good creative writing applications

Best free writing app of 2024

Bring your words to life with the best free writing apps

Best overall

Best for markup, best word alternative, best word processor, best for mac, best online.

• How we test

The best free writing apps serve up more than just text tools - they also offer betters ways to manage and organize all your ideas, outlines, and projects. 

1. Best overall 2. Best for markup 3. Best Word alternative 4. Best word processor 5. Best for Mac 6. Best online 7. FAQs 8. How we test

Like the best free word processors , writing apps help you get your thoughts on the page without breaking the bank (or your train of thought). But we’ve also made sure they’ll make it easier to save, share, and sync all your documents and keep them safe, whether you need a desktop writing app for work, school, or play. 

If you struggle to stay focused, we’ve tested some of the best free writing apps come with distraction-free layouts or gamification challenges to keep you in the zone. We’ve also reviewed those built for professional document creation, with advanced business features such as speech-to-text transcription and online collaboration tools. 

Our picks cover the best apps for writing on the web, Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS - so you’re always ready whenever and wherever creativity strikes. 

<a href="https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener/" data-link-merchant="literatureandlatte.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> Scrivener: best writing software for authors Scrivener is packed with all the features a novelist needs, helping you track plot threads, store notes on characters and locations, structure your work and (most importantly) get some serious work done. It's not a free writing app like the tools below, but it's well worth the investment if your budget will allow it.

The best free writing app of 2024 in full:

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

1. FocusWriter

Our expert review:

Specifications

Reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

FocusWriter helps writers combat one of their biggest challenges: distractions. One of the best free writing software tools out there, it's specifically designed to let you just concentrate on your writing. 

The stripped-back interface is deliciously sparse - ideal for when you just need to get your head down and write - and not dissimilar to a moderately powerful version of Notepad, featuring support for TXT, basic, RTF, and ODT files. 

Even the toolbar is hidden until you actually need it. Just swoop your cursor to the top on the screen to reveal a barren menu, from basic formatting to themes and timers.

Features are light within the software, but FocusWriter isn’t made for heavy editing sessions. It’s designed to make the act of writing flow seamlessly onto the page. 

Elsewhere, the writing app boasts the ability to add themes and your own background images, which can help you stay motivated. 

The Daily Progress tool is a sweet extra, adding Duolingo-style gamification that lets you track your daily writing streak. For when it’s oh-so-easy to slip onto social media when you can’t find the perfect word, it’s a nice way to keep you within the app. 

Available for Windows, Linux, and macOS, the writing software also comes as a portable download, no installation required. So, you can pop it on a USB stick and plug it into any computer you’re working on. 

Read our full FocusWriter review .

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2. WriteMonkey

WriteMonkey is another piece of free writing software that cuts down on the clutter to deliver uninterrupted writing sessions. 

The free word processor, cleverly described as zenware, is unbelievably pared back compared to more traditional writing apps. 

There’s very little in the way of distracting ‘screen furniture’, which means you’re better positioned to concentrate on the writing process. And absolutely nothing else. 

But don’t let that stripped-back approach fool you. As one of the best free writing apps, WriteMonkey is still rich with the sort of core features that matter to writers. 

However, most options are hidden in a context menu (so you’ll need to right-click to view it). It also only supports TXT files, which may limit those looking to read, write, or edit across multiple formats. It is, at least, a portable download, letting you take it wherever you need.

If you’ve enjoyed Markdown, the simplified text-editing language that lets you format, annotate, classify, and link as you type, then great. WriteMonkey’s inner workings will instantly chime. 

First-timers should spend a little time with this free writing software, to uncover that intuitive simplicity. 

Read our full WriteMonkey review .

3. LibreOffice Writer

Writer, the open-source, free writing software, serves almost all general writing needs.

LibreOffice is a near-perfect example of free office software - a familiar, feature-rich take on the office suite. What the veteran software package lacks in Microsoft polish (its interface is undeniably old-fashioned, for starters), it makes up for in its price-point: free. For that, you get access to six tools: Calc, Impress, Draw, Base, Math, and Writer. 

Earning it a slot on our list of best free writing apps is the fact that LibreOffice Writer packs the full editing toolbox. 

This isn’t just a note-taking app for staving off distractions when you’re deep in the zone; it’s for when you’re in pure writer-mode. 

If you’re at all proficient with Microsoft Word, you won’t have any problems using the Writer software. Layouts and functions are almost identical, and there’s support for DOC and DOCX file types, making it efficient to switch out of the Microsoft garden.

This free writing app is ideal if you’re hunting for a tool that almost perfectly replicates the Word experience without the cost. 

Read our full LibreOffice review .

4. Microsoft Word

When it comes to word processors, Microsoft Word is probably the baseline against which all others are compared. It’s the one most of us use at school, home, and work. It’s familiar, comfortable - and it’s available free on the web and mobile devices. 

That may not be the best way to write your masterpiece (unless you’ve hooked up a Bluetooth keyboard). But it’s a great way to jot down ideas on-the-go. When we tested the browser-based version we found it could be a bit slow at first, and we were typing faster than the words appeared on screen. This settles down (mostly) after a minute or so. 

Microsoft’s free writing apps on Android and iPhone had no such issues. Using these was velvety smooth. We especially appreciated the option to switch between mobile view and desktop view, so we could gauge how the document would appear in full-screen. 

As with Google Docs, you’ll need to sign up with a Microsoft account. And, like Google, that also lets you use free versions of PowerPoint, Excel, and the like. While Word offers one of the best free writing app experiences, there’s no denying that the paid-for upgrade is superior, offering more tools, and a true desktop app. 

Read our full Microsoft Word review .

Author promises to make it easier to ‘think, write, and cite’. It’s a promise capably delivered, with a clean interface and bags of writing features designed to make it easy to go from first draft to final copy. 

If you're an Apple user in search of the best free writing apps on macOS, this one demands your attention. 

Concept Maps is one of the best features. It’s a great mind-mapping tool to visualize and lay down all your thoughts while they’re fresh in your head without constraint. You can worry about whipping them into shape later. 

Students and report writers will appreciate Author’s ‘fast citing’ tools - speeding up assignment-writing by correctly adding and formatting citations, references, and contents. 

A paid-for upgrade of the writing software that offers exporting options is available. However, unless you need automatic formatting on export, you can stick with the free version. 

6. Google Docs

Google Docs is a great free writing platform for any writer. It’s an extremely clean, quick word processor available in the browser, on desktop, and phone and tablet apps. So, you can take notes wherever inspiration strikes. 

Docs is more or less Google’s spin on Microsoft Word. The interface is a bit more simple than the professional office software - although it’s no less powerful. 

You’ll find heaps of writing tools, including a pretty accurate speech-to-text transcription tool (just enunciate and don’t talk too fast). Keyboard shortcuts are very well-supported. 

For best results, you’ll need an internet connection, though documents can be used offline. They’ll be synced, and in our experience, that happens swiftly behind the scenes. 

To take advantage of the free writing app, you’ll need a Google account, which may be a deal-breaker for some - but that also opens up the rest of the Google-stuff in the Google-sphere, such as Sheets, Slides, and . With a free account, you get 15GB of storage, which should be more than enough for word documents. A Google One subscription upgrades your storage space, amongst other things. 

Additionally, Google Docs is great if you want to collaborate with one or more other writers. Just be warned to stay in Google Docs for that, because exporting the data into Word or other writing applications can result formatting errors.

Read our full Google Docs review .

Best free writing app: FAQs

What's the difference between a writing app and an ai writer.

AI writers vs writing apps - what's the real difference?

Artificial intelligence is growing in a big way - and when it comes to writing, it's ChatGPT that's been snatching all the headlines of late, with its ability to generate short- and long-form content based on user prompts.

Generally, an AI writer will write your content for you, based on its current learning (although often without 'understanding' the context). A writing app simply lets you write your way, in your own voice. 

Some platforms, such as Canva , have even integrated AI into its Canva Docs and Canva PDF Editor services. However. its Magic Write tool acts as a writing assistant, serving up suggestions and ideas, leaving real writers to work their magic on the content. Though usually hiding in the back-end, you can also find AI integrated in other ways across other the best PDF editor apps (and even the best free PDF editor apps, too).

As always with AI-generated content, whether it's the written word or an artwork masterpiece, human involvement is usually necessary and always desirable. Even if you're using the best AI writers out there, editing and proofreading is essential to give the content accuracy and emotional resonance.

How to choose the best free writing app for you

When deciding which free writing app is best, start by figuring out what sort of writing you want to do. 

Do you need a handy tool for quick scribbles and jotting down ideas here and there, or are you using the writing software to write and edit an epic novel? Tools like FocusWriter and Write Monkey are great for getting thoughts on the page without friction.

It’s also worth considering if you need a writing app with a distraction-free design, so you can concentrate on what really matters to you. Again, FocusWriter performs admirably here, but as a result, you lose core typography and editing functions. Unlike LibreOffice, this isn’t the best Microsoft Office alternative if you need those tools. In that scenario, it may be worth considering looking at some of the best free office software , which includes MS Word-style apps, alongside other tools similar to Excel, PowerPoint, and so on. 

Access is an important factor when using your writing software. A tool like Scribus needs to be downloaded to your machine. Lightweight apps like FocusWriter, however, offer a portable download that can be downloaded to a USB and carried with you. 

Check what file formats your chosen writing app supports, too. While some let you create and edit the common DOC and DOCX files, others only allow TXT or RTF documents.

But most of all, it’s important to choose the best free writing app for your unique creative flow. 

How we test the best free writing apps

Testing the best free writing apps and software, we assess how easy it is to get your words down on the page with the least amount of friction. Portable writing apps rank high, because they let you use the program on whatever computer or laptop you’re using. 

We also look at performance for its intended audience. For distraction-free writing apps, do they really foster focus? For word processor-style software, does it offer good formatting and editing options? 

Most importantly, we expect to see free writing apps that are genuinely cost-free - no-one wants to stumble across hidden fees and charges in the contracts. 

We've listed the best laptops for writers .

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Steve is TechRadar Pro’s B2B Editor for Creative & Hardware. He explores the apps and devices for individuals and organizations that thrive on design and innovation. A former journalist at Web User magazine, he's covered software and hardware news, reviews, features, and guides. He's previously worked on content for Microsoft, Sony, and countless SaaS & product design firms. Once upon a time, he wrote commercials and movie trailers. Relentless champion of the Oxford comma.

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The 10 Best Writing Apps of 2024

Useful tools for novelists, playwrights, editors, and other wordy types

• The University of Phoenix
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If you're serious about writing, consider getting serious about your writing tools. These writing apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS , and Android put your words into the right format, adding polish and professionalism to your creations.

Best Word Processor for All Genres: Microsoft Word

Hundreds of templates make creating any document simple and fast.

Easily add charts, graphs, and images.

Built-in translation tools.

Overwhelming interface.

Full app is expensive.

Only one person can edit shared documents at a time.

No writing tool list is complete without Microsoft Word. This word processor is the best option for all genres, complete with hundreds of templates to choose from, endless formatting tools, and a robust online support system. From a poem to an e-book to a novel, Word can help you do it all. You can even create your own Word templates .

Word is available for macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android devices. You can start with a free trial of Microsoft 365, which includes other Microsoft applications as well. If you choose to purchase, packages range from $69.99 a year to a one-time payment of $149.99. If those prices are too high for you, you can also use Word for free .

Download For:

Best Tool for Long-Form Content: Scrivener

Keyboard shortcuts make writing a breeze.

Templates are ready-made to jumpstart your creativity.

Easy to manage and rearrange pages and chapters.

Has a learning curve.

Spelling and grammar check are not enabled by default.

Intended for users who have an intermediate understanding of word processing.

Do you write long-form works like novels or non-fiction books? If so, you need a tool that performs some of the low-level tasks for you. Scrivener offers ready-made templates that eliminate the need to spend time on tedious formatting tasks.

This application also includes features for storing details about your characters and other critical background information, writing sections and placing them in your manuscript later, and viewing a detailed outline built from synopses that you write for each chapter. If you don't like the flow, you can move chapters around. When you're ready to publish, Scrivener makes it simple to compile and export a completed manuscript.

Scrivener is available for macOS, Windows, and iOS. You can try it free for 30 days. After the trial, a standard license costs $59.99 or $50.99 for students.

Best Screenwriting Application: Final Draft

It has everything professional screenwriters need to meet industry standards.

Powerful story mapping tools.

Integrates with Storyboard Pro.

May not be great for beginners due to the hefty price and steep learning curve.

You must sign in to the platform each time you use it.

No support for real-time collaboration.

Final Draft is used by 95 percent of film and television productions. Why? There are hundreds of templates to choose from and Final Draft automatically paginates and formats your script to the industry standard, allowing you to focus on writing.

With advanced tools, the program allows you to easily brainstorm and collaborate as well as plan set pieces or store character research with customized visualizations.

Final Draft offers a free 30-day trial. After that, the cost is $199.99. The program works with both macOS and Windows and also offers a mobile app for iOS devices.

Best Organizational Companion: Evernote

Add photos, audio snippets, and more.

Robust collaboration tools.

Search for text in PDFs, images, scanned documents, and handwritten notes.

Only 60 MB of monthly upload space is available for free.

May include more features than you need for simple note taking.

Free version limits you to two devices.

To electronically capture ideas on the fly, use a text-based note app on your device. For an enhanced organizational experience, we recommend Evernote. It enables you to collect many types of input, including whiteboard photos, website screenshots, different document formats, audio recordings, and your handwriting. You can separate items into different notebooks for multiple projects.

Evernote is free to download for both Android and iOS devices, or you can use it online. Users can upgrade to Evernote Premium for $7.99 per month or Evernote Business for $14.99 per user per month.

Best Application for Distracted Writers: FocusWriter

The tool is easy start using as soon as it downloads.

Free with no catches.

Simple, intuitive interface.

There are no editing functions outside of cut and paste.

Need another word processor for editing purposes.

No mobile version.

Given all the distractions in the world and especially online, it's easy to get off track during your writing time. FocusWriter allows you to focus and get your work done. The interface is basic, with all the tools hidden beyond a screen until you need them, so it's just you and the document in front of you. Hidden timers and alarms alert you when it's time to stop.

Best Writing Software for Bloggers: Google Docs

Changes to your documents save automatically, so no more lost work.

View the history of edits and track changes.

Collaborate in real time.

The Google Docs app for mobile devices is slower than the desktop version.

Limited options for adding charts and other visuals.

Fewer formatting features than premium word processors.

One of the best things about Google Docs is how easy the program makes it to collaborate with others. No more "version shuffle" as you send drafts and revisions back and forth in email.

When you share a document with your blog editor, they can insert suggestions, comments, and changes right there. Then, when it's time to implement the changes, accept the revisions and close comments about issues you resolved. You can even use Google to work on Microsoft Word documents.

Google Docs is a free online tool that's also available as an app for Android and iOS devices.

Best Writing App for Novelists: Werdsmith

Keeps track of your writing goals and tells you how close you are to reaching them.

Lots of helpful templates and formatting options.

Publish your writing to the web from the app.

Must purchase a membership to use the novel and screenplay features.

Text formatting tools could be more intuitive.

Not worth the price if you don't regularly use all the features.

Werdsmith is a portable writing studio, complete with instant formatting for novels and screenplays. You can even use it to publish your online writing portfolio. Werdsmith features a clean design, it's easy to use, and it's the perfect place for keeping your notes and finished work. The goals and stats function helps keep you motivated.

Werdsmith is free to download and use for iOS devices. In-app purchases are offered through a membership for $4.99 per month. Members receive four new themes, novel and screenplay writing tools, hundreds of writing prompts, and more.

Best App for Journalists: Dictation

It's designed for one thing: dictation. This simplicity makes it an easy tool to use on the go.

Accurate transcriptions.

Helps prevents strain on your joints and back.

Without the pro version, you'll see an ad after each dictation you create.

Doesn't integrate with word processing apps, so it can be tedious to use.

No word counter.

For journalists who interview individuals for news stories and features, a good dictation tool is a must-have. Dictation is a speech-to-text app that translates voice to text for mobile devices. It can also be used to dictate any voice while on the go. It's perfect for capturing your brilliant ideas as well.

Dictation is free to download for iOS devices. Dictation Pro, which costs $44.99 per year, removes ads and allows you unlimited app usage.

Best Application for Editors: TextEdit

When the full-scale capabilities of a word processing program are unnecessary, TextEdit fills in the gap.

HTML and JavaScript support.

Save files in various formats (.DOCX, ODF, and others).

Only available for macOS devices.

No third-party plugins.

Formatting issues when you copy-and-paste.

This simple tool is perfect for editing documents, including Word files, on the fly and converting them into other formats seamlessly. Need to change a Rich Text Format (RTF) document to another format quickly? TextEdit is the perfect app for that. You can also easily create and edit HTML documents for the web.

TextEdit comes standard with macOS.

Best App for Song Writers: Lyric Notepad

Record yourself performing and attach the file to your song.

Counts syllables and tracks rhyme schemes to help you maintain your flow.

Inexpensive pro version.

The interface is a bit clunky.

No way to back up your lyrics to the cloud.

No search tool.

For poets, rappers, songwriters, and lyricists, inspiration can strike at any moment. That's why it's important to have a tool available at your fingertips. Lyric Notepad goes beyond typical word processing tasks to track rhyme and syllable schemes, help you find new words, and record your lyrics, all in one app. The built-in notepad allows you to add notes about your songs as you write and the metronome helps you easily keep time.

Lyric Notepad is free to download for both iOS and Android devices.

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37 Best Writing Apps to Improve Your Skills

Our regularly updated list features the best writing apps and software for authors, bloggers, and freelancers.

Writing apps can help you improve your writing skills, stay organized, streamline workflow, and allow you to get into the creative flow. Whether you’re a screenwriter , playwright, novelist, content writer or blogger, these helpful apps allow you to get your ideas out and develop outlines quickly. Our article reviewed the best writing apps and recommended which suits each writing style and project best.

At A Glance: Our Top 4 Picks For Writing Apps

• Best Writing App: Grammarly
• For Planning And Writing Stories: LivingWriter
• Best Alternative: ProWritingAid
• For Long-Form Writing: Scrivener

Grammar Checkers

1. grammarly, 2. prowritingaid, distraction-free writing tools, 5. ia writer, 8. novelize, best apps for novelists, 10. scrivener, 11. autocrit, 12. storyist (for mac), 13. ywriter, 14. the novel factory, 15. hemingway app, organization tools, 16. dynalist, 18. writer.com, 19. livingwriter, 20. microsoft word, 21. plain text, 22. day one, 23. evernote, ai writing tools, 25. wordtune, 26. articleforge, 28. jasper ai, 29. chat gpt, text and speech tools, 30. fromtexttospeech.com, collaboration tools, 32. google docs, 33. zoho writer, screenwriting tools, 34. script studio, 35. fade in, 36. final draft, 37. writerduet, a final word on the best writing apps.

Using the best grammar checkers in your writing allows you to identify and correct grammar as you work. They offer advanced features that can be great for spotting tone differences, trickier grammar errors, and stylistic suggestions. These tools create a seamless writing experience ensuring your writing is ready to go, with little need for proofreading or heavy editing afterward.

Use for:  Grammar checkering Pricing:  $29.99 per month

Grammarly is a powerful grammar checker, plagiarism detector and AI writing assistant. We use it every day to check work on this site. Both the free and premium versions are useful. It provides several editing recommendations, such as avoiding passive voice, using shorter sentences, alternative suggestions for using a broader vocabulary, etc. Many of these features are invaluable when trimming your word count. You can find out why I like this premium grammar checker in our Grammarly review .

We tested dozens of grammar checkers, and Grammarly is the best tool on the market today. It'll help you write and edit your work much faster. Grammarly provides a powerful AI writing assistant and plagiarism checker.

Use for:  Proofreading and grammar checking Pricing:  From free to $25+ per month

ProWritingAid is another proofreading and grammar checker writing app that will help you improve your writing and refine the art of self-editing. ProWritingAid works similarly to Grammarly , but it’s more affordable. I recently published a detailed review and video comparison if you need clarification on this writing software and how it compares to the apps above. Read our ProWritingAid review .

ProWritingAid is a powerful, accurate grammar checker and style editor. It's suitable for non-fiction and fiction writers and doesn't require a monthly subscription. Save 20% per month or year.

Use for:  Grammar-checking Pricing:  $13.99/month

Ginger software is an affordable alternative to Grammarly . Ginger Software is somewhat useful for writers who don’t consider English their primary language. It enables you to translate documents written in Spanish, French, German, and more into English. It will also check for grammar errors. Read our comparison of Ginger Vs. Grammarly .

Use for:  Grammar and spell check Pricing:  $14.99/month

Linguix acts as a spelling and grammar checker. It’s more affordable than Grammarly’s premium plan. It’s ideal for anyone who writes for a living or as a hobby. Students will also benefit from using it to prove their essays or assignments. While it does an excellent job at catching typos, it won’t catch sentences that run on or are challenging to understand. Read our Linguix review .

The best distraction-free writing tools provide a minimalistic space for writers to focus without being side-tracked by too many features, bright colors, or editing options. They offer a focused environment where writers can concentrate on their writing. Often, these tools have full-screen modes, customizable backgrounds, and no alerts. It can be a great way to get into the flow state when writing and let your creativity shine.

Use for:  Writing articles and blog posts Pricing:  From $29.99/month

iA Writer is a distraction-free writing app for short blog posts and articles. This iPad, iPhone, and Mac writing app helps writers overcome distractions through the Focus Mode feature. It also has a full-screen mode highlighting the line you are typing and will fade out everything else on the document. This is one of the most ingenious features for focusing your mind on the current point, which is helpful, especially in creative writing projects. Read our iA Writer review .

Use for:  Productive and focused writing sessions Pricing:  $10/month or $100/year

Novlr is ideal for creating a production workflow and finishing your writing project with time to spare. This app is aesthetically pleasing and browser-based, automatically saving cloud content. It has a “focus mode” that sets the mood for writing without distractions. You can also track stats, write collaboratively, and organize outlines. Use this writing app on any browser.

Use for:  Writing articles and blog posts Pricing:  From $5.99/month

Ulysses is a powerful, intuitive, distraction-free Mac OS and iOS writing app. Windows and Android writers are still looking for a solution. It also has features such as a Markup-Based Text Editor, keyboard shortcuts so writers can work quicker, a library to organize notes and documents, a space to set writing goals, publish directly to WordPress and Medium, etc. It’s a good choice for bloggers and content writers. Read our Ulysses review .

Use for:  Best for writing novels Pricing:  $9/month or $65/year

Novelize is an intuitive web-based app ideal for novelists and creative writers. With a simple workflow, it has built-in tools for managing notes and rearranging sections. It encourages writers to focus and get into the flow state when writing. Cloud-based storage ensures that work is accessible from anywhere, at any time, so it won’t be lost when creativity strikes.

The best writing apps for novelists offer features such as manuscript organization, plot timelines, and character development tools. They’re a great assistant to writers who might need extra help developing their ideas. Many of these tools offer outline templates with various themes, such as Hero’s Journey or Voyage and Return. These apps help novelists easily plan, write, and finish their work.

Use for: Preparing a book to self-publish Pricing:  $199

Vellum is a writing app that authors can use to prepare a book for self-publishing. One of the trickiest parts of self-publishing is creating a book that looks good. Or at least, it was. With Vellum, you can create beautiful-looking e-books and print books in minutes. I prepare all my books for self-publishing with Vellum, and it’s a delight to use. Read our Vellum review .

Use for:  Writing books and longer-form works Pricing:  From $49/month

I can’t recommend Scrivener enough as a writing app for longer-form works. Scrivener allows writers and students to organize their ideas and manage more complicated writing projects using the desktop and mobile writing app. It’s also available on iPad. Scrivener also has plenty of keyboard shortcuts to speed up the writing process. Read our Scrivener review .

Scrivener is our go-to app for long-form writing projects. It's popular with best-selling novelists, screenwriters, non-fiction writers, students, academics, lawyers, journalists, translators and more. 

Use for:  Editing and learning to write Pricing:  Free, paid is $30/month or pro version for $300/year

AutoCrit is a self-editing app built for novelists and storytellers. Beyond just checking for spelling and grammar errors, it includes tools to examine the pacing and momentum of your work, dialogue, and more. It points out instances of passive voice, showing vs. telling, using cliche phrases, and even if you overuse certain words or phrases. Read our AutoCrit review .

Use for:  Organizing plots and developing characters Pricing:  $59

Storyist is a versatile writing app ideal for novelists, screenwriters, and non-fiction writers. Storyist is one of the best story-building apps available for Mac. It has an intuitive workspace that can be used for organizing plots, developing characters, and integrating research. There are also collaborative editing tools available for teams to use. It’s ideal for self-publishing and collaborative projects alike. 

Use for:  Organized and structuring work Pricing:  Free

yWriter is a powerful writing app designed for authors and novelists who prefer a structured and organized approach to writing. This app is on Mac and Windows and mobile for Android and iOS. yWriter allows writers to store details about their work and turn them into data charts and tables – visually representing various statistics within the writing.

Use for:  Fiction writing  Pricing:  $7.50/month

The Novel Factory is a type of novel writing software for fiction writers. It offers a step-by-step tutorial to writing your first novel taking you through scenes, characters, themes, etc. I don’t write fiction much these days, so I haven’t tested The Novel Factory extensively. It reminded me a little of the Scrivener fiction template. Listen to our interview with Katja Kaine of the Novel Factor.

Use for:  Self-editing Pricing:  $19.99

Writers can use Hemingway Editor to improve their writing and self-editing skills. Paste your text into the application, and it will provide suggestions for removing unnecessary words here and there, such as adverbs or tautology. It also suggests reframing specific sentences from passive voice to active voice and much more. Hemingway is beneficial to reducing your word count without leaving out any essential points from your article. Read our Hemingway app review .

Organization tools for writers help writers re-organize their notes, ideas, and plot outlines with helpful features. This can include creating folders, tags, categorizing notes, and building outlines. Intuitive apps can enhance the writing experience by managing research information and organizing the creative process.

Use for:  Outlines Pricing: Free or $7.99/month

Writers can use Dynalist to create outlines for articles and book chapters. This app is helpful if you’re a writer who likes to outline their work in advance. It also supports Markdown and can be used as a to-do list tool. The free version is good enough for most writers unless you value a revision history. Read our Dynalist review .

Use for:  Outlines Pricing:  From $25 – $65/year depending on plan

Plottr is one of the best tools for creating outlines for your novels. Various outlining templates, including The Seven Point Plot Structure and The Hero’s Journey, are available. Following one of these intuitive templates is a great way to get your ideas on paper and get into the flow of waiting. Plotter can be used on Mac or Windows computers and also has a mobile app.

Use for:  Business Writing Pricing:  $11/month

If you write fiction or casual blog posts, Writer.Com is not for you. Instead, it’s intended for marketing teams, brand agencies, social media managers, sales and HR departments, PR, and more. It can act as a style guide-building platform, so team members can mandate and learn rules for style in terms of the language and tone to use when writing. Read our Writer.Com review .

Use for:  Fiction writing Pricing:  $96/year or $9.99/month

.LivingWriter is a new story-writing app for writing stories or a book. Rather than using a word processor, Living Writer is accessible via your web browser. Like Scrivener, it helps writers arrange their plots and stories using boards. Living Writer contains a series of outline templates for famous story structures like the Hero’s Journey. Read our Living Writer review .

Living Writer contains time-saving templates for authors and novelists. iOS and Android apps available

Use for:  General writing Pricing:  $139.99/year or $6.99/ month

Microsoft Word is a classic writing app for all general writing projects. Although it’s a pricey option, MS Word is reliable, versatile, and easy to use. It works well on Mac and Windows PC and mobile on both iOS and Android. MS Word is a standard writing application for creating documents to print, note-taking, and more! However, its grammar checker could be better, so I recommend using it with the Grammarly plug-in.

Use for:  Writing whatever, wherever Pricing:  Free

If you’re a writer on a budget, you don’t need to spend any money buying expensive writing software or apps. Instead, you can use the free text editor with your operating system. Just open up Notepad on Windows or TextEdit on a Mac and get to work! I like plain text editors for writing something short quickly and easily, without thinking about it too much.

Use for:  Journal writing Pricing: $2.95/month

Day One is the best journal writing app on the market today. It’s much more than an online diary. You can also add photos, audio, and video to your entries. You don’t need to sit down and type anything up; you can record directly into your Apple Watch. As journalling is quite a hard habit to stick to, the ease of use makes it much more accessible. It also automatically uses geotags that add location, date, time, and weather to your entries. Read our Day One review .

Use for: Writing articles and blog posts Pricing: Free

Evernote is a good app for saving research and story ideas. I use Evernote to record ideas for blog posts and book chapters during the day. Jotting down notes immediately when ideas come to you is a fantastic way of capturing random moments of inspiration and overcoming writer’s block. It also has integrations, team collaboration, and more. Read our guide: What is Evernote ?

Use for: Markdown text editor Pricing: From $5.99

Byword is a Markdown text editor. It’s mostly aimed at Apple writers. Byword is not ideal for authors, but bloggers and web developers will find it useful. While it offers Markdown support, it can also support keyboard shortcuts to allow you to Preview your work ahead of publishing. It even boasts MultiMarkdown support, cross-referencing and footnotes, and metadata.

If you’re still familiar with Markdown, Byword has a guide to get you started. It’s $5.99 to download for iOS and $11 to download on Mac. Read our Byword review .

Artificial intelligence writing apps leverage the latest AI technology to assist writers when generating ideas, content, and outlines. Using AI in writing has many new benefits, such as conquering writer’s block, fact-checking, structuring outlines, completing paragraphs, and more. Prompting AI tools to assist with writing can improve productivity and generate creative ideas.

Use for: AI rephrasing and writing  Pricing: From $9.99/month

Wordtune can help you to write better sentences. It’s helpful for employees or freelancers sending emails to editors or writers struggling to find the best way to phrase something. This AI rephrasing tool can help you perfect the tone of what you are trying to write. It can also suggest ways to shorten sentences or expand your thoughts. It also has an online editor. Read our Wordtune review .

Use for: Content generation Pricing: From $27/month

Article Forge is ideal for businesses that need to create content. The app uses artificial intelligence to scan existing web pages for keywords or a topic. It will analyze the content and then rewrite it in its language. The article will be generated in minutes. Read our Article Forge review .

Use for: AI writing tool Pricing: $9/month

Rytr is a tool for businesses looking to create content or even bloggers facing writer’s block. Having it create content from scratch could provide better results. However, it does a solid job of rewriting and improving existing posts. It also does a decent job of mocking up product descriptions if you provide the context. Plus, it can function as an editing tool. Read our Rytr review .

Use for: AI copywriting Pricing: From $29/month

Jasper.ai is a godsend for marketers and entrepreneurs looking to create short-form content. This includes email subject lines, product descriptions, blog introductions, social media posts, and video titles. It’s one of the best apps if you’re looking to use AI to boost your content. It can even help bloggers tackle writer’s block too. Read our Jasper AI review .

Use for: Writing blog articles and copywriting Pricing: Free or $20/month

ChatGPT has taken the world by storm with its AI writing capabilities. Use it to brainstorm ideas for your next novel or blog post, build detailed outlines, fact-check, and build world lore. This is a versatile browser application that can adapt to your needs with ease. It’s an excellent option for combating writer’s block and generating fresh ideas. It’s available on Mac and Windows and as a free mobile app. Read our ChatGPT review .

Text and speech writing tools allow writers to convert their text to speech and vice versa. This is an excellent tool for hearing your work during editing to ensure the content flows and makes sense. It’s also a great way to quickly get your ideas on paper when a creative idea strikes.

Use for: Converting writing to MP3 Pricing: Free

FromTextToSpeech.com is a browser-based application that allows you to turn your writing into MP3 files that can be downloaded to listen to. Many authors recommend reading work aloud to ensure it flows well, so using an app like this is a great way to proofread your novel.

Use for: Transcriptions and dictation Pricing: $1.25 per minute of audio

Rev is another useful dictation app for writers. Using the iPhone or Android app, you can dictate a draft into your phone and then upload it to Rev for transcription by a human at $1 a minute. Alternatively, if you interview someone, you can save time by transcribing these interviews to write better non-fiction articles. It’s more accurate than using a dictaphone but at a cost. If you’re on a budget, use an AI transcription service. Read our Rev review .

Collaboration tools are an excellent way for writers to collaborate on a project. This is especially useful when multiple authors work on a novel, screenplay, or presentation. Many of these tools allow for feedback and tracking changes, ensuring smooth communication among the team members. Here are our top recommendations for collaborative tools:

Use for: Word processor Pricing: Free

Google Docs is a free writing app and an excellent alternative to Microsoft Word. It’s a reliable choice if you like collaborating with other writers or an editor online. It works almost anywhere, assuming you have a reliable internet connection. Its functionality for handling large documents, like a book, has also dramatically improved.

Zoho Writer is less known than Google Docs or Microsoft Word. Zoho Writer offers a writing assistant to help with readability, grammar, and more issues. It also allows live collaboration with team members and offline editing in your browser. Plus, there are a decent number of templates or formatting options. It’s split into three workspaces: Compose, Review, and Distribute, where you can write the content, work with collaborations and then publish or share it. Read our Zoho Writer review .

Screenwriting tools are tailored explicitly to screenwriters and playwrights. They peroxide a structured environment for screenwriters with outlines, formatting, and timeline generation. Often, they have built-in templates that adhere to industry standards, helping bring their ideas to life with ease.

Use for: Writing movie scripts Pricing: F$199.95

Script Studio is a versatile app best suited for scriptwriters. However, it can also be used for other works, such as novels. The most notable feature of this app is the inclusion of popular movie scripts that can be used as a model for your work. The templates are an excellent way to learn the format and polish your movie script. Some features allow you to draft, plot, and organize the works, making it a top choice for aspiring movie writers.

Use for: Screenwriting Pricing: $79.95

Fade In is an excellent tool for aspiring screenwriters, with automatic formatting that allows you to bring your scripts to life. It’s best suited for screenwriters looking to create a first draft of their screenplay. With a convenient beatboard feature, writers can map out the beats of their stories and view them on a timeline above the script. 

Use for: Screenwriting Pricing: $99.99/month

Final Draft is the default app of choice for screenwriters. I’ve experimented with Final Draft, and it strikes me as an example of powerful writing software but with a bigger learning curve than your typical word processor. Read our Final Draft review .

Use for: Collaborative screenwriting Pricing: From $9.99 – $13.99/month

WriterDuet is an industry standard for screenwriting, used by millions of screenwriters for TV shows and blockbusters. This highly-rated tool allows writers to collaborate with other writers on their teams in real time. It can also incorporate text and video chat during writing sessions. Other features include locked and colored pages, sharing and publishing feedback, and stats and reports about your writing.

Two of the best writing apps to try today are Grammarly and ChatGPT. For more general writing, Google Docs and Ulysses are both great. Writing apps are a great way to organize your thoughts and express your ideas. Once you’ve started writing, it’s easy to complete with the help of a comprehension app like the one listed in our guide.

It’s time to start on that writing project you’ve been dreaming about. Pick the best writing app that suits your needs from our guide, and start writing. Embrace the power of writing apps to help unleash your creativity and build your next novel, non-fiction book, screenplay, or blog.

Bryan Collins is the owner of Become a Writer Today. He's an author from Ireland who helps writers build authority and earn a living from their creative work. He's also a former Forbes columnist and his work has appeared in publications like Lifehacker and Fast Company.

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Home / Book Writing / The Best Writing Apps (for Mobile) Every Writer Needs to Use in 2024

The Best Writing Apps (for Mobile) Every Writer Needs to Use in 2024

In general, I recommend Atticus as the number one writing tool for authors. But this article is about the best writing apps for mobile devices , and Atticus is still working on its mobile capability (stay tuned). So while I would normally recommend Atticus, today I will be talking about Scrivener's mobile app, along with a few other writing apps that I categorized by their primary purpose.

Today's world is on the move. From fast food to fast cars, I'm always on the go, making mobile technologies all that much more critical. You need the best writing apps at your fingertips.

When you imagine a writer's life , you might imagine the stereotype: a pair of glasses hunched over a typewriter furiously punching keys and drowning in endless pots of coffee.

Yes, writers tend to drink a lot of coffee, but the world of writing is changing.

Many writers manage their writing projects with mobile devices.

So let’s talk about the best writing apps for those mobile devices.

What do professional writers use to write? Professional writers use a variety of apps to write their novels . Scrivener, MS Word, Final Draft, Google Docs, Plottr — there are so many great apps that bestselling writers use for their writing process.

Here are my recommendations for the best writing apps for Android and iOS. (Nearly all of them work on desktop as well, but I weeded out the apps that only work on desktop.)

• Best Writing App for Novelists
• Best Writing App for General Writing
• Best Free Writing App
• Best Writing App for Emails & Short-Form
• Best Writing App for Screenwriters
• Best Writing App for Productivity
• Best Writing App for Outlining
• Best Writing App for Notes
• Best App for Text To Speech

Table of contents

• Which platforms does Scrivener work on?
• Best used for:
• Other Good Apps for Novelists
• Which platforms does Word work on?
• Other Good Apps for General Writing
• Google Docs Pros:
• Google Docs Cons:
• Which platforms does Google Docs work on?
• Other Free Writing Apps:
• Which platforms does Grammarly work on?

Other Good Apps for Emails & Short-Form

• Which platforms does Final Draft work on?
• Other Good Apps for Screenwriters
• Which platforms does Novlr work on?
• Other Good Apps for Productivity
• Which platforms does Plottr work on?
• Other Good Apps for Outlining
• Which platforms does Evernote work on?
• Other Good Apps for Notes
• Best Artificial Intelligence App: ChatGPT
• Which platforms does FromTextToSpeech.com work on?
• Other Good Apps for Text to Speech

When you use a link in this article, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. It just helps with my coffee fund (AKA writer fuel), so I can keep bringing you the content you deserve. Plus, it means I can get you exclusive discount codes!

Why Am I Qualified to Talk about Writing Apps?

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 firsthand knowledge of the tools in question (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 a lot writing tools go up and down. Some have been revolutionary game-changers, while others haven't lived up to the hype.

However, choosing the right writing app isn't just about picking the most popular one. Each writer has unique requirements and preferences. What works wonders for me might not for you. For example, Grammarly is hugely popular, but it's not what I recommend for long-form editing.

So, in order to create a top-notch overview of the best writing apps (for mobile devices, remember), 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 are the best writing mobile apps for authors.

Best Writing App for Novelists: Scrivener

Scrivener is the best mobile writing app for novelists, for now (again, see Atticus ). It’s more organized than any other app. It’s got awesome, ready-made templates for all sorts of genres and layouts. And it works great on iPad and iPhone. (Sorry, Android users.)

What is the best mobile app for writers? Scrivener on iOS is the best app for book writers. If you've read a few of my other articles, you may already know of my absolute love of Scrivener. If I had to recommend a single piece of writing software , Scrivener would be it — including for mobile devices.

Scrivener comes with a steep learning curve because it offers so much customizability and handy features. But there are plenty of free tutorials if you ever need help.

Scrivener for iOS is great for planning, drag-and-drop organizing, and even highlighting types of words. This means you can look for adverb overuse. From corkboard arrangement to keyboard shortcuts to word count goals , this app has almost as much power as its desktop app.

(For a complete review on the desktop software, check out my Scrivener review article, complete with coupon code .)

Once you're done, you can always transfer your work over to your devices with Scrivener via Dropbox . Or you can export to DOCX, EPUB, MOBI, PDF, HTML, or even Multi-Markdown.

The only downside: The one-time price is a little steep for a mobile app ($19.99), and you have to buy a separate license for iOS if you already have a license for macOS or Windows.

If you’re an Android user, I’d try Novlr, which is browser-based, so you can use it on any mobile device with an Internet connection.

• Mac (most updated version)

(Sorry again, Android tablet/phone users.)

• $19.99 for iOS
• $49 for Mac or Windows
• $80 for both Mac and Windows licenses
• $41.65 for students & academics

Download Scrivener with this link and get an exclusive coupon code, KINDLEPRENEUR20 , for a 20% discount on your Scrivener purchase.

Follow these steps to use the discount coupon.

Scrivener is great for authors who love organization, distraction-free writing, and ready-made templates. Authors can place audio files, research files, images, and more into Scrivener’s sidebar. This means all your documents and research are in one window — it’s so convenient!

• Ulysses (Mac and iOS only)

Best Writing App for General Writing: Microsoft Word

There’s a reason Microsoft Word is the industry standard text editor: it is versatile and easy to use.

Microsoft Office’s Word works well on mobile devices, running smoothly on iOS and Android. It creates beautiful, professional documents that you can export to multiple file formats.

MS Word is suitable for general writing, but I would not recommend it for novel writing. Although it is perfect for memos, email drafts, and print-ready documents, its organization capabilities are not as robust as Scrivener, Ulysses, or other excellent writing software.

Also, its spelling and grammar checker is not as powerful as ProWritingAid or Grammarly.

MS Word is expensive, but many people can use the app without an extra cost because of work or school giving them access.

Though Microsoft Word comes with some computers, it actually costs a pretty penny:

• $139.99 for Microsoft Word by itself
• $6.99 a month for Microsoft 365, which includes Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word is best used for general writing , business-related documents, and print-ready formatting options. It’s great for corporate America, journalism, students, and the like.

• Google Docs
• LibreOffice

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Best Free Writing App: Google Docs

What is the best free writing app? Google Docs is the best free writing app on Android and iOS. If you’re on a budget, Google Docs is the perfect app for everything except proofreading, novel writing, or writing without the Internet.

It lets you customize headers, spacing, fonts — all the things you expect from a professional word processor. Google Docs autosaves every change you make and saves your version history. It exceeds at real-time collaboration, making it ideal for co-authors, bloggers, and ghostwriters .

• Conveniently browser-based
• Real-time collaboration
• Trackable changes
• Autosave functionality
• Export to multiple file types
• Laggy and buggy once you get over 15,000-20,000 word count
• Google Docs proofreader is weaker than Grammarly or ProWritingAid
• You need the Internet and a Google account to access

Google Docs works on all major platforms and on most mobile devices — both Android and iOS.

• FocusWriter
• Reedsy Book Editor
• Apple Pages

Best Writing App for Emails & Short-Form: Grammarly

Grammarly’s browser app is free to use and great for making sure your emails, memos, and other short-form projects look professional and error-free.

Check out my full review on Grammarly .

Grammarly offers a keyboard that checks your spelling and grammar on mobile devices, offering helpful suggestions on how to improve whatever you’re typing.

Not many people realize that Grammarly’s browser app can download your text as a DOCX file. This is great if you need to attach a DOCX file to your email instead of putting the text in the body.

You can also download Grammarly’s browser extension. This editing tool automatically checks your grammar and spelling when on Gmail, LinkedIn, Instagram, and other social media sites and email sites.

Read this article on the Best Email Services For Authors , like GetResponse or MailerLite .

Grammarly’s free version offers robust proofreading features that are way better than Microsoft Word or MacOS’s built-in grammar and spelling checker.

The premium version of Grammarly is fantastic, too. It offers many more suggestions to improve your writing style, readability, passive voice, and dialogue formatting .

However, if you are paying for a premium proofreader, I’d recommend ProWritingAid’s premium version . Its web version can also export to DOCX. Check out this video where I explain how ProWritingAid’s premium version is superior to Grammarly’s.

Grammarly’s browser application and browser extension make your emails, posts, and memos more professional and error-free. It gives you confidence and lets everyone know that you are not a joke.

Grammarly is a browser-based app and extension that runs on:

Grammarly’s free version is a powerful proofreading tool that ensures your emails, memos, or Facebook ads and posts are professional and error-free.

Grammarly’s premium version offers a lot more suggestions about word choice and writing style. It has multiple pricing options:

• $29.95 per month
• $59.94 per 3 months ($19.98/month value)
• $139.95 per year ($11.66/month value)
• Grammarly Business is $12.50/month per member (minimum 3 members)
• Blog posts (WordPress, etc.)
• Social media posts
• ProWritingAid
• Text Expander
• Readable (Android only)

Best Writing App for Screenwriters: Final Draft

Screenwriting is a type of writing apart from a novel or article that is growing in popularity. Final Draft is an iOS-exclusive paid app dedicated strictly to screenwriting.

According to Final Draft’s own research, fewer than 5% of their users use Android mobile devices, so they won’t develop the Android app anytime soon.

Final Draft has a lot of great features, such as:

• Professionally formatted templates for TV, Film, and Stage Plays
• SmartType, which remembers your character's names , scenes, etc.
• The ability to export PDFs to iCloud, Dropbox , or email
• Element-based script searching
• Color-coded ScriptNotes

David Seidler, the Academy Award-winning author of The King's Speech , loves the ability to change his drafts quickly and on the go.

What app do screenwriters use to write? Screenwriters use the Final Draft app on iOS to write their screenplays.

If you're a serious screenwriter or looking to break into the biz, you should definitely consider getting this app. It’s expensive, but it is the industry standard. According to their website, Final Draft is “used by 95% of film and television productions.”

However, if you don't own an Apple device, Celtx Script is probably your best bet.

Final Draft does not intend on developing or maintaining an Android version of their app.

The full license for Final Draft 11 costs a one-time fee of $249.99, but there are usually deals you can snag to earn 20% off.

Final Draft is best used for writing screenplays, even on mobile devices. There’s a good reason it’s the industry standard for screenwriting.

• Celtx Script (for Android or iOS )
• Storyist (iOS only)

Best Writing App for Productivity: Novlr

Novlr is an aesthetically-pleasing, browser-based creative writing tool that automatically saves to the cloud. Its distraction-free Focus Mode is customizable and perfectly sets the mood for writing productively.

How do I start just writing? If you have trouble just getting started writing, consider using a productivity app like Novlr , Daily Prompt , or FocusWriter.

Features of Novlr:

• Minimalist aesthetic
• Track writing stats
• Motivational goals and positive feedback
• Organization and outlining functionality
• Writing style suggestions
• Collaboration
• Day-night color options
• Easy exporting to multiple file formats

Read my full review of Novlr here.

Novlr is a browser-based app that works on all major browsers:

• Microsoft Edge

You can save app.novlr.org to your phone/tablet’s home screen , and it works much like an application.

After a 2-week free trial, Novlr costs:

• $100/year ($8.33/month value)

Novlr is best used for distraction-free writing that encourages productivity in a plethora of ways. It is sleek, chic, organized, and syncs across all your devices.

• Daily Prompt
• Write or Die (This is a funny site.)

Best Writing App for Outlining: Plottr

With its innovative dashboard functionality, Plottr is a fantastic outlining tool for mobile and desktop. It is a browser-based app, so you can access it from anywhere you have Internet, including from a phone or tablet.

Check out my full review on Plottr .

Read my comprehensive article on The Best Software to Outline Your Book .

You can organize plot points, create colorful characters, and build your world with ease on Plottr. It even comes with ready-made templates.

Plottr offers these intuitive outline templates:

• The Snowflake Method
• The Three Story Method
• The Story Circle
• The Seven Point Plot Structure
• The Hero's Journey

Although you can use Plottr on your Mac or Windows computer, its app is very mobile-friendly. Download Plottr today!

Plottr is an app available on all major platforms:

There are 3 tiers for Plottr:

• 1 Device — $25/year or $99/lifetime
• 3 Devices — $45/year or $149/lifetime
• 5 Devices — $65/year or $199/lifetime

Plottr is best used for outlining novels , but it is an organizational tool at its heart. You can use it to organize nonfiction or even screenplays.

• The Novel Factory
• Plot Factory
• Microsoft Word

Best Writing App for Notes: Evernote

When it comes to note-taking, look no further than Evernote . This award-winning app automatically syncs your notes to every device you have it installed on (only 2 devices with the free version).

Honestly, I am so thankful for my Evernote app. I'm a big fan of jotting down fresh new ideas on my phone. But notes aren't the only thing you can save. You can actually save web clippings, video, PDF, images, GIFs, and more (with a paid upgrade, of course).

On top of that, you're able to share your notes with other people. All you need is to grant the proper permissions to a co-author, friend, or ghostwriter , and voila!

Evernote is always improving. Though I think their table function could use an upgrade, Evernote releases free updates all the time.

The free version of Evernote is robust and useful. Having the “freemium” version of Evernote is still worth getting, even if you don’t plan on spending any money on the premium version.

The premium version of Evernote is separated into 2 versions:

• Premium — $69.99/year
• Business — $14.99/user/month

Evernote’s award-winning app is best used for taking notes in many different ways on many different devices. It is intuitive, versatile, and beyond helpful.

• Simplenote ( iOS or Android )
• Apple Notes
• Google Keep
• Microsoft OneNote ( iOS or Android )
• Plain text editors

When it comes to AI-driven conversation, brainstorming, and writing assistance, look no further than ChatGPT/ChatGPT Plus. This app brings the powerful capabilities of OpenAI's ChatGPT to your fingertips on any device where you have it installed.

For writers, ChatGPT can be invaluable for brainstorming, drafting, and editing text right on your phone. But it's not just limited to generating text. With the browser tool (available to ChatGPT Plus subscribers), it can search the internet, summarize articles, and even help you fact-check or find new ideas. And that's just some of what's available with the paid upgrade of ChatGPT Plus.

On top of that, you're able to share your conversations with others. All you need is to send the session link to a collaborator, friend, or editor, and voila!

Which platforms does ChatGPT Plus work on?

• Android (coming soon)

The free version of ChatGPT is great for a lot of people, and runs on GPT 3.5 technology. However, if you want GPT-4 technology (which is far superior), you'll need ChatGPT Plus.

The premium version of ChatGPT Plus is: $20/month

ChatGPT Plus’s versatile app is best used for generating human-like text, aiding in content creation, brainstorming, or even casual conversation on many different devices. It is intuitive, creative, and an invaluable tool for writers.

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Best App for Text To Speech: FromTextToSpeech.com

FromTextToSpeech.com is a browser-based app that turns up to 50,000 characters at a time into MP3 files that you can listen to or download. It is simple. Although it looks kind of sketchy, it is entirely safe and legit. It is the best free text to speech service available.

The most natural-sounding voice option is British English Harry. In fact, you will hear British English Harry all across the Internet — on YouTube, Twitch, etc. Many web users utilize British English Harry’s voice because it almost passes for a British human male.

Other text-to-speech apps either cost a lot of money or only allow a few hundred characters.

Read my article on Best Book Transcription Services for Authors .

I know authors who copy and paste in a chapter to FromTextToSpeech.com and listen to it while editing that same chapter. It really helps to be able to hear your words read back to you.

Unfortunately, FromTextToSpeech.com is sometimes down with no warning for upkeep and maintenance.

This is a browser-based application that works on all browsers and operating systems:

FromTextToSpeech.com is free-to-use. There is no premium version.

FromTextToSpeech.com is best used for converting your written word to spoken word. This may help you with editing, experimenting, or simply your own enjoyment.

• Natural Reader
• Amazon Polly
• Google Text-to-Speech
• ReadSpeaker

Which app is the best fit for you?

You use the best tools when you write at home. You should use the best mobile writing apps to take your frantic phone scribbles to the next level.

Gone are the days of jotting down in your notepad, only to have a hard time deciphering it later.

Save time and effort by investing in your craft and selecting the “write” tools for the job. Even if you aren't at your primary workstation.

There may have been a few I missed out on. After all, the world of writing is ever-expanding.

And I know I've said it before: Sorry, Android users. While I understand the pros of being on the Android system, there are just so many more quality writing applications for Apple users.

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.

• Other Good Apps for Emails & Short-Form

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Titling your book can be hard…really hard. As you go through choosing your book title, use this checklist as your guide and make sure you have a title that will sell!

4 thoughts on “ The Best Writing Apps (for Mobile) Every Writer Needs to Use in 2024 ”

What is the best writing app for non-fiction other than Scrivener? I want the same options, to see my chapters on a side bar and be able to put notes with each chapter. That is the basic requirement but other tools are nice, like word count, grammar, etc. Most of the writing apps I am finding are either simple writing, like Word or Goggle Docs, or for novels with characters, plots, etc. Scrivener is too time consuming to learn. Writing and editing takes long enough. (Novlr looks like the closest to what I want even though the app is based on novel writing). Hoping there might be another that I am unaware of. Anyone can answer!! I am using Word currently but really want to get moving on the writing with more organization.

I’m actually building one – Atticus.io. It’s actually combining scrivener and Vellum together – but we’re making the writing area much easier and intuitive. It’s in final beta now and should be releasing publicly mid July.

How about a review of dictation apps? You’ve got text to speech, but I want that turned around. Dragon, of course, but on a phone?

Good overview, Dave!

Two quick things about Google Docs (which I use): 1. It certainly can be used for full-length novels. I write all mine with it (one is 160,000 words). 1b. And it exports well to .docx and works fine with editors using Word’s track changes and commenting. 2. You can use the Grammarly extension with it.

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Blog • Perfecting your Craft

Last updated on Feb 07, 2023

The 23 Best Writing Tools of 2024: A Guide for Writers

Before the computer there was the typewriter, and before the typewriter there was pen and paper, and before pen and paper there were plenty of other lost tools of writing — like clay, papyrus, wood, slate, parchment, and, of course, pens made out of reeds. (Fun fact: the name “Reedsy” is inspired by the “reed pen,” which was used as early as 800 B.C. for documentation).

As you can tell by now, the act of writing has been a part of human culture from the days of chiseling stories onto the walls of caves — and as we have evolved, so have our writing tools . In fact, today’s writers and storytellers are spoiled for choice when it comes to deciding which tools to use.

The following list details our favorite writing tools and resources for taking any idea through to its written conclusion. If you want to cut straight to the chase and find out which is the right writing app for you, we recommend taking this quick 30-second quiz.

Which writing app is right for you?

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Otherwise, let's dive in!

Writing tools

We all know Google Docs and Microsoft Word, so we’re not going to waste your time giving those two a run-down in our list. Below are four other word processors you might not know about, and that are worth checking out.

1. Reedsy Book Editor

Cost: Free Does “fake it ‘til you make it” ring true to you? Well, the Reedsy Book Editor is a free, online word processor that formats your book as you write. See your drafts automatically turn into a professional-looking, ready-to-publish manuscript — and allow this glimpse of your work as the final product spur your motivation to write.

It comes with an automatic spell-checker — and a built-in goal reminder system to get you back into shape if you find that you're falling behind on your writing schedule! Another one of the Reedsy Book Editor’s best functions is that it lets you instantly typeset your manuscript to EPUB and print-ready PDF files.

Check it out if: if you want a writing tool that takes care of formatting and conversion for you.

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Cost: Free Do you like a helpful tap on the shoulder, reminding you about something you need to do? Well, you’ll likely enjoy Draft then, because the book writing software not only keeps track of how many words you write per day, it can also email you daily reminders about your daily word count goals. (Of course, if this sounds a little too “hands-on” for you, you can always turn the reminder function off).

Other than that, Draft functions a lot like Google Docs: allowing you to track changes, collaborate via suggested edits, and make comments on the doc.

Check it out if: you like Google Docs, but want an even simpler interface. 

3. LibreOffice

Cost: Free Yes, we did say that we wouldn’t mention Microsoft Word, because by now everyone knows that it’s a useful writing tool. But we didn’t say we wouldn’t mention its free counterpart: LibreOffice .

LibreOffice is the open source answer for people who want to try Microsoft without paying the price tag. (Open source means that the software is built on code that anyone can inspect and enhance). Plus it’s compatible with all of the regular file types people are used to, such as  .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, and .pptx files.

Check it out if: you like a classic word processor — and moreover, a free one.

Cost: $50 (or try a 30-day free trial) The people behind Mellel don’t just know word processing — they also know catchy, memorable marketing. Their description of why writers should choose Mellel starts like this: “Mellel is a writer's dream come true. To start, it is exceedingly boring: it just works, day in and day out, reliably. An enormous number of people used Mellel to write and they all report that their journey with Mellel was boring and uneventful. As well it should. In other words, it does all the mundane bits, and leaves the creative stuff to you.”

Mellel is not free (and note that it’s only for Mac). In return for the price tag, you’ll get more book-specific tools than other, perhaps more traditional word processors — such as outlining and bibliography-making functions. And, judging by the witty, funny copy on Mellel’s website, Mellel makes the process of writing much more fun than they let on.

Check it out if: you’re a Mac user who wants more than the Pages app offers.

Organization tools

Plotters tend to finish their writing projects quicker than pantsers — simply because when they hit a wall, they have their notes or outlines to reference, allowing them to jump straight over that hurdle and hit the ground running. P.S. You can grab a free template for your book outline here in this comprehensive guide to outlining .

The following resources will help you keep your thoughts organized so that any bouts of writer’s block don’t slow you down.

5. Milanote

Cost: Free for basic plan or $12.50/month for premium. Milanote is an easy-to-use creative writing app to organize your research, ideas, characters and outline in one place.

The vast majority of novelist-oriented writing software is organized around the idea of a linear document. But for most people, writing isn’t linear — because thinking isn’t linear. Writing is about gradually getting a jumble of ideas into shape, and Milanote's writing app matches the way writers think.

Check it out if: you're a plotter who likes a flexible workspace to organize ideas and see a birds-eye view of how your story outline is coming together.

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Get our Book Development Template

Use this template to go from a vague idea to a solid plan for a first draft.

6. Evernote

Cost: free for basic plan or $9.99/month for premium. Its cute, little green elephant logo aside, Evernote is a great and easy-to-use option for writers who could do with a little more organization in their lives.

The app lets you quickly jot down thoughts, record audio notes, save online articles you’re hoping to reference, and it will sync all of this information across all of your Evernote-installed devices. What’s also handy about the app is the collaborative aspect of it: you can create shared accounts, so that multiple people can access saved documents at once.

Check it out if: you’re prone to getting great ideas while on the go, and need somewhere to make sure you don’t forget them by the time you’re home.

Cost: $5/month or $40/year (or try a 14-day free trial) While it’s ultimately a writing tool, one of the best assets of comprehensive programs like Ulysses or Scrivener are their organizational features. At the end of the day, whether you’re writing a blog post or a full-length novel, the seed of an idea doesn’t get too far without the ability to organize that idea into a cohesive piece of writing.

And that’s exactly what Ulysses allows you to do: organize your thoughts into a well-written work. This is accomplished through features like customizable writing goals and deadlines, plain text enhancements, a distraction-free typewriter mode, bookmarks, outlining functions, and more.

Check it out if: you’re working on a lengthy piece of non-fiction, like a blog post or essay. (For a comparison of Scrivener vs. Ulysses, keep reading!)

8. Scrivener

Cost: $45 (or a 30-use free trial) Literature and Latte ’s word processor is a popular writing tool — also, in large part, thanks to its organizational capabilities that seamlessly allow writers to turn fragmented ideas into a fully realized book/script/research paper/or whatever else you’re writing.

Scrivener vs Ulysses Apart from the price (Scrivener charges a one-time licensing fee while Ulysses charges yearly), the two platforms offer many of the same features. So we’ll focus on what makes the two programs different.

• Scrivener’s corkboard function is an absolute favorite for writers who rely on visual aid to help with outlining. The function looks like an actual corkboard, and lets writers pin notes to the board in chronological order.
• Scrivener offers templates for works such as fiction, essays, recipe collections, screenplays, comic books — which gives Scrivener another point for versatility.
• Ulysses boasts an interface that is slightly more clean and simple — so if ease-of-use is high on your priority list, it might be the better option for you.
• Ulysses offers a very helpful WordPress and Medium integration, which bloggers who publish on either of these platforms will love.

Check it out if: you’re working on a longer piece of content (like a book or screenplay) and want one comprehensive place to manage all your work. (And don’t forget to check out our equally as comprehensive review of Scrivener’s newest update : Scrivener 3!)

9. Hubspot's AI Content Writer

Cost: Free, with premium upgrade available

HubSpot’s Free AI Content Writer is designed to help bloggers streamline their content creation process. This tool can generate drafts of blog posts, website copy, emails, and more with ease and without additional resources, by relying on prompts or topics provided by users. For those suffering from writer's block, the AI content writer can also create outlines to help spur writing along. 

For those already using HubSpot's marketing and sales tools, the AI content writer's integration will be extra handy. 

Check it out if: you're a blogger short on time or inspiration.

Productivity tools

Alright, let’s kick things into high gear now. You know what you want to use to write, and your thoughts and ideas are concisely organized. If you’re finding it difficult to buckle down and get the job done (or struggle to write quickly or consistently), these resources will help you realize that Nike manta: just do it.

10. Ommwriter

Cost: free web version or $7 for the full program Do you find the clacking sound of old typewriters satisfying? Do you find soft, neutral colours calming? Does nothing really get you focused quite like a purposeful, long, deep breath? If so, Ommwriter might be the tool to help you reach your goal. As the site’s tagline reads, Ommwriter is “a perfect place to think and write.”

With soothing background noises, customizable keyboard noises, and peaceful backgrounds to choose from, Ommwriter could just be the “break” from everything else going on around you that you need to write.

Check it out if: your very best writing ideas come to you while in “savasana.”

11. To Doist

Cost: free or $4/month for premium plan Have you ever woken up in a cold sweat, panicking about something important you forgot to do? Or, god forbid, gripped in dread about how far behind you are on your word-count goals?

Well, To Doist might be able to help. It’s the ultimate app for creating to-do lists — but these aren’t your grandma’s pen-and-paper lists with little check marks beside them (though we mean no offense to your grandma). It lets you get a daily or weekly overview of your tasks, prioritize the tasks that are most important, and even lets you assign tasks to other people if you’re working on a specific goal with other collaborators.

Check it out if: you have never been able to find an agenda that’s souped up enough to keep you on track.

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12. Marinara Timer

Cost: Free The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method meant to promote productivity. In a nutshell, it stipulates that you should work for 25 minutes, then take a 5-minute  break, then work for 25 minutes, take another 5-minute break, etc., etc.

The free-to-use Marinara Timer makes this easy for you by alerting you each time your work sessions and breaks are up. It also offers customizable timers in case the 25/5 isn’t quite right for keeping you on track. Fun fact: taking a break to stand up or walk (or do anything but sit!) every hour is also a good way to protect your back if you sit hunched at a computer working for long stretches at a time.

Check it out if: consistent breaks from work help actually keep you focused on the task at hand.

13. Cold Turkey

Cost: Free for basic plan or $20 for premium plan “Meet your match, Zuckerberg,” says Cold Turkey ’s tagline. In case that, paired with the writing tool’s name, doesn’t make it clear enough, Cold Turkey is a program that allows you to completely rid yourself of distraction. And when we say “completely,” we mean completely.

With Cold Turkey, you can block yourself from accessing certain websites — or even your entire computer — for periods at a time, only allowing you to use the current document you’re working on.

Check it out if: “willpower” is not a characteristic you’d ascribe yourself, and the only way for you to get something done is in a totally distraction-free state.

14. Freedom

Cost: $7/month or $29/year (or a 7-use free trial) Apart from pleasantly getting the “freedom” refrain from Aretha Franklin’s “Think” stuck in your head, the Freedom app is another resource that can turn your devices into tools of productivity once more.

It functions like Cold Turkey; however, a unique function of Freedom is the ability to sync your distraction-free periods across all your devices. So if you know that on Tuesdays, you want your computer, phone, and tablet to all block access to Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook — you can!

Check it out if: letting other people know not to bother you during your non-negotiable writing time isn’t enough, you need to let yourself know not to interrupt, well, yourself.

Cost: Free If total silence encourages your mind to wander, whereas light sensory action keeps your thoughts on the task at hand, Noisli will be a friend to you. The tool lets you choose from a range of soundtracks, such as rain, coffee shop, wind, lake, and more. You can mix several sounds at once, and choose the volume for each one. So let’s say you want to create the atmosphere of writing by a babbling brook, with a fire crackling next to you, and the moon shining brightly overhead. Noisli will make this happen for you!

Check it out if: you get the most work done with white noise.

Editing tools

If you’re planning to publish a book — or any kind of writing you’re hoping to make a profit from, it’s crucial that your work is thoroughly edited. To that end, working with a professional editor is an investment you should give serious thought to.

In the meantime, here are a few editing tools that can help you out along the way. Hopefully, they’ll either ensure a typo-free draft, so by the time you do work with an editor, they can spend less time fixing small typos and more time on big-picture work, or, if you decide to forego a professional edit, you’ll have the tools to do the best editing job you can.

16. Hemingway

Cost: Free The Hemingway app claims to make your writing “bold and clear.” It has a number of handy features like a word-counter and an automatic readability score. But its real use lies in the features that make suggestions to your prose. For instance, it might highlight a complex sentence that’s hard to read. It also highlights instances of passive voice , qualifiers, and adverbs. Let’s take a look at how this passage from Ernest Hemingway’s very own To Have and Have Not fares:

“Just” is highlighted because it’s a qualifier, and Hemingway suggests, instead: “Be bold. Don’t hedge.” The sentence in red is highlighted as being hard to read. And “probably” is pointed out as an adverb — the app suggests using a forceful verb instead.

Check it out if: you want to bring out your inner Ernie. (Curious what else Hemingway offers? Check out our full review of the app right here .)

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17. Fictionary

Cost: $19/month or $169 per year 

The Fictionary Story Editing software creates intelligent visuals that help you improve your story's structure, characters, plot, and settings. Using Natural Language Processing, Fictionary identifies your key story arc scenes and gives you actionable insights to improve the structure of your book.  Annual subscribers get access to year-round live classes on writing and editing. Think of it like Peloton for writers. Check it out if:  You want to get your story structure in the best possible shape before submitting to agents and/or editors.

18. Marlowe Pro

Cost: $29.95/mth or $199/year; $45 for single reports

This manuscript assessment tool will provide in-depth feedback on your novel within minutes. Using artificial intelligence, Marlowe can analyze your plot, pacing, story beats, and readability — then provide actionable insights (as well as comp titles ) based on its database of bestsellers across a number of genres.

To try out this AI editor, claim a free report by entering REEDSYFREE at checkout. And for a 15% discount on a Marlowe Pro subscription , enter REEDSY15OFF when prompted at checkout.

Check it out: to take a scientific and methodical approach to your developmental edits.

19. Cliché Finder

Cost: Free Cliché Finder is exactly what it says on the tin: it combs through your writing in search of clichés, and then highlights them for you. It’s not always necessarily bad to use clichés in your writing, but when you do, you want to be purposeful about it (and not to mention aware of it!).

Check it out if: you want to avoid clichés like the plague, and for your book to sell like hotcakes — and the rest is history.

20. Grammarly

Cost: Free Have you ever sent an email, only to realize that you'd made a glaring typo just as you hit “Send”? Well, no more!

Grammarly essentially functions like the spell checker tool from Microsoft Word or Google Docs, but here’s the great part: it’s a plug-in that will work wherever you happen to writing. That means Twitter, Gmail, Google Docs, Facebook — anywhere. Plus it offers vocabulary or alternate word suggestions — for instance, it might suggest you replace “walking aimlessly,” with the word “wandering.” For a more in-dept analysis, check our full Grammarly review . 

Check it out if: you’re typo-prone! (Read below for a comparison of Grammarly vs. ProWritingAid.)

21. ProWritingAid

Cost: Free browser extension or $79/year for the full software ProWritingAid is a tool you can install that will proofread and spell check your material for you , no matter where you’re writing. It will also offer suggestions to improve your overall language — outside of just grammatical technicalities. (You can even get 20% off via this special offer !) 

ProWritingAid vs Grammarly The two programs offer a lot of the same services, so you might be wondering which one to pick. We have a review of ProWritingAid  that dives deep into this comparison, but the main differences are:

• Grammarly is free to use, and while ProWritingAid offers a free Google Chrome plug-in, this free option only offers spell checking services, it won’t make editorial suggestions.
• ProWritingAid is slightly more tailored towards authors, while Grammarly is a slightly better fit for articles and essays. Ultimately, both tools lend a very helpful editing hand, so deciding between the two mostly boils down to the one you enjoy using more.

Check it out if: you want to make sure your writing is as polished as possible.

Workspace tools

At the end of the day, all you really need to write is a pen and paper. All the fancy tools and apps in the world won’t get the words out for you. That being said, creating an environment that’s appealing — and conducive! — to write in can make the whole process more enjoyable, and encourage you to get the job done.

Here are few physical tools to look over if you’re thinking of sprucing up your workspace.

22. Livescribe Pen

Cost: starts at $100 If you prefer writing on paper, but dread the process of transferring your words to a computer, Livescribe will likely be right up your alley. Through Bluetooth technology, the pen can actually transcribe your pen and paper words to your device. What’s more, it can also transcribe voice notes into digital documents for you.

Check it out if: you’ve ever felt envy at Rita Skeeter’s Quick-Quotes Quill in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire .

23. Ergonomic desk setups

Cost: Varies As more and more of the workforce moves to sedentary jobs where the majority of 9am to 5pm is spent sitting — usually hunching — at a computer, a growing number of sitting-related health injuries have been occurring. That’s why looking into more ergonomically friendly desk setups is a good idea for writers who spend long hours at the computer — or even writing in a notebook. This could be a standing desk, or even just a number of textbooks piled under your desktop so that your screen is eye level, resulting in less stress on your shoulders.

Check it out if: you don’t want writing gains to come at the cost of growing back pains.

24. Computer Glasses

Cost: Varies Writers are all familiar with computer-caused eyestrains. Because you blink far less when looking at a screen than you do otherwise, computer vision syndrome (CVS) is a condition people have been developing due to long stretches of staring at a computer.

One way to help alleviate this — other than just making sure to take time looking away from your computer — is to invest in some computer glasses. They typically come in blue or amber shades, and are coated with a protective coating.

There are several brands you can check out, such as Pixel Eyewear or Felix Gray .

Check it out if: you notice itchy or tired eyes after long writing sessions.

Have you tried any of the above writing tools — and if so, which were your favorites? Or maybe you feel there are some great resources missing from this list? Let us know in the comments below!

Mystic says:

24/10/2019 – 03:38

I tried Cliche Finder several times and it found a couple of items in my text, but it didn't highlight where it was at. The rest of the tools here, that I can use since I'm on a strict income, are amazing!

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Free writing software: 24 tools to help you create better content, faster

Find the best brainstorming, researching, writing, and editing tools.

As a freelance writer, I try to keep my app costs lean, so I'm a sucker for free writing tools. But with so many writing apps on the market, it's hard to tell which free options are actually valuable.

I've done some of the legwork for you by bringing together some of the best free writing apps on the internet. All of the options listed here are tools the Zapier team or I have used and enjoyed.

For this roundup, I prioritized completely free tools and freemium apps with a forever free plan that was sufficient for actual regular use. Many of the options have paid plans, but those plans are generally geared toward power users.

Researching and note-taking software

Writing software

Editing software

Proofreading software

The best free writing software at a glance

Free writing tools for brainstorming and organizing your thoughts, best free writing software for expanding your ideas.

MindMeister (Web, iOS, Android)

If you like to perform mind mapping to get your thoughts on paper and connect them, MindMeister gives you a virtual space to do it. It includes templates for the traditional mind map as well as more specific layouts for frameworks like SMART goals, case studies, and content plans.

Want to learn more about mind mapping? Check out Zapier's list of the best mind mapping apps , or discover nine ways to use mind maps to jumpstart your projects.

MindMeister pricing: Free for up to 3 mind maps; from $5.99/month for premium plans , including features like unlimited mind maps, advanced exporting, and group sharing

Best free writing software for creating content outlines

Workflowy (Web, macOS, Windows, Chrome, iOS, Android)

Outlines are a writer's best friend , and Workflowy lets you go as deep or shallow as you want. This tool organizes your outline into bullet points that you can click to nest and expand however you want.

Workflowy pricing: Free for up to 250 bullets a month ; from $4.99/month for the Workflowy Pro plan with expanded features like unlimited bullets and uploads

Best free writing software for brainstorming together

When you need to write something in collaboration with others, the brainstorming process is one of the trickiest to facilitate with technology. Miro lets you plot out ideas with mind maps, Kanban boards, virtual sticky notes, and whatever strategy you use to get your thoughts down. The free plan allows for unlimited team members to brainstorm with at the same time.

If whiteboards aren't your preferred brainstorming method, explore Zapier's picks for the top brainstorming tools for more collaborative and solo apps.

You can even use Miro with Zapier (also free), so you can automate your brainstorming workflows. Here are a couple of ideas to get you started.

Create Miro widgets with new Trello cards

Add Miro cards from new rows on Google Sheets

Miro pricing: Free for 3 whiteboards with unlimited team members; from $8/user/month for plans with unlimited whiteboards and advanced collaboration features

Best free writing software for brainstorming topics

Ryan Robinson's Keyword Research Tool (Web)

Go to the Ideas tab of Ryan Robinson's Keyword Research Tool , and it'll provide ideas related to your query. Since it's a keyword tool first and foremost, these ideas are designed to be less competitive on search results, too.

If you're looking for keyword research tools specifically for their main purpose, check out Zapier's roundup of the best free keyword research tools .  

Keyword Research Tool pricing: Free

Best free writing software for brainstorming ideas with AI

ChatGPT (Web)

With the rise of AI , some writers use GPT-based apps to brainstorm ideas and build the base for an outline. ChatGPT is the best free option—and the one you know and love—or you can check out even more GPT-powered writing apps in Zapier's list of the best AI writing generators . 

You can also combine GPT with Zapier to send ideas to your favorite project management tool.

ChatGPT pricing: Free; ChatGPT Plus is $20/month

Best free writing software for brainstorming out loud

Your computer's dictation software (MacOS, Windows)

If you process your thoughts best through speaking, there's a brainstorming app already on your computer. Boot up Windows 10 Speech Recognition on Windows or Apple Dictation on Mac to record your thoughts as you brainstorm out loud.

For mobile and premium dictation app options, check out Zapier's list of the best text dictation software .

Windows 10 Speech Recognition and Apple Dictation pricing: Free

Free writing tools for research and note-taking

Best free writing software for keeping everything in one place.

Notion (Web, MacOS, Windows, iOS, Android)

Notion's balance of organization and spontaneity make it a great place to hold your notes, links, social media posts, transcriptions, and any other resources you need to write that draft. Plus, depending on your writing preferences, you can then write the draft itself in Notion—all for free. 

Add Zapier integrations to the mix to bring even more of your writing life together. Here are some pre-made workflows to get you started.

Save new tasks in Google Tasks in Notion databases

Add new Microsoft Outlook calendar events to Notion databases

If Notion doesn't meet your needs, try one of these Notion alternatives . Zapier also has a list of the best note-taking apps for you to browse.

Notion pricing: Free plan available; from $8/user/month for team plans

Best free writing software for finding free copies of paywalled research

Unpaywall (Web)

Have you ever come across a search result for the perfect research article, only to discover it's behind a paywall? Unpaywall gets you across those paywalls ethically by looking for legitimate free versions of paywalled academic research. It looks at sources like journals' open-access repositories and university and government databases, so you're never infringing copyright.

Unpaywall pricing: Free

Best free writing software for transcribing interview and video content

oTranscribe (Web)

oTranscribe simplifies the manual transcription process by placing your audio controls and a word processor on the same screen. This tool has keyboard controls and speed adjustment, so you can seamlessly transition between your audio and transcript.

If you're willing to pay a bit, here's Zapier's list of the best transcription apps and services .

oTranscribe pricing: Free

Best free writing software for collecting research from other people

Google Forms (Web, iOS, Android)

When you need original quotes or data from other people, a free survey tool or form builder will help you organize it all. Google Forms is an accessible choice for most people because it's completely free and works with the rest of Google Workspace.

Turn your form responses into Trello cards, Notion database entries, or any other nugget of info that serves you well with Google Forms' Zapier integrations .

Create Trello cards from new Google Forms responses

Share Google Forms responses in a Slack channel

Google Forms pricing: Free

Free writing tools for solo and collaborative writing

Best free writing software for collaborative writing.

Google Docs (Web, Chrome, iOS, Android)

Google Docs' straightforward interface and ease of use make it a great tool for writing solo, but this app really shines through its collaborative features . Its suggestion, sharing, and version history features put it on par with its paid alternatives at no cost to you.

You can connect Google Docs to all the other tools you use with its Zapier integration . Here are some ideas for free automations you might set up.

Create new Google Docs from text with new rows in Google Sheets

Create new Google Docs when Trint transcripts are ready

Not a fan of Google Docs or don't want to create a Google account? Find another great option in Zapier's guide to the best collaborative writing apps .

Google Docs pricing: Free

Best free writing software for messages and blurbs

WordCounter (Web)

Sometimes you need to write a small amount of text, such as a message or a blurb, without the pressure of accidentally hitting the Enter button too early. WordCounter acts as a combination clipboard and editor with a word count that saves your work in your browser cache for the next time you visit.

WordCounter pricing: Free

Free writing tools for editing

Best free writing software for finding the perfect word.

OneLook Reverse Dictionary and Thesaurus (Web)

OneLook Reverse Dictionary and Thesaurus offers all the synonyms you could dream of like a regular thesaurus, but it stands out in its reverse dictionary capabilities. Enter a phrase—or even a full sentence—to get words that match that meaning. This feature comes in handy when you want to write more concisely or find that word that's on the tip of your tongue.

OneLook Reverse Dictionary and Thesaurus pricing: Free

Best free writing software for finding the right word—anywhere

Power Thesaurus (Web, Chrome, iOS, Android)

As a freelance writer, I find myself needing to switch up words when I write on various platforms across the internet. Power Thesaurus gives me synonyms, antonyms, definitions, and other forms of word assistance wherever I like to write. It can do the same for you—put it to use on its website, in your browser, on your phone, in Google Docs, in Word, and in Gmail.

Power Thesaurus pricing: Free for fundamental features; starting from $2.49/month for Power Thesaurus PRO , featuring filters and a wider selection of synonyms

Best free writing software for rewording what you write

Wordtune (Web, Chrome, iOS)

When you just can't get phrasing right in your writing, you might turn to a friend or editor to help you sort it out. Wordtune acts as that person by offering suggestions to reword, expand, and shorten your content using AI. It doesn't have as robust of a free plan as some of the other options on this list, but it provides enough if you need assistance here and there.

If you want more features and are willing to pay a monthly fee, you can put AI to work in your editing process with Zapier's list of the best AI rewording and grammar-checking tools .

Wordtune pricing: Free for up to 10 rewrites, three AI prompts, and three summaries a day; from $9.99/month for advanced plans featuring more rewrites, AI prompts, and summaries

Best free writing software for clear and concise writing

Hemingway Editor (Web, macOS, Windows)

Inspired by Ernest Hemingway's concise writing style, the Hemingway Editor points out opportunities to sharpen your writing. This tool highlights passive voice, complex sentences, and adverbs that make your work harder to understand. It also supplies a readability score to estimate how accessible your writing is to a broad audience.

Hemingway Editor pricing: Free for editing in the Hemingway web app; $19.99 for the Mac or Windows desktop app

Best free writing software for creating compelling headlines

CoSchedule Headline Studio (Web, Chrome)

CoSchedule Headline Studio helps you write compelling headlines by analyzing the sentiment and word balance in your titles. Type in a headline to get a score and test different variations based on the suggestions you get. The Google Chrome extension and WordPress plugin let you analyze headlines wherever you go.

CoSchedule Headline Studio pricing: Free for basic features; from $8/month to buy "Premium Headline" credits that give you access to an SEO score, AI writing features, headline suggestions, and word banks for a certain number of headlines

Best free writing software for finding and removing cliches

Cliche Finder (Web)

Cut cliches out of your writing using Cliche Finder . After you paste your text into the textbox and click the Find Cliches button, the tool will highlight any cliches in bold, red text. It's up to you from there, but the tool is 100% free.

Cliche Finder pricing: Free

Best free writing software for finding jargon in your text

De-Jargonizer (Web)

Another writing mechanism that gets in the way of clarity is jargon—terms that only people in a specific role will understand. The De-Jargonizer highlights potential jargon in your writing in orange in red for you to consider rephrasing.

Once you identify jargon in your text with the De-Jargonizer, you can get suggestions for rewriting it from Zapier's Corporate Jargon Translator , built using Zapier's free AI chatbot builder .

De-Jargonizer pricing: Free

Best free writing software for varying your wording and sentence length

Expresso (Web)

Two of the best ways to amp up your writing are to switch up your words and sentence length. Expresso helps you achieve both of these goals by breaking your writing down into metrics based on word usage and sentence length, such as frequently repeated words and average sentence word count.

Expresso pricing: Free

Best free writing software for comparing your writing to AI content

GPTZero (Web, Chrome)

Due to the complexity of the AI situation, it can be tricky to truly detect AI writing with an AI content detector . But, as one writer discovered in our guide to standing out from AI , these tools work well for picking out human content that sounds like AI due to repetitive phrases and generic writing. GPTZero is a free option that judges text based on perplexity (complexity) and burstiness (sentence variation).

GPTZero pricing: Free for documents up to 5,000 words and batch uploads of up to 3 files; from $9.99/month for plans with higher word and batch limits

Free writing tools for proofreading

Best free writing software for catching spelling and grammar mistakes.

Grammarly (Web, macOS, Windows, Android iOS, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)

Check for spelling and grammar mistakes everywhere you write with Grammarly . It looks for even the nit-pickiest details, like missing dashes and incorrect prepositions. Stick to its web editor, add it to your favorite writing tool, or add the browser extension to check your writing wherever you go.

Grammarly pricing: Free for the basic spell- and grammar-checker; from $12/month for plans with advanced features like tone, vocabulary, and rewrite suggestions

Best free writing tool for proofreading short-form content

ProWritingAid (Web, macOS, Windows, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)

ProWritingAid's free plan can analyze less text at a time than Grammarly , but it includes a word explorer, thesaurus, and rephrasing tool on top of its grammar-checking features. These capabilities make it a better fit for writers who like to get really granular with their improvement. ProWritingAid's free plan could be a better option for you than Grammarly if your total word count usually clocks at 500 words or fewer.

ProWritingAid pricing: Free for a 500 word count limit and 10 rephrases per day; from $10/month for a Premium plan with no word count limit, unlimited rephrases, and advanced grammar improvement features like in-depth analytics of your writing

Best free writing tool for making MLA citations

EasyBib (Web)

This one's for the academics out there. Enter your paper's sources into EasyBib , and it'll organize them into an MLA bibliography for you. I had to give everything a once-over and make minor changes, but EasyBib helped me win my college library's bibliography contest back in the day by getting it all together.

EasyBib pricing: Free

Free writing software FAQ

Here are some questions lots of people have about writing apps and how to choose the right one.

What's a good free writing tool?

Tools like Google Docs and WordCounter are free forever and very functional. Other apps, like Grammarly or ProWritingAid, have free plans that offer basic features, with more advanced features available via a paid plan.

But there are a lot of free writing tools available that perform a wide variety of functions—everything from brainstorming to research and note-taking to writing to editing to proofreading.

What writing tool do most writers use?

There's a wide variety of writing tools out there, and which one a writer uses really comes down to preference. A lot of writers use Google Docs to write because they already use Google for so many other things—but some may prefer a tool like Notion, where they can combine writing with project management.

What makes a good writing tool?

In short, whatever helps you write! If a blank page and no distraction is what helps you actually get words down, then open a new Google Doc and go at it. If you need to organize your thoughts before you even think about writing, consider adding a brainstorming tool to the mix. Each writer's process is different, and it's all about finding tools that enable your writing, not add another roadblock to your process.

Sharpen your craft with your new toolkit

As is the case with many skills, it can be easy to focus too much on improving your writing through tools alone. You'll maximize the results you'll get from your apps with a solid foundation in writing techniques. Grab the tools that appeal to you on this page, then brush up on your core writing skills to become a killer prose machine.

Related reading:

The best journal apps

How to capitalize or change the case of your text in any app

How to write great copy: 11 copywriting tips

Copywriting vs. content writing: How to do each one well

How to write a business letter: Formatting + template

This article was originally published in June 2015 by Jane Callahan and has also had contributions from Jessica Greene. The most recent update was in August 2023.

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Melissa King

Melissa King is a freelance writer who helps B2B SaaS companies spread the word about their products through engaging content. Outside of the content marketing world, she sometimes writes about video games. Check out her work at melissakingfreelance.com.

• Content marketing
• Google Docs
• Google Forms

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The Best Programs for Creative Writers

As a writer, you need the best creative tools available. Try these fantastic programs that can cover all your writing needs.

There are so many different things you can write these days and so many different types of writing careers. From crafting novels or essays to working as a journalist, content writer, or copy editor; those with the gift for creating compelling sentences are in high demand.

Because of this, you need the best tools of the trade so you can be a productive writer. When you have the right kind of tools, it can help you cut back on the time you have to spend on your writing.

Here are some of the best writing applications for creative writers that are currently available.

1. Google Docs

Google Docs has a reputation as an accessible and collaborative writing program. In the current age of internet connectivity---where almost everything we do is online---it has become ubiquitous at home and in the workplace.

Google Docs may be free for personal use, but just because it's free doesn't mean that it is less versatile than old-school titans like Microsoft. Its numerous functions allow you to design a functional looking document from start to finish. Its collaborative abilities, especially for teams that need to work on the same document, are unrivaled.

Google Docs is best for anyone who needs to work online and remotely. It's also good for people who need to switch between different devices to write on the same thing. This is especially true if you're working with other people on the same file, as Google Docs allows multiple individuals to work on a single document.

Another upside to Google Docs: it has a very low learning curve, which means that you won't struggle to adjust to the application. The fact that it's designed and operated by Google means that it will interface seamlessly with all your other Google apps.

Looking for a more in-depth rundown? We have an article on what Google Docs is and how to use it .

Visit: Google Docs (Free)

Download: Google Docs for Android | iOS (Free)

2. Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word is a writing program that has been around for ages. So long, in fact, that it's an application that many of us millennials learned how to type on when we were kids.

Over the years, Microsoft Word has evolved and become more complex. There are more competitors these days, but the program still packs a punch with its incredible versatility and its reputation as a standardized tool in a work-based setting.

Knowing how to use Microsoft Word can mean the difference between getting that office job or not. Because of its sprawling number of customizations, Microsoft Word is good for a large variety of writing professions and purposes. These range from business reports to novels.

Microsoft Word works on both PC and Mac OS. In my own experience, I find it's best utilized when you're on the PC, as you retain more of the natural versatility of the program.

If you're looking for more information, here's a list of add-ons that you can install to make Microsoft Word easier to use .

Visit: Microsoft Word Online (Free)

Download: Microsoft Word for Windows | macOS (Office 365 Subscription)

Download: Microsoft Word for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchase)

3. Scrivener

Scrivener hasn't been around for as long as Microsoft Word, but it's definitely not new. It's been gaining traction over the years as an alternative to the old-school favorite.

As an incredibly in-depth outlining application, Scrivener is perfect for anyone who is writing a novel. These days you'll often see creative writers shouting its praise. Its name usually comes up as a recommended tool on the eve of writing events like NaNoWriMo. Scrivener also has useful novel writing templates available .

With its ability to organize chapters, scenes, and research all in one place, Scrivener prevents you from hunting for files in different spots on your computer.

Visit: Scrivener (Free)

Download: Scrivener for Windows | macOS (Free Trial)

Download: Scrivener for iOS ($19.99)

In terms of writing programs, Dabble is sort of like the new kid at school.

I first heard about Dabble through Camp NaNoWriMo, where the free trial was being advertised. Because I already had a lot of creative writing applications on my plate, I was unsure about trying it at first. I didn't know if I needed another program.

Dabble hasn't been around for as long as the other programs, so my curiosity was piqued. Was I missing anything in terms of features? Would it bring something new to the table that I hadn't tried before? Turns out, I liked it a lot.

Some highlights:

• Just like Scrivener, Dabble allows you to organize your writing files all in one place.
• You can arrange your book via chapters and scenes, and you can include notes and set goals for your manuscript's progress.
• When you download your final document, Dabble formats it so your manuscript meets industry standards. This is incredibly helpful if you're submitting your story to agents or publishers.

Overall, Dabble is online, like Google Docs. This means that you can work on your document through your browser. It has a desktop version too.

The major difference with other applications like Google Docs is that Dabble is subscription-based. When choosing between the two programs this price point could potentially be an issue.

If you're on a budget or you're a cash-strapped student, it might be better to go with something cheaper (or free).

Visit: Dabble (Free)

Download: Dabble for Windows | macOS (Monthly Subscription)

5. Pacemaker

A tool I discovered this summer that I absolutely love is Pacemaker: a word count productivity app for writers.

By feeding your project stats into Pacemaker, including desired word count, deadline, and what days you will be available to write, Pacemaker creates a custom writing schedule that is perfect for you. You can stay on track with your writing goals, especially the more complex ones.

The thing I really love about Pacemaker is that they have two versions: a free account and a subscription-based premium one, so you can use whatever version works best for your needs.

Visit: Pacemaker (Free)

Download: Pacemaker Premium (Monthly Subscription)

6. Hemingway

Finally, one of the tools that you can use to make your writing better---and in perfect harmony with these other programs---is the Hemingway App.

By feeding your writing through the app, you can find out where your prose is weak and how to tighten it up. You can also narrow down the particular type of editing your writing needs, ranging from overly complicated sentences to an overabundance of passive voice.

Visit: Hemingway App (Free)

Download: Hemingway for Windows | macOS ($19.99)

Choose the One That's Right For You

As mentioned at the beginning of this article, there's a lot of demand for writers these days. In order to compete and make the best use of your time, it's essential that you have the right tools for the job. This list will give you a good head start.

Another great thing about the programs listed here is that both Scrivener and Dabble offer trial runs. Google Docs doesn't even need a trial to function. It's free to use as an individual, and all you require is a Google account.

Looking for more amazing applications to help you with your writing? Here are some browser-based tools for writers, and what they're good for .

Top 7 Writing Apps: Game-Changers for Writers [Inc. AI]

Table of contents

Chelsea Forsyth

There are days when even the best writers need a little assistance getting into their creative flow. So, when one of those days strikes, you want to ensure you have a toolkit of the best apps for writers to rely on.

Writing apps can provide inspiration, improve your writing style, and help you organize your thoughts. They can also help with research, tracking your progress, and sharing drafts with editors, making them a great resource for both aspiring and established writers. Plus, many apps are even available for free!

If you’re looking for some tools to help streamline your creative writing processes, check out our list of eight handy tools. 

1. Wordtune: Using AI while keeping your content human

What kind of list of best apps for writers would this be if we didn’t start with Wordtune? 

Wordtune is an AI-powered writing assistant that helps you improve your writing by providing real-time feedback on grammar, punctuation, and style. It can be used for everything from academic writing to business emails and blog posts, making it a brilliant tool for a variety of writers. 

Wordtune can also help you to find the right words for your writing. It can provide synonyms, antonyms, and other words related to the topic being written about. It also offers definitions and other contextual information to help writers better understand what they’re writing about. For instance, Wordtune highlights words used in the wrong context, or suggests more suitable words or phrases in its place.

Plus, you can use Spices — these are tools developed to enhance your writing even further. You can ask Wordtune to “explain” the topic you’re writing about to help give your reader further clarification, or “emphasize” to help reiterate your point. These are especially useful if you’re struggling to add further detail to your writing, or if you need some help understanding a topic

Try Wordtune for free > Try Wordtune for free >

2. Scrivener: Best for writers who write long-form

Scrivener is a must-have tool for long-form writers. Both an “outliner” planning tool and a word processor, Scrivener allows you to meticulously plan your novel or screenplay by breaking down your writing into sections and ‘outlining’ what each bit will include. You can also organize notes, concepts, research, and whole documents into its “Binder” for easy access and reference. 

Scrivener differs from other apps on this list in that it won't assist you with your writing style — but it will provide everything you need to keep writing. For instance, if you’re writing a novel or a screenplay, you can write when inspiration strikes without worrying if it's in chronological order, as the drag-and-drop interface allows you to easily move sections to another place at a later date. You can also add synopses and overviews to each chapter, which helps when you want to ‘zoom out’ and look at your novel or screenplay as a whole. Plus, Scrivener allows you to keep all your notes and research in one place, supporting photos and audio files, too.

Scrivener also syncs across devices — whether it’s your Mac, Windows, or iOS device — and you can easily compile everything into a single document when you’re ready to export, with popular formats such as Word document, PDF, Final Draft, and plain text supported.

To get started, download Scrivener from the website for a free 30-day trial. Once this is up, you can either purchase it on Mac or Windows for a one-time payment of $49, or on iOS for a one-time payment of $19.99.

3. ChatGPT: Everyone's using it, but writers use it differently

The AI language model ChatGPT is a great tool for sparking inspiration and outlining ideas — just ask it a question, or command it to write something, and see what text it generates. 

ChatGPT can assist in producing high-quality content that’s grammatically correct and coherent. It also processes and analyzes information quickly, generating text much faster than a human. This can be especially useful if you need to write a large amount of content in a short amount of time — you can ask it to generate an explanation of a complex topic, for example, instead of needing to write this out yourself.   

However, as listed in the image above, ChatGPT’s responses can sometimes be factually incorrect or can include biases. Its creator, OpenAI, has also warned users that ChatGPT’s arguments can be logically flawed. And while the tool is known for its supposed versatility, we don’t recommend using it to generate creative writing. There’s only so much an algorithm can do, and thankfully humans win when it comes to being uniquely creative. 

Overall, ChatGPT is a great tool for quick, surface-level overviews; idea generation, summarizing information, and creating outlines are all made simpler by the tool. However, if you want an all-round writing assistant that helps you to construct your narrative, take a read of our article on choosing the right AI writing tool .

4. Evernote: Saving your wonderful thoughts for reference

Most writers carry a notebook to jot down ideas when inspiration strikes. But in the smartphone era, there’s a much simpler and more efficient alternative to capture fleeting thoughts — enter Evernote . Syncing across all your devices, Evernote automatically saves notes online, allowing you to keep everything that’s on your mind organised and in one place. You can add images, illustrations, and to-do lists, handwrite notes, and tag items with keywords, allowing you to always find anything you need. 

Available for free on iOS and Android devices — and accessible from within your browser — Evernote also provides offline access, so you can access your notes even without wifi.  

Take notes, plan projects, and find whatever you need at the touch of a button. Evernote is the perfect companion to a writer’s messy brain.

5. Daily Prompt: Your inspiration injection

Need a nudge to write consistently? It’s time to try Daily Prompt: Creative Writing .

Available as both an iOS app and as a web-based writing tool , Daily Prompt encourages you to get creative every day with a new prompt every 24 hours. You can let Daily Prompt provide you with a prompt, or you can browse existing prompts. Choose from genres such as horror, adventure, romance, or crime, and opt for different types of prompts like “story starters” (a creative prompt encouraging you to contine the story) or “writing obstacles” (an instruction designed to challenge you to write more creatively). 

You can use a limited version of the app on both your phone or web browser, or alternatively, you can pay a yearly subscription of $19.99. This gives you premium access, with free range over the back catalogue of prompts, early access to new features, and a seven-day money back guarantee if you change your mind. Plus, you get to join Daily Prompt’s community of aspiring authors improving their writing skills on a daily basis, and even read their stories.

6. Power Thesaurus: To find the word on the tip of your tongue

Every writer needs a thesaurus to lean on now and again. While a lot of AI writing tools provide synonyms as part of the package, there’s no harm in having a dedicated thesaurus app to rely on if you need alternatives to an overused word. 

One of the best is Power Thesaurus — available as both an iOS and Android app, and as a website. It’s quick, it’s powerful, and it provides a list of synonyms longer than any other thesaurus I’ve used. Plus, you can find the definition of the word you’re searching for, as well as see it used in a sentence, or choose from a list of antonyms. 

7. Hemingway App: Because readability matters more than you think

Hemingway App is a powerful tool for streamlining your writing style. The free online editor enhances the readability and clarity of your writing by highlighting and correcting grammar, fluency, and sentence structure. 

The platform is ideal for editing shorter pieces. If you tend to write longer sentences, Hemingway will encourage you to be clearer and more succinct in your writing by highlighting sentences that are hard to read, or phrases that have simpler alternatives. 

As well as being online, you can also download a desktop version of the app. This requires a one-time payment of $19.99 on both Mac and Windows. 

Time to write

Using a writing app or two is a great way to enhance your creativity, edit your writing, or just make your writing process more enjoyable (and productive) in general. 

Tools like Google Docs and Scrivener are brilliant for keeping you organized and efficient, whereas an AI writing assistant like Wordtune can help you to level up your language and explore ideas you hadn’t previously thought of.

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7 Best Creative Writing Apps for Android and iOS

Creative Writing is a skill that develops over time. But, as they say, great ideas come in random places, with just your phone in hand. So, here are few apps that will help your creative juices to flow or pave the way for your writing in the right direction. Creative writing apps are different from the usual writing apps in a way that involves writing challenges and collaboration with other writers. On that note, let’s get to the list.

Best Creative Writing Apps

1. jotterpad.

The most popular writing application for writers is JotterPad. It provides a distraction-free writing interface. It has both free and paid variants. In the free version, JotterPad would give you the vibe of a clean text editor with cloud support. You can only link one of your cloud storage accounts either from Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive. The cloud storage provides you the option to work on your story either from your computer or mobile devices.

But, the paid variant ($6), is where the creative aspect of JotterPad starts. The pro version lets you change fonts and typefaces. The most notable feature is the ability to form characters and get character prompts suitably when you script.

• Minimal writing interface with no distraction
• Cloud support to maintain a single document for collaboration

Who is it for?

People who just want an app to jot down video ideas or script anywhere on-the-go.

Download JotterPad (Android)

2. Plot Generator

Plot Generator is currently web-only with an app version in the making. But until then, you can create a bookmark shortcut on your home screen for quick access.

It helps you build your characters or storyline. Initially, you choose a story genre. Next, you enter your title, protagonist, and basic adjectives surrounding him. Once you are done, the app will create a story based on your input. The story is more of a first draft and needs a lot of polishing from your side. You can publish your story and share the URL with fellow creators to provide input on it.

Plot Generator is a great application for a novice. But once you get the hang of writing, the suggestions seem pretty basic and cliched. The app also doesn’t provide a native editor for the story.

• Auto-suggestion for your characters, adjectives, etc
• A vast number of genres and plots to choose

People who are new to writing and have no idea where to start.

Visit Plot Generator

3. Narrative Nods

Another app similar to Plot Generator is Narrative Nods. It is a story builder application but with much more advanced options and analytics that really lets your creative juices flow. Firstly, you start by declaring your novel title, its description, and the characters. Further, you have to declare your Protagonist, Antagonist, Dreamer, Opponent, and Chorus. After you have declared the characters,  the app questions your story goals, its structure and the journey of the character and this is where the thinking starts.

After you visit all these points, Narrative Nods will construct a report on your story and some key inputs which will strengthen your story. In case you are working on a single character of your story, you can also try Character Nods .

• Character Development and role assignment
• Story insight
• Questions to help you build your story

People who are still developing a story and need introspection or insights on it.

Download Narrative Nods (Android)

4. Novelist

Novelist is somewhat similar to Narrative Nods with 1 major difference. Unlike Narrative Nods, it doesn’t help in constructing your story. You are all on your own! However, similar to Narrative Nods, the app has 4 sections: Plot, Write, Organize, and Schedule.

Plot is where you declare all your characters, locations, props, etc. Write is wherein you connect all these characters and write your scenes. Organize is where you structure these scenes into chapters and acts. Lastly, you have the schedule section where you can set word count goals or novel due date. This entire bifurcation might feel tedious at the start but trust me, it helps to strengthen your story and keep a track of events.

• Different spaces for plots, scenes, structure, etc
• Option to schedule word count or due date
• Backup and restore via Google Drive

Especially for people working on novels. It won’t be of much use to video scripting.

Download Novelist (Android)

5. Writer Challenges

If you have run out of ideas to write on, you should try Writer Challenges. The underlying concept of Writer Challenges is to provide you topics and plots, so you can build up your own story on it. When I started out to write, I used to join communities and help people with their stories. This would give me wide exposure plus expand my thinking towards topics I wouldn’t have chosen in the first place. This is what the app does for you.

When you open the app, it has a white minimal feed where writing ideas are posted. You can click on Start Writing and directly dive down into the story or choose to Explore other stories. I found out just enough number of people writing in the app. In case you want to be a part of a bigger community, you can visit the Simple Prompt subreddit .

Read: Best Handwriting Apps for Android Note-Taking

• Story ideas and plots
• Enough audience writing on topics

People who just want to flex their writing muscles.

Download Writer Challenges (Android)

At times, you just want to sit back and look for inspiration to write. Here is where Wattpad steps in. It has a huge library of paid and free books by fellow writers on the platform. You can choose your type and start reading or just sit back and enjoy the recommendations. Wattpad also lets you draft your own story with a cover picture. The writer in the app lets you link images, which I couldn’t find in any of the other editors on this list. You can also link YouTube videos in your novel and I’m really not sure why would you do that.

Wattpad has a huge community of writers and I would recommend it as a reading platform.

• Huge community of writers and genres
• Ability to save books for later reads

People who are new to writing and want to draw inspiration from other writers.

Download Wattpad (Android | iOS)

Penana is a similar Wattpad-like social media for writers. But what distinguishes it is the creative contests held on the platform. You get the option to collaborate with other writers on a project. This particularly molds your writing into a specific space. Penana has huge stories on its platform and you can apply for collaboration on any of these stories. It’s subject to the approval of the owner and space available. You can start by trying different genres and see what works for you.

• Huge library of books
• Contests and collaboration opportunities

Who is it good for?

People who are looking for writers to collaborate or projects to work.

Download Penana ( Android | iOS )

8. Flow State

Flowstate is a paid app with a unique concept. Basically, it deletes your story the moment you stop typing. And the weirder it might sound, this concept really works. I have been trying the Pomodoro technique for quite some time and I must say putting a time limit to get your work done really works.

The thing with Flowstate is you have to set a time frame, font, title, and start writing. The moment you stop, the words start fading away and will disappear if you don’t write for the next 5 seconds. On the analytical front, it just gives you the word and character count. Unfortunately, the app is available for Mac and iOS only, with a one-time payment of $4.99.

• Minimal writing interface
• Unique concept to achieve the flow state

People who have a story and an iPhone but cannot initiate writing.

Download Flowstate ( iOS | macOS ) ($4.99)

9. The Brainstormer

The Brainstormer is a paid creative writing app. The main motive of the app is to get past your writing block. So, the app basically has 3 spinning wheels. You roll the dice and it will give you 3 words from the different wheels. The inner wheel gives you the conflict. The middle wheel gives you the style or setting. The outer wheel gives you the subject. Combine them and go ahead with your writing.

Now, you can create your own wheel with your own subjects, scenarios, plot. So, whenever, you are in the middle of a creative block, spin the wheel and go ahead writing. The app also has wheels made by other writers. However, like the app, even they are paid.

• 3 random wheels to provide you subject, style, and conflict to begin writing
• Option to create your own wheel with your own subjects and plot

Everyone! It’s hard to get past a creative block.

Download The Brainstormer ( Android | iOS ) ($1.99)

Wrapping Up

If you are a novice in writing, Plot Generator or Penana would be a good choice. For reading ideas and creative inspiration, do check out Wattpad and Writer Challenges. Irrespective of what genre you are into, Flowstate will definitely bring out the best in you.

For more issues or queries, do let me know in the comments below.

Also Read: Looking for Scrivener Alternatives? Here Are Free Novel Writing Software for Windows

Pratik works as an In-house writer and video host at TechWiser. Former Programmer, Current writer. Loves tech in any form, quite optimistic about AI, data science and IoT. Talks extremely less but you betcha can geek out over anything on Twitter.

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Writing Tips Oasis - A website dedicated to helping writers to write and publish books.

59 Top Apps for Writers

By Beverley Johnson

Whether you are just getting started with a novel or manuscript, or even if you are an academic writer who has to follow strict formatting, a powerful writing app goes a long way towards both increasing productivity and helping you stay on track.

Here we’ve taken a look at 59 top apps for writers across all platforms. The approach we have used to categorize the apps is to list those writing apps which are free first, and then move onto to apps that have a cost.

From creative writing tools such as distraction free editors, to powerful storyboard writing apps which are great for screenplays, these writing apps have everything that you need to get your masterpiece going.

Draft is a minimalist writing and editing app which allows for collaboration thanks to its handy tracking functionality. Invite multiple people to view your writing, while allowing them to make comments and suggestions as you write. It is color coded and carries a huge amount of revisions. Not only does Draft give you a clean writing interface, it also gives you the full power of a professional copyeditor. It allows you to convert from Markdown, a commonly used very simple set of formatting syntax which gives the power of a word processor to plain text. It also connects to a huge range of cloud services. All you need is a Google account to sign in and you’re up and running. It even has a Chrome extension, and integrates to Dropbox and Evernote.

Platforms: Web-based

Pricing: Free

2. JotterPad

JotterPad delivers a minimalistic interface for creative writers. Its clean interface allows you singular focus on your writing, without any distractions. The free version gives you connection to OneDrive, export to PDF functionality, an extended keyboard and a fully featured text editor incorporating an expansive dictionary. There are few better writing apps for note-taking while on the road.

Platforms: Web-based Interface, Android & Kindle

Pricing: Free, although paid versions with more features are available

3. Reedsy Book Editor

Reedsy Book Editor is a tool built for book production. From collaborative production, to type-set themes for eBooks and print, Reedsy does it all. It gives you a simplistic writing interface with an intuitive style bar supplying access to advanced proofing and collaboration tools. The tracking is outstanding, with Reedsy retaining edits and comments from multiple users. Once you are done writing, your manuscript is ready for instant distribution in either print or eBook formats. It integrates directly with Amazon Kindle Direct, Smashwords and Apple iBooks, to name but a few. A marketplace puts expert assistance at your fingertips, should you wish to have your draft proofed by an editor .

4. WriteMonkey

The main feature of WriteMonkey is its frills and distraction free writing interface. It supports Markdown and has a range of nifty keyboard shortcuts, however, it only supports text files. What appears as a stripped-down interface is actually a powerful writing app which is backed by a highly functional outliner, automatic syntax tracking and highlighting. It may take a while to get used to Markdown, but once you do, WriteMonkey is one of the best tools for making blog posts and publications for print.

Platforms: Windows

5. Pro Writing Aid

Pro Writing Aid delivers advanced editorial services, including a highly functional style-checker. It can be used standalone, or it can snap-into Microsoft Word, Scrivener, Google Chrome and Google Docs. You can check for overused words, clichés , repetitive phrases, diction issues, sentence and paragraph length, readability, passive verbs, adverbs and many other style elements which normally miss a human proofreader. Pro Writing Aid in all of its incarnations is extremely powerful and a pleasure to use.

Platforms: Windows, macOS

Pricing: Free or $140 for Premium Lifetime License

Bibisco is a fantastic free tool which is a great asset to fiction writers. It allows you to organize your chapters and ideas. The novel structuring is outstanding, allowing you to define your premise, fabula, narrative strands and it has multiple settings for geographic, temporal and social context. It allows you a great overview of character development and distribution across your chapters, while carrying many managed revisions. As a fully featured text editor, Bibisco cannot be faulted, while as a story development tool it is invaluable. It offers little more than writing functionality for non-fiction and blog writers, however authors will fall in love with Bibisco.

Platforms: Windows, Linux

7. ApolloPad

ApolloPad delivers a powerful online writing package which mimics many of the planning and outlining features of high-end tools such as Scrivener. A cork-board approach is supplied so that you can rearrange your work and notes via a drag and drop interface. A project timeline is also supplied, as is advanced word processing functionality. From metadata to in-context notes and to-do’s, ApolloPad does a great job of making everything easily accessible. A free demo is available on their site at no cost, giving full access to all features during their beta period.

Pricing: Free During Beta

8. Hemingway App

The Hemingway App is a fantastic writing and editing tool which carries a powerful set of features. It evaluates and reports on your readability, adverb frequency, active and passive voice, sentence complexity with phrasing suggestions and all of its features carry a unique highlight, making it extremely easy to proof your work. Hemingway has a desktop version available as well, which allows you to save your work (unlike the free version). Yet, with Hemingway working through your browser, it is relatively easy enough to copy and paste between your document and this intuitive, powerful app.

Platforms: Web-based Interface, Windows

Pricing: Free or $5 for the Desktop App

9. Manuscriptor

Manuscriptor is a text editor which is aimed at fiction writers. It gives you an uncluttered interface perfect for stories & novels, complete with responsive language analysis tools which help you improve the quality of your writing. It identifies readability issues and highlights areas which would confuse, bore or frustrate your readers. It has a great document overview, an excellent synonym suggestion tool, flow analysis with paragraph and sentence fingerprinting, and it even shows you clichés and repetitive words. For a free tool, Manuscriptor may be minimalistic at a first-glance, but after just a bit of use you will soon see how powerful it actually is.

10. Lit Lift

Lit Lift is a free-online novel and story writing package complete with full-screen rich text editing, a responsive mobile friendly interface, storyboards, a library and much more. It keeps track of your plot and structure, retaining all of your changes along the way. All of your work is completely private and the app is free from any form of advertising. For a well-designed web-based writing app which gives great organizational features for novelists, look no further than the fantastic free Lit Lift.

Platforms: Web-Based

11. Creative Writer

Creative Writer gives you a minimalistic writing interface which is aimed to help reduce distractions and attain a new level of expression. It comes with a touch-to-type word selection interface which makes typing on a mobile device a pleasure. A text-talking “robot” is available to read out your writing, while the creative keyboard supplies interactive suggestions to help improve your writing. The standard version restricts the number of results in the story and dictionary keyboards, however additional word suggestion lists are available as app upgrades. This lightweight writing app is one of the best free creative writing apps for iOS and can help anyone from poets to novelists thanks to the built-in suggestions offering inspiration.

Platforms: iOS

Q10 is a great word processor for all forms of writers. It supplies you a full-screen text editor which gives you full focus on your work. Live statistics are provided, such as your words, pages, characters and total pages. You get to specify the word count used for page calculation as well. The timed alarm is great for those who are pushing to increase their writing speed, while the target count stats are perfect for those who are trying to hit any given amount of words, paragraphs, pages or lines. An unlimited amount of auto-correction entries keep your persistent errors in check, while the app itself could not be faster. It is under 400Kb in size and even comes with typing sound effects for those who miss their typewriter.

13. yWriter

yWriter is a fantastic word processing platform for novel writers. It allows you to focus on scenes, with a range of reports available to provide scene and chapter summaries of various types, as well as a comprehensive synopsis of your manuscript. yWriter does not require an internet connection and it is completely free to use. Even though this app is designed for novels, many users have customized yWriter for screenplays, non-fiction and blogging. It is feature packed and does a great job of supplying everything that the creative writer could need.

LyX is a document processor which focuses on creating documents based on a sound structure. It integrates many features, such as an equation editor for mathematic content, layouts for academic articles, theses, books, novels and film scripts. It works equally well to any mainstream word processor and is a complete freeware application. It is the perfect app for those who want their writing to look visually appealing, without needing to fuss over the individual details.

Platforms : Windows, macOS

15. FocusWriter

FocusWriter gives you distraction-free writing with many nifty features. The appearance is fully customizable and you are allowed to set a range of alarms and timers to help keep you on track. Goal setting lets you specify a word count target, while the auto-save ensures that everything is always backed up. Choose from a range of themes and edit / save to all popular document formats.

Platforms : Windows, Linux, macOS

16. Werdsmith

Werdsmith is a portable writing studio for iOS which allows you to capture your notes, novels, stories, screenplays, articles and more. It has great goal setting to keep you on track and motivated, while also supplying highly effective instant formatting. This app is backed by a huge user base and has a writer’s portfolio which allows you to join and be featured within their community of writers. It is easy to use, highly intuitive and overall a fantastic free writing app.

17. SelfControl

SelfControl is a distraction-free writing app which offers you a timer and a block list to bar yourself from online distractions such as Facebook. It is very easy to use, extremely lightweight and a massive help to anyone who needs to narrow their focus during a writing session, especially when considering that its free.

Platforms : macOS

18. Hanx Writer

Designed by Tom Hanks for iPad and iPhone, Hanx Writer gives you the look and sound of a typewriter. Hanx keyboards can be used throughout all your favorite apps, while the Hanx Writer app itself gives great export functionality, basic editing and a range of upgrades available through in-app purchases. Choose from a handy “writer’s block bundle” giving you inspiration at your fingertips, or buy a style of typewriter that you prefer. The free version without any additional purchases is a great tool which not just looks great, but works well also.

Platforms: iOS 8.0 and above

Refly is a writing app and editor for content writers which reports improvements for language usage and SEO. It also allows you to set writing goals, and it connects to multiple blogging platforms and social networks. For example, you can schedule a post to multiple WordPress blogs at once. Free, reliable and the trusted choice of many, Refly is perfect for short articles and those looking to improve their language.

Platforms: macOS

LaTeX, pronounced “lay-tech”, is a WYSIWYG document creation app for Windows, MacOS X and Linux, which is the perfect tool for those who produce academic works. Its advanced typesetting excels at complex mathematical formulas, cross-references, tables, figures and it even automatically generates bibliographies and indexes. It allows for the inclusion of artwork in process or spot color, and is best used for journal articles, book writing, presentations and technical repots. Free and well supported, LaTeX has a learning curve but once you get used to it there is no better tool for academic writing.

Platforms: Windows, Linux, MacOS X

21. Calmy Writer

Calmy Writer is a no-frills professional text editor that allows for a focus mode, highlighting the paragraph that you are currently working on. It clears away all the distractions and only leaves you with the basics. Formatting functions are supplied when you highlight a paragraph, otherwise the interface is completely clean. Every single change that you make is backed up, in case you wish to go back a few revisions. This is a reliable distraction-free writing app for Chrome OS which should not be overlooked.

Platforms: Chrome OS

22. Monospace

Monospace is a writing and note-taking app for Android which gives you an essentials-only interface with a highly functional formatting popup. The app was specifically designed for touch devices, resulting in a writing app which is among the most intuitive and responsive available. There are no advanced features other than export to Markdown, however, Monospace is one of the best distraction-free writing apps on Android. It even allows you to sort your documents via hash-tagging similar content.

Platforms: Android

23. A Novel Idea

A Novel Idea supplies a sketchbook of your story. It tracks your title, tone, theme, setting, point of view, premise and plot. It then guides you through individual scenes, backstories, character descriptions and details of the atmospherics, where needed. A free-floating “ideas” window gives you prompts to assist brainstorming, while drop-down menus supply genders and other details for easy inclusion and phrasing. It is a great app for fiction writers which can also be considered by screenwriters.

24. Focus Writer

Focus Writer is a minimalistic writing app with a range of features. Free and fully customizable, Focus Writer gives you timers, alarms and daily goals, as well as live statistics, spell-checking, multiple sessions, a portable mode and multi-document support. Available on all platforms, other than mobile devices, Focus Writer is a great uncomplicated writing app for those who want to cut out distractions but still motivate themselves to stay on track.

Platforms: Windows, Linux, macOS

25. Plume Creator

Plume Creator is an open-source writing app for novelists. It has a built in outliner for keeping track of your novel, a distraction-free writing mode, a note manager and is in constant development, with new features being added frequently. You can keep notes for each chapter, while Plume Creator itself supplies a chapter-by-chapter synopsis as well. Free, feature-packed and on the rise, give Plume Creator a try if you are a novel writer.

Platforms: Windows, Ubuntu

26. OStoryBook

OStoryBook is a great open-source writing application for novelists and screenplay writers. It is filled with features, accessible through tabs, giving you complete control over every development in your story. It is a very complex tool which is also very powerful, however the interface could scare many away thanks to the huge selection of buttons and tables. Give it some time to get used to, and you have one of the best creative writing tools out there.

27. Writer’s App

Writer’s App gives you excellent story outlining and planning on all iOS devices. It is a writing application with great organizational functionality, giving you complete flexibility to sort details as needed when planning your story. It is designed with novelists in mind and stores all notes, cover images and plot outlines within a text file with Markdown formatting. The free version does not allow for Markdown-supported exports, however it is an excellent tool which is relied on by many writers looking to jot down their ideas while on the road.

Pricing: Free or $1.99 for Pro

28. Ginger Page

Ginger Page is a fantastic writing app with a bright, intuitive interface, word predication, a great grammar checker, built-in translation for 40 languages, and it even offers other great functions such as a sentence rephraser. This notable proofreading tool will have you explore different ways of expressing the same sentence, just with greater clarity and word use. It also has a voice dictation feature, on mobile platforms, and personalized trainer which helps you gradually improve your English. Ginger is one of the best editors out there, with both the free and premium version being invaluable to writers across any genre.

Platforms: Web-based Interface, Office Add-In, Android, iOS

Pricing: Free or $30 Per Month for Premium

29. Rough Draft

Rough Draft is an excellent distraction-free writing app which helps you keep focus on nothing other than your text. Tags can be added to set notes to include pictures and other multimedia content, although in the editor it is text only. Edited sentences are struck-through instead of deleted, allowing you to focus on writing rather than changing your phrasing. The free version gives basic functionality and a great interface, with a professional version being available at a slight fee.

Pricing: Free or $24.99 for Professional

30. Writing Kit

Writing Kit is a plain text and Markdown editor for iOS which is a pleasure to use. It has a built in web browser, quick lookup functionality and gives you access to Instapaper and read later articles, which is especially handy for novelists. It also has cross connectivity to Evernote and OmniFocus. All sectional titles are designed using hashes which can then be accessed via a dropdown list. This makes navigating your document very easy. For a lightweight, feature packed writing app for iOS, Writing Kit makes for a solid option. It holds enough revisions to save all of your changes along the way.

Pricing: $5

31. Ulysses

Ulysses is a powerful writing studio with a simple interface, great features and excellent cross-platform connectivity. It gives you a choice of a full screen or a windowed interface of sheets. The search feature is wonderfully integrated, while the goal setting function gives visual indications showing your progress. It is fully customizable as is the interface. The versioning is outstanding, with changes being available well-on into your writing. From its clean design to multiple-format support, iPad synching and customizability, Ulysses is a great all-round writing app.

Platforms: macOS, iOS

Pricing: $4.99 per month

32. Editorial

Editorial is a flexible, minimalistic writing app for iOS which does a great job of managing workflows, revisions and document editing. It supports Markdown, allows for footnotes and has great hotkeys, allowing you to every aspect of the app at a keystroke. With an external keyboard connected, you will love Editorial, while the on-screen keyboard is also highly responsive. It is a great app exclusively for iOS devices that makes writing or note-taking a breeze.

Pricing: $4.99

33. OmmWriter

OmnWriter gives you a minimalistic Zen-inspired interface to carry out your writing without distractions. It is designed to give you the ideal environment for concentration, allowing for a mixed focus on your words with access to only the most basic functions needed. With natural backgrounds, calming audio tracks and varied sounds when typing, OmnWriter may be what you need to keep on track.

Platforms: Windows, Mac, Web, Linux

Pricing: $7.99

34. Novel in 30

Novel in 30 is an iOS app which aims to help you hit your 50,000-word goal within NaNoWriMo. It is however customizable enough to allow you to adjust your target timeframe to anything that you would like. It gives you updates on how many words you’ve pushed out and whether or not you are on track to hit your target. A sheet based display gives easy navigation, making Novel in 30 a highly intuitive and motivating writing app.

Pricing: $7

35. Story Skeleton

Story Skeleton is a writing application which is targeted towards novelists and screenwriters. It approaches manuscript writing through a series of notes which can be later compiled into multiple formats, including .scriv files for Scrivener. It is the perfect mobile accompaniment to Scrivener. The user interface is basic but functional, and backups are done to a Dropbox storage location. It gives a great outline of your writing and imports data from Scrivener as well. Anyone who owns the writing powerhouse should consider this app.

Pricing: $9.99

36. Write Room

Write Room is another inexpensive distraction-free writing app for macOS. It does not support Markdown, there is no mobile version and there is no preview before exporting to PDF, nor are there any collaboration features. That being said, it is a highly intuitive app with a great range of view options. Most of the options are hidden in a tiny window, cutting away all distractions. It is a simple app with a direct focus on short-form writing. At the price, it may not be a bad buy for those who write infrequently.

Novlr is an online and offline writing app which is packed with features and is in constant development. It gives you a focus mode for distraction free writing, triple backups with cloud connectivity, notes, writing statistics, word count tracking, chapter organization, scene and chapter details and even has character profiles and planning in the pipeline. It is free to use for two weeks, allowing you to try out its powerful features and easy-to-use interface.

Pricing: $10 Per Month

38. Adobe Story CC

Adobe Story CC is a feature-rich screenwriting and preproduction application for professional screenwriters. There are few better creative tools for screenwriters available. It is aimed at the solitary writer, allowing you to detail every aspect of each shot. Most writers will never end up using all the preproduction tools, although this app truly gives you everything that you need to get a screenplay to production. Available in multiple pricing brackets and packed with collaboration options, templates and more, Adobe Story CC is pricy but a great package. If you are a screenwriter who also does his or her own directing and production, this is essential.

Pricing: $9.99 per month or as part of All Apps Creative Cloud at $49.99 Monthly

Byword gives you a distraction-free writing environment with the functionality to support direct publishing to a range of popular sites. It is a great app for shorter works such as blogging. Inexpensive, great features thanks to Markdown support, and great cross compatibility, Byword is a good app however it does fall short in a few areas. There are no library and reference tools, no templates and technical solutions require repair via the macOS terminal. For short-form writing, it is a reliable app and has a good range of export options.

Platforms: macOS and iOS

Pricing: $11.99 on Mac, $5.99 on iOS

40. Textkraft Pro

Textkraft is a powerful writing application which is perfect for authors, editors, translators and other writers of all types. It is packed with features, allowing you a full range of text editing functions, drag and drop support and extensive export options. It has one of the best keyboards out of any iOS software, making typing long documents quick and easy. It has reminders, great document storage, many templates and allows you to switch between multiple open documents on the fly. This is one of the best text editors on iOS and a worthy consideration for any writer.

Pricing: $13.99

Write! is a minimalistic writing app with a surprising range of features. Its note taking functionality is extremely handy, allowing you to plan out your manuscript or article, while its editor is a powerful, distraction free tool with a clean interface. As a word processor, it is reliable, while its organizational tools makes keeping track of your documents easy. Cross document search is supplied, as is instant publishing to online locations. It can export to a range of features and has cloud connectively and collaboration features. Available on Windows, Mac and Linux, Write! even has a great 7-day money-back guarantee.

Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux

Pricing: $19.99

Desk is a great desktop publishing suite for MacOS which is best suited to bloggers. It gives you powerful content discovery and research functionality, while integrating with all major blogging platforms. This includes WordPress, BlogSpot and Tumblr. It is one of the most reasonably priced packages in its area of expertise, making content creation highly targeted, current and well-structured.

43. Write or Die

Write or Die is an app for those who need motivation to stay on track. It penalizes you for slowing down and stopping typing. In its “Kamikaze Mode” it will start deleting vowels within the text which you just typed. It isn’t all punishment as Write or Die rewards you with pictures and soothing sounds when you hit your goals. While this may all seem trivial at first, some NaNoWriMo contestants use this program extensively to hit their goal of a 50,000 word novel in just one month. If you find it hard to stay up to date, then Write or Die may be your solution.

Platforms: Web-based, Windows

Pricing: $20

44. Folding Text

Folding Text is a great writing application for structured content and novels. It supplies a basic text editor with the functionality to add timers to any section of your work. This is especially handy for goal setting, allowing you to set character count or word count tracking. You can also tag sections of text and are capable of making them fold away out of site. This is a fairly basic application with excellent timers and to-do lists and a great choice for anyone who is looking for a distraction free-interface for long-form content.

Pricing: $25

Pages is a powerful writing application for Mac, iPad or iPhone, while even working on a PC as well using iWork for iCloud. It has fantastic collaboration functionality, beautiful templates, a clean interface and highly functional tools. Comments and edits are saved automatically with a complete revision history and real-time viewing of changes being made in a collaborative environment. There are few better word processors available to writers on Mac. Pages should be your first choice, with over sixty templates built in, advanced tracking features and a design-set which could not be easier to use.

Pricing: $28

46. The Novel Factory

The Novel Factory is a creative writing studio that does a great job of improving the productivity of any given fiction writer. It guides you using a step-by-step interface through writing your novel. It takes you through the planning and structural development, giving sections for the skeleton of your story, your premise, short synopses, extended synopsis display and summaries of your scenes. You can capture historical information, full details of each character with categorization according to whether they are a protagonist, antagonist or supporting actor, as well as time and weather information concerning all scenes. Both a docked and full screen writing mode is supplied, with statistics concerning all of your writing. It is one of the most trusted and easy to use book writing applications which should definitely be considered by any creative writer.

Platforms: Windows, Web-based

Pricing: $39.95

47. Contour

Contour is a writing software package which aims to assist story development. It is specifically designed with screenwriters in mind, however it is versatile enough to be used for any form of creative writing. You are asked a selection of questions which profiles your prospective work, comparing the answers supplied to criteria from Hollywood blockbusters. It then supplies a story structure and structural suggestions which will elevate your ideas and inspire you. It is universally applicable, working across all genres. While not a complete writing application, Contour is rather a storyline development tool which is invaluable to anyone looking to get a screenplay published. It is well worth a look and a free trial is available.

48. Writer’s Café

Writer’s Café delivers a powerful set of tools specifically designed for fiction writers. It is simple to use and is toted to be a playground for the imagination, allowing for professionals to configure every aspect of formatting and layout, while supplying a Scrivener-esque corkboard for an easy overview of your work. The entire storyline can be rearranged on the fly, while Writer’s Café itself is a pleasure to use. Upon opening the app you are greeted with a great writing interface, mimicking the look of your desktop. Shortcuts to your pinboard, journal and scrapbook are all supplied, as well as a link to the web, your current novels and a bunch of beginner information. There is no feature lacking from this fantastic creative writing tool. It comes at quite a cost but has everything that you need to deliver outstanding fiction.

Platforms: Windows, Linux, macOS, Raspberry Pi 2

Pricing: $40

49. Scrivener

Scrivener is the outright best writing tool for large projects such as novels and screen plays. It comes with a rather steep learning curve but once you realize the power of Scrivener, you will soon realize what makes it the best. The organizational tools bring the biggest benefit. The outlining view gives a great structure of the foundation of the document you are working with. The research tab allows you to store assets including images and text for use at a later stage during your writing. The corkboard arranges your content into sections, giving you a bird’s eye view of your progress. It also makes rearranging the structure of your work very easy. This great writing studio lets you compile to an ePub which is ready for upload to Amazon, or for print publication. It is a must-have writing app for anyone who does any form of long-form writing.

Pricing: $45

Mellel is a professional word processor which is extremely flexible. It is specifically designed to assist with long-form writing such as manuscripts and novels. You are given access to a word processor which gives great outlining and organizational features. This great tool assists you with editing and publishing, academic writing, technical writing and creative writing. An overview over every detail of your work is supplied, making updating your writing and keeping track straightforward. A 30-day trial is available to help you better gauge whether this powerful word processor is the tool that you need. It is far easier to use than Scrivener with almost as many features.

Platforms: Mac, iOS

Pricing: $50

51. Storyist

Storyist is a high end writing environment for novelists and screenwriters. It tracks your plot, characters and every detail of your manuscript. Once you are complete, you will have a production ready manuscript requiring little to no editing. It stores revisions constantly, allowing you to go back and revert to an alternate line of speech if you deem it necessary. Storyist makes every detail of your work easily accessible, making large novels and screenplays a pleasure to write. It is a powerful tool which should be considered by any professional writer.

Pricing: $59

52. WriteItNow 5

WriteItNow is a fantastic fully featured creative writing app which has everything that you need to get started and finish a professional manuscript. It has two main sections, one for the chapters and scenes and the other to store all the background details of your story. Chapters and scenes can be viewed and moved around using the built-in storyboard, while you can keep track of who does what, when and where using the storyline editor. An excellent thesaurus, spell checker, readability checker and cliché finder ensures that your writing is up to high quality standards, while the handy word count and writing tasks keep you on a track. A free demo is available, allowing you to test out the great value which WriteItNow 5 supplies to writers.

Pricing: $69.95

53. MasterWriter 3

MasterWriter 3 is a great writing program for authors who do not need extensive structural and storyline development tools. It has an extensive database of words, phrases, clichés and other content which supplies suggestions aiming to improve your writing. Over 33,000 phrases and word combinations are stored, as well as over 36,000 rhyming phrases and 100,000 rhymes themselves. Both written and voice notes can be stored, while the synonym finder and speech suggestions are invaluable to any creative writer.

Pricing: $99.95

54. Kotobee Author

Kotobee Author is an ebook creator which makes putting together a ready-to publish book extremely easy. Kotobee’s word processor is easy to use and highly functional, allowing to you drag and drop in any interactive elements, while also giving access to HTML for more advanced users. It even allows you to export your book as a true native app for hassle-free reading access. While this tool offers little in terms of proofing, it is a complete ebook publishing package which is great for less technical users to take care of all their publishing needs.

Platforms: Windows, macOS, iOS

Pricing: $100 Lifetime License

55. Power Structure

Power Structure is a high-end creative writing application which is versatile enough for writers of all types. It gives access to a powerful text editor with eight professional style templates, complete tracking of your character development, a graphical view of conflict throughout your story, scene and chapter outlines with all the plot points, excellent plot management and a massive overview of your writing which captures information from the finest detail to a comprehensive overview. There are few writing apps which give you as much control over the structure of your story, while even less can compare to the excellent visual overview. If you wish to try out the stunning features of this outstanding creative writing studio, there is a free demo available to all. Many prefer its simplicity to even powerful apps such as Scrivener and Final Draft.

Pricing: $119.95

56. Writer’s Blocks 5

Writer’s Blocks 5 is a fantastic writing studio application which is perfect for those who typically end up with many scattered notes while writing their novel, article or screenplay. Viewing and navigating through your writing is made extremely easy. This makes polishing up your work a pleasure and highly productive. The visual layout gives a simplistic presentation of your ideas, chapters, characters and any other background information. Unlimited revisions are stored, ensuring that you don’t lose any edits along the way. The built-in word-processor is powerful and easy to use, while also being completely customizable. You can try out the great functionality of Writer’s Blocks 5 free of charge for 30 days. It is a great alternative to high-end editors with a steep learning curve.

Pricing: $149

57. Dramatica Pro

Dramatica Pro is a creative writing application that is perfect for novels and screenplays, although it is versatile enough for any long-form writing project. The creative writing tools are nothing short of outstanding. The character development tool prompts you to describe the personalities, physical traits and activities of your characters, while the structural tools asks you questions which help to determine the dramatic direction of your story. It does a great job of improving the quality of your writing, while supplying excellent outlining tools and an easy to use word-processor as well. From plot development, to dilemmas, story form, plot motivations and more, Dramatica Pro has everything that you need to develop a stunning novel, short story or screenplay.

Pricing: $129.95

58. Script Studio

Script Studio is a fantastic creative writing software package for screenwriters, playwrights and novelists. It gives you all-in-one story development tools which are intuitive and easy to use. It uses templates such as “The Hero’s Journey” to set and maintain a layout and logical progression of your story. The outlining functionality is nothing short of outstanding, while acts and sequences are color-coded. Your manuscript can also be analyzed through comparisons to twelve different successful Hollywood movies including Die Hard, Ghost and Dead Poets Society. It is an outstanding application for screenwriting granting many key features such as automatic scene numbering, professional script formatting and layouts for stage play, teleplay, screenplay and music. It is an outstanding app which should be considered by professional creative writers across all industries, while excelling at stage and video manuscript composition.

Pricing: $199.95

59. Final Draft

Final Draft is an app which is specifically designed for screen writers. It allows you to properly format your screenplay, stage play or teleplay, while supplying a host of handy features such as the ability to read your script aloud, with each character portrayed using a different voice. It is a professional application for professional screenwriters and a must-have if working in the industry, despite its hefty price tag.

Platforms: Windows, Mac, iOS

Pricing: $249.99

Finding the Perfect Writing App

Many people find that a combination of writing apps works well. The more expensive, professional packages include a range of handy tools including note-taking, outlining and proofreading functionality, while also giving you creative prompts and style advice. If you don’t have the budget for a high-end app, then consider using more than one tool. You can often reap excellent results from using a minimalistic writing app in conjunction with a premier proofreader, and possibly another app for brainstorming and mind-mapping. Be sure to try out more than one option to find the best combination for your needs.

59 Top Apss for Writers is an article from Writing Tips Oasis . Copyright © 2014-2017 Writing Tips Oasis All Rights Reserved

I do what I love, following the path of the heart, and I love what I do, I write. I write with passion in every word, expressing what is right in the best words I can conjure. “Just write.” is my creed. Artist, wordsmith, story-teller and creator, expression is my joy, my fuel, the essence of self and my motivation for everything else.

The Best Writing Apps for 2024

Working on your novel hoping to finish that movie script look no further for the best apps for writers of all types..

Final Draft (for Mac)

Ulysses (for Mac)

iA Writer (for Mac)

Storyist (for Mac)

Script Studio

While we'd love to tell you there is one best writing app to rule them all, it simply isn't true. The best writing app is the one that helps you with the unique challenges of whatever you're writing. Do you need an app that has scene cards for mapping out a screenplay, or do you want one that reduces distractions and helps you focus on getting words on the page? The best app also supports your method of writing. Do you like to write in pieces that you can move around while revising? Do you need to keep track of copious footnotes or even reference images? Do you publish directly to a website? Hey, you might even be best off sticking with something you already know, like Microsoft Word or Google Docs —though those apps don't have some of the special features you get in a dedicated writing app.

No matter what type of writer you are, you won’t have trouble finding an excellent writing app that speaks to you. Below are descriptions of the best writing apps based on our independent testing, as well as guidelines for how much you might expect to spend. Separately, some writers are leaning on artificial intelligence to help them come up with ideas, and if that's your jam, see our list of the best generative AI chatbots .

Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks

Why we picked it.

Final Draft is the industry standard for professionals who write or make movies and television shows. It is a mature product with excellent features.

Who It's For

Final Draft is the best writing software for anyone in the screenwriting business. It has all the tools you need to get the script right from both story and technical perspectives. While it does have features and templates for other kinds of writing, such as graphic novels, Final Draft is best for writing meant for the screen.

• Well-tailored for screenwriters
• Powerful tools for both writing scenes and crafting the larger story
• Plenty of view options
• Offers a variety of industry-standard templates
• Good collaboration features
• Best autosave option is once every three minutes

Bottom Line:

• Plentiful tools for writing and revising
• Ample collection of templates
• Competitive price
• Multiple installs allowed
• Available for Mac, Windows, and iOS
• No native collaboration features

If you're looking for a distraction-free writing environment that doesn't skimp on features, Ulysses is the app to get.

Ulysses is the best writing app for writers who don't want the distractions of a word processor. It pares down, eliminates, or hides menu options to keep the interface simple and minimal. Many long-form and short-form writers alike take to the app easily, though it doesn't coach you through your draft the way some other writing apps do. Note that it's only available for Apple devices.

• Beautiful and tidy interface
• Ample features
• Excellent selection of views and distraction-free modes
• Tracks writing goals
• Can publish directly to WordPress, Medium
• Only available on Apple devices
• Expensive subscription-only pricing

Fade In is a capable screenwriting app with most of the features scriptwriters need. We picked it because it's an excellent and more affordable alternative to Final Draft.

Fade In is priced for aspiring screenwriters. Its low, one-time cost should appeal to anyone who wants to produce professionally formatted scripts on a budget.

• Rich with features, including real-time collaboration
• Competitively priced as a one-time fee with free upgrades
• Supports industry-standard formatting conventions
• Autosaves every two minutes at best
• PDF import tool could use improvements

Taking minimalism to the extreme, iA Writer may have the fewest built-in distractions of any writing app. It's relatively inexpensive, too.

iA Writer is an excellent choice for bloggers and short-form writers. It's also a good choice if you prefer to write in Markdown language.

• Distraction-free design
• Supports Markdown formatting
• Can export directly to Medium and WordPress
• Inexpensive
• No templates
• Few tools for organizing and arranging files

Storyist for Mac is a dedicated writing app with the power of a word processor. This app has formatting options galore, including style sheets, which help writers create consistently formatted words.

Storyist gives long-form writers all the tools they need, including a corkboard view and folders for plot notes and character development.

• Clean, clear interface
• Includes tools for storyboarding, outlining, character sheets
• Good exporting and importing options
• No collaboration features
• Mediocre auto-save functionality
• Few templates

Novelize is one of the few writing apps that works on the web. It's easy to use and capable enough to handle young adult series, novellas, and other simple pieces with plenty of styling tools.

Novelize is for creative writers who specifically don't want downloadable writing software and are working on short to medium-length works.

• Platform-independent web app
• Syncs and backs up your work effortlessly
• Minimal learning curve
• Offers useful tools for novelists
• Depends on third-party cloud storage
• No offline functionality
• No dedicated mobile apps
• Does not support collaboration or co-authoring

Script Studio’s standout feature is its inclusion of popular movie scripts you can use as models for your own. The app has a decent set of features for helping you draft, plot, organize, and write.

Script Studio is best for screenplay and teleplay writers (script is in its name, after all), but you can also use it to compose novels and other works.

• Attractive and organized interface
• Includes helpful sample scripts
• Available for macOS and Windows
• No co-authoring support
• Lacks beat boards, daily writing goals, and other features
• No mobile apps

yWriter is unique because it encourages you to compose small scenes of a novel rather than chapters because scenes are more manageable. It also has dozens of places to store details about your work, and compiles all this metadata into useful charts and tables.

The free and stats-heavy yWriter is ideal for writers who crave organization and data about their work. If you're looking for a distraction-free experience, look elsewhere. It's available as a Windows app, whereas many writing apps are for Mac only.

• Highly structured interface
• Rich tools for story and character development
• Plentiful stats
• Doesn't include screenwriting tools or templates
• macOS version still in beta
• No collaboration options
• Unusual interface requires learning curve

Buying Guide: The Best Writing Apps for 2024

How much do writing apps cost.

Apps for writers tend to be less expensive than other kinds of software. Many sell for a one-time fee, although a few require a subscription. In addition to the cost of the desktop app, you should also factor in the fee for a service's mobile app, which is often sold separately.

There are three types of writing software in this story:

• Low-cost, lightweight apps that cost around $30 (you can find cheaper apps, but they tend not to be very good).
• Writing apps for long-form writers (such as book authors) that cost around $50–$75 to own outright or $50 to $60 per year when sold as a subscription.
• Screenwriting software, which costs anywhere between $70 and $250.

Some writing apps include storage, but many don't. To make sure you never lose your work, you should back up your work early and often. A cloud storage service like Dropbox or iCloud is often the most convenient solution. The good news is that pages of text don't take up much space, so you may be able to store a few works in your existing cloud storage account without paying for more space. Just keep in mind that you might eventually have to pay more for storage.

What's the Best App for Screenwriting?

As a genre, screenwriting has unique requirements. Scripts for movies, television, and the stage must clearly distinguish between action, scene descriptions, spoken dialogue, and so forth. Scripts do this through formatting. For example, lines of dialogue are always centered on the page, while the name of the character who speaks them is always centered and in all caps directly above the lines. The rules of formatting are standardized so that all the people involved in creating the final product—actors, film crew, editors, directors, among others—can understand the script and do their jobs.

Because the formatting for screenwriting is exceedingly precise, it helps tremendously when a writing app applies the correct formatting automatically. Most professional screenwriters use Final Draft , which is the industry standard. In addition to suggesting the correct formatting, Final Draft has a beat board where you can map out the beats of your story and view them on a timeline above your script as you write.

Fade In is a great, low-cost alternative to Final Draft, while Script Studio offers sample scripts to help you structure your work.

What's the Best Writing App for Long-Form Works?

Book authors spend a lot of their time simply organizing their manuscripts. Whether it's for fiction or nonfiction works, many authors put an incredible amount of effort into outlining their chapters and sections, moving them around, and trying to structure everything into one cohesive piece. The same can be said for other types of long-form works, such as dissertations, graphic novels, and so forth.

We have two favorite apps for long-form writers. One is Scrivener , which has templates and tools for a variety of genres and forms. The other is Ulysses , which is better for writers who find themselves distracted by toolbars, menus, and options; it has a great distraction-free mode.

Writing for Medium, WordPress Blogs, and More

Book authors and screenwriters aren't the only types of writers, of course. Many writers create shorter pieces that they publish directly online, often without ever passing through the hands of an editor, agent, publisher, or movie producer. If you're publishing on Medium or WordPress , it's handy to have a writing app that can seamlessly export your work to those platforms.

Ulysses and iA Writer both integrate with Medium and WordPress. Like Ulysses, iA Writer is a distraction-free writing app, but it's much more pared-down. It has some neat functions, such as text transclusion , which allows you to use inline commands to import and order sections, files, and images. In other words, you can make a document that essentially says, "Pull in all the text from this file, then place this image after it, and then pull in the text of this other file." Using this method, the text of your document could be all of four sentences long and yet produce a final piece that, when exported, is 25 pages long.

Distraction-Free Apps That Support Markdown

If you're after minimalism, getting an app with a distraction-free mode or view is a great place to start. You may also want to write in Markdown language.

Markdown is a lightweight set of codes that you use to apply formatting instead of using the rich-text formatting options that are common in word processors. If you've ever typed asterisks or double asterisks (depending on which app you're using) around a word to make it bold * like this* , that's Markdown. The idea is that by removing menu options and toolbars for formatting, you won't get distracted by them, and instead, you'll focus on your writing.

Ulysses, iA Writer, and Byword all support Markdown natively and focus on delivering you a distraction-free interface. A few other apps allow you to write in Markdown, but they don't necessarily emphasize it or minimize other kinds of distractions.

Additional Tools to Improve Your Writing

Some writers need a little bit of help to make their words flow or to smooth out word choice when they aren't native speakers of the language. In such instances, tools such as Hemingway Editor (a tool that steers you toward brevity), AI keyboards, or Grammarly might help. Grammarly, in particular, is popular among non-native English speakers because it's very good at hunting down typos and repetitive phrases. It also makes suggestions for word choices that might not be quite right.

Grammarly isn't a writer's app in the sense that the other apps listed above are, as it doesn't have any tools for organizing your writing or ideas. But you can use it in tandem with another writing app. Final Draft even now comes with Grammarly support. If your chosen app doesn't integrate directly with Grammarly, however, you can use the Grammarly browser extension for web-based tools.

What's the Best Writing App?

The best writing app for you is the one that works for the type of writing you do and meets your unique preferences. Do you need a writing app that works on both Windows and macOS? Do you need one that is specific to writing screenplays? Do you need something that minimizes distractions? The range of software for writers is impressive, so there are plenty of options.

Finally, if you decide that a dedicated writing tool just isn't for you and you'd rather use a plain old word processor, see our list of the  top office suites  to help you out there as well.

More Inside PCMag.com

• The Best Cloud Storage and File-Sharing Services for 2024
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About Jill Duffy

I've been contributing to PCMag since 2011 and am currently the deputy managing editor for the software team. My column, Get Organized , has been running on PCMag since 2012. It gives advice on how to manage all the devices, apps, digital photos, email, and other technology that can make you feel like you're going to have a panic attack.

My latest book is The Everything Guide to Remote Work , which goes into great detail about a subject that I've been covering as a writer and participating in personally since well before the COVID-19 pandemic.

More From Jill Duffy

• Gmail at 20: Ubiquitous, But Bad for Productivity
• How to Declutter and Get Rid of Old Electronics Responsibly
• HelloFresh Meal Delivery Service
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The Top 25 Best Writing Apps for 2024 to Improve Your Writing Skills

• February 8, 2024
• No Comments

Are you looking to transform your writing in the next couple of years? We have carefully curated a remarkable collection of 25 best writing apps that have been specifically developed to enhance and refine your written communication abilities, regardless of whether you are working on a piece of imaginative fiction, a screenplay, or even a blog.

So let’s get started on this amazing list of the best free writing apps that will elevate your wordsmithing abilities!

When utilized effectively, writing tools can be immensely powerful in refining word choices, improving syntax, and correcting spelling errors. So why wait? Familiarize yourself with these amazing resources today.

Even after talking with my cofounder, an English major who is also the author of 4 (soon to be 5) books , and a contributor to many more books and well known magazines and blogs, let me tell you – writing ain’t easy! I struggle with the actual typing, spelling and grammar myself. Others are challenged by ideation and creation. But whatever challenge you face when it comes to your writing project, some of the writing apps and writing software out there might be the solution for you!

Short Summary

• Discover the top 15 writing apps for creative writers to stay organized and productive!
• Explore amazing productivity tools like FocusWriter, Freedom & Evernote to maximize focus and creativity.
• Enjoy convenient access on mobile devices with Scrivener (Mobile), Microsoft Word (Mobile) & Google Docs (Mobile)! Get excited – it’s time to write!
• Some extra AI tools to help your content writing.

Top 15 Writing Apps for Creative Writers

As we enter 2024, creative writers require reliable and efficient writing assistant tools to stay productive in this fast-paced world. With a wide range of the most fascinating writing tools, and apps available online, selecting the right one for your needs can be tricky.

If you want to boost your writing skills and save valuable time, our top 15 selection of powerful writing applications is exactly what you need! These tools are perfect for both professional writers and aspiring authors.

From grammar checkers to organizational functions – these best AI writing software and creative writing apps will undoubtedly help improve your entire writing process and get you to that final draft quicker!

1. FlyPosts AI – LinkedIn AI Post Generator

FlyPosts AI is a product feature of FlyMSG, your secret weapon for crafting posts that resonate with your professional network. Whether you’re looking to share industry insights, personal achievements, or engage your connections with thought-provoking questions, our AI post generator has got you covered. With FlyPosts AI, you can consistently deliver high-quality content that positions you as an expert in your field.

Key Features:

– Personalized Post Generation: Tailor-made content that suits your LinkedIn goals and style.- – Smart Topic Suggestions: Never run out of ideas with AI-powered topic prompts. – Engaging Headlines: Capture attention with captivating headlines that drive engagement. – Hassle-Free Posting: Easily create and share your AI-generated content with your LinkedIn network right from within “Start a Post”

See it in action, directly below:

Ulysses is a very user-friendly, distraction-free writing app designed specifically for MacOS and iOS device . It’s considered a best writing app on the market because it offers keyword labeling options with easy split screen view, progress tracking capabilities as well as organizing all your writing projects together in its sidebar.

One of the things that makes this software truly remarkable is its Markdown formatting. It enables writers to maintain their workflow during each session while also simplifying the editing process .

Despite being limited in features, the free version still stands out as the perfect option for those who prioritize ease and simplicity when utilizing such tools.

3. Scrivener

Scrivener is an excellent writing app, specially tailored for those who do long form writing. Like books. It offers a range of templates and advanced features to help streamline the creative process while providing helpful tools such as virtual notecards and research tracking.

While there is no free version, with its competitive pricing structure coupled with these refined elements, it’s ideal for novelists, scriptwriters or any other long form writers that demands longer written content production.

This would be a nonstarter for me – there isn’t a built-in spelling checker included. So if you decide to use Scrivener for all its other awesome options, you might want to add a spell checker browser extension like Linguix , if this is something important in your workflow.

For authors in search of a well-structured story outline, Plottr offers an invaluable solution. Its user-friendly interface, visual organization capabilities, and color-coded scene and plot point categorization make it a valuable tool for your planning process, all for the affordable price of $25.

Aside from these impressive capabilities, users can take advantage of off timelines functionality, template plots cards to get you started quickly too!

5. Reedsy Book Editor

The Reedsy Book Editor is a perfect tool for authors seeking an efficient, uncluttered writing environment that transforms their manuscript into the final product with all the necessary typesetting elements. This powerful program includes helpful notifications that remind writers to stay on task if they slip up in achieving goals and deadlines.

This editor is designed to be easy to use and has impressive features. It can create books that are ready for publication without needing a lot of manual work. This saves a lot of time during the production process. (Note to self – take a look at this for your next self-published book!)

It’s not cheap – but does offer a 14-day free trial, so you can try it out!

yWriter is novel writing software that makes it effortless for novelists to organize their works into scenes and chapters. It offers an extremely orderly user interface which can divide stories up, measure progress conveniently, and generate summaries like an expert.

yWriter, with its useful features for storing notes on characters, locations, objects, and scene layouts in a single location, offers exceptional organizational capabilities. This makes it ideal for many fiction writers , who require efficient methods of structuring their books while keeping track of their progress.

Unfortunately, this application only runs on Windows, but still proves useful nonetheless!

7. Storyist

Storyist is a powerful writing tool with an array of features, such as including comments and images in formatted manuscripts or screenplays. It provides affordable pricing options geared towards those just beginning to write scripts and screenplays . With special manuscript and screenplay templates, Storyist allows aspiring authors to focus on their craft instead of having to worry about formatting complexities.

There is no free trial, but the iOS version is only $19 (at the time of this publication.)

One of my favorites, (I’m using it right now), Linguix is an easy-to-use, cost-effective spelling and grammar checker app which offers advice to enhance writing style and clarity.

This program powered by AI is extremely valuable for non-English speakers, as it offers a spellcheck feature, a punctuation validator, and even support for grammar and text paraphrasing . These incredible tools are ideal for enhancing written communication skills.

The interface has been designed so that users have no problems operating the tool with ease, viewing full explanations when errors are encountered in writing prompts, enabling them to grasp why they occurred in order gain more control over their writing proficiency.

9. Grammarly

Unlike the novel writing software above, Grammarly works on all online writing! It is an effective, web-based writing tool that helps improve grammar and spelling, a helpful companion when writing short pieces.

It offers great advice such as preventing passive voice or using shorter sentences to increase the variety of words used.

To offer spell checking services, Grammarly also provides users with AI assistance for their compositions. For just $29.99 per month, you can have access to a plagiarism checker tool that will ensure your work is flawless before it gets published. It’s definitely worth investing in if you want to present your work in its best possible form!

10. ProWritingAid

Want to make your writing more interesting and easy to understand? ProWritingAid could be the perfect solution for you! It provides an analysis of vocabulary, sentence structure, and other features that can help polish up your text.

Moreover, it offers a complimentary trial in addition to budget-friendly pricing alternatives, rendering this formidable instrument an excellent value for your money, particularly if you frequently produce extensive written content.

With its remarkable range of features and intuitive interface, writers of all levels, from novices to experts, can unleash their full potential in creating captivating works from blank page to final draft that will captivate readers worldwide.

11. Hemingway

Named after the celebrated American novelist who was renowned for his clear and concise writing style, Hemingway is a useful app which offers feedback about sentence length, word count, choice, passive voice usage and adverb frequency in order to enhance your prose.

The software features a user-friendly interface which simplifies the process of pinpointing areas that require improvement. This is made possible by a well-designed color-coded system that identifies lengthy sentences as well as redundant phrases with ease.

You can spot any passive language within seconds using this incredibly convenient application!

12. Wordtune

Wordtune is a writing tool with an AI-powered interface that helps you improve your skills by suggesting different words and phrases to enhance your copy. With its straightforward design, it allows for quick revisions, so the content can become more clear.

This app offers users free access to the app. Reasonably priced plans from $9.99/month, perfect for anyone wanting to take their writing abilities up a notch!

13. Writer.com

Writer.com is a top-notch writing and editing tool, with exceptional features that equip writers to create consistent content for their marketing, HR and social media teams.

I remember playing around with Writer.com in its earlier iterations (before AI.) Now it offers an advanced editor, customizable style guide and template library alongside its user-friendly layout – this AI word processor has it all!

You can make your documents as visually appealing or simple as desired using the built-in design options while you also have the choice to craft personalized templates to ensure uniformity across various platforms when conveying messages.

Not only does this writing app save time , but it also produces professional-looking output quickly with minimal effort required from its users.

14. Ginger Software

Ginger Software is a good writing app for people who want to improve their grammar and spelling, but don’t need all the fancy features from the other writing apps. This incredibly affordable writing app has powerful AI-based features, including an advanced spell checker, punctuation verifier and efficient grammar checking tool.

If you’re seeking an uncomplicated alternative to pricier competitors that also boasts features for enhancing English writing, Ginger Software is the perfect choice. Not only is it budget-friendly, but it also delivers dependable language accuracy without sacrificing excellence.

15. iA Writer

iA Writer is fairly standard writing app and a great option for those looking to have an uncluttered writing experience. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or new to the craft, this app caters to all. With convenient tools like dark mode and syntax highlighting, you can focus on your writing without any unnecessary distractions.

Best of all, users can take advantage of a free 14-day free trial period plus affordable pricing once they decide it’s right for them. The minimalistic design makes this tool especially preferred by those who seek simplicity in their work processes while still maintaining its advanced characteristics.

Best Writing Apps for Productivity and Focus

Maintaining productivity and focus while writing is essential, which is why we’ve collected the best apps that are suited for this task. These writing tools will help you get going quickly and maintain concentration throughout your creative project. Whether it’s a novel or blog post, these best free writing resources can fight off distractions so that progress comes more easily during each session!

Productivity and distraction-free workflows have never been easier with the top list of applications specifically designed to enhance one’s creativity. Consider making use of them today if you’re after sharpened focus when working on written pieces!

I’m not gonna lie. FlyMSG is one of my favorite productivity apps for a lot of reasons! Even if it wasn’t one of my company’s software products, I’d still be using it!

FlyMSG is an AI writing app and auto text expander that allow users to create shortcuts or abbreviations for frequently used phrases, which then expand into the full text when typed. These tools can be useful for increasing typing efficiency and productivity.

But wait – there’s more….

Introducing FlyEngage AI: Your Ultimate LinkedIn Engagement Companion for Marketers, Sellers, Business Owners, Customer Service and Knowledge Workers

Download FlyMSG NOW and get ready to experience the revolutionary new feature. Unlock the power of AI-driven engagement like never before with Fly Engage AI, the cutting-edge LinkedIn Commenting tool designed to supercharge your outreach to potential buyers. Say goodbye to spending too much time and doing repetitive tasks on LinkedIn. Hello to a smarter and more efficient way to connect and convert.

With FlyEngage AI, you can easily connect with your target audience, create meaningful relationships, and increase sales with just a few clicks. Using AI we analyze the target buyers post, allowing you to craft highly personalized comments that resonate and captivate your audience.

Key Features: – Smart Personalization: Tailor your comments to each individual’s posts, fostering genuine connections and engagement. – Time-Saving Automation: Let AI do the heavy lifting, so you can focus on what truly matters – building relationships and closing deals. – Proven Results: Witness a significant increase in engagement, responses, and conversions, ultimately boosting your bottom line. – User-Friendly Interface: Navigate FlyEngage AI with ease, whether you’re a LinkedIn pro or just starting your networking journey.

Experience the future of LinkedIn engagement with FlyEngage AI and watch your business relationships flourish and your sales pipeline grow.

Join the successful professionals who have used AI to connect, engage, and convert more effectively. Your network is your net worth , and with FlyEngage AI , your network is bound to soar to new heights.

17. FocusWriter

FocusWriter is a free writing app for both Mac and Windows users. It has been designed to create an environment without any distractions, helping writers remain focused on the task at hand through its minimalist interface.

The font size can be adjusted as desired while progress tracking lets you keep tabs of your work, all topped off with a timer that allows writers to set themselves sprints! If having few interruptions is what’s needed in order for creativity to flow uninterruptedly, then FocusWriter provides just that. Offering convenience, clarity and allowing one to only concentrate solely on their written words.

18. Freedom

For writers looking to become more productive and focused, Freedom provides a popular solution. It blocks distracting websites and apps so that writing sessions can stay uninterrupted.

With the seven-session free trial available as well as reasonable subscription fees, many respected authors have credited this service for their improved productivity when it comes to crafting words on paper or online! Give it a try today – you won’t regret making use of its features!

19. Evernote

Evernote is a great free writing app that comes with various organizational layouts, tags and the Web Clipper for individuals to save their thoughts. This tool is indispensable for executives, entrepreneurs, and creative individuals, helping them organize and record their thoughts. It is an outstanding productivity and writing app that is perfect for all writers.

I used Evernote exclusively before we developed FlyMSG. Now I house, sort and find my snippets in FlyMSG – but I still use Evernote to house my one off writing!

To its structuring benefits, this writing program provides users the opportunity to cooperate on projects while being able to access notes from any electronic device quickly too! Thus Evernote has become incredibly adaptive, allowing you to customize your needs. Keeping all ideas in easy reach at any time.

Best Writing Apps for Mobile Devices

For the modern digital worker, having a reliable free writing app available on their mobile devices is necessary. Whether you are brainstorming thoughts during your daily travels or altering manuscripts while waiting in line – these superior free writing apps made for portable gadgets make sure that productivity never stops and it can be easily achieved when out of office.

The appropriate applications make creation, adjusting and publishing documents simple with any device allowing access to progress even when away from home. So finding an effective best-free program becomes vital for keeping ahead of projects wherever you go!

20. Scrivener (Mobile)

Scrivener (Mobile) is a mobile writing app and a version of the acclaimed desktop writing application, offering writers powerful organization and editing functions when they’re on the go.

Its text editor, outliner and keyboard allow users to take advantage of all the features that Scrivener has to offer away from their desktop computer. This makes it an ideal choice for those needing flexibility in terms of where they write, giving them access anytime anywhere! For only $24!

21. Microsoft Word (Mobile)

Microsoft Word (Mobile) is a best free writing app I use all the time. It brings the exceptional writing experience of its highly acclaimed desktop counterpart to mobile devices, empowering users with a suite of robust and convenient formatting tools that can be readily accessed from their portable devices.

The app’s user-friendly interface provides an array of features that let you format text efficiently, add images effortlessly, and work with other people collaboratively. Plus it can open files in various formats, so sharing your output isn’t difficult at all!

This popular software tool offers unmatched convenience and top-notch performance when creating texts, thanks to its specially designed efficient advanced capabilities for mobile devices and Microsoft Word’s signature characteristics.

22. Google Docs (Mobile)

And for those of you who are avid Google Drive and Google Docs users, we can’t forget Google Docs (Mobile ). This best writing app is an effortless, web-based writing application that offers a secure way to store and share content from mobile devices.

With its user-friendly interface an. seamless integration with Google Drive, this versatile tool makes accessing documents a breeze for writers who are constantly on the move. Moreover, it enables them to work in real-time with colleagues who are also engaged in similar projects.

Collaborating on file sharing is made much easier as individuals can grant access to others and work collaboratively on the same project without any difficulties in viewing each other’s real-time updates. As such, Google Docs Mobile proves valuable for those needing multi-person collaboration when creating written works!

Elevating Creative Writing With Extra Tools and AI-Assisted Storytelling

In this era of creative exploration, these extra tools not only enhance efficiency but also nurture a vibrant ecosystem where the convergence of human ingenuity and artificial intelligence results in captivating literary masterpieces that resonate with readers globally.

23. HubSpot’s Free AI Content Writer

It stands out in the crowded space of writing apps, distinguishing itself through its blend of user-friendly design and advanced AI-driven capabilities. The AI Content Writer is not just a writing tool; it’s a content partner that assists users in overcoming writer’s block, refining their message, and ensuring their content resonates with the intended audience. One of the key strengths of HubSpot’s free AI Content Writer is its deep integration with HubSpot’s marketing ecosystem which allows for a holistic approach to content creation. The tool’s ability to generate, refine, and suggest content improvements on the fly significantly reduces the time and effort traditionally required in content development. Moreover, it keeps SEO best practices in mind, offering suggestions that not only engage readers but also enhance the content’s visibility on search engines.

24. For Storytellers: Canva

While known for its dynamic graphic design and editing app , Canva recently got into the AI game with its AI story generator . Powered by OpenAI, Canva’s generator Magic Write™ starts with a short prompt. From there, you’ll see your story come to life in any genre you can think of. Once you have your AI story all ready to go, you can transfer it to your Canca Doc for even more possibilities. You can use their AI on a desktop or their cross-platform mobile app on Android and iOS.

25. RewriterPro

This writing app is a free AI rewriter tool designed as an AI humanizer to make AI-generated content undetectable and enhance writing quality by eliminating errors and adding phrases without changing the original meaning of the text. It uses advanced algorithms and technology to transform the style, structure, and wording of content from AI platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini (Bard), Jasper AI, and others, ensuring it remains undetectable to AI systems. This tool is smart enough to understand which words are important in your text. When it rewrites the content, it makes it better without messing up the SEO stuff.

These 25 best writing tools and apps are the perfect way for anyone, professional writers, to dabblers and hacks, to reach their full potential and create amazing work.

No matter what type of material you wish to write, these incredible software tools are specifically designed to enhance your creativity, productivity, and even accessibility on mobile devices.

Discover how each tool enhances your skills by exploring them all today! No longer do writers have to be limited when it comes to using top quality creative writing tools . Now there’s an app out there that is just right for whatever kind of project one has in mind.

Boosting your abilities as a scribe does not require much effort either – take advantage of modern day technology’s offerings like never before with this selection of 25 first-class applications from 2024!

Frequently Asked Questions

What writing apps do writers use.

Writers rely on a range of different free writing tools and applications to create compelling and interactive content and stories, from well-known programs such as Scrivener and Microsoft Word right through to free offerings like Google Docs and Grammarly.

Using the correct desktop app used for your project can make it easy for you to research, write, rearrange and revise your work in order that it really stands out.

Is Linguix the best writing app?

Linquix is the perfect tool to take your writing up a notch. With its support, you can quickly recognize mistakes in what you write and have detailed information about why they are errors.

Which software is best for writing?

Are you in search of the optimal software to compose a book? Look no further! Among these top 15 selections, from word processors to exclusive writing programs for books, there is sure to be one that satisfies your needs. Thus select what fits best and begin your magnum opus!

Make sure not miss out on any essential detail while crafting words into sentences with these nifty tools. Each having distinct features making it easy to write down masterpieces without compromising facts or overall tone. Don’t hesitate!

What apps should I use for writing?

If you’re set on writing a book in 2024, then some of the leading apps available to help you write books now are FlyWrite AI (Coming very soon), Microsoft Word, Scrivener, ProWritingAid, Squibler , and Google Docs. To assist with the final draft of your composition masterpiece, there is also Freedom Editor, Hemingway App and Storywriter! All eight of these tools offer great features for creating a literary classic.

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50 Free Writing Software Tools And The Best Free Writing Apps

Writers are spoiled for choice when it comes to free writing software, tools, and free writing apps.

Are you a blogger, author, content writer, or student?

You want the best creative writing tools and software that will do the job for you.

But you don’t want to pay a lot of money to be able to write more effectively. Read on to discover all the choices you have for software, programs, and apps to help you write better and more productively.

In This Article

Your free writing software choices

There is no need for you to spend a penny to get some of the best free writing programs to help you write more productively and accurately.

You can choose and try so many terrific writing programs and tools today. You will find that most of them are unrestricted and will cost you nothing to use.

If you are looking for new apps and tools to improve your writing, you have come to the right place.

This page is regularly updated to bring you the biggest choice of free software and apps for writers.

It includes free writing apps for Windows, Mac, and Linux users.

You can find creative writing apps, grammar checking apps, word processors, mind maps, index cards, book writing programs, and productivity tools.

All of them will help you get on with what you do best, which is writing, of course.

There are also many lite versions of popular premium apps available that can offer you tons of fantastic features.

I have tried almost all the writing tools and apps in this article and use a lot of them every day.

Find the best free writing software and apps for you

You can find lots of free writing software online, but you want writing apps that work best for you and your writing process and style.

With online writing software, I always start with a free version to make sure a new app does what I want it to do.

Very often, a free app will do everything I need.

But yes, sometimes I opt for a premium version to get all the features if it is really a fantastic tool.

It doesn’t matter if you are an author, a blogger, or an article writer.

Choosing the best tools for your writing needs will save you time, effort, and lots of money.

Free apps and writing software for students  are a huge bonus.

They will help you at school, college, or university.

For every type of writer, here are some of the very best free-to-use and freemium apps for you to make your choice.

Scan through my list of the best free writing software and apps below.

See if you can find a few new favorites to download for your laptop or to use online.

Please note that this page contains some affiliate links. I may receive a commission if you purchase a product from this page.

6 Free writing apps for accuracy

The most essential writing app you always need must be a reliable grammar corrector and a spellchecker.

There are a lot of online apps to check, correct, and improve your writing.

For every writer, the options will be different depending on your writing style and needs. There is no one best or better choice.

Some writers might only need a simple online checker for blog posts, articles, or essays.

But for a content writer or author, it is different. You are probably looking for more developed programs and options.

In my case, I always use two programs to check my writing.

I use one for grammar and spelling and another for writing style and readability. It always pays to check and double-check your writing and sentence structure before you publish it online.

Here are six of the most popular free grammar apps to get you on your way. Each one will help you improve the quality and accuracy of your writing.

Try them all to see which one or two work best for you and your style or type of writing.

1. Prowritingaid – Free and Premium

Prowritingaid is one of my favorite writing checkers. I use it every single day of the week.

You can use the free version of ProWritingAid.

It offers you a lot of functionality to help you write more accurately online using a simple Chrome extension to check your grammar and spelling.

Are you an author? Then you should consider all the editing and checking tools that are available with this app.

It is a superb writing aid for authors and writers of long-form content articles.

There are over twenty different writing analysis tools and reports in the premium version. These will give you a huge range of suggestions to improve your writing.

There are also easy to use extensions available for Chrome, Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and Scrivener too.

It is my number one go-to editing tool when I need to work intensively on very long documents such as long-form articles or book manuscripts.

You can also read my full Prowritingaid review.

2. Grammarly – Free and Premium

Without a doubt, Grammarly is the number one online grammar checker.

For a lot of writers, it’s one of the best writing apps around.

I have used Grammarly for years now.

It is one online writing tool that I always have switched on in Chrome to use with my WordPress editor.

It works with so many sites, platforms, software, and applications. So it is always on and always helping me correct my writing in real-time.

Grammarly has a desktop app. It also has a plugin for Word in Microsoft Office for PC users.

You can use it in any web browser, with WordPress, and even on your social media sites. It also works on mobile devices as well as with an iOS Grammarly Keyboard app.

There is also support for Google Docs, but this feature is still in beta.

No matter what, when, or where you are writing, Grammarly is always helping you write better and more accurately.

The browser version of Grammarly works very well for most users. But for more advanced features to help you in your writing process, there is a premium version available.

You can read more in my Grammarly review .

3. ChatGPT – Free and Premium

ChatGPT has to be on my list of free writing tools, but why is it under apps for accuracy?

Yes, it is a valuable and free tool for writers in several ways. You can use it as a writing prompt generator for inspiration and ideas for new stories or articles.

All you need to do is include keywords or phrases related to the topic you want to write about. ChatGTP will respond with various ideas and writing points to help you.

But you might not know that it can also help you correct your grammar and spelling.

All you need to do is start your prompt with, check the grammar and spelling:  then paste your text.

It will rewrite your text with the corrections.

You can also ask it to do other things. Ask it to change passive to active voice , and it will rewrite your text in all active voice.

Another use is to ask it to rewrite your text in a different point of view. Just ask it to rewrite in the second person .

However, don’t rely on it 100%.

It does an excellent job most of the time, but it doesn’t always get everything right, so make sure you proofread carefully.

AI writing tools are everywhere now, so writers can’t ignore them.

The free version of ChatGPT offers plenty of options with very few limitations.

So it’s probably one of the best tools to start learning how to use AI technology to help you with your ideas and writing accuracy.

Read more about how to use ChatGPT to correct your writing .

4. Hemingway Editor – Free

I have a love-hate relationship with the Hemmingway Editor app.

The love is due to how quick and easy it is to check my readability score and grade.

The negative is that it always tells me to simplify my writing. It hates the passive voice, but that’s a good thing.

It is also a great tool for finding overused adverbs and difficult to read sentences.

It’s a simple app. But if you are looking for a free writing assistant, it is one of the handiest tools   a writer can have at their fingertips.

You can choose which Hemingway mode to use – either write or edit.

The online version is very convenient for checking up to a page or so of text. It gives helpful hints to improve your writing.

It’s one of the must-have free apps for any writer.

There is a paid version, but I am not sure it offers much value.

Read more about this app in my  Hemingway Editor review.

5. QuillBot – Free

QuillBot Grammar Checker is a quick and easy free tool you can use to check your manuscript.

One of the best features is that you can use one-click corrections to fix your grammar, punctuation, and spelling very quickly.

Another advantage is that it has a generous word count limit. I tested it with a text of over 2,000 words, and it quickly analyzed all of my text.

You can probably check one chapter at a time with the tool.

You can check each underlined suggestion and make a quick correction. But it also has a “Fix All Errors” button.

I’m not sure I would trust it for a long text. But it could be useful for a shorter text.

To use the checker, simply paste in your text, or you can use it as an editor and type your text.

When you finish correcting your writing, copy and paste it into your word processor.

Quillbot has other features, but these are only available with the premium version.

However, the grammar checker is totally free to use, and it is an excellent tool to check and correct your writing.

There is also a free Chrome extension you can try.

6. Grammar Lookup – Free

Grammar Lookup is another good choice for an online grammar checking app.

I used 3,000 words from one of my book manuscripts to test the app.

It started checking for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors almost immediately. It is a good app for checking short-form writing, such as blog posts and short stories.

If you’re looking for a robust grammar app with a generous word limit, this one is well worth trying.

Again, like a lot of online writing tools, it is ad-supported.

12 Free word processors

The first name writers associate with word processing is almost always Microsoft Word.

It is the default writing tool for many writers, bloggers, and authors. But it is definitely not cheap.

Depending on your country, the annual license for Office 356 can range from $60 – $100.

If you want to buy the one-time purchase version, which is called Office Home & Student, it can cost you as much as $150.

Microsoft Office is, as its name implies, software for office use. It includes Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint, and other programs. You will never use these software programs for creative writing.

Do you need to pay for all these extra programs to have a word processor to write a blog post, article, or short story?

What is the best word processor for writers? Are there free writing software tools equal to Word?

Yes. If you want to write, you can always find great word processors that cost you nothing to use. Often they come with many other options and tools that are better suited for writers.

Most of them will be suitable for your writing goals and any form of short creative writing project.

But you should note that a word processor is not the best app for writing a book. You can find better programs for authors in the next section of this article.

1. Google Docs – Free

Like Microsoft Office, Google Docs is a suite of office tools. The big difference, of course, is that Google Docs is available for free online.

If you are familiar with Word, you will have no problem at all adapting to Docs, which is the word processor component.

All the formatting options are very similar, as is the user interface.

Unlike some word processors, Docs has a word count so you can keep track of your word count goal.

I know that many writers, particularly content writers, use Google Docs because of the simplicity of sharing documents online.

Writing projects can be quickly and easily shared using Google Drive, which comes with 5 gigabytes of storage. It is usually plenty of storage space for writers. You can also use Docs offline .

If you are writing every day and working with other writers, content editors, proofreaders, or editors, Google Docs allows you to collaborate with ease.

There is no need to know what file format or program others are using.

As long as each person has a Google account, and who doesn’t, working together is very easy.

2. Apple Pages for Mac Users – Free

If you are a Mac user and all you need is a word processor, Apple Pages can handle everything you could possibly need to do.

It really is the best free writing software for Mac.

Like Word, you can start with a blank document or use the template chooser.

Word processing in the page layout document view is easy to work with. All the text formatting, fonts, and writing tools are easy to find and use.

There is a spell checker, word and page count , and track change with an add comments option.

It also auto-saves directly to your hard drive or your iCloud drive when you are online. There is also the file duplicate function. It gives you very easy version control of your revisions and edits.

It is difficult to think of a standard feature or function in Word that is not available in Pages documents.

There is one other area where Pages shines. It has a lot more control over images compared to Word.

One other big plus with Pages for authors is that you can export directly to epub. You don’t need to convert your file formats into another program.

Pages is one of the best free writing software programs for Mac users.

There is also a mobile app for iPad and iPhone. You can download it from the Mac App Store.

Related reading: Can Apple Pages Replace Microsoft Word For Mac?

3. MS Notepad and Mac TextEdit – Free

These two writing programs are already under your noses. They are installed by default on Windows and Apple computers.

They are both ideal little apps for writing blogs or short articles.

However, they are both worthy of mention because of their usefulness in converting to plain text.

Most word processors can add a lot of background code over the time you take to write a long document.

Cut and pasting, saving, deletions, forgotten tabs and spaces, and formatting changes all add up to a lot that can go wrong.

Because of all this code, there is a chance that the text might have issues when you use it online. It can be especially true if you use WordPress and also in publishing ebooks.

The quickest and easiest way to clean a document, big or small, is to copy all the text into a plain text editor such as Notepad or TextEdit. You can then convert everything to plain text.

Then you can copy back the clean text into your blog editor or word processor for ebook formatting.

4. Libre Office – Free

I used Open Office for many years. It is an open-source project and is still available.

However, many writers now favor Libre Office.

These two office suites branched from the same development stable, so they have a lot of similarities.

Learning to work with Writer, which is the word processor, is easy.

However, it uses traditional and straightforward menus, toolbars, and icons but does not have the ribbon function found in Word.

In some ways, this is a good thing because it lets you get on with the writing process instead of hunting in ribbons for buttons.

If you want a word processor, and that’s all, Writer in Libre Office won’t disappoint you.

5. Word Online – Free

Microsoft Word Online is a free web browser version of Word.

You can create, edit, and share Word documents, but it comes with relatively basic features compared to the paid desktop version.

But for students and part-time writers, it’s a handy free alternative.

One benefit is that you can use it on any device with a web browser, including computers, tablets, and smartphones.

You will need to create a Microsoft account, which is free. You also get 5GB of free storage.

Overall, it’s a worthwhile option for users who want a free and easy-to-use word processing software similar to Google Docs.

6. WPS Office – Free Edition

If you have used Microsoft Word or Google Docs, then you can work with WPS Office immediately.

Like other alternative word processors, it has all the standard features you would expect, and it works with most file types.

One of its key features is that it allows drag-and-drop paragraphs, which can, at times, be practical.

Another time-saving yet straightforward feature of WPS is tabbed documents.

While Excel has had this for years, Word never has, so working on two documents at the same time is much more efficient in WPS.

WPS also has a cloud storage service with 1G for PC and iOS.

7. SoftMaker Free Office – Free

Free Office gets a mention because it can export .epub. It is a convenient tool for self-publishers.

TextMaker is the word processor in this office suite.

But it doesn’t come with the ability to save in docx format unless you opt for the premium version.

But you can open and edit docx files.

Apart from that inconvenience, it has all the advanced features you would expect in a modern word processor.

It comes with advanced formatting options, the ability to create databases for bibliographies and footnotes, as well as track change.

8. Dropbox Paper – Free

All you need is your free Dropbox account to use Dropbox Paper .

It is a word processor, but there is so much more you can do with this app.

The design is clean and simple, but there are so many features at your fingertips.

As well as being a text editor, you can add audio, images, YouTube videos, Slideshare documents, and Trello cards.

It really is a great free writing app for you to create documents and then share them with your team or online.

9. Focus Writer – Free

FocusWriter is a simple, distraction-free writing environment.

It uses a full-screen hide-away interface that you access by moving your mouse to the edges of the screen.

It allows the program to have a familiar look and feel to it. But by getting everything out of the way, you can immerse yourself in your work.

It’s available for Linux, Windows, and Mac OS X.

10. Calmly Writer – Free

Calmly Writer has been designed to help you focus on writing.

As you start typing, all the distracting options disappear from the interface.

Calmly also includes a “focus mode” option, which highlights only the paragraph you are editing at the time.

If you are a writing minimalist, it could be a good choice for you.

It is a browser-based app, and there is a Chrome extension available.

11. Zoho Writer – Free

Zoho Writer is an online alternative to Microsoft Word.

You can sync between your PC or Mac, iPhone, Android, or iPad.

Almost everything you do in Word, you can do with this word processor. There are even collaboration tools.

You can import your existing Word documents and get to work.

There is also a plugin to link your Zoho documents to Word.

That’s not a bad deal for at all a gratis online writing tool.

12. Scribus – Free

Scribus is an open-source program for desktop publishing.

It gets a mention here because it is free writing software, but also because it is such a feature-rich cross-platform program.

Scribus is a page layout and desktop publishing program for Linux, FreeBSD, PC-BSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, Solaris, OpenIndiana, Debian GNU/Hurd, Mac OS X, OS/2 Warp 4, eComStation, Haiku, and Windows.

Scribus supports professional publishing features, such as CMYK colors, spot colors, ICC color management, and versatile PDF creation.

Perhaps it is not a choice for most authors and bloggers. But you might have a desktop publishing need one day.

4 Free book writing apps

Are you ready to start writing a book? You need to hunt a little to find good writing programs for writing books and novels.

A writing app or author software for a book is entirely different from a word processor.

The best book writing programs consist of many elements.

You need plot timelines, character builders, and event tracking. It should also include note-taking and research pinning tools.

Here are four of the best free book apps to help with writing, formatting, and publishing your books or ebooks.

There is a link to seven more free book writing programs at the end of this list.

1. Shaxpir – Free and Premium

For a dedicated book writing tool, Shaxpir gives you a lot of features in its free version.

The Manuscript Builder uses drag-and-drop tools to rearrange your manuscript. You can change the order and hierarchy of chapters and scenes. So you can find a structure that works for you.

You can set your goals and track your progress. You can also keep detailed notes about your characters, places, and events.

It also allows you to add margin comments as well as collect concept art.

There is also an in-built spellchecker.

As far as a book writing program or author app goes, Shaxpir offers you a   huge range of features.

It is available for Mac and PC with offline and cloud access.

2. Scrivener – Free Trial

It is not free writing software, but I have to include Scrivener in this list of apps because there is a generous trial available.

Scrivener is one of the best book writing software tools for authors and screenwriters.

It has an outliner for chapters and scenes, a corkboard, and index cards.

There is also side-by-side viewing, word count targets, and a full-screen editor, along with print, export, and publishing tools. It has everything any writer could ever need.

There is a 30-day trial period offered by Scrivener.

But it is counted by the days that you use the software. So if you use it every second day, your trial period will last you for 60 days.

If you only write at the weekend, it will last you for a good few months.

Scrivener is available for download for both Windows and Mac. There are also iOS apps for iPhones and iPad.

To access your trial, click the Download Trial link.

3. Calibre Ebook Tool

Calibre is often called the Swiss Army Knife of ebook formatting tools.

There is so much you can do with Calibre.

But for most new authors, you will use it to convert your Word manuscript to mobi, epub, and pdf.

If you have some technical ability, you can also edit the epub or HTML files of your ebook.

It really is one of the most powerful ebook tools for authors.

It is available for download for PC, Mac, and Linux.

4. Kindle Create – Free

If you are a self-publishing author on Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Kindle Create is a must-have free writing software app for you to use.

The program has improved a lot over the last couple of years. Initially, it was a little unstable, and its primary function was to help you format a Kindle book.

But stability is much better now, and Amazon has been slowly adding new features since it merged Createspace into KDP.

Kindle Create can now format not only ebooks but paperback books as well. But this latest option is still in beta.

It is so easy to format beautiful ebooks using Kindle Create.

Do you want more free book writing software?

Are you trying to find the best apps for writing your book?

Do you want the best novel writing tool that can help you work on individual chapters and scenes?

Here are seven choices for apps and free writing programs for you that are specifically designed for writing your book.

Read our review of nine free book writing programs for authors.

7 Free apps for bloggers

Are you a content writer or blogger? You need to work with ideas, keywords, data, headlines, and images all day long.

It pays to stay one step ahead of your competition. You are continually working on improving your content, search engine optimization (SEO), and SERP rankings.

There is no way you can do all this work without having the best tools for the job at hand.

Make your life a little easier with some of these blogging apps to help you write and rank better.

Here is a choice of seven of the best blogging tools for busy content writers and bloggers. All of them will save you hours of work every day.

1. Fyrebox – Free and Premium

You’re writing lots of content for your blog.

But wouldn’t it be great if you could engage your readers a little more in your post topics?

Well, you can with Fyrebox by creating a free interactive quiz.

All you need to do is create your free account, and then you can start designing your quiz in a few minutes.

There are templates to help you get started with pre-made quizzes for you to personalize.

A quiz is a great way to keep your readers on your blog for much longer by letting them participate in your blog post subject.

2. Hubspot Blog Ideas – Free

Hubspot’s blog topic generator is an old favorite for many writers.

All you need to do is enter a few nouns, and it will produce a list of blog title ideas for you.

It is such a handy tool to have when you are looking for new writing ideas.

3. Portent’s Idea Generator – Free

Do you need a cure for writer’s block?

I adore this blog topic generator app.

Portent is an easy and clever way to find new writing ideas.

It is an app primarily designed for bloggers to find headlines and titles and not a genuine headline analyzer. But writers can use it to discover new ideas for any piece of writing.

All you have to do is input your base word or words, and then you can select a working title for a new writing prompt.

4. ShareThough Headline Analyser – Free

How engaging is your article headline?

Sharethrough must be my absolute favorite little app. Once you have a blog or article title idea, run it through this app to see how effective it will be in attracting readers’ attention.

You can edit as you go, and the app keeps a record of your variations so you can choose the best one.

The app’s blurb says: “Like the lead paragraph in a news story or thesis in an essay, your headline is your one true sentence: the single most important asset for capturing attention in the feed.”

5. Website Grader – Free

Website Grader is a quick and easy app to help you improve your blog.

Checking and optimizing your blog’s performance is essential if you want to increase your site traffic.

You should make sure that your website is easy for users to discover and easy for search engines to understand.

It is a quick app to check your page titles, headings, and meta descriptions.

It only takes a few seconds to run this performance check of your blog to see if you need to make any improvements.

6. Privacy Policy Generator – Free

Privacy Policy Generator is an app to help you write your privacy policy page for your blog.

You don’t even need to register or give your email address.

It is a time and money saver for all bloggers.

Just add your basic information, and the app will create the full text for your privacy terms.

All blogs should have a policy page about privacy to make sure that your site is GDPR compliant.

7. Canva – Free and Premium

Now, this is not an app for writing articles. So it might not truly belong in a list of blog writing tools and programs.

But Canva is a fantastic tool for promoting your writing.

Canva is a free online tool for creating images.

Because using Internet images you find on Google images are very often copyright protected, it is a much better idea to create your own unique images.

You can find and use stock images to upload to Canva that you can then design and transform into a unique image.

You can use Canva to make images for social media promotion, images for your blog posts, Facebook headers, and even for quick and dirty ebook covers.

While there is a paid option, the free version offers more than enough images, graphics, icons, shapes, and backgrounds for almost any image creation project.

It’s so useful; I sometimes feel a bit guilty because I use this app almost every day.

10 Free productivity apps

There are so many facets to writing. It would be great if all you had to do were to write.

But we all know that a writer’s life consists of lots of tasks and distractions.

You have to be organized to be able to write. Just collecting and collating your ideas takes a lot of time in your day. Then there is your to-do list and probably a long list of pending items.

It would be great if there was an all-in-one help for a writer’s app. But until it ever eventuates, here is a selection of some of the best productivity apps for writers.

Hopefully, some of them will help you stay organized and perhaps save a little time that you can invest in writing.

1. Trello – Free and Premium

Trello must be one of the most popular apps for writers.

There is so much you can do to organize your writing projects, notes, and to-do lists. You can collaborate and assign tasks, start discussions, and so much more.

Trello is a beautiful as well as highly functional app. It is available for Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Internet Explorer, iOS, and Android.

2. Evernote – Free and Premium

Evernote is a popular application for lots of writers. It is one of the most popular note-taking apps, but it is much more.

Never let an idea escape when you are not at your keyboard. You can organize your thoughts, and create checklists and to-do lists.

There is also a handy web clipper that lets you save parts of web pages to help you with your writing research.

The free version comes with more than enough storage memory to suit most writers.

3. OneLook – Free

OneLook lets you describe a concept and get back a list of words and phrases related to that concept.

Your description can be anything at all: a single word, a few words, or even a whole sentence.

Type in your description and hit Enter to see all the related words.

This little writing app is a thesaurus on steroids.

4. Free Pomodoro Timer – Free

If you are a fan of the Pomodoro technique, to improve your productivity, you will need a Pomodoro timer .

There are many apps to choose from online.

But I like this one because it’s easy to set and to read. Nothing fancy, but effective.

5. Read-O-Meter – Free

How long will it take to read your article?

Find out with Read-O-Meter , and then you can add reading time to your blog post or article.

6. Wordcounter – Free

Wordcounter ranks the most frequently used words in your text.

You can use this browser app to see what words you are repeating too often and then make changes.

All you need to do is paste your text into the box. Then this little app will go to work and list all your repetitions.

7. Quetext – Free

Quetext is an online plagiarism checker.

Many paid apps feature checking plagiarism as a premium option.

But with this browser app, you can check your documents anytime you like.

8. Otter V0ice Notes – Free and Premium

Otter is a dictation-to-text app for iOS and Android.

All you need to do is hit the record button, start speaking, and watch your words appear in the app. It even adds in punctuation.

There are many paid and premium dictation apps, but Otter offers a generous free option of 600 minutes a month.

9. Freemind – Free

If you are into mind maps to develop story ideas, here is a software download for you.

Many authors use mind map apps to help write a book by keeping their ideas connected and logical.

Freemind is open-source mind-mapping software built in Java.

It is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

It has a wide variety of features, including location-based mind mapping, collaboration tools, restore sessions, and more.

10. DiffChecker – Free

Do you sometimes get into a tangle when editing different versions of a text?

What and when did you make a change? Is it nearly impossible to remember every edit you make?

Well, with DiffChecker , it is easy to compare two versions of a text and find the differences between them.

It is a browser app, but if you want to save your revisions (Diffs), you will need to create an account to log in.

8 Quick mentions

The following free writing software and writing apps are recent additions to our list.

They are not categorized. But all of them could be worth a look to see if they are a match for what you need in an app or program.

As they are quick mentions, you will need to investigate for yourself to see if they might be worthwhile.

1. Kindle Previewer – Free

The Kindle Previewer application is a free desktop program that lets authors preview how their ebooks will appear on all Kindle devices.

It makes it easy to check your ebooks for different screen sizes, display orientations, and text font sizes.

2. Zotero – Free

Zotero is a free and easy-to-use program to help you with sources and citations.

You can collect, organize, cite, and share your research.

You can create references and bibliographies for any text editor directly with Word, LibreOffice, and Google Docs.

3. Reedsy Book Editor – Free

It is also a writing program and editor.

4. NaturalReader – Free

It’s often a good idea to read aloud when you proofread a draft text.

But with NaturalReader , you can create mp3 files from your text and then play them back to you. It makes it much easier to check your text for accuracy as you listen.

There is a generous free daily limit of 20 minutes for access to premium voices.

But if you select free voices, there is no restriction.

5. Bubbl.Us – Free

When you want to mind map your ideas, it is easier with an app.

Bubbl.Us is a good choice if you want free mind mapping. You can share your maps with others and even on social media.

6. Pixabay – Free

You’re right; this is not free writing software. But I have to include Pixabay because I use it every day to find great free images for my blog.

There are a lot of free stock image sites, but this one is my favorite because the choice of images is enormous.

7. Pixlr – Free

Again, this is not a writing app. But when you need to edit an image for your blog or ebooks, then Pixlr might do the job for you.

There is a premium version, but you will find that the free version can do most of the basic photo editing tasks you would need to do.

8. DramaQueen – Free

If you are writing scripts, this program could be what you are looking for.

With DramaQueen , you can format your script yourself or according to the official rules of the Writers’ Guild.

3 Fun free writing apps

Writers can sometimes be a serious bunch of people. But everyone needs to have a bit of fun from time to time.

To end my long list of apps for writers, here are three little apps to put a smile on your face.

Have fun, and enjoy being a writer.

1. Hipster Sound – Free

Do you have time to go to a café to relax and write?

If you don’t, you can bring the sounds of a Texas or Paris café to you with this cute little app.

Go to Hipster Sound , click play, pop in your air pods, and you will have all the ambient sounds you need to get your creative juices flowing. As an extra bonus, your coffee is on the house!

2. FlipText – Free

Okay, you are not going to use Fliptext often. But it is a fun and funny little writing tool.

¡uoıʇuǝʇʇɐ ʇɔɐɹʇʇɐ oʇ ǝɹns sı ʇı ˙uʍop ǝpısdn buıʇıɹʍ ʎɹʇ ʇou ʎɥʍ ‘uoıʇuǝʇʇɐ ʇɔɐɹʇʇɐ ןןıʍ ʇɐɥʇ buıɥʇǝɯos op oʇ ʇuɐʍ noʎ uǝɥʍ

Yes, you can write upside down. Did you have to turn your screen upside down, or did you twist your neck in pain trying to read it?

3. The Most Dangerous Writing App – Free

The Most Dangerous Writing App is a fun little writing tool with a mean side to it.

You start by setting yourself a writing time of, say, five minutes. Then you start writing. But if you stop writing for more than five seconds, you lose everything you wrote.

However, if you get through your allotted time without stopping, your reward is that you can save your work.

Yes, that’s a seriously nasty little writing app. It is a brutal yet brilliant idea.

But if you treat it like a game, it is a fun challenge and maybe a clever way to help you overcome writer’s block.

Summary of free writing software

For all writers, there are plenty of free writing software, programs, publishing apps , and tools.

You can also find free book writing programs that work very well for any book project.

You don’t need to spend any money at all to get some of the best free writing software and apps.

There are so many open-source and free software alternatives for word processors, book writing, short story writing, and spelling and grammar correction tools.

Are you ready to write your book or get started as a content writer or blogger?

Then the writing tools in the list above will be more than enough to get you off on the right foot.

All of them are user-friendly and quick, and easy to learn how to use.

Make your choices based on what you need and want to achieve as a writer and what you think you will need to succeed.

Then head off to the coffee shop with your laptop, or pump up Hipster Sound at home and start writing.

Related reading: Choose Your Writing Apps For iPad To Write Anywhere

About The Author

Derek Haines

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28 thoughts on “50 free writing software tools and the best free writing apps”.

No Ywriter? Easy to set up and use. Takes around two minutes to learn from installation. More important it’s free.

I have noted yWriter in our article about free book writing software.

Thank you for this article. It’s very useful.

As an editor and writer for thirty years, I’m not at all fond of grammar and style programs. None of them work well at all for the people who need them most. Every one I’ve tied, including Grammarly, makes terrible mistakes, and if you follow the style these programs want you to follow, you’ll never be a good writer. I can tell in a page or two whether a writer has used and RELIED such a program, and it’s almost always an instant rejection.

These programs should only be used by writers who don’t really need them, except for those brain fart moments, or when a truly esoteric question of grammar pops up. As a writer, you MUST know grammar inside out, and you must know style inside out, or you won’t have a clue whether Grammarly, or any such program, be it for grammar or style, is lying to you.

At BEST, these programs produce cookie cutter style that may be technically correct, but that simply is not professional level writing. Such writing may make you a couple of dollars on a site such as Medium, and you may even sell a few copies of something on Amazon, but this is all you’ll do.

If you really want to be a professional writer, you MUST learn grammar inside and out. These programs can’t give you the grammar you need, and contrary to popular belief, it is NOT an editor’s job to correct a manuscript full of bad grammar. Ain’t gonna happen. Grammar is your job, not the job of a software program, and not the job of an editor. Period.

Nor can you leave style up to software, or to an editor. Software can’t give you professional level style, and an editor simply doesn’t have the time. An editor will correct minor mistakes here and there, overlooked brain farts, but that’s it.

If you really want to be a writer, forget such silly software. Plant your butt and learn grammar. For style, story, characterization, plot, and other such necessities, read five hundred novels and a thousand short stories, then write several novel or fifty short stories. If you have any talent at all, this will bring it out. If you lack talent, well, you need a new profession.

This era of digitization has changed the publishing industry completely and is still revamping it . The book writing software and industries are a true companion for writers and editors. They are just making our work more easy and accurate. Totally agree with your article.

I have a fixed income due to my disabilities. I plan to purchase a new computer but is Microsoft Home and Personal a very reputable writing program? Is a Dell computer highly recommended?

I write • plays • poetry • historical fiction • children’s picture books • essays • short fiction for children and adults

Thank you! :-)

Sorry, Tom. But I can’t help you with advice about buying a computer. You’d be better trying computer review sites.

Hi Derek, I hope someone is interested in my Scribis Project, a series o free online editors dedicated to those who want to work quickly moving between dictionaries, thesauri and databases of sentences selected from the great classics. Based on what you type in the editor, you will get synonyms, collocations, intermediate concepts, semantic fields, and dozens of sentences that contain analogies, similarities, emotions and images. With another tool, Scribis Matrix, you can generate word matrices from the same dictionaries and thesauri.

Why no YWriter? It does everything important that scrivener can do, but it is free.

We do feature yWriter in our listing of free book writing software. So, we haven’t missed it. https://justpublishingadvice.com/choose-your-free-book-writing-software-for-your-new-book/

PowerWritingAid and Grammarly are not free programs. You have to pay expensive monthly subscriptions.

StyleWriter will make you a better writer and does not get a mention in your reviews!

Prowritingaid and Grammarly both offer free versions. But I will investigate Stylewriter.

I use Grammarly on a daily basis and only the free version and I don’t feel I am missing out on anything. I also use the free version of pro writing aid, not as often but I’ve never encountered an instance where I have wished I had the paid version. A lot of paid apps have a really good free version of those apps too. This is a pretty perfectly crafted reply because of my free Grammarly lol

Very great article with many great Apps. Recently I discovered Neperos, it is very intuitive and gives you the possibility to style your article with multiple pictures.

I bought Prowritingaid for the Word add-in, but found one of the most important features, the ability to customise reports, doesn’t work. Contacting the Support team led to promises of an investigation followed by nothing. A reminder led to a promise the issue would be passed to a developer who,would be in touch, then nothing. If you want it work with Word, look elsewhere or you’ll pay for a non-functional product with no support!

Hi Peter, Lisa here from ProWritingAid. I’ve just been through our support inbox and can’t find any emails under the name Peter Caffrey.

So far, I am enjoying 3 out of your 10 recommendations. Your reviews seem honest and unscripted-thank you for that.

The only serious free option for desktop publishing right now is Scribus. It’s software, not web-based. I’ve used it a few times and it’s pretty decent. Of course, I also have QuarkXPress, which I prefer. Hope that helps!

It was informational and I liked it very much.

I found this article to be informative. In search of one thing, I happily stumbled upon much more. Thanks!

Generally in life you get what you pay for so you should expect limitations from anything free. If you’re serious about writing then Scrivener is what you need. Yes, you have to pay for it but it costs about the same as a couple of takeaways and once you learn how to use it you’ll wonder how you lived without it. I agree about Canva, but I wouldn’t bother with anything else on the list!

There is free Windows alternative for Scrivener named Quoll Writer. Of course, it has some limitations but is a lot easier to use and gives you all essential features writer or journalist needs. Chapters, characters, items, linking, tagging, annotating and more. It has Idea Board and stats and readability indexes. Text formatting is basic but hey, it’s software for writers not for editors. You can export your texts as .docx or .epub and format them with Sigil or Calibre. I’m using it for couple of years.

Good article, but you don’t mention StyleWriter – a powerful program to change the way y0u write. It shows you how to write and edit like a professional.

So thankful I found this site. All the info I need in one place and much simpler than what I was trying to work with. Especially great for a tech dummy like me.

Great post, informative and gives me some options to consider that I didn’t know about before. Thanks.

Great article, I love Canva, Couldn’t run my website without it! Thanks for this. I learned some things.

Thanks for this informative post. :) — Suzanne

This post is one of the best and most informative I have read in years on publishing for home-based writers. Through your post, I have discovered new resources that will make my writing life easier. Thanks!!!

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29 Apps That Teach Creative Writing

Teaching creative writing means putting ideas first. It means resisting the urge to correct the writing and focusing instead on the development of the writer. And though it may seem counter-intuitive, doing so often requires questioning, ignoring, or even breaking the rules.

“We may be too literal when we think about what it means to be a good writer,”   writes   educator and speaker Jordan Shapiro for Forbes. “It is not all about letters and words.” Especially when it comes to teaching children, he says, we get caught up in structure, grammar, and syntax. But these things are what make writing polished and proper, not meaningful and engaging. And unless you want to turn kids off of writing for the rest of their lives, it’s best to focus on the latter, and to make it fun.

The State of Creative Writing Today

In the UK, primary schools are teaching children “not to use simple words such as ‘good’, ‘bad’, ‘small’ or ‘big’ but to always find other more ‘interesting’ words to replace them – such as ‘wonderful’, ‘terrible’, ‘minuscule’ or ‘enormous.’” A group of award-winning children’s authors say this is damaging students’ writing ability at an early age. What happens is, the more complicated words are presented as “better” alternatives to children, so they “fail to understand the nuances of their use, and they also fail to realise that they are relatively unusual,” and that “they are used sparingly in good writing.”

Cecilia Busby, who writes fantasy adventures for children as CJ Busby,   told   The Guardian her concerns about the teaching of creative writing were sparked a few years ago, when she was reading out a description of a character from her novel   Frogspell   to a year six class at a Devon primary school: “He is a gruff, burly knight with a deep voice and a large moustache who also happens to enjoy whacking his enemies with his big sword,” she told the class, only to be stopped by the teacher, who told her that “the word ‘big’ is one of the banned words in our classroom”.

This is another example of how we’ve become “too literal” in our writing instruction. Certainly, young writers should work to build rich vocabularies, but like syntax and grammar, that’s not what good writing is all about. We can’t throw vocabulary-building apps at children and expect them to come out the other side acing the writing portion of their college entrance exams. What we need to do is begin with engagement, not rigor.

“The very essence of writing is that it is an expressive and personal outlet, so should we really be limiting it at all?” says Ella Slater in a different   piece   for The Guardian. “Some argue that a child’s creativity is stimulated by the exploration of advanced vocabulary, but there really is a difference in being allowed to delve into the world of fancy words, and being forced to use them.”

In any case, it’s not all about the words. Author Nick Hesketh recommends that before children start writing, you should discuss what makes a good story. This can be explored through all types of media, from film to games to comics. What’s important is learning the big concepts behind narration and storytelling before focusing on small details like word choice and spelling. That’s why we’ve curated 29 apps for you that challenge young writers to think about the big picture. Take a look and feel free to add your own favourites to the comments section.

29 Creative Writing Apps

1.   Hullabalu   is a fast-paced arcade shooter with quirky graphics. Although users don’t make up their own stories, they get to explore the narrative world through a combination of animation, narration, written word, and mini games.

2.   DipDap   turns you into an animator. Dipdap comes with 16 beautifully animated adventures which prompt you to draw in missing objects that, once drawn, enable Dipdap to complete his mission. These adventures are designed to inspire a child’s imagination–turn off the set guides and the child is free to draw whatever they wish. Watch Dipdap respond to the lines drawn, then playback and share with friends and family.

3.   Toontastic   turns kids into animator, character designer, and storyteller. Kids use their fingers to move characters around the iPad and narrate at the same time. Toontastic records their movements and their voices and turns it into a fully animated cartoon.

4.   StorySkeleton   gives you the freedom to create structure for your writing projects on the iPhone, and export to a variety of useful formats, including native Scrivener and Final Draft documents.

5.   List for Writers   is a great addition to any writer’s toolbox. Helpful to both novice and expert writers alike, this app delivers list after list of prompts and ideas for your brainstorming sessions: names, character traits, plot lines, occupations, obsessions, action verbs, and much more.

6.   Clean Writer   lets you become more creative with the refreshing, distraction-free plain text editor that boosts inspiration and fights writer’s block by hiding away extra options.

7.   My Writing Spot   for iPad is one of the best apps for working on your novel or other writing project on the iPad. It provides a distraction-free writing environment, so you can focus on getting the words out of your head and into your manuscript.

9.   Writing Prompts   uses current events, scene elements, words, sketches, colors, genres, and writing types, unleashing endless random bits of fantasy to fuel your muse.

10.   iDeas for Writing   is a creativity trigger with thousand of great suggestions to give your stories a starting point.

11.   Chapters   lets you manage writing projects. Create as many notebooks as you want and fill each with as much as you need to write. It’s easy to create simple bullet lists and see a word count while you write.

12.   Picturebook   lets you choose from a constantly updating library of cute pictures. Narrate your story with any text you like. Add your own photos with an in-app purchase upgrade.

13.   The Brainstormer   is a tactile tool to randomly combine a plot, a subject, and a setting or style. It can provide that elusive moment of inspiration for writers, painters, or any kind of creative endeavour.

14.   Story wheel   is a fun writing prompt app helping kids get story ideas, as well as improvising skills.

15.   Write About This   is a visual writing prompt & creation platform. With endless ways to respond and the ability to craft custom photo prompts, it will kick-start any writing activity.

16.   Writing Prompts for Kids   lets kids choose different categories when choosing prompts. There are some cool features here, like alternatives to overused words.

17.   Tellagami   is a free app that lets kids tell a short story. Kids can type in with words or record it as voice, then the picked character will read the story out with light animations. Since it has word limit, kids won’t have the pressure to write long paragraphs. It is great for kids who just get started on writing.

18.   GoodNotes   is a note app that lets kids put handwritten notes on top of PDF or image files. It is a good tool for collaboration on writing or working on revisions.

19.   StoryKit   is a free writing app for kids to record their ideas, and write stories. When necessary, kids can record their ideas with voice, instead of writing. They can also add pictures for their story.

20.   Educreations   is a free app originally designed for teaching using writing and pictures. Educreation is a great tool for kids to record their thoughts and ideas for writing.

21.   Scribble My Story   is a nice storytelling tool for young children. Kids can follow the template to create their own stories, and can also use stickers or draw pictures to help the storytelling.

22.   Book Creator   is an app that is great for organising thoughts and ideas, collecting references and raw materials. Kids can use text, voice, image to organise ideas before they put the final writing together.

23.   DoodleCast   is designed as a presentation tool, but can be a good tool for keep track of writing ideas. With many sharing features, it is also a good collaboration tool between teachers and students or among several students.

24.   Notability   may be designed as a note taking tool, but many are using it as writing tool as well. It has very versatile features letting you keep and organise notes and ideas in many different ways. It also has good sharing features, allowing easy collaborations.

25.   Haiku Deck   provides easy templates and beautiful pictures to help kids express their ideas. The final production is not an article, but a presentation. However, it is a great tool to help kids organise thoughts, and learn to express their ideas with pictures as well.

26.   Storyboard That   is a online tool for kids to create stories with pre-made templates. Great for introducing kids to creative writing.

27.   Story Spark   generates scenarios, writing prompts, and new ideas to spark creativity in your own writing. 28.   Novel in 30   will help you achieve your goal of writing a novel. When you’re actually writing, the dashboard will automatically get out of your way and you’ll be left with only your words. The writing environment is purposefully distraction-free.

29.   Byword   lets you continue writing across all your devices. Publish to WordPress, Tumblr, Blogger, Scriptogram blogs and Evernote notebooks directly from Byword.

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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.”

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.

• 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 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

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 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. 

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

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).

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

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.

• 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.

• 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 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.

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.

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 .

• 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.

• 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 .

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:

• 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.

• 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!

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.

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.

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.

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 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

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!

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.

Work with Joe Bunting?

WSJ Bestselling author, founder of The Write Practice, and book coach with 14+ years experience. Joe Bunting specializes in working with Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, How To, Literary Fiction, Memoir, Mystery, Nonfiction, Science Fiction, and Self Help books. Sound like a good fit for you?

20 Comments

Dragon NaturallySpeaking software. Following a comprehensive beat sheet (created in a screenwriting format), I dictate into MS Word. Grammarly sits to the side. 1000-2000 words a day. Requires a larger screen (mine is a modest 24″) and some computing horsepower. Very effective.

Good one! Personally I use dictation every once in a while, but it’s not my thing. Glad it’s working for you!

I just purchased ProWriting Aid. Its editor, grammar, sentence structure and readability scales. There’s a free app but i wanted the pro. I’m excited about this. I’ve had scrivener on my computer for 2 years and still use word. Learning Scrivener is overwhelming to me.

My practice from my current WIP:

“Please, Captain, may we take his body? Merk did have family.” Harper twisted his cloak in his hands.

“Aye. Do that.” Adam walked to the door, tapping the flat of the sword against his hand as he walked, doing his best to insure the blade touched the plate as little as possible. As he passed the bar, he grabbed the waiting pitcher of ale.

Outside, he found Carter leaning against the tavern wall, staring up at the moon. Without looking over, Carter spoke. “Come to arrest me?”

Adam snorted and passed him the pitcher. “No. Not for killing that filth. You know why his bounty was so high so quickly, right?”

Carter took a sip of the ale. “He carried it with him.”

“Gods, no. He built it entirely here.” Adam leaned against the wall of the building opposite of Carter. He pulled a small pouch and rolled a cigarette. “He killed the governor’s daughter in an argument.”

Carter looked over at his friend. “I thought the Thieves’ Guild didn’t go for killing?” “They don’t. They only took him on as a favor to his previous guild.”

“Let me guess: Assassins.”

Adam pointed at Carter. “Got it first try.”

He offered the cigarette to Carter who declined with a raised hand. Putting it between his lips, he patted his pockets. Carter leaned forward and snapped his fingers, producing a flame for the cigarette. Adam drew in a bit of smoke and nodded at his friend.

“Thanks.” He exhaled a pleasant smelling ring of smoke and glanced at Carter’s empty hand. “You can do magic now?”

“No.” Carter shook his head. “This is due to a minor cantrip on a scroll.”

This was cool and pulled me right into the story. Good work!

My personal favorite is Microsoft Word. It’s easy to use and I’m comfortable with it.

Here’s my practice. I’d appreciate comments/feedback! —

Julia finally slammed into the ground at the bottom of the steps. Swallowing back a sob, she pushed up on her hands and knees and cringed at the shooting pain in her shoulder, which had taken the brunt of the fall.

“Get back here, you little brat,” Sean shouted behind her.

A gasp shuddered into her lungs and she leapt to her feet and broke into a sprint up the sidewalk. She looked over her shoulder. He was still behind her. He shoved people out of his way and kicked over a baby stroller as he charged toward her.

Julia clamped a hand over her mouth as the baby in the stroller wailed. The woman who’d been pushing the stroller righted it and hushed the baby, stroking its head.

Julia kept pumping her legs, but nausea swished in her stomach and a sharp ache started in her chest. How could Sean treat people like that?

She’d probably never know the answer.

Cutting down an alleyway, Julia darted through puddles from the recent rain and chugged quick breaths.

Sean’s yelling voice echoed behind her. “When I get my hands on you I’m going to finish what I started.”

Breathing hard, she yanked herself to a stop by the rung of a ladder and lunged onto it, taking the rungs two at a time. She was shaking. Sean had tried to hurt her once. She wouldn’t let him do it again. Not without fighting back this time.

The ladder quivered and she stopped climbing to stare down between her shoes. Sean ascended, his hands quick on the rungs, his cold blue eyes swallowing her.

A gulp of air rolled down her throat and she pulled herself up faster. She kept her eyes focused high, fixing them on the handles at the top of the ladder. Memories slid their tentacles into her mind. Images of Sean looming over her, holding her down. Her own voice pleading.

Tears welled in Julia’s eyes and she blinked them away. She just had to focus on going up. To the roof. Once she reached it, she could either go into the building through a roof entrance or she could jump to the next building. She’d make it. She had to.

Julia curled her tired, chafed fingers around the vertical handles at the top of the ladder and hauled herself up onto the roof.

Then a hand clamped around her ankle.

I personally use a combination of my notebook, Google docs, Grammarly, Hemmingway editor, and thoughts and critiques from my writing friends. Best thing about paper: it doesn’t have internet.

So true! I find that I can write faster on a computer, but I love the focus you get from writing on paper.

It helps me, sometimes, I think, to feel the words as I write them, which I don’t get when I type. It does make it more of a pain to edit, though it does make it harder to permanently delete whole sections of writing and start over from scratch.

I use Scrivener to write and format my books and recommend it though the learning curve is steep if you want to take full advantage of all its features. But I would recommend the following items.

Pro Writing Aid does so much more than Grammarly. Checks for style, diction, overused words, and things I’d never even heard of before I started using it. there is a free version but the paid version which syncs with Scrivener is a less expensive subscription than Grammarly.

Excel is so limited. I’d recommend Airtable. It is far more flexible and I use it for everything from characters, to accounting, to research, tracking promotions, reviews and more. There are templates for authors. It is intuitive and will do just about anything you want. Support is excellent. Airtable is has a free version (which is all I need), sharable and collaborative.

Then there is Aeon Timeline for plotting and planning. It helps keep your story in order. It is flexible, customizable, and syncs with both Scrivener and Ulysses. It is not expensive and not a subscription, pay once and it is yours.

Rescue time has a free version that helps you track your time spent on various tasks and websites and is useful to prove to the IRS that you are indeed a full time author.

I use all these things daily in my writing. Check them out. They will probably help you too.

I would recommend using FocusWriter to block out any notifications and other programs which are running

Thanks for the great article. I use Google Docs right now and will check into some of the resources you recommended. I am an Astrologer and am writing my first basic Astrology book. I wasn’t clear whether the free handout for novelists would be appropriate for this project, and would appreciate your feedback.

The Hemmingway App no longer free. But $19.99 isn’t much to pay.

Wattpad (which isn’t on the list) is a very good writing site.

Have you had a look at The Novel Factory? Full disclosure, it’s made by me and my tiny team – but it’s starting to really get traction as we get so much positive feedback about how it’s helped people make progress like never before…

Another one you might like to try is http://wavemaker.co.uk It’s new and helps with the planning stages in particular. Disclaimer- I wrote it, but thought you’d like to have a look at least.

For free versions, try One Note. I’ve been using it for years.

I want to write a technical book that would be formatted such that it would be like a textbook and have horizontal bars that would separate topics. I need the ability to repeat essential elements of techniques repeatedly and denote them in various fashions. Any software come to mind for that?

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20 English Writing Apps for Checking Grammar, Boosting Vocabulary and More

Do you need to improve your writing skills ?

As with many of life’s problems, “there’s an app for that.”

In this post, I’ll recommend a range of helpful English writing apps that will help you correct your grammar, learn new vocabulary, improve your creativity and more.

These English writing apps will make a huge difference in your writing skills!

Best For Checking Spelling: iA Writer

Best for checking grammar: grammarly keyboard, best for beginners: ginger grammar spellchecker, best for boosting vocabulary: terminology dictionary, best for finding forgotten words: reverse dictionary, best for learning idioms: english idioms illustrated, best for finding rhymes: rhyme builder, best for story prompts: the brainstormer, best for practicing before exams: writing roulette, best for advanced students: creative writer, best for simple writing inspiration: brainsparker, best for formatting: werdsmith, best for native speaker feedback: hellotalk, more writing prompt apps, and one more thing....

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

In a nutshell: A word processor in which simpler is better.

Available on: iOS |   Android

Price: $$. A two-week free trial is available.

Main features:

• Syntax Control. The app will mark your writing with different colors depending on the part of speech of each word.
• Focus Mode. It focuses the view on the sentence or paragraph you are working with. The rest of the text becomes less visible to help you focus on what you are currently working on.
• Style Check. This option is only available for Mac and iOS users. It checks your writing and helps you get rid of repetitions, redundancies (unnecessary words) and clichés.
• Spellcheck. Never miss a spelling error again.

In a nutshell: A built-in virtual keyboard that checks your writing as you go.

Available on: iOS | Android

Price: $$ per month. The basic version of the app is completely free, and you get a discount with quarterly and annual plans.

• Spelling and grammar checker. If you make a mistake, the keyboard will tell you. It can also autocorrect your errors.
• Smart prediction. The keyboard is smart enough to guess what you are trying to write.
• Writing assistance. You will get suggestions on unclear sentences, synonyms, too long sentences, etc.

In a nutshell: A grammar and spelling checker with lots of extras for a one-time payment.

• Smart spellchecker. You will be able to correct all your mistakes in one click. You can ignore the corrections you do not want to change in your text.
• Rephrasing and synonyms. You will be given rephrasing and synonym suggestions whenever possible.
• Extras. The app also includes human voice text-to-speech, US/UK dialect option, a personal dictionary and machine translation of your writing into over 30 languages.

In a nutshell: A dictionary, a thesaurus and a research tool in one.

Available on: iOS

Price: $ with in-app purchases.

• Off-line US dictionary. Use the dictionary offline and find simple definitions, synonyms, antonyms, collocations and more.
• Personalization. You can create your own list of favorite terms and add notes to them.
• Resource lookup. This feature allows you to look up words on Wikipedia, Google, Dictionary.com and other websites.

In a nutshell: A twist on dictionaries to improve your vocabulary in a fun way.

Available on: Android

Price: Free.

• Reverse search. If you are writing and do not know a word (or cannot remember it), but know its definition or some keywords related to it, just write what you know and the dictionary will give you a list of words that match what you are looking for.
• Definitions. Once you have found the word you were looking for, you can view different definitions for it.
• Different options. The app will also show you anagrams, synonyms and more.

In a nutshell: A beautiful and fun way of learning English idioms.

Price: $. You can download the app for free and have the first 35 idioms right away, and the whole collection can be purchased for a one-time fee.

• Origin and meaning of idioms. You not only get what the idioms mean but also where they come from.
• Beautiful illustrations. The amazing illustrations will help you remember the idioms much faster.
• Free content. Start with 35 idioms for free.

In a nutshell: An app to find words that rhyme, perfect for writing poetry or lyrics in English.

• Rhyme search. Look for words that rhyme with your words while you write in the app.
• Save your work. You can save your writing and have a look at it later.
• Simple look. The app is very simple, which makes it easy to use.

In a nutshell: An idea and story generator for people who love a challenge.

Price: Free with in-app purchases. The app with the classic Brainstormer is free. You can buy additional content (Character builder, Creature builder, World builder, etc.) for a small fee each.

• Three wheels. Three wheels will spin to give you a conflict, a setting and a subject. The possibilities are practically infinite (go on forever).
• Creative thinking. The words in each wheel have been carefully selected to maximize creative thinking.
• Personalization. You can create and edit your own wheels.

In a nutshell: An app for people who need writing practice and inspiration.

• Writing inspiration. Get an image and a writing task and let your imagination fly.
• Different writing tasks. From the classic 100-word exercises to haikus , you will have plenty of different ways of practicing your writing before an exam.
• Personalization. You can create your own tasks and complete them in the app notepad.
• Important: There is no “save” option in the app, so if you don’t want to lose what you write, just use the app to get inspiration and do the exercises somewhere else.

In a nutshell: Recycle already written texts to create your own.

Price: Free with in-app purchases and pro version for $. The app with all the basic features is free. For a small fee, you can download Dictionary PRO and the Writer’s Pack, as well as smaller packs like Recipes or Poetry.

• Different genres. The app includes texts from genres such as poetry, prose, dialogues, lyrics, romance and cooking, among others.
• Easy to use. If you do not feel like typing (which you can also do), just choose the tapping option.
• Dictionary PRO. This is an amazing tool to learn new words and use them in your writing. It includes definitions, rhymes, antonyms, synonyms and much more.
• Writer’s Pack. A powerful tool with writing ideas and millions of sentence segments analyzed.
• Other features. The app includes a cute robot that talks and types by itself and a beautifully designed notepad. Some features can even be used offline.

In a nutshell: A deck of cards to inspire your brain to write.

Available on: iOS | Android to be launched

Price: Free with in-app purchases for $. You can buy additional specialist card packs (like Blogger’s pack, Character’s pack, Quotes pack, Numbers pack or What if? pack) or a VIP pass that includes all the specialist packs available plus all future packs.

• Inspirational prompts. Over 250 prompt cards to make you think and write on many different topics.
• Free pack for kids. The app includes a free pack for kids (which is also great for adult learners!) with over 150 creative activities.
• Free Vision pack. Another free pack that includes 52 goal-setting questions.

In a nutshell: A portable writing studio for professional writers.

Price: Free with the option to subscribe for $ per month. Members get more themes, novel and screenplay writing tools, hundreds of writing prompts and the possibility of using Werdsmith on their computer.

• Personalization. You can personalize your writing studio and change the theme and the formatting options.
• Save, sync and share. The app allows you to save your work and share it with your friends. You can also synchronize between devices—meaning that no matter where you do your writing, you will be able to access it from any other device—which makes the app totally portable.
• Goals and rituals. Create daily goals and rituals and challenge yourself to do them every day.

In a nutshell: An app to learn English through conversation and writing.

Price: Free with in-app purchases. You can also become a VIP member to get benefits like learning three languages at the same time or finding more language partners.

• Multiple languages. The app has native users from over 150 different countries, so it will be very easy to find the perfect one for you.
• Improve your speaking skills. You will be able to talk to native speakers of English, which will allow you to boost your level in a fun and easy way.
• Chat. Practice your writing skills in the chat. This is the perfect way of getting grammar and spelling feedback from your language partners.
• Moments. Use the Moments feature to share, answer and ask questions related to the culture of the language you are learning.

There are literally thousands of prompt and creative writing apps available for mobile devices. It would be impossible to include them all in one post.

However, there are some others that are worth mentioning:

• Writerly : This is a magnificent app with hundreds of exercises to practice your writing skills. It also includes tips, quests and mini-essays.
• Paperblanks Journal Prompts : This app will give you writing and drawing prompts and ideas to use in your personal journals and sketchbooks.
• Daily Prompt : Get a new writing prompt every day on your phone. The premium version allows you to enter writing competitions and receive feedback for your work.
• Writing Prompts : With this awesome app, you will get five prompt generators (News, Scenes, Sketches, Words and Texts) with literally hundreds of ideas each.
• Morning Pages : This app helps you build the habit of writing 500 words every morning. I personally love the Insights feature, which analyzes your writing and tells you what mood you are in on a specific day according to what you write.
• Writing Challenge : If you like competing against the clock, you are going to love this app. Set the timer and the app will give you a new prompt every time the clock reaches zero (you decide the length of the intervals).

So, there you go, friends.

These 20 apps will help you bring out your inner writer and improve your writing skills in ways you would never think were possible.

Stay curious my friends and, as always, happy writing!

If you like learning English through movies and online media, you should also check out FluentU. FluentU lets you learn English from popular talk shows, catchy music videos and funny commercials , as you can see here:

If you want to watch it, the FluentU app has probably got it.

The FluentU app and website makes it really easy to watch English videos. There are captions that are interactive. That means you can tap on any word to see an image, definition, and useful examples.

FluentU lets you learn engaging content with world famous celebrities.

For example, when you tap on the word "searching," you see this:

FluentU lets you tap to look up any word.

Learn all the vocabulary in any video with quizzes. Swipe left or right to see more examples for the word you’re learning.

FluentU helps you learn fast with useful questions and multiple examples. Learn more.

The best part? FluentU remembers the vocabulary that you’re learning. It gives you extra practice with difficult words—and reminds you when it’s time to review what you’ve learned. You have a truly personalized experience.

Start using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)

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7 Of The Best Writing Prompts Apps You Need To Try

Stumped about what to write today?

You’re in good company.

There’s no shame in admitting that, either.

Even the best writers have days when they could use a little help.

Whether you’re journaling or brainstormi ng ideas for a new story, book, or blog post, a writing prompts app could change everything.

And after looking through the list below, you’ll have a better idea of which prompt app will help you the most.

Read on to find a new favorite.

1. Rory’s Story Cubes by Asmodee Digital: Android and iOS

2. prompted journal—guided self-care journaling by darling apps (plum studio, inc.): android or ios, 3. the brainstormer by tapnik / excite engineering, llc: android and ios.

• 4. Lists for Writers by Thinkamingo: Android and iOS    

5. Writing Prompts from Writing.com: Android and iOS

6. daily prompt writing app by daily prompt, ltd.:  ios only, 7. writing prompts—an online community by bew technologies: android only, 7 writing prompts apps you should try.

We’ve picked seven of our favorite daily writing prompts apps for you to explore. Make a note of the features that appeal to you most.

Based on the award-winning game using nine physical dice covered in symbols, this app allows you to generate story ideas wherever you are. If you’ve got your mobile phone, you now have a way to spark new connections in your mind with a virtual roll of the dice.

One shake of your device gets the dice rolling. Once they settle, each die shows a simple drawing — like a lock, a compass, a flower, a word bubble, etc. Players can use the images in any order to create a new story idea .

The original game’s website offers helpful tips for using the dice.

Top Features:  

• Image prompts using six-sided virtual dice
• Allows you to take pictures of the dice and lock dice in play
• No winners or losers—just storytellers

Price:   $1.99

Even if you love your journaling habit, some days you could probably use a little help thinking about what to write. And if you’ve been putting self-care on the back burner, this journaling app could change that.

Described as a “ daily journal for self-compassion,” Prompted Journal makes it easier to prioritize your daily check-in with yourself. The longer and more regularly you use the app, the more clearly you can see your growth from the day you started.

You can even create a PDF of your journal entries, organized by prompt or by date.

• 100+ writing prompts, which cycle every 3-4 months
• Write letters to your past and future self.
• Scroll through entries for each prompt to see your progress
• Create PDFs of journal entries to print.

Price:   Free

This writing prompt generator uses a three-part wheel (with a vintage look) that you spin to get three terms or phrases. The outer wheel gives you your story’s subject. The middle wheel gives you the style or setting for the story. The inner wheel gives you the conflict.

Not every combination will get your imagination whirring, but each word has been carefully selected to maximize your chance of quickly finding a prompt that lights you up and gets the ideas flowing.

Approach each spin’s results with a “What if?” question and see where it leads you.

• Different wheels available for purchase: Character, World, Creature, etc.
• Spin the wheels as many times as necessary to get a result that sparks interest.
• Create new wheels or edit existing ones, and share your results.

Price:   $0.99 (Android) or $1.99 (iOS)

4. Lists for Writers by Thinkamingo: And r oid and i OS    

This app delivers a huge variety of lists writers of all skill levels will find useful—including names, character traits , obsessions, occupations, settings, action verbs , and plenty more.

Whether you’re looking for something specific or you just want to browse the lists for inspiration, if you’re a storyteller, this is one app you’ll be using often. The list of different hues for each color is reason enough to give it a try.

Selecting any topic from the master list takes you to more specific categories which then lead to more specific terms with brief definitions. This app replaces a bookshelf worth of reference materials and keeps them at your fingertips wherever you go.

• Shuffle and search features make it easier to find what you need.
• Color-coded master list shows a collapsed version of the lists available.
• General categories link to more specific lists and defined terms.

Price:   $2.99

With over 800 text prompts and hundreds of visuals, this app guarantees multiple millions of options for storytelling. You have your choice of five prompt generators: news (current events), scenes, sketches, texts, and words.

View your prompts in landscape or portrait orientation. Scroll through their database of 600 creative writing prompts and save the ones you like. Swipe through your list of favorites to find the perfect prompt for the moment.

If you’re hungry for more material, add up to four additional packs of prompts through in-app purchasing.

• Shake your device or swipe to change prompts.
• Add an unlimited number of prompts to your “Favorites” to save them for later.
• 400 scene elements, 450 words, 60 sketches, 10 colors, 80+ genres, and more.

Build a daily writing habit with this app, which gives you a new writing prompt every day, along with the option of giving and receiving feedback from other writers in their community. Connect with and follow your favorites for more inspiration and support.

Upgrade your account to Daily Prompt Premium (in-app purchase) to access over 600 carefully crafted writing prompts, advanced writer insights, and unlimited access to their weekly writing competitions.

Premium membership also lets you write an unlimited number of daily entries, with unrestricted word count .

If you’re looking for something similar for Android, check out the next option.

• Daily writing prompts (600+ with Premium)
• Weekly writing competitions (and unlimited entries with Premium)
• Read pieces from other writers in the community and give/receive feedback.

Price:   Free (with in-app purchases)

When you download this app, it invites you to sign in using your Google account. Once in, you can tap on a specific genre or just scroll through prompts posted by writers in the community. Tap on the heart to “like” it. Click on the coin to “give coins” to the writer.

You can then either read the stories already written for that prompt or write one of your own.

The toolbar at the bottom of your screen takes you to your prompts feed, your home page — where you can follow other writers and r ead their prompts — your story feed, or your notifications page.

If you have suggestions for improving the app, write to them at [email protected] .

• Prompts posted by other writers give you an inexhaustible source of inspiration.
• Write and share your stories and give/receive feedback to/from other writers.
• Share your own prompts to inspire other writers in the community.

47 Character Development Prompts To Flesh Out Your Book Characters

67 Thrilling And Chilling Mystery Writing Prompts

101 Of The Most Clever Dialogue Writing Prompts

Now that you’ve had a chance to look through all seven writing prompts apps, which ones stood out for you. And which will you try first?

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Ultimate Guide to Writing Your College Essay

Tips for writing an effective college essay.

College admissions essays are an important part of your college application and gives you the chance to show colleges and universities your character and experiences. This guide will give you tips to write an effective college essay.

Want free help with your college essay?

UPchieve connects you with knowledgeable and friendly college advisors—online, 24/7, and completely free. Get 1:1 help brainstorming topics, outlining your essay, revising a draft, or editing grammar.

Writing a strong college admissions essay

Learn about the elements of a solid admissions essay.

Avoiding common admissions essay mistakes

Learn some of the most common mistakes made on college essays

Brainstorming tips for your college essay

Stuck on what to write your college essay about? Here are some exercises to help you get started.

How formal should the tone of your college essay be?

Learn how formal your college essay should be and get tips on how to bring out your natural voice.

Taking your college essay to the next level

Hear an admissions expert discuss the appropriate level of depth necessary in your college essay.

Student Stories

Student Story: Admissions essay about a formative experience

Get the perspective of a current college student on how he approached the admissions essay.

Student Story: Admissions essay about personal identity

Get the perspective of a current college student on how she approached the admissions essay.

Student Story: Admissions essay about community impact

Student story: admissions essay about a past mistake, how to write a college application essay, tips for writing an effective application essay, sample college essay 1 with feedback, sample college essay 2 with feedback.

This content is licensed by Khan Academy and is available for free at www.khanacademy.org.

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Aram Mrjoian

• MFA in Creative Writing - Low Residency

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Phone: 253-535-8570

Email: [email protected]

Pacific Lutheran University 12180 Park Avenue South Tacoma, WA 98447-0003

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College Links

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Creative Nonfiction, Fiction

Aram Mrjoian is the editor-in-chief of  The Rumpus  and a 2022 Creative Armenia-AGBU Fellow. His debut novel,  Waterline , is forthcoming with Harper Via in 2025. Aram has previously worked as an editor at the  Chicago Review of Books , the  Southeast Review , and  TriQuarterly . He is the editor of the anthology  We Are All Armenian: Voices from the Diaspora , published by the University of Texas Press in 2023. His writing has appeared in  The Guardian ,  Runner’s Worl d, Literary Hub, Catapult, West Branch, Electric Literature, Gulf Coast, Boulevard, Joyland ,  Longreads , and many other publications.

Mentor. Workshops and classes in creative nonfiction and fiction.

Statement: My primary goal as an educator is to help students develop artistic agency and encourage creative sustainability. Rather than fall back on craft axioms around what makes good writing, my teaching emphasizes individual decision-making, creative exploration, and radical revision, with the hope that you will develop enduring strategies for maintaining your writing practice long after completing the program. Being a writer takes time, patience, and practice, there’s no universal formula for finding your voice and improving your craft. As you progress, my focus remains on process and revision, with the understanding that eventually you’ll likely have to negotiate your work’s intentions more directly with readers, editors, and critics. No matter your artistic and professional goals, I want you to feel a sense of authority over your work. My reading selections and recommendations will often mirror this philosophy—I enjoy readings that showcase an author’s risks and challenge or subvert commercial expectations.

As a workshop leader and mentor, I center collaborative conversations in which you can explain your reasoning and make a case for how you have put together a specific piece of writing. From there, I enjoy asking questions and discussing benefits and opportunities for revision, always maintaining the acknowledgment that your vision for your work takes priority (that’s not to say I won’t challenge you on it). Together, we will develop systems for navigating your personal aspirations, creative setbacks, and future writing goals.