corkboard with index cards, split-screen, and outliner working views makes it ideal for longer or more complicated works
  • Comments, notes, and synopses are all simple to make for future reference
  • Composition Mode erases all distractions and lets you write on a screen of nothing but text
  • Customizable toolbar
  • More affordable than its competitors
  • Can export (or “compile”) projects as EPUB, MOBI, PDF , RTF, RTFD, DOC, DOCX, OTD, HTML, TXT, or even FDX, MD, or FOUNTAIN files

Cons of using Scrivener:

  • Can open DOCX files but not DOC files or ODT files
  • No real-time collaboration or co-author capabilities
  • There’s a learning curve to learn all of Scrivener’s advanced features (check out this crash course tutorial on Scrivener)

One of my favorite aspects of Scrivener is that you can customize the toolbar. 

Some authors will want the Dictionary feature on their toolbar, while others want the Insert feature. When editing, you may add the Comment button to your toolbar, or the Add button when you’re first compiling your project.

Microsoft Word is the industry-standard word processor — for better or worse. When you ask the average person what they think of when you say word processing, a majority will say MS Word.

What software do most writers use? Most writers probably use MS Word because it is the gold standard of word processors, even if it shouldn’t be (yep, I said it).

The famous DOC and DOCX file formats come from Microsoft’s ubiquitous software. Many publishers ask for manuscripts to be submitted in DOC or DOCX files, and nothing else. (It’s easy to convert another file format into DOC or DOCX.)

Can I write a book in Microsoft Word? Yes, you can write a book in MS Word. However, I would not recommend it.

Read my more in-depth instructions to use Microsoft Word to write books .

My biggest problem for Word? It was designed for writing anything — not specifically for writing novels or long nonfiction books. It was not created by authors, nor for authors.

Word is tolerable for shorter works; however, if you're really looking for the best book writing software, Word does not measure up to its competitors.

Interesting fact: Stephen King uses MS Word writing software to draft his book manuscripts. He uses Final Draft to write screenplays.

How much does MS Word cost? Microsoft Word costs $139.99 as a one-time purchase. You can also spend $6.99/month (or more) for a subscription to Microsoft 365, which includes Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook, and 1 TB of cloud storage on the OneDrive.

You (and up to 5 other people) can try out Microsoft Office for FREE during a 1-month trial.

Pros for using MS Word to write a novel:

  • “What you see is what you get” formatting
  • Many book editors prefer Word documents (DOC, DOCX)
  • Comes with a bunch of handy templates for books, essays, resumes… you name it!
  • It’s industry-standard, so you’ll find this software on public library computers and company computers and everywhere in between

Cons for using MS Word to write a novel:

  • Difficult to use if you don’t work in a linear fashion
  • Cumbersome for writing lengthy novels and other books
  • Must use a separate tool, such as Calibre, to export as ebook (EPUB/MOBI, etc.)
  • Updates every few years, which creates a brand new learning curve each time

Google Docs is a useful browser-based writing tool that is free and available to anyone with a Google account. However, Google Docs may not be able to handle a lengthy manuscript.

Our team uses Google Docs for writing our blog posts because it’s the easiest way we’ve found to all work on one document at the same time, add comments, see revisions, and even chat. (Google spreadsheets can also be a useful tool, especially for outlining.)

What is the best free software for writing a book? The best free software for writing projects is Google Docs, if your book is short. Apple Pages or yWriter may be better for longer books, as far as the free stuff goes.

Read my more in-depth discussion on writing a book in Google Docs .

Many users experience major lag when editing a document with more than 15,000 words — not even half the length of a novel.

I’ve known authors who used Google Docs because it was free and convenient, then had to give it up. Why? Because you have to wait five seconds for every sentence to appear after you type it once you surpass 15k-25k words.

Pros for using Google Docs to write a novel:

  • Autosaves every change you make and every version of your manuscript along the way
  • Free to use with a Google account
  • Accessible on any device
  • Built-in Headings and Title functions make navigating your document simple using the table of contents
  • Designed with real-time collaboration in mind
  • Probably the most convenient word processor on this list, especially for bloggers and coworkers

Cons for using Google Docs to write a novel:

  • Cannot handle large documents (15,000 words plus) without huge latency problems
  • Cannot export to PDF at a higher word count
  • The grammar checker is not as robust as MS Word, let alone Grammarly or ProWritingAid

As you can see by this screenshot, Google Docs offers a whole host of formatting options, constant autosaving (as long as you’re online), and extensive sharing/collaboration capabilities.

Simon Hayes (AKA Spacejock) developed yWriter to be the best free, standalone app for fiction writing.

It encourages writers to write scenes, not chapters — since scenes are smaller and more manageable. Also, you can input data into multiple fields concerning each scene and chapter. This provides authors with a wealth of raw data they can analyze at any time.

You can even set goals for words per day or words per hour.

Read my more in-depth review of yWriter .

How much does yWriter cost?

  • Free on Windows/macOS
  • $3.99 on Android
  • $4.99 on iOS

All in all, yWriter is great for authors who love analyzing how many chapters each character is in, how many scenes are in each chapter, etc. For authors who don’t care about that, this may sound foreign. But I know a lot of writers who pour over the metadata of their novel almost as much as they pour over the actual story.

Pros for using yWriter to write a novel:

  • Breaks down novels into chapters and scenes
  • Stores snapshot backups of your work automatically
  • Great tools for character development
  • Offers the data-hungry author a wealth of useful data points

Cons for using yWriter to write a novel:

  • Does not come with templates
  • Doesn’t export EPUBs or Amazon Kindle’s native file format
  • Not for minimalist writers
  • Not the most elegant design — looks dated

Ulysses is a simple, clean, yet customizable app for writing longer projects. Your work syncs automatically between your devices, or you can choose to store work locally.

Unfortunately, Ulysses works only on Apple products.

The price has gone up in recent years. Ulysses now costs $5.99/month or $49.99/year. They also offer a free 2-week trial.

Read my more in-depth review of Ulysses , as well as my comparison to Scrivener .

Pros for using Ulysses to write a novel:

  • Clean interface for distraction-free writing
  • Drag and drop functionality concerning scenes and chapters (called the library)
  • Ability to add filters to scenes and chapters
  • Export to PDF, DOCX, HTML, or EPUB with ease

Cons for using Ulysses to write a novel:

  • Only available on Apple devices (macOS and iOS)
  • Price is a yearly or monthly subscription model, instead of one-time
  • No collaboration functionality
  • No built-in templates (though you can find them online)
  • Steep learning curve if you are not familiar with markdown
  • Not available for PC users

Vellum is a book formatting tool developed by 180g, a company originally founded by Pixar employees. Their mission is to “create beautiful books”. In the past, it was the go-to best book formatting software with a basic word processor. However, it had its problems: It was expensive, lacked on the writing side of things, and only worked on Macs.

Yet even with all those problems, Vellums easy to use formatting system, made it a must have in the self-publishing community. Then….Atticus happened, and it all changed.

Like we discussed above, Atticus came into the market and basically did what Vellum did for formatting, but fixed all those problems (works on all computers, over $100 cheaper than Vellum, and has an extensive writing capability). Because of this, Vellum has fallen down the list in best book writing tools. You can see their comparison here .

However, since Atticus was added to the market, Vellum has fallen

The problem with Vellum is that it only works on Mac, was not made for writing it, and is the most expensive tool on this list. So, why is it listed?

What does Vellum cost?

  • Vellum starts as a free download . You get familiar with the software and see what it's capable of. You still can't generate copies of your book, but testing its functionality before you spend a cent is reassuring.
  • Vellum Ebooks costs $199.99. This allows for unlimited ebook generation, but no print editions.
  • Vellum Press costs $249.99. This allows for unlimited ebook and printed book generation.

You can get a full refund within 30 days if you're not satisfied with the full-price product.

Pros for using Vellum to write a novel:

  • Great for formatting your book before distribution
  • Excellent tool for editing front matter, back matter, and metadata
  • Can create box sets to give you a marketing edge
  • Although the price is steep, you can use its free version until you’re ready to publish, and you get a money-back satisfaction guarantee for 30 days after your purchase

Cons for using Vellum to write a novel:

  • It’s probably the most expensive book writing software out there
  • Limited customization capabilities
  • Available for Macs only , not Windows and not iOS or other mobile platforms

Pages is Apple’s free text editor which lets you write, edit, comment, and collaborate. It is streamlined, yet versatile.

Like most basic word processing programs, Pages can apply text styles and formatting to your words. You can insert images, graphs, and more. And they look great with Pages’ layouts.

Similar to Google Docs, Pages allows real-time collaboration via iCloud. The original author can decide who is allowed to edit or view only.

However, Pages is all about making every page look fantastic — hence the name. It’s not meant to be a strong word processor.

Pages is free for anyone with an Apple account from the Apple Store. Pages comes pre-installed on Apple devices.

Pros for using Pages to write a novel:

  • Probably the easiest-to-use word processor on this list
  • Absolutely free with every Mac or iOS device (Or use it on a browser )
  • Has helpful “Track Changes” and “Smart Annotations” features
  • Comment features can be used by an author trying to organize their thoughts or a collaborator editing the work

Cons of using Pages to write a novel:

  • Every real-time collaborator in Pages needs an Apple ID
  • Lacks a Draft View that displays text without page headers or footers
  • Not meant to process words, so much as produce good-looking pages

As you can tell from this apple.com screenshot, Pages works cross-platform and seamlessly collaborates between devices.

LibreOffice Writer is a free, cross-platform writing software meant to rival Microsoft Word. That’s right, LibreOffice is basically MS Word, but for free.

Seriously, though, LibreOffice has been known to run just as well as Word, and with similar features.

And the best part is, it doesn't look nearly as outdated and old as its predecessor, OpenOffice.

LibreOffice is completely free — $0. There is no premium version.

Pros for using LibreOffice to write a novel:

  • Shares a lot of beneficial features with MS Word
  • Cross-platform capability
  • Every year, more applications can import and export LibreOffice files (ODFs)

Cons for using LibreOffice to write a novel:

  • User interface (especially menus) can be needlessly complex
  • No collaboration — only 1 user can work on a document at a time

FocusWriter is a free book writing software released by Gott Code. Like a few other word processors on this list, FocusWriter is focused on offering a distraction-free writing environment.

The most notable feature is the big, calming (customizable) background image that sits behind your wall of text. And nothing else lives on the screen. Sure, you can move your mouse to make the toolbar or your word count goal appear. But if you’re typing, all you see is what you’re writing.

Depending on what gets you in the right frame of mind, this app lets you turn on typewriter sound effects or mostly invisible timers.

What is the best free writing software? FocusWriter is the best free writing software for short fiction, or flash fiction — or if you enjoy a distraction-free writing zone. If you don’t need all the bells and whistles that come with other word processors, FocusWriter is very simple.

Although FocusWriter is FREE and has no premium version, donations are welcome and encouraged.

Read my more in-depth review of FocusWriter .

Pros for using FocusWriter to write a novel:

  • Customizable backgrounds and themes that are soothing, relaxing, and distraction-free
  • The toolbar only appears when you hover over it, which makes for an uncluttered screen
  • Like IAWriter, FocusWriter can grey out everything but the sentence/paragraph you’re working on, further decreasing potential distractions
  • Ability to set daily word count goals or time goals

Cons for using FocusWriter to write a novel:

  • Only works in fullscreen
  • May look odd on larger displays with lots of wasted space
  • Incredibly simple, missing features many authors consider necessary
  • Cannot export to EPUB, MOBI, or PDF

Novlr is a simple word processor with just a few added perks.

The Novlr Proof Reader (grammar and spell check) is on par with Grammarly, which is amazing — a lot better than Google Docs or MS Word. And Novlr offers in-app writing courses to help get the most out of its features.

It doesn’t come with story templates like other premium word processors. And its formatting options are surprisingly limited.

A subscription to Novlr costs $10/month or $100/year. They also offer a 2-week trial for free — no credit card required. In my estimation, though, Novlr is not worth the money.

Pros for using Novlr to write a novel:

  • Constant autosaving
  • Can sync with Google Drive and Dropbox
  • Offers Day, Evening, and Night mode to set the mood with color schemes
  • Tracks progress with the Analytics tab
  • Works both online and offline

Cons for using Novlr to write a novel:

  • Limited formatting options, including for front matter and back matter and print-friendly formatting
  • The analytics tab is nice but very limited — only gives stats for today, this month, and this year
  • No collaborative editing

If you'd like to learn more, I have a full Novlr review you can check out.

The creator of bibisco, Italy’s Andrea Feccomandi, believes that character-driven novels are superior to plot-driven novels. (It’s actually a preference, not so much a fact, but we’ll let it slide.)

So Feccomandi developed bibisco word processing software program to focus on character creation. bibisco helps you create every aspect of every important character in your story — from physical traits to personality and emotional state.

What’s truly unique is the interview-style prompts that bibisco uses to extract information from your protagonist, antagonist, and everyone in between.

It also lets you give character to each setting with the Locations tab, as well as important items with the Objects tab even if Objects is only available in the premium version.

Speaking of, how much does Bibisco cost? Basic Bibisco (called Bibisco Community Edition) is completely free. Premium Bibisco (called Bibisco Supporters Edition) is, at minimum, a $17 purchase. However, the premium version is on a pay-what-you-want basis.

Read my more in-depth review of Bibisco .

Pros for using Bibisco to write a novel:

  • Character-focused and dedicated to helping you flesh out your characters
  • bibisco is a passion project made out of love, not for profit — some authors would value the opportunity to support that
  • Distraction-free mode immerses you in your story
  • bibisco is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux

Cons for using Bibisco to write a novel:

  • Not plot-focused, which is important for some authors (about half of them)
  • Not very user-friendly or simple to learn
  • Limited formatting options
  • bibisco doesn’t seem to be available for Android or iOS

Squibler is another tool that many authors use to plot and write their books. It features several appealing features such as a clean organizational system, writing templates, and more.

It is built more as a project management system, meaning it's ideal for authors who work on big interconnected stories together.

You can also use it to write virtually any kind of written material, from technical writing to novels to a screenplay.

But how much does Squibler cost? Well, it's a little pricey at $9.99/month with no lifetime price. That means you're paying $120 every year. This is why we recommend Atticus which has a lifetime price of $147, meaning you'll never have to pay for it ever again, and all future updates come at no extra cost.

Read my more in-depth review of Squibler .

Pros for using Squibler to write a novel:

  • Great organizational features
  • It has a lot of writing templates for all sorts of writing types and styles
  • It exports to any file format that you need

Cons for using Squibler to write a novel:

  • It's expensive
  • There's no distraction-free mode or dark mode
  • The app can lag a bit
  • It lacks advanced formatting features

The importance of good editing cannot be understated. While editing software can never replace a real-life editor, these softwares can noticeably improve your writing.

Editing and proofreading software can fix typos, check grammar, and improve your readability. Premium editing software even checks for clichés and passive voice.

Here are the 4 best book editing softwares that any book writer would benefit from:

  • ProWritingAid ($40/year or $140/lifetime) checks not only your spelling and grammar, but checks for readability, filler words, and clichés. It works with Scrivener, Google Docs, and MS Word. Check out my full review of ProWritingAid .
  • Grammarly ($0 for the free version, $139.95/year for the premium version) is a neat editing tool that finds spelling, punctuation, and grammar mistakes (as well as handy explanations) that works as a browser extension or an app to download onto your computer. Even the free version is a great tool for any writer. Check out my full review of Grammarly .
  • Hemingway Editor is a FREE website and desktop app that highlights and color codes passive voice, adverbs, complex words, and difficult-to-read sentences. However, it does not give you suggestions on how to improve your writing. Check out my full review of Hemingway .
  • AutoCrit ($0 for free version, $30/month or $297/year for premium version) is an online book editing software that offers writers unique editing suggestions. AutoCrit shows writers surprisingly insightful problems to change in their book, such as filler words, unintentional repetition, shifts in verb tense, and even slow paced paragraphs. You can compare your work to famous authors’ works, too, with AutoCrit’s Summary Score — which is why AutoCrit is ideal for fiction writers in particular. Check out my full review of AutoCrit .

Plus, if you're looking for a plagiarism checker, here is a free one you can use. Grammarly includes one as well with their paid version, while ProWritingAid using a token system.

Writing your book is only half the battle.

If you'd like to learn more about the art of writing, be sure to check out the masters at MasterClass . These courses are led by prolific writers like James Patterson, Margaret Atwood, Malcolm Gladwell, and more.

Also, we authors have got to market and sell our book as well as write it. 

Below are several tools to help with not only writing but being a successful author:

  • Publisher Rocket is a must for your book marketing research, including hot keywords and AMS advertising .
  • Evernote allows you to share countless “notes” with beta readers, collaborators, other authors, classmates, family members. It is the coolest app for note-taking and -sharing.
  • IAWriter’s minimalist, award-winning design cuts out distractions, like rulers and toolbars, and even blinds everything out except the sentence/paragraph you’re writing. Its Focus Mode might just change your life.
  • Ommwriter offers a calm writing environment and meditative tracks to listen to while you write.
  • Freedom productivity app helps you stay focused by blocking distracting websites and apps for scheduled writing sessions.
  • Write or Die is a somewhat humorous and perhaps helpful tool that gives writers “tangible consequences” if they don’t meet a word count goal or time spent writing goal . Consequences include annoying sounds (such as “Never Gonna Give You Up”) or Kamikaze mode which deletes whatever was just written.
  • A Plotting Software such as Plottr, Novel Factory, or Plot Factory. Each of these will help you plot your book, build compelling characters, and build your world .

Verdict: What is the Best Writing Software?

You should use Atticus’ word processing software to write your next book. If you’re looking for a free download, use Google Docs for smaller works, or Apple Pages if you’re a Mac user.

I use Google docs to write my articles because it allows me to coordinate with my team and my editor. For blog posts and intracompany documents, easy collaboration is key.

However, that doesn’t cut it when I have a 30K or even 100K-word book to write. When writing a book, I need the best book writing software out there. Google Docs just can’t handle it.

Atticus is the only writing program I use for writing my books . Download it today.

I need book writing software that will easily help me to research, outline, reorganize, write, collaborate, and edit. Atticus has me covered.

No monthly or annual fee? Atticus is a one-time purchase.

Dave Chesson

When I’m not sipping tea with princesses or lightsaber dueling with little Jedi, I’m a book marketing nut. Having consulted multiple publishing companies and NYT best-selling authors, I created Kindlepreneur to help authors sell more books. I’ve even been called “The Kindlepreneur” by Amazon publicly, and I’m here to help you with your author journey.

Related Posts

How much do ghostwriters make common rates, how to read faster and retain more: speed reading 101, goal setting for writers: a 3-step process to achieve success, sell more books on amazon, amazon kindle rankings e-book.

Learn how to rank your Kindle book #1 on Amazon with our collection of time-tested tips and tricks.

121 thoughts on “ Best Book Writing Software 2024 [Writing, Editing & Focus] ”

This is a great breakdown of the option! One thing for Google docs: I just finished a first draft with 76k words and it didn’t lag at all for me. When I first loaded the doc it would take a few seconds, but once it was all showing the writing didn’t have any latency. I could see if you had a custom font installed or maybe add-ons, it could slow down. But so far it’s been smooth and stable for me.

That’s awesome to here.

LibreOffice is a branch of Open Office with a much more active user community for support. Hemingway teaches better writing. Has a free online version for checking your writing and a downloadable app for actually writing on your device. The app can be used as a replacement for FocusWriter. And, of course, Grammarly both free and for a fee is a can’t live without.

Comments are closed.

Join the community

Join 111,585 other authors who receive weekly emails from us to help them make more money selling books.

The Write Practice

Book Writing Software (2024): Top 10 for Writers

by Joe Bunting | 20 comments

Writing a book is hard. I've written fifteen books and at some point during each one I had the thought, “There has to be a tool, a piece of book writing software, that would make it easier to reach my writing goals.”

Book Writing Software - Top 10 Pieces of Software for Writers

The good news is there  is  book writing software that can make the writing process and meeting your daily goals easier!

(The better news is that once you've found the right software, we have the best resources to help you finish your book, like this book idea worksheet , which will get you started on your book in just a few minutes. Get your free copy here. )

In this article, we will cover the ten best pieces of software for writing a book and look at the pros and cons of each. Click the links below to get our review on the best writing software.

Best Writing Software: Contents

  • Google Docs
  • Google Sheets OR Microsoft Excel
  • ProWritingAid
  • Publisher Rocket
  • Microsoft Word
  • Bonus: Note Taking Apps
  • Bonus: Google Drive OR Dropbox

Worst Pieces of Software for Writing a Book

Before we discuss writing software that will help you write a beautiful book, it's important to understand (and eliminate) what will hurt your writing progress. At least while you're writing a book:

  • Video Games.  Especially World of Warcraft (always, always, always!) but also Solitaire, Sudoku, Angry Birds, Star Wars Galaxy of Heroes, and Wild Rift/League of Legends.

No World of Warcraft for Writers

  • Facebook, TikTok, and Other Social Media Software.  Do I really need to say more? Fortunately there's a piece of book writing software for avoiding this very distracting software (see Freedom below). You can't write a book if you spend you writing time publishing social media posts.
  • Other Productive Software Not Directly Associated With Your Writing.  Yes, it's good to reconcile your bank account on Quickbooks or make sure you're up to date on your calendar app, but responsible, well-meaning work can easily be an excuse for a quick distraction that turns into a major distraction from writing your book.

Set aside time for your writing every day and then stay focused. If you need a game, make writing your daily word count your game. If you want more “likes” on social media, imagine how great getting five-star reviews on your book will be.

If you need to check your bank balance several times a day, think about what your bank balance will be when you stop checking it constantly, finish your book, and become a successful author. Now let's talk about some book software for authors that can help you with your book writing process.

The 10 Best Pieces of Book Writing Software

First, there is no such thing as the perfect book writing software. No amount of key features or book writing templates or editing features will write a book for you. Still, these ten book writing software options can help. Take a look at the pros and cons of each:

1. Scrivener (Word Processor)

Scrivener  is the premier book writing app made by writers  for  writers. Scrivener's “binder” view allows you to break up your book into chapters and sections and easily reorganize it with drag and drop interface.

You can also get a high-level view of your book using the corkboard and outliner modes, allowing you to view book chapters, sections, or individual scenes as index cards. Project targets let you create word count goals and then track your progress daily. Its composition mode can help you stay focused by removing all the clutter.

Scrivener Deadline Week 3

Scrivener has formatting features for publishing (e.g. on Amazon or Barnes & Noble), as well as basic features for distraction-free writing, and has templates for novels, nonfiction books, screenplays, and more.

You can read our  full Scrivener review here .

To be fair, Scrivener also has its weaknesses. Formatting is more complicated than it needs to be and collaborating isn't easy, meaning it loses its effectiveness as soon as you bring on an editor (we recommend Google Docs for collaborating).

You can sync with your iPhone/iPad, but only through Dropbox, making it not as easy as it should be. It also has something of a learning curve, especially for its advanced features. But it more than makes up for that by being so helpful in the early stages of the writing process. Again, here are the pros and cons for Scrivener.

Pros of Scrivener:

  • Easily manage a large book writing project (or screenplay) in the binder view
  • Get a high-level view of your book's structure using corkboard and outliner views
  • Manage your writing productivity with project targets and deadlines
  • iPhone and iPad app

Cons of Scrivener: 

  • Formatting can be overly complicated
  • Learning curve
  • ​Syncing with Dropbox isn't always easy
  • No Android app

We believe in Scrivener so much, we published a book about how creative writers can write more faster using it. It’s called  Scrivener Superpowers .  If you’re using Scrivener or want a tutorial to save yourself time as you learn how to use it for your creative writing, you can  get Scrivener Superpowers here . You can also learn more about how to use the software with one of these resources:

  • Scrivener Superpowers  by M.G. Herron
  • 3 Reasons I Love Scrivener
  • Microsoft Word vs. Scrivener

Cost: $59.99 for Windows, Mac

Scrivener  is the premier book writing app made by writers  for  writers. It's powerful set of tools allow you to write, organize, edit, and publish books.

  • Easily manage writing projects
  • Made by writers for writers
  • Corkboard and outliner views
  • Project targets and deadlines
  • iPhone and iPad app
  • Complicated formatting
  • Steep learning curve
  • ​Syncing isn't always easy

Scrivener

2. Dabble (Word Processor)

Similar to Scrivener, Dabble is a word processor that gives you the power to organize and rearrange scenes and chapters using drag and drop, manage your word count goals to keep to a deadline, and plot like a pro. (Screenshots seen here are in the optional dark mode.)

Dabble Review: Best book writing software

Dabble has a plot grid that allows you to easily see a macro view of your story. You can rearrange as needed, find plot holes easily, and make notes on each plot point as detailed as you like. 

Dabble Review: Best book writing software

Collaboration is easy. You simply add a co-author and they will be sent an invitation. They must also have a subscription or they will only be able to read the document. 

You can insert images in any scene or note, or add title images to chapters or full page images within or between chapters. You can even set cover art for the manuscript. 

Focus mode in Dabble is automatic. Simply start typing and everything else fades away. No need to worry about saving every few minutes either.

Dabble is cloud-based and automatically saves as you go. You can access your manuscripts everywhere: in your browser, on your phone, or in the desktop app. As you're writing, you can make notes and comments.

Don’t want to type? You can dictate. And when you’re done writing, there’s a Read to Me feature that reads your manuscript to you!

Cost : Subscription plans range from $10/month to $20/month; Lifetime access cost is $499; 14-day free trial 

Dabble is a word processor designed specifically for books. It gives you the power to organize and rearrange scenes and chapters using drag and drop, manage your word count goals to keep to a deadline, and plot like a pro. 

  • Easy Learning Curve
  • Streamlined collaboration
  • Cloud-based syncing
  • Built-in Dictation
  • Easy Exporting
  • Word count targets and deadlines
  • Plotting tool
  • Subscription service
  • Lifetime access cost is high
  • Only simple formatting options

Dabble

3. Google Docs (Word Processing)

While Scrivener and Dabble are a great book  writing  software, once you get to editing and getting feedback, it begins to fall short. That's why Google Docs has become my go-to piece of book writing software for collaborating with editors, beta readers, and other writers.

It's free, easy to use, and requires no backups since everything is in the cloud.

Best of all are its collaboration abilities, which allow you to invite your editor to the document and then watch as they make changes, which are tracked in suggestion mode, and leave comments on your story (see screenshot below).

Google Sheets Editing: Best Book Writing Software

I also like the outline feature in the left sidebar. You can display it by clicking View > Show Outline. Then format the chapters and main sections of your manuscript as headings to make them appear in the document. You can then easily visualize and even click through your book to navigate it. This feature isn't as useful as Scrivener and Dabble's binder, but it makes navigating your book much easier.

While not the best for brainstorming, writing, or organizing your book, Google Docs, the free word processor available in Google Drive, is the single best word processor for collaborating with co-writers, beta readers, or editors.

  • Real-time collaboration with editors, beta readers, or other writers
  • Suggestion mode
  • Outline View
  • Few large-document organization features
  • No productivity features
  • Usually requires an internet connection

Google Docs

4. Google Sheets OR Microsoft Excel (Spreadsheet)

If you’d told me when I was first trying to become a writer that one of my most-used tools in my book writing software toolkit would be a spreadsheet, I would have told you I didn't major in English to have to use a spreadsheet.

But now, as I'm finishing my fifteenth book, I realize that I use spreadsheets almost daily. Spreadsheets allow you to get a sense of the elements of your book at a glance, and when you're working on a 300-page document, distilling it down to useable information becomes very necessary.

You might use spreadsheets for:

  • Character tracking
  • Breakdown of scenes
  • A Foolscap/Beat sheet

Google Sheets is perfect for this because it's free and you can quickly share your documents with your writing partners, editors, or beta readers to get feedback.

Microsoft Excel is another great option, but Excel lacks the real-time editing with other users and is overall lacking in the collaboration functions. Still, if you already have Excel, it's a great way to quickly get started plotting your book or managing your project.

Google Sheets

  • Real-time Collaboration : Work with editors, beta readers, or co-authors in real-time.
  • Speed : It's fast and responsive, which is useful for quickly developing an outline or managing a project.
  • Cost-effective : It's so cost-effective it's free!
  • Handling External Spreadsheets : Managing spreadsheets from other sources like Excel can be annoying.
  • Internet Dependency : Although there's an offline mode, the overall experience is better with an internet connection.

Microsoft Excel

  • Familiar : If you already own or have used Microsoft Office, it should be familiar to you.
  • Advanced Feature : Excel is slightly more powerful than Google Sheets (although for most writing related tasks, you will likely not need advanced features).
  • Offline Access : Unlike Google Sheets, Excel doesn't require an internet connection, which is handy for working on-the-go.
  • Cost : Unlike Google Sheets which is free, Excel comes with a cost as part of the Microsoft 365 Office Suite.
  • Collaboration : Although Excel has collaborative features, they're more streamlined in Google Sheets.

5. Vellum (Book Formatting/Word Processing)

If you want to turn your book into an eBook, it's not that hard. Scrivener, Word, Pages, they all can format eBooks and print books. But that doesn't mean they'll look good. In fact, it takes a lot of skill and effort to format a printed book that looks good on any of those word processors.

That's why I love Vellum so much.

Vellum makes beautiful books.

Vellum: Top Book Writing Software

Vellum picks up where Scrivener, Word, and Pages leave off, giving you a tool to make great looking eBooks and print books, usually in under an hour. The most important part of this is the previewer (see the image below), which lets you see how each formatting change or book edit you make will appear on Kindle, Fire, iPhone, Nook, and other eReaders.

Vellum Previewer: Best Book Writing Software

It also has stripped-down, option-based formatting, which is perfect for designing both eBooks and print books. I really love this writing app!

Vellum is a book formatting tool to quickly and easily create beautiful eBooks and print books, often within an hour. It features a book previewer which allows you to see how your book will look on various eReaders and in print, and offers a simplified, option-based formatting to format beautiful books faster.

  • Ease of Use: Easy to navigate and use, even for inexperienced writers.
  • Quick Formatting: The simplified, option-based formatting lets you create books in as little as an hour.
  • High-Quality Aesthetics: Delivers visually beautiful books.
  • Book Previewer Tool: View how your book will appear on various eReaders as you work.
  • Platform Limitation: Restricted to Mac users.
  • Style Restrictions: Limited design and styling options can be a drawback for some.
  • Cost: Higher price point compared to some other formatting software.

Vellum

6. ProWritingAid (Grammar/Spell Check)

Can a grammar checker replace an editor?

Definitely not. But if you ask Alice Sudlow, our in-house editor, she'll tell you, “If you don’t have access to an editor (or if you do, but you don’t want to hire them to edit your emails or Facebook posts), software that performs grammar checks like  ProWritingAid  is an accessible, affordable alternative.”

If you struggle with grammar mistakes, sentence structure, spelling, or even writing style, ProWritingAid can help. It goes far beyond your built-in spellcheck. You should still learn grammar skills, but ProWritingAid can help you start to see the patterns and grow as a writer.

There's a free version that's very good. It can even be installed into your browser or Word processor, so you can check your grammar wherever you write.

The paid version, just $96 a year with our discount link (33 percent less than Grammarly ‘s price), gives you additional support on sentence structure, style, and vocabulary. Learn more about how writers can get the most out of ProWritingAid here .

ProWritingAid

  • Grammar and Style Correction: Gives "as-you-type" grammar corrections as well as comprehensive style analysis to help you write clearer, more engaging prose.
  • Writing Insights: You can learn a lot about your writing style with their detailed reports on readability, sentence structure, and more.
  • Integration: You can integrate it with nearly any other writing tool or word processor..
  • Subscription Cost: While more affordable than other options, there is a subscription cost for for full access.
  • Overwhelming Feedback: Not all the feedback is useful, and without knowledge of the book writing process, you may get distracted by the amount of feedback.
  • Internet Requirement: You must have an internet connection for most types of feedback.

Grammarly

  • Easy to Use: User-friendly design (slightly more easy to use than ProWritingAid in my opinion).
  • Spell-Check and Grammar Check: Detailed spelling and grammar check functionality.
  • Goal-Setting Feature: It can help you tailor suggestions based on writing goals.
  • Broad Integration: Works with many platforms (the Google Docs integration isn't very good though).
  • Cost: While the free plan is robust, the premium plan is more expensive compared to ProWritingAid.
  • Google Docs Integration: Lacks a fully functional integration.
  • Big Picture Feedback: Does not provide as much overarching edits and style-based feedback as ProWritingAid.

7. Publisher Rocket (Book Marketing App)

How do you know if your book will sell? Wouldn't it be nice to know if there is a market for your book  before  you start writing? How do you find the most readers on Amazon for your published book? For all of these questions, Publisher Rocket has an answer.

Read our  full Publisher Rocket review here .

best novel writing software reddit

Publisher Rocket a book marketing research tool that helps you understand what readers actually want  and  how to connect with them with your books. Here are some things you can discover in Publisher Rocket:

  • What phrases Amazon buyers are actually searching for.
  • The psychology of how readers choose to buy books.
  • How much money readers are spending on certain niches and topics.
  • How much money specific books are making per month (for example, books that might be competing with yours).

I've personally used Publisher Rocket to take mid-list books to #1 bestseller status on Amazon. It's an amazing tool, perfect for anyone working on a book.

We also like KD Spy, another Amazon research tool (check out our review here ). You can compare and contrast the two tools below:

Publisher Rocket

  • Target Popular Keywords: Helps writers find specific phrases readers are using on Amazon to discover books.
  • Market Understanding: Offers a clear view of what books are competing with yours (and how many sales they make, historically).
  • Category Identification: Find the most relevant Amazon categories for your book.
  • Cross-Platform Compatibility: Works on both PCs and Macs.
  • Learning Curve: May require some time and education to fully utilize all features.
  • Cost: One-time purchase required.
  • Amazon-Centric: Tailored for Amazon, may not be as effective for other platforms.

KDSpy

  • Amazon Category Research : Analyze Amazon book categories to understand competition and profitability.
  • Keyword Tools : Provides niche and seed keywords to help in market understanding.
  • Competition Snapshot : Ability to get an overview of your competitors.
  • Traffic Light System : Visual cues to understand keyword difficulty and category competitiveness.
  • Limited Keyword Data : Doesn't provide Amazon search numbers.
  • Browser Extension : Limited to browser usage, not a standalone software.
  • Basic Keyword Tools: Keyword functionalities are quite basic compared to Publisher Rocket.
  • Dependent on Amazon : Insights are tailored for Amazon, may not apply to other platforms.

8. Atticus (Book Formatting/Word Processing)

Once you've  written  your book, how do you turn it into something people can actually  read ? If you're self-publishing, you need a tool like Atticus.

Atticus is a book formatting and word processing tool that allows you to take your manuscript and quickly and easily format it for publishing, including print and eBook formats.

But Atticus is more that just a formatter. It's an all-in-one solution for writers, giving you the organization features of Scrivener, the cloud collaboration features of Google Docs,  and  the book formatting abilities of Vellum. Yes, that's just as cool as it sounds!

Atticus Home Screen

It also works on all platforms, whether you're working on Windows, Mac, Chromebook, or even Linux. While I still love and use Vellum (see below), the benefit of Atticus is that it works for everyone, not just Mac users. Learn more about Atticus in my full review.

  • All-in-One Solution : Combines writing and formatting capabilities seamlessly.
  • Multi-Platform Availability : Available on PC, Mac, Linux, and Chromebook.
  • Cost-Effective : Priced lower than some competitors like Vellum while offering similar capabilities

Cons: 

  • Learning Curve : While intuitive, mastering advanced features may require some time.
  • New Software : Being relatively new, it might have fewer features compared to established software, with some desired features planned for future updates.
  • Crude Formatting : Out of the box formatting options aren't as refined as Vellum and will require more tweaking.

Atticus is a complete book writing and formatting tool that merges the capabilities of an online word processor with plug-and-play book formatting features. It can function as a one-stop solution for authors, with collaboration tools between authors, editors, and book designers, to take your book from idea to finished, publishable product.

Atticus

9. Freedom (Productivity App)

One question writers always ask me is, “How can I stay focused enough to finish what I write?” I have too many thoughts on that for this article, but as far as using writing software to encourage focus goes, I recommend Freedom. It's my favorite writing tool for a distraction-free writing experience.

Freedom allows you to enter focus mode, blocking your biggest distractions, including both websites and mobile apps, for a set period of time. So when you mindlessly escape your book to scroll through Facebook, you'll find the site won't load.

You can also schedule recurring sessions, so that at a scheduled time (e.g. Mondays from 6 am to 10 am), you won’t be able to access the sites on your blocklist, even if you try.

There are other apps like this that we've written about before, notably Self-Control for Mac and StayFocused for Windows. But Freedom goes further, allowing you to block sites on both your computer  and  your phone, and enabling recurring sessions.

You can learn more about  how writers can get the most out of Freedom on our review here .

Freedom is a productivity app that can help writers in stay focused by blocking distracting websites and mobile apps for a designated period or during specific schedules, like during your morning writing time.

  • Distraction Blocking : Helps you concentrate on writing by blocking distractions.
  • Scheduled Focus Sessions : Schedule your focus mode in advance for recurring undistracted writing sessions.
  • Mobile Device Syncing : Getting it working with mobile devices can be a bit challenging.
  • Bypass Possibility : It's possible to find ways around its blockers if one tries hard enough.

Freedom

Cost: $29 / year for Pro version, which I use and recommend (there's also a free trial available)

10. Microsoft Word (Word Processor)

Again: no piece of book writing software is going to write your book for you. If you're looking for the next “shiny new toy” to help you write your book, it might be an excuse to avoid doing the hard work of writing.

Most of us learned how to use computers by using Microsoft Word, or a program like it. Word gets the job done. Sure, Scrivener is a little better for books, but I wrote my first book on Word and it's fine.

I wrote a long review of  the pros and cons of using Word to write books —the main problem is that as your document grows, it becomes more and more difficult to work with, whereas with Scrivener, it becomes easier—but the point is, if Word is what you have, don't let that stop you from finishing your book.

You don't need a fancy tool to plan a book in the early stages, like if you draft a character description for your protagonist, or in the editing stages, like if you want to make comments on scene details.

As Jeff Elkins said in  his review of Word , “If you aren’t already putting in the hard work to be the kind of writer you want to be, it doesn’t matter what new writing software you invest in. It is not going to help.”

Microsoft Word is the industry standard word processing software. While limited in its features for writing books, it provides a familiar platform for writers to create, share, and review their work.

  • Familiar Interface : Known and used by many, making collaboration easier.
  • Extensive Features : Provides a wide range of writing and formatting tools.
  • Cost : Requires a subscription to Microsoft 365.
  • Lack of Book Writing Features : Despite its extensive feature set, it lacks specialized tools for book writing included with applications like Scrivener or Dabble.
  • Lack of Real-Time Collaboration : While it offers some collaboration features, it falls short in real-time collaborative editing compared to some cloud-native applications like Google Docs.

Cost: $69 / year with Microsoft 365 (includes Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook, and other Microsoft software)

Note:  Another word processor we can't recommend is yWriter, which while it has a cult following and was designed by a fellow novelist, seems to be out of development and has no support for Mac/OSX.

BONUS #1: Google Drive OR Dropbox (Cloud Backup)

There's nothing worse that finishing a great writing session and going to save your work, then your computer crashes and you discover you've lost your best writing. It's enough to send any writer into the throes of grief and depression. There's a simple solution, though: save a copy of ALL your writing to the cloud using Google Drive, Dropbox, or BOTH.

Here's my process:  I have all my Scrivener book files saved on a folder on Google Drive on my computer. Then, Scrivener automatically backs up every few minutes to a Dropbox folder. That way, I know I will always have the document I need, no matter what happens. Best of all, both of these apps have free plans, making it extremely foolish NOT to use them.

Pros of Drive:

  • Universal cloud backup
  • Automatically syncs
  • Free or inexpensive

Cons of Drive:

  • Setup is a bit tricky the first time
  • Maybe you WANT to lose your writing when your computer crashes

Cost: Free with Paid options

Sign up for Google Drive here »

Sign up for Dropbox here »

BONUS #2: iOS Notes OR Evernote OR Ulysses OR Bear (Note Taking)

When I'm writing for a long time, I like to get up and go for a walk. Sometimes, I wish I could continue writing while I walk. Other times, I find myself brainstorming ideas while I'm not at my computer, typing it up on my phone, and then wanting to easily move what I wrote to my laptop without having to go through the hassle of emailing it back and forth to myself.

That's where note taking apps like Ulysses and Evernote come in.

Ulysses Book Writing Software

iOS Notes, Ulysses ,  Evernote , and  Bear  are note taking apps that allow you to sync between all your devices, so you have what you need wherever you are, ideal for jotting down ideas or thinking through your book while you're out and about.

While Scrivener recently released an iOS app which allows you to sync between devices, their process is clunky and requires you to purchase both the mobile and desktop apps. These note taking apps make the process much more seamless.

Like Scrivener, they all have a binder-like sidebar that allows you to move documents around. None of them are designed specifically for books, so they may take a little configuring to make it work for you, but once you have one set up the way you want, it's very intuitive.

And while I hate Markdown, a markup language that allows you to format your text, I actually like the paired-down formatting options Ulysses and Bear give, especially for brainstorming. Overall, I wouldn't convert from Scrivener to any of these apps, but as supplements, they work great.

Pros of Evernote:

  • Sync notes between devices
  • Write as you go
  • Capture ideas

Cons of Evernote:

  • Free plan is limited
  • Becomes clunky as you get more notes
  • Better for note taking than managing a large writing project

iOS Notes  Cost: Free with any iOS device

Get the app here »

Evernote  Cost: Free with Paid options

Ulysses Cost: $45 Note: Ulysses is only available for Mac, either in the App Store or from their website.

Bear Cost: $1.49 monthly / $14.99 yearly Note:  Bear is also only available for Mac, either in the App Store or from their website.

Bonus #3: Hemingway App (Style Checker)

Most writers think their sentences are easier to read than they are. You think you're coming across clearly, that your writing makes sense, but then someone reads it and comes away with something totally different. Hemingway App (sometimes called Hemingway Editor) helps with that.

Hemingway App Purple Prose

Hemingway App is a free website that checks readability. You can copy and paste your writing into the website's input box. Then it will grade your writing based on your used of   adverbs , passive voice , and sentences as units . Hemingway App is useful, but even the best book writing software can’t replace a good editor.

Pros of Hemingway:

  • Fast, easy style advice

Cons of Hemingway:

  • Somewhat arbitrary advice
  • Hemingway himself would fail

Cost: Free!

Try out Hemingway App here »

The 30+ Tools Every Writer Needs

30 Tools to Write, Publish, and Market Your Book

Writing is no different, and while the right software is important, it's just one of the many tools you need as a writer.

That's why we published a list of all of our favorite tools for everything related to being a writer.

You can  download our tools for writers guide for free here .

The Most Essential Book Writing Software

Imagine it's three thousand years ago.

You're sitting around a campfire with some of your family and friends, tired from the day's work. You begin to tell a story. It's one you've told before, told a hundred times. You can see faces around the fire, the children with their eyes wide, the men and women who have heard the story before but still enjoy it because it brings meaning to their lives.

Storytellers—writers—have existed since the beginning of humanity. They didn’t always have book writing software. They didn't have the printing press or the internet. They didn't always even have the alphabet to write their stories down. Instead, storytellers had their imaginations, their voices, and a rapt audience. Y

ou don’t need book writing software to write a great story. Book writing software can make the process a little faster or easier, but the truth is great stories will always exist, no matter what kind of software we have.

The only three things essential to writing a great book:

  • Your imagination
  • A desire to tell your story

That’s all you need. Do you want to write your book? If you do, then do it. Write it. Nothing is stopping you except you.  So go get writing.

What pieces of book writing software do you use?  Let us know in the comments .

The world is full of powerful software to help you write your book. In the end, though, all these tools are just that—tools. The stories you imagine and your discipline to put the words on the page are far more important.

So for this practice, set aside all the fancy software. Eliminate all the bells and whistles and open up your computer's native text editor (TextEdit for Mac or Notepad for Windows).

Take fifteen minutes to write without any distractions.

Continue your work in progress, or start a new story based on this prompt: A student discovers one of their teachers is not what they appear to be.

When you're done, share your writing practice in the Pro Practice Workshop . And if you share, be sure to leave feedback for your fellow writers!

' src=

Joe Bunting

Joe Bunting is an author and the leader of The Write Practice community. He is also the author of the new book Crowdsourcing Paris , a real life adventure story set in France. It was a #1 New Release on Amazon. Follow him on Instagram (@jhbunting).

Want best-seller coaching? Book Joe here.

How to Write a Memoir: How to Start (and Actually Finish) Your First Draft

Join over 450,000 readers who are saying YES to practice. You’ll also get a free copy of our eBook 14 Prompts :

Popular Resources

Book Writing Tips & Guides Creativity & Inspiration Tips Writing Prompts Grammar & Vocab Resources Best Book Writing Software ProWritingAid Review Writing Teacher Resources Publisher Rocket Review Scrivener Review Gifts for Writers

Books By Our Writers

HIDDEN: Bodies, Loot, Caves, & Self-Respect

You've got it! Just us where to send your guide.

Enter your email to get our free 10-step guide to becoming a writer.

You've got it! Just us where to send your book.

Enter your first name and email to get our free book, 14 Prompts.

Want to Get Published?

Enter your email to get our free interactive checklist to writing and publishing a book.

  • Book Category Tool
  • Gadgets and Gizmos
  • All About Me

My 9 Favorite Scrivener Alternatives for 2023

  • by Sam Howard

Heyyyy there, fellow writers! Are you feeling overwhelmed by Scrivener’s learning curve? Or maybe you’re just not a fan of the formatting options it offers.

No worries, because I’ve got the solution!

In this article, I’m going to introduce you to the top Scrivener alternatives that will make your writing process a breeze.

(Spoiler alert: It’s Atticus. But I’ll get to that).

1. My Favorite Alternative: Atticus

Out of all the Scrivener alternatives on the market, Atticus is definitely my favorite . Made by the team at Kindlepreneur, Atticus is an all-in-one writing and formatting app that combines the best features of Scrivener, Google Docs, and Vellum.

It has a simple, user-friendly interface that’s perfect for those new to novel writing software, but it’s also packed with powerful features like drag-and-drop chapters and customizable front and back matter.

Plus, with cloud-based storage, a full formatting suite, and integration with ProWritingAid, you can easily keep track of and edit your work without ever leaving the app.

Pros of Atticus:

  • Atticus is easy to use, with a simple interface that’s ideal for those who are new to novel writing software.
  • It has powerful features like drag-and-drop chapters and customizable front and back matter.
  • Cloud-based storage and ProWritingAid integration
  • It has over a dozen templates to choose from for formatting, or the option to create your own with images and section breaks.
  • The preview feature allows you to see exactly how your book will look in print and on different devices.
  • Atticus is available on all major operating systems, including PC, Mac, Linux, Chromebook, and through your browser.
  • It includes in-app writing goal tracking and gamification, as well as word count tracking for sections, chapters, or your entire book.
  • Atticus has offline use available and full bleed and large print options for printing.
  • A one-time payment of $147 gets you lifetime access, all future updates, and unlimited eBook and print book formatting. No need to worry about monthly subscriptions.

Cons of Atticus:

  • Some features are still in the works (at the time of this writing).
  • Since it’s new, the team at Kindlepreneur is still working out some bugs.

2. Quoll Writer

Quoll Writer is an open-source software is a great combination of plotting tool and word processor, much like Scrivener. Plus, it has a full-screen mode that’s perfect for writers who don’t want to be distracted when they’re working.

Quoll Writer is available on Mac, PC, and Linux, and it’s super easy to import your DOCX files from Microsoft Word.

It also has awesome features like spell checking and statistical analysis, as well as notes and character tags to help you keep track of your work. Plus, you can even share your work with an editor through Quoll Writer.

And did I mention that it’s completely free? Yes, please!

Pros of Quoll Writer:

  • Quoll Writer is a free open-source software that’s a combination of plotting tool and word processor.
  • It has a full-screen mode that’s perfect for writers who don’t want to be distracted when they’re working.
  • Quoll Writer is available on Mac, PC, and Linux, and it’s easy to import DOCX files from Microsoft Word.
  • It has features like spell checking, statistical analysis, and notes and character tags to help you keep track of your work.
  • You can share your work with an editor through Quoll Writer.

Cons of Quoll Writer:

  • The interface isn’t the most visually appealing.
  • Quoll Writer doesn’t offer any formatting options – you’ll have to use another tool for that.
  • All the features can be intimidating for new users.

3. iA Writer

If you’re looking for a simple and affordable word processor that’s perfect for distraction-free writing, iA Writer is the way to go! This tool is available on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, and it’s designed specifically for writers who are easily distracted or overwhelmed by features.

The focus mode feature highlights only one sentence at a time, so even your other words won’t distract you.

One of the things I love about iA Writer is that it’s not weighed down by features – it’s all about getting those words down on the page. However, it does have some handy features like syntax highlight and style check to help improve your writing. Just keep in mind that iA Writer is better suited for short-form writing than long-form – novel-length pieces can be a bit harder to navigate in this word-processing app.

Pros of iA Writer:

  • iA Writer is a simple and affordable word processor designed for distraction-free writing.
  • It’s available on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android.
  • The focus mode feature highlights only one sentence at a time to help you stay focused.
  • iA Writer includes features like syntax highlight and style check to help improve your writing.
  • It supports markdown and includes some templates to get you started.
  • It’s perfect for writing sprints and short-form writing.

Cons of iA Writer:

  • iA Writer may not be the best choice for long-form writing.
  • Its lack of features may turn some writers off.
  • It’s mostly designed for blog writing.

4. Microsoft Word

If you’re looking for a powerful word processor that you can use for basic plotting and organizing, Microsoft Word is a great Scrivener alternative. It’s the standard tool that many creative writers use at some point in their writing process, and it’s available as part of the Microsoft Office suite or as a standalone tool.

It’s also compatible with many different operating systems, so you can use it on your Windows, Mac, iOS, or Android device.

Pros of Microsoft Word:

  • Microsoft Word is a powerful word processor that can be used for basic plotting and organizing.
  • It’s the standard tool that many creative writers use at some point in their writing process.
  • It’s available as part of the Microsoft Office suite or as a standalone tool.
  • It’s compatible with many different operating systems, including Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android.

Cons of Microsoft Word:

  • Microsoft Word isn’t dedicated to book writing like Scrivener, so it doesn’t have all of the same features.
  • It’s not free – it costs $159.99 as a standalone tool, or $6.99 a month with Microsoft 365.

5. FocusWriter

If you work best with only a few basic options and a full-screen mode that eliminates other on-screen distractions, FocusWriter might be the Scrivener alternative for you. It’s a minimalist writing app that’s available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. It includes basic features like timers and word count goals that you can set for writing sprints, as well as customization options to make the app most conducive to your style of book writing.

It also includes an in-app spell check, which is always helpful, and it’s a good choice if you’re looking for a free writing tool that can help you focus and get your writing done.

Pros of Focus Writer:

  • Minimalist writing app for Windows, Mac, and Linux.
  • It has basic features like timers and word count goals for writing sprints.
  • It offers customization options to make the app most conducive to your style of book writing.
  • It has a full-screen, distraction-free interface.
  • It includes an in-app spell check.
  • It’s free.

Cons of Focus Writer:

  • FocusWriter has limited options.
  • It doesn’t have any book formatting capabilities.

If you’re looking for a free alternative to Scrivener that’s tailored specifically for fiction writers, Bibisco is definitely worth checking out.

While it does take a bit of learning to get comfortable with the software, it has some really great features that make it stand out.

For example, it offers some great plotting tools that allows you to see a timeline of your story, which is really fun, as well as add images of objects that are important to your story (sometimes known as MacGuffins).

Pros of Bibisco:

  • Bibisco is a free alternative to Scrivener that’s tailored specifically for fiction writers.
  • It has some great plotting tools and allows you to see your story as a timeline.
  • You can add images of objects that are important to your story (MacGuffins).
  • It allows you to analyze the length of your chapters and track where your characters appear.
  • The basic edition is free, and you can choose your price for the Supports Edition (starting at around $20).
  • It’s available for Mac, Windows, and Linux.

Cons of Bibisco:

  • Bibisco takes a bit of learning to get comfortable with the software.
  • Most of the powerful features are only available in the paid version.

7. Living Writer

If you’re a fiction writer looking for a simpler alternative to Scrivener, Living Writer might be the perfect choice for you! This subscription-based app is designed specifically with fiction writers in mind, and it offers features like storytelling templates like the Hero’s Journey and Dan Harmon’s Story Circle that you won’t find in other writing tools.

One of the things I love about Living Writer is its organizational toolbar, which allows you to view your story on the micro or macro level – and everywhere in between. Plus, the board feature lets you easily drag and drop sections to rearrange your book.

Pros of Living Writer:

  • Living Writer is a great Scrivener alternative for fiction writers.
  • It offers features like storytelling templates like the Hero’s Journey and Dan Harmon’s Story Circle.
  • The organizational toolbar allows you to view your story on the micro or macro level.
  • The board feature lets you easily rearrange your book by dragging and dropping sections.
  • It includes built-in auto-suggest and error correction and auto-saves to cloud-based storage.
  • Living Writer has dark mode and includes word goal tools.
  • It offers a 14-day free trial.

Cons of Living Writer:

  • Living Writer is a subscription-only service, with prices starting at $96 per year or $9.99 per month.
  • It’s not the best choice for discovery writers.

If you’re a Mac or iOS user looking for a Scrivener alternative, Ulysses might be the perfect choice for you! This writing software is packed with features, including progress tracking, character tagging, and split-view, and it’s great for writing everything from blog posts and college essays to novels and nonfiction books.

One of the things I love about Ulysses is that it has a sleek interface and is great for distraction-free writing. It’s also very similar to Scrivener in its setup, so if you’re familiar with that tool, you’ll feel right at home.

Ulysses also integrates with Dropbox, and it offers some limited formatting options for eBooks and PDFs. Plus, it has in-app tutorials to help you learn how to use its robust plotting features.

Pros of Ulysses:

  • Ulysses is a great Scrivener alternative for Mac and iOS users.
  • It has a sleek interface and is great for distraction-free writing.
  • Ulysses includes features like progress tracking, character tagging, and split-view.
  • It integrates with Dropbox and offers some limited formatting options for eBooks and PDFs.
  • There are in-app tutorials to help you learn how to use its robust plotting features.

Cons of Ulysses:

  • Ulysses is only available for Mac and iOS operating systems.
  • It’s a subscription-only service, with prices starting at $5.99 per month or $49.99 per year.
  • It can be a bit intimidating for new users.

9. Squibler

If you’re a plotter at heart, Squibler might be the Scrivener alternative for you! This writing app is all about organizing and outlining your ideas, notes, and plot points. Rather than being a word processor, it’s a dedicated outlining app that’s perfect for co-writing a book or working with someone to outline your novel.

Squibler has a ton of great features for writers, including outline templates for short stories, novels, children’s books, and even screenplays.

However, one thing to keep in mind is that Squibler is really designed for plotting and outlining, rather than writing prose.

Pros of Squibler:

  • Squibler is a dedicated outlining app that’s perfect for organizing and outlining your ideas, notes, and plot points.
  • It integrates with Dropbox and Google Docs, so you can easily access work you’ve done with other writing software.
  • Squibler includes features like cork board organization, collaboration, and goal tracking to help you stay on track.
  • It has auto-suggest for grammar and passive voice correction to improve your writing skills.
  • Squibler has outline templates for short stories, novels, children’s books, and screenplays.

Cons of Squibler:

  • Squibler is more designed for plotting and outlining than writing prose, so it may not be the best choice for discovery writers.
  • It’s only available with a monthly subscription of $9.99 (although there is a 14-day free trial).

The Bottom Line: My Top Picks

When it comes to the best writing apps out there, I have two that are my go-to options, and it depends on your price point:

  • Best Paid Option: For paid tools, I 100% go with Atticus. It’s by far the best, since it’s built as an all-in-one writing and formatting tool, plus it’s available on all platforms and is relatively inexpensive.
  • Best Free Option: For free tools, I really love FocusWriter, though only because it motivates me to keep on writing. Usually I will write in FocusWriter, then transfer my work to Atticus after the fact.

So FocusWriter is great for the actual writing, but when it comes to a word processing tool, you can’t beat Atticus.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

  • Features for Creative Writers
  • Features for Work
  • Features for Higher Education
  • Features for Teachers
  • Features for Non-Native Speakers
  • Learn Blog Grammar Guide Community Academy FAQ
  • Grammar Guide

16 Best Novel Writing Software for Authors

Millie Dinsdale headshot

Millie Dinsdale

novel writing software

Table of Contents

What to look for in a novel writing software, top writing software for novels, how to select the best writing software for novels.

Writing a book is challenging. Novel writing software makes it just a bit easier.

Book writing software will not write for you, but they can help with organization, tracking, ideation, planning, concentrating, editing, and proofreading.

But they all have unique features and are designed for different kinds of authors. So, how do you select the best one for you?

We’re here to help you along the way. This is a list of our top 16 favorite novel writing software options. For each tool, we have looked at the price, usability, customizability, features, and integrations.

The type of novel writing program you need will depend on what type of creative writer you are. Are you a planner, a pantser, or somewhere in between? Do you write fiction or nonfiction? Do you want a tool that can generate content or not?

Let’s look at each of these questions in more detail.

Planners vs Pantsers

Planners outline their entire novel before writing. Pantsers jump into writing with little to no plan. Plantsers are somewhere in between, planning some sections but not others.

Planners will benefit from independent outlining graphs, character plotting, world-building planning maps, and more. If you’re more of a pantser, you may want plotting features that are integrated into the writing process rather than separate from them.

Fiction vs Nonfiction

Although many of the features that fiction novel writers and nonfiction writers need are similar, there are a few differences.

Fiction writers may benefit from pronoun checkers, world-building features, dialogue suggestions, and name and place generators.

Whereas nonfiction writers may use fact and consistency checkers, timelines, tables, the ability to add diagrams, and more.

Content Generation

Content generation is a polarizing topic in the writing community. Some love it, and others would rather not use it.

Before choosing a software, it’s useful to decide whether you would like rephrasing options and help with idea generation, or if you would prefer a sleek word processor with minimal AI features.

ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid is a novel writing software that can help take your manuscript from draft to publish-ready.

The tool offers 20+ reports you can use to help your writing shine. The Repeats report keeps your writing engaging. The Readability report provides suggestions to cut vague words, replace clichés, and remove sticky sentences. Plus, there is a thesaurus, consistency checker, and much more.

In addition to this, you can also see in-tool articles, videos, and quizzes so you can learn and improve as you go.

With a Premium Pro license, you also get access to Sparks, which is an AI generative tool that provides more options than almost any other software on the market. With Sparks, you can improve fluency, summarize text, add sensory descriptions, expand from notes, make present or past tense, add dialogue, quotes, emphasis, counterarguments, and so much more.

Integrations : Windows, Mac, MS Word (Windows & Mac), Google Docs, Scrivener, Final Draft, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge.

Price : ProWritingAid has three pricing options: Free, Premium, and Premium Pro. The free version allows users to access 20+ reports with a 500-word limit. The Premium plan has an unlimited word count, and it costs just $10 a month. The Premium Pro plan comes with 50 rephrases a day and costs $12 a month.

Conclusion : ProWritingAid is a brilliant all-around writing tool for novelists that helps with the drafting, editing, and proofing stages. Try it for free today .

The Novel Factory

The Novel Factory is a novel writing software that helps writers from outlining to writing.

It has features that help with outlining, plotting, character creation, world-building, writing, and word count tracking. It also has a variety of templates in different genres to help writers plan their novels.

One of the most useful elements of the tool is the organization. Keep all your notes on characters, plots, and the world in one place, making it easy to search through later.

Integrations : Windows, Mac, Android, iPads, and iPhones.

Price : There are three plans: Basic, Standard, and Premium. The Basic plan allows you to write one novel a year and costs $75. The Premium plan is designed for writers who publish multiple books a year, and it costs $600.

Conclusion : The Novel Factory is a useful tool for writers of general fiction. However, if you are a nonfiction author, or if you need advanced world-building help, there are more suitable writing apps out there.

Scrivener is a software that helps authors write books, and many authors swear by it. It’s designed for fiction and nonfiction authors and screenwriters.

It offers features like book bibles, character management, plot tracking, formatting and exporting options, and more.

One of the most popular features on offer is the goals and tracking, which are both especially useful during NanoWriMo. You can set overall writing targets, or targets for a particular session, and there is a handy bar available to track your progress.

Integrations : MacOS, Windows, and iOS.

Price : There are two licenses available: a standard license and an educational license. Each license is for a lifetime, and they both cost under $50 each. The licenses are specific to MacOS or Windows, so if you would like both, you will need to purchase two licenses.

Conclusion : As long as you are okay with a steep learning curve and minimal learning resources, then Scrivener is a brilliant piece of software with some innovative features and an excellent price.

Fictionary is an editing software that is specifically focused on developmental (or story) editing.

The tool has 15 different insights including blurb and synopsis, story arc, word count per scene, characters, and story map.

One of the best parts of Fictionary is the onboarding. There are tutorials and articles to help you use every single feature, so you will get the most out of your purchase from day one.

Integrations : Microsoft Word, Safari, and Chrome.

Price : There are three subscriptions: StoryTeller, StoryTeller Premium, and StoryCoach. Each subscription is available to purchase on a yearly or monthly basis. The cheapest plan allows you to edit three manuscripts at a time and costs $19 a month. The most expensive plan is $396 a year and is designed for professional editors.

Conclusion : Fictionary is an excellent tool in a writer’s arsenal, especially if you are a visual learner, but it is not a stand-alone software. You will also need a tool like ProWritingAid to help you with the line editing and proofreading.

Novlr is a writing software created by writers.

The features on offer include a basic writing interface, organizational features, statistics tracking, the ability to set motivational goals, style help, and export options.

There are also free courses and guides available that help writers to improve their craft.

Integrations : Online only.

Price : There are three basic plans available: Starter, Plus, and Pro. Starter is free and gives you access to five projects. Plus costs $5 a month and gives you unlimited projects, plus the ability to comment. Pro offers some additional features that are powered by ProWritingAid, including a proofreader, thesaurus, and advanced grammar and style checks.

Conclusion : Novlr is a lightweight tool with a clean, easy-to-use interface, which is a great option for writers looking for a lighter-touch tool that gives you full autonomy.

Atticus is writing software created by Kindlepreneur. It works online and offline and helps with writing and formatting.

The writing feature is a word processor with a few novel specific features, such as chapters and covers.

The formatting feature is where Atticus really shines. There are templates and a custom theme builder you can use to format your book, and then you can publish on Amazon, Apple Books, and more.

Integrations : Windows, Mac, Linux, and Chromebook.

Price : There is only one plan available, and it is a lifetime plan. It costs $147 to format an unlimited number of e-books and books for print.

Conclusion : Atticus is one of those tools that is good already but will clearly be great in the future. It’s an affordable way to format your book, but for now, you will still need some complimentary writing tools in order to give your story the best chance.

Bibisco is a book writing software designed for authors.

It allows you to create a novel structure, use mind maps to track relationships, organize your world-building, visualize your story timeline, and analyze chapter lengths and the points of view throughout.

You can also set writing goals, include words per day and words overall, and track your progress in the app.

The tool is available in 15 languages, including English, French, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Turkish, and more.

Integrations : Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Price : There are two plans: Community and Supporters. The Community plan is free and allows you to create unlimited projects. The Supporters edition is a one-time payment that also includes mind maps, dark theme, distraction free mode, and more.

Conclusion : This is a great option for writers with a limited budget who are just getting started on their writing journey. 

Ulysses is a writing app designed specifically for Apple users. There isn’t currently a Windows integration.

It has a clean UI for distraction-free writing. The tool also offers dark mode and full-screen writing mode, so you can customize your experience.

It also has brilliant features for organization, including filters, which allow you to find content quickly. Keywords allow you to categorize work, and groups allow you to collate work, for example, different levels of draft for the same project.

Integrations : Mac, iPad, and iPhone.

Price : There are two plans: Personal and Business. The Personal plan can be shared with up to five family members, and it costs $39.99 per year. The Business plan is priced per user and offers the same features as the personal plan.

Conclusion : Although the features are useful, similar ones are available for free in other tools. But if you struggle with organization and like to keep everything in one place, it may be worth trialing.

Vellum is a book formatting desktop software available on Mac only.

It offers import capabilities, different book styles, book set creation, previews, layout and design options, e-book generation, and print generation.

The most popular features in Vellum are the eight book styles. All you need to do is select a style, and the software will change the headings, quotations, paragraph breaks, body text, headers, footers, and more.

Integrations : Mac.

Price : There are two plans: Press and Ebooks. With the Ebook plan, you can format e-books, and with the Press plan, you can format e-books and paperbacks. Both plans are one-time purchases.

Conclusion : Although it is an intuitive software, there are now other tools that offer more for less.

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word is an often-indispensable word processor designed for everyone who writes.

It offers a sleek UI, text formatting, styles and themes, grammar, punctuation, spelling corrections, templates, and customizable page layouts and designs.

One of the most popular features is the ability to collaborate. You can track changes, which is useful for editors, add comments, compare and merge documents, view version histories, and collaborate in real time.

Integrations : iPhone, iPad, Mac, Windows, and Android.

Price : The price for Microsoft Word as a stand-alone application is $159.99. Alternatively, you can pay for Microsoft 365, which includes Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneDrive.

Conclusion : For what it is, it’s expensive, but the almost universal adoption means that it’s still a popular option. Although, we recommend you use a more advanced content editor with writing reports alongside Microsoft Word.

ChatGPT is an online chatbot that can answer questions conversationally. It was built on ChatGPT-3.5, an AI model that was developed by OpenAI.

It uses a natural language processing technology (NLP) to understand messages, make inferences, and generate replies. The program uses information that is publicly available on the internet, information from licensed third parties, and information from users and human trainers.

It has a few limitations. For example, it’s only trained on information up to September 2021, the tool generates responses that can be biased, and it does not check grammar comprehensively.

The interface is simple. You simply add a prompt and ask ChatGPT to generate content. You can then edit the prompt and regenerate responses.

Integrations : Online and Android, iPhone, and iPad apps.

Price : Free.

Conclusion : Despite its limitations, ChatGPT is a great free online tool that can generate ideas, names for people and places, and more.

LanguageTool

LanguageTool is a paraphraser, text editor, and grammar checker.

It can fix punctuation mistakes, help with formatting, and allow you to set up your own style guide. Premium users also have access to unlimited rephrasing, while free users are limited to five per day.

Additionally, LanguageTool works in over 25 languages, including English, Spanish, French, and Italian. Although it doesn’t offer the option to translate any text.

Integrations : Chrome, Edge, Google Docs, Firefox, and more.

Price : There are three plans: Free, Premium, and Teams. The Free plan offers basic features, with the advanced features behind a paywall. The Premium plan offers four payment intervals, with the cheapest being the two-year plan, and the most expensive being the monthly. The Teams plan is priced per number of users and offers additional features like team style guide and dictionary.

Conclusion : LanguageTool’s price is on the lower end, and it offers a fair selection of features. However, the lack of a plagiarism checker, tone checker, and structural reports means that creative writers may need to carry out additional edits.

Like ProWritingAid, Grammarly is an AI writing tool that checks grammatical errors in your writing in real time. It’s designed to streamline the writing process and reduce writing errors.

It’s available for multiple different English dialects, including British English, American English, Canadian English, and Australian English.

Some of its most popular features are spell check, engagement ratings, citation generator, grammar check, synonym checker, readability score, writing style suggestions, plagiarism detection, tone adjustments, and writing assistant.

Another popular feature is the paraphraser, which allows you to reword sentences, emails, articles, academic work, and more.

Integrations : Windows, Mac, MS Word (Windows & Mac), Google Docs, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge.

Price : Grammarly offers four different subscriptions: Free, Premium, Business, and Enterprise. The Free plan is simple and corrects written mistakes. The Premium plan includes rewrites, plagiarism checks, and more. The Business and Enterprise plans are designed for teams and organizations, and they include enhanced security and customized integrations.

Conclusion : This is a generalized tool that is suitable for most types of writers. However, if you are looking for a targeted tool that offers customized writing options for creative writers, other tools may be better suited.

QuillBot is a writing tool that is designed for students and working professionals.

QuillBot offers seven features: paraphraser, grammar checker, co-writer, plagiarism checker, summarizer, translator, and citation generator. The best known of these features is paraphrase, which has a variety of modes, including standard, fluency, and creative.

The tool is available in over 20 languages, including English, Spanish, German, and French.

Integrations : Chrome, Google Docs, Microsoft Word, and more.

Price : There are two plans available: Free and Premium. The Free plan is limited and gives users an idea of what the tool can do. The Premium plan includes all the features and is available in three different payment plans: annual, semi-annual, and monthly. The annual plan costs $99.95 a year, and the monthly plan totals to $239.40 a year.

Conclusion : QuillBot is a popular tool for students and business writers, but the features aren’t optimized for creative writers.

Ginger is an AI-powered writing assistant and proofreading tool designed for all types of writers.

The tool offers basic grammar and spell-checking, which you can accept and correct in bulk, a translator, a rephraser, text-to-speech, and more.

The translator is the feature that sets Ginger apart. It allows you to translate into 50 languages, plus it can proofread text in those languages, too.

Integrations : Microsoft Office, Gmail, Chrome, Safari, Edge, desktop and mobile apps, and more.

Price : There are six plans: Free, Monthly, Quarterly, Annual, 2-year, and Teams. The monthly plan is $19.99, and the 2-year plan is $120 overall. The Teams plan is $4.99 per month per member. Each paid plan offers the same features.

Conclusion : It’s a top choice for English second language (ESL) creative writers because of the translator, but for native English speakers, it doesn’t have as many advanced features as some of the other writing tools on this list.

Google Bard

Google Bard is a conversational AI tool that is available in over 40 languages to the public in 230 countries and territories.

It has three different generative options: understand, create, and explore. Understand provides specific details and information to help users understand a topic. Create generates text based on a user’s prompt. Explore is for general requests and exploration.

The tool also offers voice commands, translation in over 100 languages, and a share feature, which allows you to continue and refine responses with others.

It can be used to ideate before planning your novel or give you fresh ideas when you hit a blocker during the writing stage.

Integrations : Chrome, Opera, Firefox, Safari, and Edgium.

Price : Free to everyone aged 18 and older.

Conclusion : It’s useful for providing information for general use, and it can be useful to spark ideas. But, as it’s artificial intelligence, it isn’t very creative, so you can’t rely on it.

As writers, we know each writer has different requirements, and there is software out there for everyone. To find the right software for you, consider the price, features, integrations, and ease of use.

Price : Novel writing software ranges in price from $0 to $500+ per month. Before falling in love with a tool, decide what your budget is.

Features : What are the top features that you do or don’t want? With thousands of tools on the market, you are bound to find one that fits your needs.

Integrations : Where do you write now, and does your new tool need to be compatible with your current tools? Integrations can speed up onboarding and reduce the learning curve of a new tool.

Ease of use: Do you prefer a tool that you can start using right away, or are you okay with a learning curve? If your chosen tool is complex, double-check it has the resources and support you need to get up to speed.

And that’s a wrap. Our top 16 favorite novel writing software and a few tips for choosing the perfect tool for you.

If you’re looking for a tool that can help you with every aspect of the novel writing process, from ideation, to drafting, to editing, to proofing, then why not give ProWritingAid a try ?

Not only do we offer a 14-day money-back guarantee for our yearly and lifetime memberships, but we also offer a free plan that will allow you to test our 20+ reports on up to 500 words of your text.

best novel writing software reddit

Be confident about grammar

Check every email, essay, or story for grammar mistakes. Fix them before you press send.

Millie is ProWritingAid's Content Manager. A recent English Literature graduate, she loves all things books and writing. When she isn't working, Millie enjoys gardening, re-reading books by Agatha Christie, and running.

Get started with ProWritingAid

Drop us a line or let's stay in touch via :

Samantha Brandon

10 Best AI Novel Writing Software to Help You Write The Next Bestseller

' src=

So, you want to write the next big best-selling novel, but it seems so… daunting.

Maybe you have a great, captivating plot that you would love to bring to life, but when it comes to the execution, you need a bit of help. A case of writer’s block, a book deadline, or you want to write in your non-native language; there are tons of reasons why you may be looking for a bit of help.

Fortunately, there are a bunch of new   AI novel-writing tools  that you can use to make the process a heck of a lot easier.

In this article, I’m reviewing  the best AI novel writing software available  today so you can find the right one for you.

But first,  how can AI writing software help you write a novel?

The software I’ve reviewed below are specifically designed to help you  generate ideas for a story, write your first draft, or edit a manuscript. 

While no AI software can write a  finished  novel for you, it can give you something to start with—saving you time and helping you get that novel out into the world a lot faster.

Now let’s take a look at my top picks for the best AI novel writing software available right now.

Disclaimer:  This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read  full disclosure  for more information.

Table of Contents:

1. Sudowrite

Best for Beginners

best novel writing software reddit

Sudowrite is a beginner-friendly AI novel writing software that not only writes a story for you but also helps you to improve your stories with advanced fiction-writing techniques.

Here’s the quick and dirty on Sudowrite:

  • There’s no way to choose a genre on the main writing page, so you can’t explicitly choose the genre you want to focus on. However, if you clearly describe your story, the tool should be able to understand whether you’re trying to write science fiction or romance (or any other genre you choose).

Pricing:  $19 a month will get you 30,000 words, while the most popular mid-tier plan for $29 a month will get you 90,000 words. (Sudowrite recommends the $29/month plan for novelists and screenwriters.)

best novel writing software reddit

Final Verdict

I find Sudowrite to be the best AI writing software for serious novel writers who want an app that’s specifically focus on novel writing and storytelling.

Sudowrite is helpful for everyone, from the beginning writer who wants to improve their writing skills to the expert writer who wants to generate a rough draft that they or can shape into their next best-selling novel.

Best All-Around AI Writer

best novel writing software reddit

Jasper (also known as Jasper AI) is one of the most well-known AI writing software in the industry, and for a very good reason.

Its sophisticated algorithm allows you to generate text in dozens of different formats, including sales copy, social media posts, marketing ideas, and—you guessed it—creative stories.

The  Creative Story  option inside of Jasper AI allows you to generate a short or long-form story using creative writing. This is the best choice for you if you’re writing a novel. I’ve written a full, in-depth review of Jasper if you want to read more, or there’s also a Copy AI comparison here.

Here are my favorite features of Jasper AI as a novel writing software:

  • Jasper isn’t specifically designed as a novel-writing software, so it lacks some of the advanced features you’ll find in other software.

Pricing:  Jasper has two modes: Starter and Boss Mode. Starter only generates short-form content and doesn’t have an advanced editor, while Boss Mode gives you both an editor and the ability to create long-form content. You’ll need to get Boss Mode in order to write a novel with Jasper AI. 

Boss Mode starts at $49 a month for up to 50,000 words. (You’ll be charged more if you generate more words per month.)

best novel writing software reddit

Jasper AI is an all-around great AI writer. Because the it can generate both stories and other copy, it’s a good choice for writers who want to produce both fiction and non-fiction pieces.

That said, newer novelists might want more advanced fiction-writing features to help them write better stories.

3. Sassbook

Best for Writers on a Budget

best novel writing software reddit

Sassbook is a collection of four AI writing tools, each with a specific purpose. There’s the general AI writing software, the AI text summarizer, the AI headline generator, and the AI story writer.

To use Sassbook’s story writer, you write a prompt for your story between 15 and 30 words, choose your parameters, and click “Complete” to start generating your story. 

Each time you generate more text, the AI engine will read the last part of the story and continue from there.

Here are some key features of Sassbook’s AI Story Writer .

  • I found Sassbook’s user interface to be a little bit confusing and cluttered. It doesn’t look as polished as other apps.
  • Sassbook lacks the sophisticated story-writing capabilities of Sudowriter but isn’t as robust as tools like Jasper, and with the (seemingly) random collection of tools, it’s hard to know who this software is designed for.

Pricing:  You can use the app for free for up to 20 generations per day (each generation includes 50 words). For $39 a month, you can generate unlimited words (with up to 70 words in each generation).

best novel writing software reddit

If you’re looking to generate stories, blog posts, and marketing copy but want to avoid paying top dollar for an app like Jasper, Sassbook could be a good alternative AI writing software. 

I recommend using the free version to help you decide if it’s a good fit for you or not.

4. AI Dungeon

Best for Ideas

best novel writing software reddit

AI Dungeon is a free AI writing software that helps you create stories in a “Choose Your Own Adventure” style. It’s actually more of a game, but surprisingly a great way to create an epic novel.

To use AI Dungeon, you enter a prompt into the text field and click the send icon. The AI continues your story and then asks you a question like, “What happens next?” or “What do you see?” You create the next twist, and it continues the story again.

Here are some helpful features from AI Dungeon:

  • It’s not the most sophisticated tool, and it doesn’t have an editor-like interface for editing and polishing your stories.

Pricing:  AI Dungeon is free for unlimited words, but they do have premium packages that give you more features. Becoming a member (for $10 a month and up) gives you access to the AI image generator, more premium AI models, and other features.

best novel writing software reddit

For generating story ideas and getting the creative juices flowing, you can’t beat a free story-generating app. AI Dungeon is a great place to get started with your next novel idea. However, its lack of editing capabilities means that it won’t help you to develop a working draft. It’s more for fun.

Best for Outlining

best novel writing software reddit

Subtxt is an AI writing software that takes a different approach from other tools. Instead of generating a story paragraph by paragraph, it gives you a well-thought-out outline that you can use to write a story from.

The genius of Subtxt is that it uses proven story models to craft story ideas into 3-act structures that translate into compelling stories and screenplays.

Then it can generate a story intelligently based on the outline.

  • Subtxt’s documents and guide can be confusing for someone not well-versed in storytelling. This app seems more tailored to professional writers than beginners.
  • The website is a little buggy. 

Pricing:  The Basic plan is $25 a month, and Unlimited is $45 a month. It’s not clear from the website what each plan includes.

best novel writing software reddit

Subtxt is a powerful story generator and AI writing tool for the serious novelist. If you want to plot out a story AND harness the power of an AI writer, Subtxt is an excellent choice. 

6. ArtBreeder

Best for Character Design

best novel writing software reddit

ArtBreeder is an experimental AI art generator that can help you design characters and scenes for your story. While there are tons of AI art generators on the market ( I’ve trialed them all here! ), this one is specific for those stories.

Here are some things I like about ArtBreeder:

  • It doesn’t have a feature to generate art from text. You must start with an image or collection of images to use ArtBreeder. 

Pricing:  ArtBreeder is free to use, but accessing premium features like Private Mode and uploading your own images starts from $8 a month.

best novel writing software reddit

If you’re looking for a unique way to generate characters and scenes for your next novel, look no further than ArtBreeder’s AI image generator.

7. Wordtune

Best for Rewriting Sentences

best novel writing software reddit

Sometimes you’re working on a story, and a sentence doesn’t sound quite right. Or a line of dialogue doesn’t spark like the way you wanted it to. Enter Wordtune, a rewriting app that can take a single sentence and rephrase it in a click.

Here are some of the best features of Wordtune :

Pricing:  You can generate text up to 10 times a day for free, or purchase the premium plan for $10 a month, unlimited words, and the ability to rewrite paragraphs.

best novel writing software reddit

If you’re looking for an AI tool that can help you write more creatively, WordTune is a great choice. Use it to improve your writing style in just a few clicks.

8. Authors.ai

Best for Self-Publishers

best novel writing software reddit

Authors.ai provides an AI-based beta reader and editor for your novel. The AI editor, affectionately named Marlowe, will read through your manuscript and give you a 32-page report so you can improve the work before you publish.

This is a bit different and be used in additional to the other novel AI platforms, as it essentially acts as an editor which is geat for those looking to self-publish.

Here are some of the best features of Authors.ai :

  • It comes down to how much you trust an AI to decide if your book is well-written or not. Marlowe’s method is to compare your book to other bestsellers, but not all books are created equal—and that’s a good thing.

Pricing:  $30 a month will get you 2 full-length reports every month. If you’d like a single report, you can get it for a one-time fee of $45.

best novel writing software reddit

If you want to save time and money during the editing process, running it through Marlowe before sending it to beta readers or human editors could be a great help for those planning to go the self-publishing route.

9. ProWritingAid

Best for Copy Editing

best novel writing software reddit

ProWritingAid is an advanced AI writing tool and editor that helps you improve your writing with more than a dozen smart writing reports.

Yes, ProWritingAid helps you to correct spelling errors and grammar mistakes, but it goes way beyond that. Its detailed reports are designed to help you become a better writer. 

It can show you style errors and how to fix them, make your text more readable, help you avoid clichés and passive sentences, and revise other common writing blunders.

Here are some key features of ProWritingAid:

  • The plagiarism checker, which can help you make sure your work is fully unique, costs an extra $4 a month.

Pricing:  You can use ProWritingAid with limited functionality for free. A paid subscription starts at $20 a month for long-form documents and full access to writing reports. Premium Plus gives you access to the plagiarism checker for $24 a month.

best novel writing software reddit

If you’re planning to edit your novel yourself (or want to polish it up before sending it off to others), ProWritingAid will give you all the reports you need to get your manuscript ready for the next step.

10. Grammarly

Best for Proofreading

best novel writing software reddit

Grammarly is another great AI-based editing software and grammar checker that can help you proofread and polish your novel. It’s not as in-depth as ProWritingAid, but it does have a lot of helpful features.

Here’s what I like about Grammarly:

  • Grammarly does well with in-line editing of a document, but it doesn’t have all of the specific reports you get with ProWritingAid, nor does it have a comparable reference library.
  • You can’t create custom rules or style guides as an individual user, which makes it hard to define your own writing style.

Pricing:  Grammarly is free with a limited feature set, or $30 a month to access its full editing capabilities, plus a plagiarism checker. The Business plan with extra features, is available for teams of 3 or more, for up to $15 per team member.

best novel writing software reddit

If you want a quick yet thorough proofread of your novel, Grammarly can help you to do just that. And because it integrates with most websites and apps, it’s one of the most versatile editors you can have in your writing toolkit.

What is an AI Novel Writing Software?

An AI novel writing software tool uses artificial intelligence, natural language processing, and machine learning to intelligently craft stories that not only make sense but are also compelling to read. 

Other types of novel-writing software can help you generate story ideas or edit a finished draft.

How does an AI novel writer work?

To use an AI writer, you must give it a prompt and some parameters. 

For example, you could set up a mystery story by saying, “Jane is preparing to graduate from Middle High when she gets a mysterious letter from her grandmother inviting her to visit for two weeks.”

When you submit the prompt, the AI writer draws on its understanding of human language, story structure, the genre you’re writing, and other pieces of information and crafts the next few lines of the story.

Then you can review the new section, edit it further, or ask the AI writer to rewrite the text.

An AI novel writing software differs from other AI writers because it focuses on creative writing instead of informative or persuasive writing.

Some apps allow you to generate custom images, edit the tone and grammar of the text, and give structural feedback on the entire novel.

Benefits of an AI Novel Writing Tool

Let’s face it. Using an AI novel writing tool is a very new concept. Some would even suggest that it’s cheating because a “computer” is writing for you. But it’s important to realize they are just tools to supplement your ideas, and should be used as such.

Some of the benefits of AI novel writers are:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Which novel ai writing tools are available for free.

Out of the novel-writing tools I’ve reviewed here, Sassbook can help you write stories for free, AI Dungeon will help you find story ideas for free, ArtBreeder allows you to design characters and settings for free, and WordTune, ProWritingAid, and Grammarly can help edit your writing for free.

Do I still have creative control over my story if I use an AI writer?

Yes! AI writers use your unique prompt when writing a story, and you have full creative control over the output. If you don’t like a section, you can ask the software to write it again or edit the text to your liking.

It’s important to remember that AI tools are only meant to give you the first draft—you’ll still be able to edit and shape the draft into your own unique piece of writing.

Does AI writing software plagiarize other people’s writing?

No, AI writing tools don’t plagiarize. Everything an AI writer generates is brand-new text based on the software’s understanding of human language and sentence structure. It “thinks” about what it should say based on the input and strings together words to create new sentences. 

That said, there is a chance that the generated text matches something else that’s already been written, so it’s helpful to use a plagiarism checker on the final output.

What’s the best novel AI writing software available?

In my opinion, Sudowrite is the most robust and easy-to-use AI novel writing software available today. Jasper is also a great tool overall.

Can AI writing software actually write a novel?

Yes, it can! AI writing tools can follow any number of models—from resumés and job descriptions to blog posts and ads to creative stories. AI writing tools designed for creative writing have the necessary models to weave together an interesting story based on a prompt.

Online Entrepreneur

I'm on a mission to help small businesses implement the best AI and digital solutions on the market. Digital transformation can be complex and overwhelming, let me help you streamline your approach with my in-depth reviews and experiences.

Similar Posts

Rytr AI Writer Review: Is This Low-Cost AI Writer Worth It?

Rytr AI Writer Review: Is This Low-Cost AI Writer Worth It?

7 Best AI Trading Softwares To Automate Your Portfolio

7 Best AI Trading Softwares To Automate Your Portfolio

Cutting-Edge AI Travel Agents That Make Planning Trips Easy

Cutting-Edge AI Travel Agents That Make Planning Trips Easy

Rezi AI Review: I Personally Built a Resume, My Honest Review

Rezi AI Review: I Personally Built a Resume, My Honest Review

5 Best AI Background Generators For Flawless Images

5 Best AI Background Generators For Flawless Images

The Best AI Translator Apps & Services for Businesses (2023)

The Best AI Translator Apps & Services for Businesses (2023)

Atomic Scribbler

Atomic Scribbler is now SmartEdit Writer

Same app, different name. Now 100% Free!

Free Software for Novel and Short Story Writers

SmartEdit Writer

Planning & Research

Store images & links to websites — all in a handy Research section that sits right next to you as you write. Create character profiles, outlines & notes as you work.

Write Scene by Scene

No more 100,000 word Microsoft documents. Write your novel one scene or chapter at a time. Drag and drop scenes inside your Document until it’s just the way you want it.

Edit, Polish, Improve

Identify word and phrase over-use, monitor adverbs, crutch words & clichés, improve sentence structure & punctuation — all using SmartEdit’s Editor Toolbar.

Learn more about SmartEdit Writer

Get help, read the tutorials, watch the Getting Started video, visit the support forums.

Getting Started…

  • Getting started — creating a new project
  • Scenes, Fragments & Notes — the SmartEdit Writer workflow
  • Running SmartEdit Editor for the first time

The SmartEdit Blog…

  • SmartEdit Writer Automatic Backups and Fail-Safe Backups
  • SmartEdit Writer now 100% free
  • Renaming Atomic Scribbler to SmartEdit Writer

Chloe Teo

5 Best AI Novel Writing Software 2022 (Free & Paid)

' src=

There are many different types of AI tools that can help authors with their writing. Some are designed to help with the creative process, while others focus on helping you to edit and revise your work.

In this article, we will be looking at five of the best AI novel writing software options currently available. If you’re an author who’s been wondering how to increase your productivity and creativity, look no further.

What is AI novel writing software and how does it work?

AI novel writing software is a type of computer software that helps authors with their writing. It can help with everything from coming up with ideas to editing and revising your work. It uses artificial intelligence (AI) to help you produce better content in a shorter time.

Benefits of using AI novel writing software for authors

There are many benefits to using AI novel writing software for authors. Some of the most important benefits include:

  • Increased productivity and creativity – Writing can be a very time-consuming process, and it can be hard to stay focused and motivated. AI novel writing software can help you to be more productive and creative, which will result in better quality content.
  • Increased accuracy and efficiency – Editing and revising your work can be a very time-consuming process. AI novel writing software can help you to edit and revise your work more quickly and accurately.
  • Increased focus – Writing can be a very distracting process, and it can be hard to stay focused on your work. AI novel writing software can help you to focus more on your writing and produce better results.

My Pick for Best AI Copywriting Tools

Looking for the best AI Copywriting tools? Check out my guide here for top picks instead!

5 Best Ai Novel Writing Software Available Today

There are many different ai novel writing software options available, but the seven that we will be discussing in this article are some of the best. These include:

1. Jasper Ai – Best AI Novel Writing Software for Non Fiction Books

best novel writing software reddit

Key Features

  • Boss Mode – Write up to 5X Faster using Boss Mode long form editor
  • Multi Language Support – Read, write, and translate in over 25 languages including Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, German, Greek, English, Spanish, Estonian, Finnish, French, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Lithuanian, Latvian, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Slovenian. Swedish, Chinese
  • Recipes – Use automated workflows that help you to easily generate content
  • Works for both fiction and non fiction book
  • Creative Story Template also allows you to write engaging stories
  • Choose between different Tone of Voice to suit your writing style
  • 3000 character lookback for better context
  • Grammarly integration
  • 50,000 word limit, $30 additional for 30,000 words
  • $29/month  for Starter Plan
  • $59/month  for Boss Mode (Recommended for authors)

jasper ai pricing plans

Jasper Ai is a writing tool that will assist authors in writing so much faster. It can help with everything from coming up with ideas to editing and revising your work. It uses artificial intelligence (AI) to help you produce better content in a much shorter time. Check out my video screen capture tutorial on Jasper that shows you exactly how it’s done!

Some of the benefits of using Jasper Ai include increased productivity and creativity, eliminating writer’s block and multi language support. If you are using it for writing, go for the Boss Mode plan as it has the long form editor. Check out my full Jasper Ai review here if you’re curious to find out more!

2. Grammarly – Best AI Novel Writing Software for Proofreading

best novel writing software reddit

  • Tone Detector – Analyse word choice, phrasing, punctuation
  • Grammar Checker – Check for grammar, spelling and punctuation errors
  • Plagiarism Checker – Detects plagiarism and prompts for text that requires citations
  • Has lifetime free account
  • Easy to use
  • Works on mobile
  • English language support
  • Free Account
  • $12/month for Premium Account
  • $12.50/month for Business Account (for 3 users and above)

best novel writing software reddit

Grammarly is a writing tool that helps authors with proofreading and detecting plagiarism. It has a tone detector to analyse word choice, phrasing and punctuation. It also has a grammar checker to check for grammar mistakes, spelling and punctuation errors. Grammarly is available as a free account and a premium account. The business account is $12.50/month and allows for 3 users or more.

3. Publisher Rocket – Best AI Novel Software for Market Research

publisher rocket competition analyser

  • Keywords Research – Find out what readers are typing into Amazon and how competitive the keyword is
  • Categories Research – Determine the subcategories that are relevant to your book and how much sales you’ll need to rank
  • Competition Analyser – Get insights of your competition’s price, daily sales and monthly sales
  • Amazon Ads – Suggests keywords for your book to help you create a targeted ad campaign
  • Created specifically for book market research
  • Lifetime access with one payment
  • User friendly software
  • 30 day money back guarantee
  • Takes time to analyze a lot of keyword suggestions
  • $97 for lifetime

Publisher Rocket is a market research tool that helps authors to determine the best keywords for their book, as well as the competition’s price, daily sales and monthly sales. It also provides insights on relevant subcategories and how much sales you’ll need to rank. Publisher Rocket is user-friendly and provides lifetime access for a one-time payment. It’s going to save you a lot of time compared to manual research, so I recommend it if you want the data to help you rank on Amazon.

4. NovelAI – Best AI Novel Writing Software for Fantasy Novels

best novel writing software reddit

  • AI Storyteller – Create stories that are more interesting and engaging
  • Writing Style – Emulate popular authors writing styles
  • Lorebook – Gives the AI software a general direction based on the world you want to create
  • Mobile Friendly
  • Easy to Use
  • High quality output for fiction with good structure and writing flow
  • Unlimited AI generation
  • Affordable price
  • Meant for fiction writing only
  • Free Trial up to 100 free generations
  • $10/month for tablet plan
  • $15/month for scroll plan
  • $25/month for opus plan

NovelAi is a writing tool that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to help fantasy authors write novels in a much shorter time. It can help with everything from coming up with ideas to writing your next paragraph. The AI storyteller helps you create stories that are more interesting and engaging, while the writing style emulates popular authors writing styles. The lorebook gives the AI software a general direction based on the world you want to create. If you’re a fantasy author or looking to write your next adventure, I highly recommend using NovelAi.

5. Authors.Ai – Best AI Novel Writing Software for Expert Critique

best novel writing software reddit

  • Repetitive Words – Highlights any overused adjectives, adverbs or phrases
  • Plot Structure Analysis – Gives you suggestions to improve the number of conflicts and resolutions in your story
  • Pacing Analysis – Improve your pacing so readers stay engaged throughout your story
  • Major Characters Personality Traits – Analyses your major characters personality traits and give suggestions to make them more three dimensional
  • Has visual representations to improve your story based on data
  • Affordable pricing and single report option
  • Free report option
  • $29.95/month for Pro Plan
  • $45 for Single Report

best novel writing software reddit

Want to make your next book a best seller? Authors.Ai is a data-driven writing tool that helps authors to improve their stories based on data. It offers a variety of features such as analysing repetitive words, plot structure analysis, pacing analysis and major characters personality traits. It also has a free report option. The pro plan is $29.95/month and the single report is $45.

Final Thoughts

Each of the best AI novel writing software listed above have their own benefits that can be extremely helpful for authors. AI writing tools such as Grammarly and Publisher Rocket can help with proofreading and market research, while tools like Authors.Ai can help with expert critique and story improvement. Jasper AI and Novel AI can help in writing much faster copy.

All of the best AI writing tools listed above have one thing in common – they help authors to produce their best work. They offer data-driven feedback that can be extremely helpful for improving stories, editing, and market research. If you’re an author who wants to improve your skills, I recommend using one or more of these tools to help you achieve your goals.

Frequently Asked Questions about AI Novel Writing Software

What is the best ai writing software.

It depends on what you need. My recommendation would be Jarvis Ai if you want to write non fiction or want additional features like writing marketing copy and video scripts. For fiction, I recommend NovelAi.

Can an AI write a novel?

Yes AI is able to write a novel. Machine learning algorithms rely on a vast amount of data collected on the internet and utilise GPT-3, an autoregressive language model that uses deep learning to produce writing that sounds like a human.

Similar Posts

6 Best Pink Gaming Chairs for Your Gaming Setup in 2022

6 Best Pink Gaming Chairs for Your Gaming Setup in 2022

38 Best Self Help Books to Change Your Life in 2022

38 Best Self Help Books to Change Your Life in 2022

Copy Ai Review – Pros, Cons & Free Trial

Copy Ai Review – Pros, Cons & Free Trial

Writesonic vs Jasper Ai: Which is better in 2022?

Writesonic vs Jasper Ai: Which is better in 2022?

Theragun Pro vs Hypervolt 2 Pro Compared & Reviewed 2022

Theragun Pro vs Hypervolt 2 Pro Compared & Reviewed 2022

Jasper.ai Ultimate Review: Best AI Copywriting tool in 2022?

Jasper.ai Ultimate Review: Best AI Copywriting tool in 2022?

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

COMMENTS

  1. Best writing apps of 2020/219 : r/selfpublish

    starmandell Best writing apps of 2020/219 Hello, so I think scrivener is still the gold standard for most novels. But does anyone else have suggestions for simpler alternatives? I've tried a number of them for non-fiction but wanted to see your take. Novlr. Overall it does the job pretty well.

  2. Writing software : r/selfpublish

    r/selfpublish • 2 yr. ago [deleted] Writing software I am new to this sub, and I plan on self publishing, but I am still working on the actual book itself and I was wondering which writing software would you guys recommend? 40 Sort by: Add a Comment mbanana • 2 yr. ago • Edited 2 yr. ago Scrivener is of course great.

  3. What's some great software to write a novel in? : r/writing

    20 Share Sort by: Add a Comment [deleted] • 5 yr. ago Scrivener 11 mayasky76 • 5 yr. ago Wavemaker. Https://wavemaker.co.uk It's free. I built it . Enjoy :) 5 [deleted] • 5 yr. ago Keep using Word and stop finding excuses to procrastinate. 5 PenDefender • 5 yr. ago Ulysses, on both iPad and Desktop. I only use Word when I have to.

  4. Free writing software recommendations? : r/writing

    Stardog2 • 5 yr. ago I have (and use) BOTH Scrivener and Atomic Scribbler. I can't decide which I like better. For free, you aren't going to do better than Atomic Scribbler. It is VERY good. BUT, Scrivener does have a few tricks up its sleeve that are unique to it.

  5. What software or app is best for writing a book : r/writing

    I recently have started writing my first book and it's going pretty well. My story line is good, characters are developing nicely. My biggest issue is the way I have been writing it. I am 42 pages in and have been using Microsoft and there are things I like about it, and things that are driving me crazy.

  6. Best computer and software for novel writing? : r/writing

    12 agbishop • 8 yr. ago • Edited 8 yr. ago Word, Google Docs, and Scrivener all run equally well on Macs vs. Windows. If writing is the primary purpose, I would suggest paying attention to non-software traits: Laptop Weight / Portability

  7. The best novel writing software of 2023 : r/MDavenportAuthor

    r/MDavenportAuthor • 1 yr. ago MDavenportAuthor The best novel writing software of 2023 Blog/Information The year's just started, but I've compiled some of the best tools for writers for you to enjoy. Check out the post here: https://www.mdavenportauthor.com/post/the-best-novel-writing-software-of-2023 Be the first to comment

  8. 15 Best Novel Writing Software For Authors (2023 Update)

    1. AutoCrit 2. Bibisco 3. Dramatica 4. FastPencil/Opyrus 5. FocusWriter 6. Milanote 7. Novellus 8. Novlr 9. Scrivener 10. Storyist 11. The Novel Factory 12. Ulysses 13. WriteItNow

  9. The Best Novel Writing Software in 2024 (Reviewed by a Novelist)

    The Best Novel Writing Software in 2024 (Reviewed by a Novelist) The Best Novel Writing Software in 2024: A Comparison of Ten of the Most Popular Apps There are many ways to write a novel - and I'm not talking planners and pantsers right now.

  10. The Best Novel Writing Software of 2024 (+ 5 Free Programs)

    Milanote (story planning and organizational tool) — $12.50/month Novlr (word processor and grammar/style editor) — $10/month WriteItNow (chapter planning and word processor) — $59.95 AutoCrit (advanced editing program) — $10/month Ulysses (story planning and word processor) — $5.99/month

  11. Novlr Review: The Best Writing Software for You?

    Novlr is an online novel-writing app that includes a word processor, a progress-tracking dashboard, and export capabilities for your book. Its cloud-based platform will automatically back up your writing whenever you're online, so it's basically Google Docs made specifically for novelists. If you want to cut straight to the chase and find out ...

  12. 7 Best Novel Writing Software 2024 (50 Story Planners Ranked)

    7 Best Novel Writing Software 2024 (50 Story Planners Ranked) by Chris Von Wilpert, BBusMan • Last updated November 23, 2023 Expert Verified by Leandro Langeani, BBA Disclosure: We test and review software products based on an independent, multi-step rating methodology. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission.

  13. The Best Novel Writing Software: Tools Every Fiction Writer Should Use

    1. Microsoft Word Microsoft Word is one of the oldest word processors out there, and it is still widely used for writing books. Word has a lot of features to offer, and with a new suite of productivity features added regularly, this software makes writing more accessible to the average writer.

  14. The Best Writing Apps for 2024

    Our Top 9 Picks Final Draft Best for Screenwriting Jump To Details $249.99 at Amazon Check Stock Scrivener Best for Genre Templates Jump To Details $59.99 at Literature & Latte See It Ulysses...

  15. The Best Book Writing Software of 2024: Scrivener, yWriter ...

    Price: Starting at $1.50 per month. Another option for science fiction and fantasy writers is Campfire Write. Created with these genres in mind, this web-based book writing software lets you map your story by Elements (characters, locations, maps, species, cultures, philosophies, etc.), which can be purchased individually, as needed.

  16. Best Book Writing Software of 2024 [UPDATED!]: + Discounts!

    By Dave Chesson 121 Last updated on January 8th, 2024 What is the best software for writing a book? Well, that depends. There are many things an author needs to consider, as well as their personal preference. But as you'll see, not all writing apps and software are created equal.

  17. Book Writing Software (2024): Top 10 for Writers

    Book Writing Software (2024): Top 10 for Writers by Joe Bunting | 96 Comments Writing a book is hard. I've written fifteen books and at some point during each one I had the thought, "There has to be a tool, a piece of book writing software, that would make it easier to reach my writing goals."

  18. 12 Best Novel Writing Software to Help Write Your Dream ...

    12 Best Novel Writing Software to Help Write Your Dream Book [2024] By Dhruv Parmar Are you interested in writing the next best fictional novel? If yes, then you shouldn't miss out on this article by any chance. Novel writing software is one of the many creative innovations of technical advancement.

  19. My 9 Favorite Scrivener Alternatives for 2023

    1. My Favorite Alternative: Atticus. Out of all the Scrivener alternatives on the market, Atticus is definitely my favorite. Made by the team at Kindlepreneur, Atticus is an all-in-one writing and formatting app that combines the best features of Scrivener, Google Docs, and Vellum. It has a simple, user-friendly interface that's perfect for ...

  20. 16 Best Novel Writing Software For Authors

    Ginger How to Select the Best Writing Software for Novels Writing a book is challenging. Novel writing software makes it just a bit easier. Book writing software will not write for you, but they can help with organization, tracking, ideation, planning, concentrating, editing, and proofreading.

  21. 10 Best AI Novel Writing Software to Help You Write The Next Bestseller

    Jasper AI is an all-around great AI writer. Because the it can generate both stories and other copy, it's a good choice for writers who want to produce both fiction and non-fiction pieces. That said, newer novelists might want more advanced fiction-writing features to help them write better stories. Try Jasper Here. 3.

  22. Free software for writers

    Atomic Scribbler is now SmartEdit Writer Free Software for Novel and Short Story Writers SmartEdit Writer - free software to plan your novel, prepare and maintain research material, write your novel scene by scene and edit chapter by chapter in a modern Windows application that has a similar look and feel to Microsoft Word. Download Now

  23. 5 Best AI Novel Writing Software 2022 (Free & Paid)

    It also has a grammar checker to check for grammar mistakes, spelling and punctuation errors. Grammarly is available as a free account and a premium account. The business account is $12.50/month and allows for 3 users or more. 3. Publisher Rocket - Best AI Novel Software for Market Research.