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The best Mac apps for writers and authors

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Best writing apps for the Mac

novel writing software macbook

You do already have Pages on your Mac — and on your iPhone and iPad too — and it is a world-class word processor. Pages tends to hide its features away, preferring to make it look simple and basic, but it is powerful.

Then, too, if you had to bet on which other word processor was on a given Mac, the smart money would be on Microsoft Word. It's still a titan in the industry, though it's fallen a long way since it was both ubiquitous with, and essential for, all writers.

Pages is free and Word is now a subscription app that costs from $70 per year . It is still possible to buy Word outright, and that starts with what's called a Home edition for $150.

Before you spend that, though, take a look at the specialist writing tools which make the Mac extraordinarily useful for writers.

OmniOutliner

OmniOutliner is, as the name stresses, an outlining tool. It's also very good at outlining everything from novels to non-fiction tomes. However, it's really rather more than that, as its core strength is in expanding ideas.

Whether your idea is for a story, or your boss has thrown five events at you to create, OmniOutliner lets you jot down any thought. Dump every idea you've got into it and then you can arrange, massage, grow it all until you've got a complete, working project.

OmniOutliner

OmniOutliner is available on both Mac and iOS, beginning with an Essentials version that costs $20 on either platform.

On the surface, Drafts 5 is as basic a notetaking app as you can get — but that's specifically to make using it quick. Whether you're just learning the app or have used it for years, you can get starting writing fast.

Then while that could be all you need from Drafts 5, you also get the ability to decide what to do with text once you've written it. Get it written in Drafts, then you can tell the app to send it as an email, to post as a blog, or any of countless actions that are available.

Drafts 5

Drafts 5 is free to download and use, but those actions require a Drafts Pro subscription, which costs $20 per year .

Ulysses is also an apparently simple text editor that hides a lot of power. In this case, the strength is in how it's as much a writing environment as a basic word processor.

Rather than having documents that you create and then have to manage yourself, Ulysses treats everything you write as one document. It's all divided into books and chapters and topics as you need, but open Ulysses and you have immediate access to everything you're writing.

Ulysses

Ulysses is a subscription app that costs $50 per year for use across Mac, iPhone and iPad.

As a word processor, Scrivener is simply enjoyable to write in. Then as you write more, its ability to organize your work — and let you rearrange whole chapters — is far better than that of Pages or Word.

You're able to see, for instance, just chapters 17 and 33 of your novel. You can see those side by side, or one after another. You can set writing targets for the book, or just for this session.

Then it's ability to take all of your writing and output it ready for book printing, ready for sending to publishers, is famous. And so is how you can store any research — notes, drafts, weblinks, PDFs, audio, video, and more — in your book.

Scrivener

Have quick access to everything you need to refer to, yet also have none of that be shown to your readers.

Scrivener costs $49 for the Mac .

Long before the Mac introduced Focus Mode, iA Writer had its own version. In iA Writer, if you choose, you can have all of your writing fade to grey — except the sentence you're working on right now.

Then, again optionally, iA Writer can highlight adjectives, verbs and so on, surfacing your use or over-use of them. It's about giving you the ability to see the wood for the trees, except when it's trees you want to see.

The iA Writer app is built around Markdown, meaning that formatting and styles are done with text commands right in the text.

iA Writer

It costs $29 for Mac .

Final Draft

Screenwriting app Final Draft has more competitors now, but it remains a leading choice for film and television writers. It's a word processing app, and can be used for letters and prose, but its strength is in how it automates screenwriting formats.

Final Draft

Scripts are blueprints for a dozen or more different departments in a film's production, and to serve all their needs, very particular formats and page layouts have been developed over decades. Final Draft automatically formats as you write and it means you can concentrate on your story, characters, and dialog.

Final Draft normally costs $249.99, direct from the developer . Note, though, that there are regularly sales throughout the year.

Buying a range of writing tools

No one writing app covers everything that a writer will need. As well as major apps like Final Draft, and Pages, there are also many utilities that writers can benefit from.

Check out the subscription service Setapp which includes some major titles such as Ulysses, but then also utilities such as Mars Edit for blogging.

A subscription to Setapp usually costs from $9.99 per month, but for a limited time an annual license can be had for 36% off through the AppleInsider store .

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Paper Icon

7 best novel writing apps for Mac

Paper Icon

Super-clean writing space with a lot of configurability that stays out of sight when you don’t need it.

  • Gorgeous writing space
  • Silky-smooth typing
  • Deep personalization (Pro)
  • Markdown or Plain Text
  • Syncs with iCloud
  • Writes and edits texts with ChatGPT AI
  • Publishes drafts to Medium, WordPress, or Ghost
  • Exports to PDF, HTML, RTF, DOCX, image, or clipboard
  • Works seamlessly across your iPhone, iPad, and Mac

Scrivener Icon

Scrivener takes tools familiar to writers everywhere and integrates them in new and exciting ways.

For writing. And writing. And writing.

Scrivener is the go-to app for writers of all kinds, used every day by best-selling novelists, screenwriters, non-fiction writers, students, academics, lawyers, journalists, translators and more. Scrivener won't tell you how to write—it simply provides everything you need to start writing and keep writing.

Grow your manuscript your way

Tailor-made for long writing projects, Scrivener banishes page fright by allowing you to compose your text in any order, in sections as large or small as you like. Got a great idea but don't know where it fits? Write when inspiration strikes and find its place later. Grow your manuscript organically, idea by idea.

See the forest or the trees

Whether you plan or plunge, Scrivener works your way: hammer out every last detail before typing a word, or carve out a draft and restructure later. Or mix your methods and do a bit of both. In Scrivener, everything you write is integrated into an easy-to-use project outline. So working with an overview of your manuscript is only ever a click away, and turning Chapter Four into Chapter One is as simple as drag and drop.

Research within reach

Need to refer to research? In Scrivener, your background material is always at hand, and you can open it right next to your work. Write a description based on a photograph. Transcribe an interview. Take notes about a PDF file or web page. Or check for consistency by referencing an earlier chapter alongside the one in progress.

Getting it out there

Once you're ready to share your work with the world, compile everything into a single document for printing, self-publishing, or exporting to popular formats such as Word, PDF, Final Draft or plain text. You can even share using different formatting, so that you can write in your favorite font and still satisfy those submission guidelines.

Craft Icon

Create documents, make impact. When your work needs to wow, Craft gives you the tools to make it magnificent.

Don't just process words - build documents

Craft brings structure to your documents - and gives you the tools and freedom to do it your way. Seamlessly combine images, text, media or tables for the perfect experience. Drive deep understanding and engagement by allowing the reader to consume your document just as they would a website. Add your brand and personal touches on top for the prefect document.

Big on impact, teensy weensy on effort

Organizing your workflow, writing your report, creating your code or mapping your masterplan; whatever you’re doing, the freedom to do it your way matters. Tables, toggles, markdown and blocks, back-linking, forward-thinking, in, out and shake it all about - Craft’s ingeniously rich feature-set gives you endless possibilities to love how you work. Just click and create for amazingly beautiful docs in minutes, then bring it all together in your own unique way.

One beautiful experience. All of your devices.

At your desk, on the go, on or offline, enjoy Craft’s powerful performance and legendary UI across your entire toolkit, courtesy of the native app experience. Lose the lag and fall in love with instant sync; quickly jump into any document on any device; and free your creativity with the same beautiful experience whatever device you’re on. We’ve even got a web-based app so you’ll never drop the ball again.

And plenty of ways to share the love

Why keep your brilliant work to yourself when we’ve made it really simple to share? Secret Linking, shared spaces, external guests, and fast, easy export; inspire action across teams, clients, and everyone who’s anyone with the kind of content that’ll make you look way more wow than yet another Google Doc. Or Word doc. Or (insert app you’re using here).

iA Writer Icon

Get focused. iA Writer offers a unique writing experience that lets you concentrate and clarify your message. Used by half a million people worldwide, its powerful interface is crafted to cut out noise, let you focus on what you want to say, and help you structure and trim your text. Available for Mac, iOS, Windows, and Android.

Simple and Powerful

No rulers, no formatting bars. iA Writer provides the crisp, uncluttered environment you need to write well, supported by discrete, powerful features, from Content Blocks, to Syntax Highlighting.

Focus and Flow

Focus is the key to good writing, and the guiding principle behind iA Writer. With shortcuts and simplified settings, you can keep your hands on the keyboard and your mind in the text.

Ownership and Control

We think every craftsperson should own their own tools, so when you download iA Writer, you own it. No forced subscriptions, microtransactions, or compatibility concerns. Your work, your files, your app.

Hack Your Syntax

Highlight parts of speech to improve your writing. Spot superfluous adjectives, weak verbs, and unwanted repetitions. Developers have long used syntax highlighting to improve their code. Now you can hack your text.

Power of Style Check

Style Check is like having a personal editor-in-chief on your device, carefully reviewing your text for redundancies, clichés and filler words as you type. It’s simple, different, and powerful.

The Original Focus Mode

Focus only on the sentence or paragraph that you’re working on. Introduced in 2010 with the original iA Writer, Focus Mode has since been copied by many writing apps. This is the original, and still (we think) the best.

Flexible Content Blocks

Swap sections around, add media, and construct your content with flexible building blocks of text, .csv tables and image files. Stitch separate chapters together into one master file. Express yourself through experimentation.

Optimized Typeface

We have created an innovative typeface for iA Writer, specifically designed to enhance the writing experience. The family comes in three flavors: classic Mono, Duo for larger screens, and Quattro for small devices.

Parallel PDF Preview

iA Writer now offers a live, paginated PDF preview, parallel to the text you are editing. Instantly see how your document translates into PDF pages, as you edit.

Advanced Markdown to Word Export

iA Writer features one of the most advanced Markdown-to-Word export functions available anywhere. Quickly export your Markdown documents to MS Word (and back too!). Includes support for tables, images and footnotes.

Ulysses Icon

The Ultimate Writing App for Mac, iPad and iPhone. Powerful features and a pleasant, focused writing experience combined in one tool, made for people who love to write and write a lot — this is Ulysses.

Like 12 Fingers, 25 Hours a Day

Some things simply work better when you’ve got the right tool. Ulysses’ well thought-out features boost your productivity through the entire writing process; its distraction-free interface keeps you in the flow so you can get things done.

Projects Cannot Get Too Big

Be it college essays, blog posts, or the next Great American Novel: No matter what you’re working on, Ulysses is equipped for managing writing projects of all sizes and ambitions.

Built-In Proofreader and Editing Assistant

Write with confidence: Ulysses’ built-in grammar and style check helps you avoid mistakes and meet the right tone. Available for over 20 languages, it offers suggestions for capitalization, punctuation, semantics, redundancy, style and more.

Let Your Words Shine

After you’re done writing, Ulysses can turn your texts into beautiful PDFs, Word documents, ebooks and even blog posts. Everything is just a click away, with on-the-fly switching of styles and a live preview built right in.

Focused Icon

Get Focused, start writing. We think Focused is the new benchmark for markdown writing apps that will enable you to really focus on your work.

Distraction-Free

No clutter, no distractions. Just a perfectly crafted set of tools to help you write and stay focused on the task at hand.

Need to hit a word count, or stick to a character limit? Focused keeps you on target without cluttering your workspace.

The dog will never eat your homework again - Auto Save keeps your content safe, with Versions support to retrieve an edit.

Soundtracks

Filter out life’s distractions with 8 calming soundtracks that aid your focus, allowing you to concentrate on your writing.

Focused is built to help you write for the web without the need to know any code - Focused generates it all for you.

Never leave the keyboard again, with comprehensive keyboard shortcuts to help you structure and format.

Whether you’re writing a paper or a blog post, you’re at your most productive when you focus. In addition to Focused’s minimal design, Zen Mode heightens your focus with a choice of eight carefully selected soundtracks. Perfect to help you relax and create great content, no matter what your deadline may be.

Typewriter Mode

Stay focused on the paragraph (or sentence) at hand with typewriter mode. Vertically center your copy and choose whether you want to fade out the surrounding text for even fewer distractions.

iWriter Pro Icon

iWriter Pro

iWriter Pro is elegant and minimalist text editor with built-in MultiMarkdown support.

Clean and Simple

iWriter Pro is designed to be easy yet powerful text editing app. It provides distraction-free writing experience with a bunch of handy features.

Markdown Highlighting

Markdown is a good way to format your text, apply styles, insert lists and block quotes. iWriter Pro automatically highlights text as you type.

iCloud Support

Use iCloud to store your documents. You can easily create, view and edit your files on Mac, iPad and iPhone devices.

Novel Factory

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Scrivener Novel Writing Software

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Is Scrivener the best creative writing software for me?

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

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

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

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

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

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

novel writing software macbook

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

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

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

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

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

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

Is yWriter the best free novel writing software for me?

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

That is that it is completely free.

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

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

Click here to find out more about yWriter.

Fictionary Novel Editing Software

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Is Fictionary the best novel editing software for me?

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

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

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

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

Atticus Novel Writing Software

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Is Atticus the best novel formatting software for me?

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

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

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

Click here to check out Atticus.

Write It Now

WriteItNow Novel Writing Software

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Click here to check out Write It Now.

FocusWriter

Focus Writer Novel Writing App

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

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

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

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

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

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

Is FocusWriter the best novel writing software for me?

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

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

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

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

Click here to download FocusWriter.

Bibisco Novel Writing Software

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Is Bibisco the best novel writing software for me?

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

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

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

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

Click here to find out more about Bibisco.

Wavemaler Novel Writing Software

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Is Wavemaker the best free novel writing software for me?

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

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

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

Click here to check out Wavemaker.

Novlr Novel Writing Software

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Is Novlr the right story writing software for me?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here are our top recommendations:

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

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

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  • World Building resources
  • Much, much more

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The 15 Best Book Writing Software Tools

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

POSTED ON Aug 18, 2023

P.J McNulty

Written by P.J McNulty

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

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

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

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

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

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This Guide to the Best Novel Writing Software Covers:

1. autocrit.

AutoCrit is an automated editing tool aimed at fiction authors.

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

Autocrit Novel Writing Software

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

How much does AutoCrit cost?

AutoCrit is available at three different price points:

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

Which platforms is AutoCrit available for?

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

What are the pros and cons of using AutoCrit?

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

Pros of AutoCrit:

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

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

Cons of AutoCrit:

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

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

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

Bibisco Software

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

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

How much does Bibisco cost?

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

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

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

Which platforms is Bibisco available for?

At this time, Bibisco is available for users of:

  • MacOS Mojave

What are the pros and cons of using Bibisco?

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

Pros of Bibisco:

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

Cons of Bibisco:

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

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

3. Dramatica

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

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

Software For Writing Novels

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

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

How much does Dramatica cost?

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

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

Which platforms is Dramatica available for?

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

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

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

What are the pros and cons of using Dramatica?

So what are the strongest and weakest aspects of Dramatica?

Pros of Dramatica:

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

Cons of Dramatica:

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

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

4. FastPencil/Opyrus

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

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

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

Fastpencil Software

How much does FastPencil cost?

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

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

Which platforms is FastPencil available for?

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

What are the pros and cons of using FastPencil?

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

Pros of FastPencil:

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

Cons of FastPencil:

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

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

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

5. FocusWriter

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

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

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

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

Focuswriter

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

How much does FocusWriter cost?

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

Which platforms is FocusWriter available for?

At this time, FocusWriter is compatible with:

What are the pros and cons of using FocusWriter?

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

Pros of FocusWriter:

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

Cons of FocusWriter:

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

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

6. Milanote

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

Milanote

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

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

How much does Milanote cost?

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

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

Which platforms is Milanote available for?

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

What are the pros and cons of using Milanote?

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

Pros of Milanote:

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

Cons of Milanote:

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

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

7. Novellus

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

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

Novellus Writing Software

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

How much does Novellus cost?

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

Which platforms is Novellus available for?

At this time, Novellus is available only for MacOS . 

What are the pros and cons of using Novellus?

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

Pros of Novellus:

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

Cons of Novellus:

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

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

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

Novlr Writing Tool

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

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

How much does Novlr cost?

Novlr has multiple price options, including:

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

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

Which platforms is Novlr available for?

Novlr is available on any device capable of logging into the cloud.

What are the pros and cons of using Novlr?

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

Pros of Novlr:

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

Cons of Novlr:

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

9. Scrivener

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

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

Scrivener Novel Writing

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

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

How much does Scrivener cost?

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

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

Which platforms is Scrivener available for?

At this time, Scrivener is available for:

What are the pros and cons of using Scrivener?

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

Pros of Scrivener:

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

Cons of Scrivener:

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

10. Storyist

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

Storyist Software

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

How much does Storyist cost?

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

  • Storyist for iOS $19.00

Which platforms is Storyist available for?

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

It’s currently only available for:

What are the pros and cons of using Storyist?

Should you use Storyist to write your next novel?

Pros of Storyist:

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

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

Cons of Storyist:

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

11. The Novel Factory

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

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

The Novel Factory

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

How much does The Novel Factory cost?

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

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

Which platforms is The Novel Factory available for?

The Novel Factory can currently be used in two ways:

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

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

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

Pros of The Novel Factory:

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

Cons of The Novel Factory:

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

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

12. Ulysses

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

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

Ulysses

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

How much does Ulysses cost?

Ulysses is available at three price points:

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

Which platforms is Ulysses available for?

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

  • MacOS 

What are the pros and cons of using Ulysses?

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

Pros of Ulysses:

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

Cons of Ulysses:

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

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

13. WriteItNow

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

Writeitnow Software

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

How much does WriteItNow cost?

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

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

Which platforms is WriteItNow available for?

At this time, WriteItNow is available for:

What are the pros and cons of using WriteItNow?

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

Pros of WriteItNow:

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

Cons of WriteItNow:

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

14. Writer’s Blocks

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

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

Novel Software Writers Blocks

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

How much does Writer’s Blocks cost?

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

Which platforms is Writer’s Blocks available for?

Writer’s Blocks is only available for Windows . 

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

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

Pros of Writer's Blocks:

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

Cons of Writer's Blocks:

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

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

15. yWriter 

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

Ywriter

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

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

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

How much does yWriter cost?

yWriter is free across all versions and platforms. 

Which platforms is yWriter available for?

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

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

What are the pros and cons of using yWriter?

Is yWriter the right choice of software for your novel?

Pros of yWriter:

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

Cons of yWriter:

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

Final Verdict: What is the Best Novel Writing Software?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What is your favorite novel writing software?

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Writing your book with Pages

Pages is Apple’s free, powerful word processor that lets you write, edit, and collaborate with others to create stunning books.

Pages is not only simple to use, but it’s full of helpful features for writers. You can use Pages to create any kind of book, from a traditional novel to a dynamic digital book with interactive graphics, bespoke font treatments, and much more. Pages can help you manage and develop your entire writing process: plan out your storyline on the go with Pages on your iPhone, edit on your Mac without compromising your original draft with Track Changes and Smart Annotations, and format your story to look beautiful and professional using Pages templates and text styles. Pages makes it easy to write and polish your draft into a beautiful, engaging book that readers will love.

Start using Pages for Mac

Start using Pages on the web 

Use Pages on iPhone to write whenever inspiration strikes

Inspiration can strike when your computer isn’t on hand, but don’t let that stop you from getting your ideas down. Use Pages on iPhone and never let an idea slip between your fingers. Jot down thoughts, edit a section, or even write your whole book from start to finish directly from your iPhone. Pages uses iCloud Drive to sync documents across all your devices, so when you’re ready to sit down at your computer, you haven’t lost a word and can pick up your story right where you left off. Conveniently, iCloud Drive automatically saves your work periodically so you never have to worry about losing your work.

Use Comments to brainstorm

Writing is an organic process. It doesn’t always start at the beginning and proceed forward neatly. When you’re beginning to collect your thoughts, don’t get stuck on perfecting a paragraph or finding the perfect word — that will just slow down your creative process. Use the Comments feature in Pages to brainstorm ideas, think through sections of your book that you might not be ready to write, note questions you may want to answer later, or just highlight sentences you want to remember to complete another time. Comments can help unblock you on tough parts so you can keep writing without losing a thought, or losing momentum.

Use Collaboration to share your process with others

Even the best authors can use an editor. Getting feedback from a trusted reader on your draft helps you refine and craft your best story. A reader’s feedback can consist of line-by-line editing or more general suggestions about characters or plot. Use Collaboration for Pages to easily share with others and collect their feedback all within your single document. Use Pages password-protection features to keep your book safe and control who’s able to see it.

Use Track Changes or annotate with Apple Pencil

Every great book is polished through the same process: edit, rewrite, repeat. Use Track Changes to edit without overwriting your original text and track who made a change when collaborating. Use Apple Pencil on iPad to make annotations directly in your document for easy editing later.

Use text styles and panel navigation to add structure and organize your story

Great books are polished with strong text hierarchy and organized page structures. Use text styles to add chapter headers or page breaks, or to bring emphasis to specific text. Use Pages thumbnails and table of contents views to easily navigate your book.

Use Pages free book templates

Start by choosing a template that works for your book genre. The templates include layout, placeholder text, and even images to give you an idea what your book could look like. After you’ve picked a template you can add text, photos, image galleries, videos, audio, shapes, tables, charts, and more to your book.

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Get your thoughts onto the page and explore the connections between them.

Join the conversation. Ask a question or just get to know your fellow users.

What we’re working on, interviews with users, and general prolixity.

See the forest or the trees.

Typewriter. Ring-binder. Scrapbook. Scrivener combines all the tools you need to craft your first draft, from nascent notion to final full stop.

Rewrite. Reorder. Rejoice.

Scrivener takes tools familiar to writers everywhere and integrates them in new and exciting ways.

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Research Within Reach

No matter what you write, Scrivener brings together all of your notes, research and writing so that it's always at hand.

For writing. And writing. And writing.

Scrivener is the go-to app for writers of all kinds, used every day by best-selling novelists, screenwriters, non-fiction writers, students, academics, lawyers, journalists, translators and more. Scrivener won't tell you how to write—it simply provides everything you need to start writing and keep writing.

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Grow your manuscript your way.

Tailor-made for long writing projects, Scrivener banishes page fright by allowing you to compose your text in any order, in sections as large or small as you like. Got a great idea but don't know where it fits? Write when inspiration strikes and find its place later. Grow your manuscript organically, idea by idea.

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See the forest or the trees

Whether you plan or plunge, Scrivener works your way: hammer out every last detail before typing a word, or carve out a draft and restructure later. Or mix your methods and do a bit of both. In Scrivener, everything you write is integrated into an easy-to-use project outline. So working with an overview of your manuscript is only ever a click away, and turning Chapter Four into Chapter One is as simple as drag and drop.

Image: Create method from the madness

Research within reach

Need to refer to research? In Scrivener, your background material is always at hand, and you can open it right next to your work. Write a description based on a photograph. Transcribe an interview. Take notes about a PDF file or web page. Or check for consistency by referencing an earlier chapter alongside the one in progress.

Image: Keep your research within reach

Getting it out there

Once you're ready to share your work with the world, compile everything into a single document for printing, self-publishing, or exporting to popular formats such as Word, PDF, Final Draft or plain text. You can even share using different formatting, so that you can write in your favorite font and still satisfy those submission guidelines.

Image: Getting it out there

Who uses Scrivener?

  • Autobiographers
  • Biographers
  • Children's Authors
  • Journalists
  • Screenwriters
  • Translators
I genuinely think this is the biggest software advance for writers since the word processor. Michael Marshall Smith , NYT best-selling author.
Scrivener gives you the freedom to make a mess, the confidence to know you’ll clean it up, and the semantic relationships to tie it all together in whatever way makes the most sense to you. Merlin Mann , indie writer, speaker, and broadcaster.
If there was a list of the top five greatest apps of all time in the Mac App Store, it would start with Scrivener and then there would be four other things. Andy Ihnatko , technology columnist.
As a writer's application, Scrivener is damn near perfect; it means outlines, treatments and then first drafts can be put together in the same application. Neil Cross , author and screenwriter.
Scrivener is worth every penny: quite simply, it’s the best writers tool there is. Zoe Margolis , best-selling author.
Scrivener is the biggest leap forward in writing software since the venerable days of WordPerfect, and believe me, I’ve tried them all. Antony Johnston , comics writer and novelist.
Scrivener has so many useful features, there’s almost too many to list. Mike Sussman , Writer-Producer.
I'd thought it was yet another hobby app at first but this is genuinely for working writers with real deadlines and monster workloads. Karen Traviss , #1 NYT best-selling author.

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Blog • Perfecting your Craft

Last updated on Feb 07, 2023

The Best Novel Writing Software of 2024 (+ 5 Free Programs)

So, you’ve just started writing a novel — which means you’re figuring things out as you go. You probably have a flock of Google Docs to wrangle, you’re always scribbling on napkins, and you have no idea where anything is. Know what you need? Some good ol’ fashioned (well, more like new-fashioned) novel writing software.

Luckily for you, we’ve come up with this list of the best, most affordable pieces of novel writing software in 2024. All of these will help you stay organized and inspire you to keep writing until the very last page! You can jump to each review using the ToC on your left, but here's a quick rundown of these writing programs and how much they cost:

  • Reedsy Book Editor   (word processor, formatting, and conversion) — free
  • FastPencil (word processor and exporter) — free
  • Bibisco (story planning and word processor) — free
  • Evernote (word processor and organizational tool) — free
  • FocusWriter  (writing productivity tool) — free
  • Freedom (site blocker and time management tool) — $6.99/month
  • Scrivener (story planning and word processor) — $44.99
  • Milanote  (story planning and organizational tool) — $12.50/month
  • Novlr  (word processor and grammar/style editor) — $10/month
  • WriteItNow (chapter planning and word processor) — $59.95
  • AutoCrit  (advanced editing program) — $10/month
  • Ulysses (story planning and word processor) — $5.99/month

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?

Find out here! Takes 30 seconds

Otherwise, let's head for the reviews! In the spirit of thriftiness, we're starting with your free options.

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Reedsy Book Editor

💰 Price tag: Free software ✅ Features: Format as you write, track changes, export files that are ready for instant distribution, choose between “classic” and “romance” themes

Though modesty should forbid us from crowing about the Reedsy Book Editor ( RBE ), we've seen first-hand how this writing app has totally changed how many authors write and publish their novels. While some writers like programs brimming with bells and whistles (tools to research, structure, and outline your book) and others prefer software that's free from those distractions, the Reedsy Book Editor offers a happy medium between these poles.

Definitely more than a blank piece of paper, the RBE's functions are super user-friendly and geared toward a single goal: creating a beautiful book. This is a production tool that typesets as you write , turning your manuscript into a fully-formatted book or ebook that can compete with traditionally published, professionally formatted books.

In "Writing Mode," you can insert chapter breaks, scene breaks, images, and endnotes. It comes with a spell-checker that offers an automatic proof as you write — and a goal reminder system that you can toggle on if you find that you're falling behind on your writing schedule! You can view previous versions of your manuscript, in case you removed a passage you now want to re-add. When you've completed your book on the RBE (congratulations!), you can export a distribution-ready EPUB or PDF file.

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Novel Writing Software | Fastpencil

💰 Price tag: Free software ✅ Features:  Easily navigable dashboard, drag-and-drop chapters, collaborative editing, multiple layout preview options, publication setup

FastPencil is essentially Google Docs for the professional (or aspiring) author. This online platform cannot be downloaded and is therefore only usable if you have WiFi. However, its nonexistent price tag more-or-less makes up for the inconvenience of not being able to work on planes, outdoors, etc.

FastPencil’s simple, streamlined interface allows users to set up a writing project, invite collaborators, and communicate entirely through the app if they wish. Two people can also upload mutually accessible “Assets” for reference during the writing process, and devise “Tasks” for each other to complete. Remember PalmPilots and other personal digital assistants? FastPencil is like a 21st-century, writing-oriented version of that.

Once your book is done, you can preview it with distinct layout templates for different genres — such as “Business,” “Memoir,” and “Dragon” (designed for YA fiction). These templates are pretty basic, but they'll give you a solid idea of what your published book will look like.

Finally, you can export your manuscript under “Publication Setup.”

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Novel Writing Software | Bibisco

💰 Price tag: Free software (Community Edition) ✅ Features: Overview screen for story “architecture,” separate section to construct characters, scene-by-scene word processing, distribution analysis for each story element

If you find most desktop writing programs unwieldy and overwhelming, then the minimalist interface of Bibisco might just solve all your problems. This is especially true if you're a plotter rather than a pantser , as Bibisco is that rare breed of free story planning  software, with plenty of virtual outlines and notecards to help you out.

With the free “Community” version of Bibisco, you can navigate among six different screens to organize and expand upon the elements of your novel. The architecture screen (above) is perhaps the most unique part of this software, with notecards for your premise, setting, and fabula. Here you can create narrative threads and articulate how they connect to one another, then flesh them out using your “scene” notecards.

Indeed, the name of Bibisco's game is breaking down your work into bite-sized, manageable pieces. Of course, this approach may make it difficult to envision your manuscript as a whole , especially as you can only write scene-by-scene — a feature which may frustrate users who are accustomed to writing in one long, all-inclusive document.

Still, Bibisco is a good choice for any author who's tired of busy interfaces and wants to prioritize productivity. And if that sounds like you, don't miss out on this next piece of book writing software ... 

Novel Writing Software | Evernote

💰 Price tag:  free “basic” plan, $9.99/month for “premium,” $14.99/month for “business" ✅ Features: writing templates, web clipper function for easily storing research, the ability to sync across multiple devices

If only the process of writing a book involved just sitting down and  going . Although sure, to an extent, this may be true. But most of us need to find the right way to capture and organize our ideas before our fingers start flying over the keyboard — or risk running out of steam. Evernote is great for the writer who needs to declutter a space (or their mind) before they can make real headway on a project.

Some of their great organizational features include their writing templates — some of which are user-created, and others are created by Evernote themselves. If you spot a chapter outline, a storyboard template, or character development profile you enjoy, you can save it and come back to it each time. The web clipper function is also popular amongst writers — especially for genres like sci-fi or historical — as you can use the clipper to save pertinent facts or articles you come across online, and save them right into your Evernote folders. 

At its core, Evernote excels as a brainstorming tool. This is why its syncing ability is also key — if you're out and about, you can drop ideas into your Evernote app and continue working on them at a later point.

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FocusWriter

Novel Writing Software | Focuswriter

💰 Price tag: Free software (you can tip, though!) ✅ Features:  A beautiful blank page for you to write your novel

FocusWriter isn’t novel-specific software per se, but it will help you rocket-boost your productivity. And of course, it's completely, permanently free — no limited-time trial, no payment with a warranty, no “premium upgrade” — so you may as well try it out!

This software is exactly what it sounds like: it helps you laser-focus your efforts onto writing , and nothing else. You can still format your manuscript and check your word count and daily writing goals via offscreen tools, but the default state is simply a blank page. You can also use full-screen mode so the only thing you see is the page in front of you — just like writing IRL.

For authors who struggle to concentrate on their work more than anything else, FocusWriter is a dream come true. You might also consider combining it with app-blocking software, like the next entry on this list, to achieve maximum productivity.

And that rounds off our section on free writing software! Now let's get into your options for paid programs.

Novel Writing Software | Freedom

💰  Price tag: $6.99/month or $20/year, free 7-session trial ✅ Features: Website and app blocking, advance block scheduling, customizable block lists and whitelisting, optional “Locked Mode,” session history, syncing across devices

Writers who procrastinate uncontrollably, get ready for a game-changer: Freedom.  This is by far our favorite time management software due to the crisp user interface, the thoughtfully designed features, and the crucial fact that it works — unlike that fickle mistress, human willpower.

Freedom allows you to block specific apps, sites, or the entire Web for any amount of time. You can schedule your blocks in advance and sync across all your devices, so you can't have a last-minute, Netflix-based change of heart. And if you're prone to mid-work moments of weakness, simply put Freedom in Locked Mode! This completely prevents you from disabling it until that time is up.

Yes, Freedom might be a difficult adjustment for someone unaccustomed to any kind of discipline, self-imposed or otherwise — but hey, we're writers. We all need a little tough love sometimes to get us going. In that sense, there's no novel writing software more effective than Freedom.

Novel Writing Software | Scrivener

💰  Price tag: $44.99 license fee, free 30-day trial ✅ Features:  Corkboard planner with virtual index cards, planning templates, integrated outlining system, customizable full-screen interface, split-screen function, import and export capabilities

Scrivener is one of the most storied (no pun intended) programs in use today. It markets itself as a “typewriter, ring-binder, and scrapbook all in one,” and comprises tons of helpful features . But perhaps Scrivener’s greatest benefit is the freedom it enables: with so many sections that you can arrange to your heart’s desire, the program lets you write however works best for you.

With Scrivener, you can do as much or as little planning as you want, so you don’t feel pressured to stay within certain constraints. You can shuffle your notes, outlines, and even chapters around wherever you need. It also has one of the most generous trial periods on offer — you can use it free for 30 days, but they don’t have to be consecutive. (When you do decide to pull the trigger, make sure to apply a discount !)

The only potential catch with Scrivener is that some authors might find it a little too liberating. It doesn’t provide much novel-specific instruction, as some other programs do. But it’s still an excellent organizational tool with a great interface. Whether or not you choose Scrivener just depends on how much guidance you feel you need.

Novel Writing Software | Milanote

💰 Price tag: $12.50/month or $119.88/year, free “basic” plan ✅ Features: Easy drag-and-drop interface, flexible notes board, "moodboard" for inspiration, web clipper to save research and inspiration from the Internet

As all authors know, writing isn't always linear, because thinking itself isn't linear. Too often, straight-laced writing apps can't match up to the messy, chaotic, and wonderful way in which writers brainstorm and develop their stories — especially when they're just starting to take shape.

That's where this software comes in! Milanote is a super-versatile app that allows you to organize your research, ideas, characters and outline in one single place. Its visual workspace lets you clearly connect your thoughts, create mind maps, and develop moodboards. And for those who really struggle to get started, Milanote's amazingly detailed templates (see above) could be just what you need to hit the ground running.

In other words, Milanote is ideal for the initial planning stages of your novel. Not to mention it's incredibly easy-to-use, so authors can concentrate on the important stuff — their writing — rather than trying to figure out all the complexities of the app.

Novel Writing Software | Novlr

💰 Price tag: $10/month or $100/year, free two-week trial ✅ Features: Flexible word processing, mechanical and stylistic notes, goal-setting and progress tracking, learning courses

When it comes to writing apps that really push you to improve,  Novlr is pretty darn effective. A relative newcomer to the novel writing software scene, Novlr has been climbing the ranks since 2017, with constant improvements being made based on user feedback.

In terms of actual writing, Novlr features a clean word processor which users can customize as they please. For example, there's “Evening” mode for those who prefer a darker color scheme, and “Focus Mode” to help with concentration. Making even the smallest formatting change, such as font size, will automatically update the entire text — convenient for writers who like to keep their aesthetics fresh.

Then when it's time to edit, the Proof Reader function at the bottom of the screen offers suggestions re: punctuation, adverb use, passive voice, and more. And for authors hoping to boost their productivity as well as their prose, a quick trip to the Dashboard reveals tons of useful features: a place to set your writing goals, an analytics tab for progress, and so on.

The one thing Novlr noticeably lacks is templates for story elements like plot, characters, etc. This may be a dealbreaker for writers who require (or simply prefer) that kind of structural guidance. But for seasoned writers looking for a sophisticated, web-based writing tool — and who don't mind paying for access to it — Novlr could be just the program for you.

Or you can check out the Reedsy Book Editor — a sophisticated, web-based tool that's 100% FREE (and not just for two weeks, either).

Novel Writing Software | Writeitnow

💰 Price tag: $59.95 license fee, free demo (doesn’t save your work) ✅ Features:  Chapter outlines, element sheets, editing tools including readability score and repetition finder, prompts and other tools for story inspiration

WriteItNow ’s no-frills design facilitates that all-too-elusive endeavor for authors: to simply write . Its interface is pretty basic, with a planning toolbar and a sidebar to keep track of the actual writing. But don’t let its minimalism deceive you: WriteItNow also offers a variety of unique resources, especially for editing your manuscript.

After you’ve written a chapter or two with WriteItNow, not only can you check things like spelling and word count, you can also run editorial “Critiques” via the Editor Tools tab. The program will point out any repetitive phrases, unnecessary “padding” words, and even clichés you might have used — helping you polish your writing in the same way a professional copy editor might.

Another one-of-a-kind feature in WriteItNow is the “Create Idea” function. You can select a character and type of idea — in a maneuver reminiscent of choosing personality traits on The Sims — and the program will spit out creative prompts for you to integrate!

This program may seem a bit on the pricey side, but the license fee does cover both Mac and PC. In any case, WriteItNow absolutely lives up to its name in terms of helping writers get their work done. (And as every veteran writer knows, you can’t put a price on that.)

For book formatting software, check out this post on Vellum .

Novel Writing Software | Autocrit

💰 Price tag:  $10/month for the “basic” plan, $30/month for “professional,” $80/month for “elite,” or $1 for a two-week trial ✅ Features:  “Professional” plan entails genre filtering, an array of editing options for pacing, dialogue, “strong writing,” word choice, repetition, and direct comparisons to bestselling works

While other pieces of novel-writing software help you organize, develop, and even self-edit your story, they don’t include the in-depth editorial functions that AutoCrit does. This is the program to use if you already have a decent draft ready to edit. (Or if you’re a micromanaging kind of writer who likes to edit meticulously as you go.)

AutoCrit tests your work for all the factors above, and even individual elements within those factors. So for example, after selecting “word choice” as your focus area, AutoCrit allows you to narrow it down even more. Do you want to check for generic-sounding descriptions? Improve your sentence starters? Work on personal phrases? You can achieve all that and more with AutoCrit.

The program also boasts an appealing modern interface, and decent prices considering the range of editing possibilities. Some writers might be reluctant to shell out for an editing program — but those writers probably don't know how hard it is to self-edit . When you think of it that way, AutoCrit is an amazing service: it helps you edit your manuscript with the perspective of a professional, all by yourself.

Novel Writing Software | Ulysses

💰 Price tag: $5.99/month or $49.99/year ($4.17/month) ✅ Features: Typewriter mode, themeable editor, distraction-free interface, ability to set writing goals, ability to sync between multiple devices.

Ulysses is lauded for its sleek, clean, "distraction-free" interface. Some reviewers claim that this writing app gives you just the right amount of customization options in terms of appearance — without offering so many different options that it tempts you away from the actual goal of writing.

It does, of course, offer up a number of different functions that will appeal to authors. For instance, you can set daily writing goals , and even keep tabs on your progress so you can see when there are dips or spikes in your productivity. You can also organize your file into various groupings — for instance, you can just have one group called 'Works in Progress,' or you can set multiple subgroups like 'Characters Names' within 'Fantasy Novel Ideas' within 'Works in Progress,' etc., etc.

At the end of the day, Ulysses is something of a digital typewriter. You will find various features that may help you along the way, but the software is built such that when you arrive to it, you get to work right away.

Remember...

No novel writing software is actually magic — that is, none of it is going to write your book for you. But with the right tools to lend you some focus, structure, and a dash of inspiration, you might just be able to get ‘er done all by yourself. 🙌

[updated: 08/10/2020 UTC]

Iain Wood says:

06/03/2019 – 14:51

You missed out wavemaker.. Https://wavemaker.co.uk

Comments are currently closed.

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Pages puts all the right tools in all the right places, so it’s easy to choose a look, customize fonts, personalize text styles, and add beautiful graphics. And everyone collaborating on a document has access to the same powerful features.

Start with something beautiful.

Choose from over 90 beautiful Apple‑designed templates, and customize your reports, letters, and other documents any way you like. And if you’ve ever dreamed of writing a novel, or just a fairy tale, it’s easy to create interactive digital books right inside Pages.

Make progress you can see.

Track changes, add highlights, and have threaded conversations with your team. Your edits are saved automatically.

Stunning results. Effortlessly.

Liven up your text by filling it with color gradients or images. And take the entire page to the next level by adding photos, galleries, audio clips, video, math equations, charts, or more than 700 customizable shapes.

Work seamlessly from any device.

Jumping from your Mac to your iPad to your iPhone is no problem with Pages. And with Screen View on iPhone, your content will be optimized to fit the screen — making reading and editing on the go a breeze.

What’s new in Pages.

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Get the updates. Then get in touch.

Stay up to date when people join, edit, or comment in collaborative documents and easily get in touch with your team using Messages and FaceTime.

Get more done on iPad.

Quickly insert objects, find settings, and get to your favorite tools with the customizable toolbar. And Stage Manager makes it easy to multitask across multiple documents and apps at the same time. 1

Jump-start your designs with new templates.

Create invitations for your next big event with colorful photo card templates, or reward your students with a new coding certificate.

Batch mailing made easy.

With mail merge, you can create a letter, card, or envelope in Pages, and then insert a personalized greeting or address from the Contacts app or a Numbers spreadsheet.

An optimal view for your documents on iPhone.

Screen View makes it even easier to read and edit your docs on iPhone. Turn it on and text, images, and tables are optimized to fit your screen. Turn it off to see the full layout.

Quickly translate text.

Instantly view a translation of any selected text — you can even replace it with a tap if you like. 2 Perfect for foreign language classes, businesses, and more when you need a quick in-document translation.

Turn handwriting into text. Magically.

With Scribble for iPadOS and Apple Pencil, your handwritten words will automatically be converted to typed text. Take notes, write a book, or annotate a paper quickly and easily.

Write reports easier.

With report templates, there’s no staring at a blank page. Jump-start an essay, research paper, or school report by choosing one of the beautifully designed templates.

Skim through in style.

On your iPhone and iPad, you can read through your document, zoom in and out, and interact with it — without accidentally changing anything.

Play videos right in your documents.

Play YouTube and Vimeo videos right in Pages, without the need to open a web browser. Simply add a link, and play your web video inside your document or book.

Any document. Any device. Anytime.

You don’t work in one place on just one device. The same goes for Pages. Work seamlessly across all your Apple devices. The documents you create using a Mac or iPad will look the same on an iPhone or web browser — and vice versa. And with Screen View, it’ll be easier than ever to work on your iPhone.

You can also work on documents stored on iCloud or Box using a PC.

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Work together in the same document, from across town or across the world. You can see your team’s edits as they make them — and they can watch as you make yours, too. You can even get notifications when people join, edit, or comment. Just click or tap the Share button and invite people to join.

Use Apple Pencil when inspiration strikes.

Use Apple Pencil on your iPad to sketch, illustrate, and create documents. Draw and fine-tune your idea, then press play to watch each stroke animate onto the page. And with Smart Annotation, your edits stay with the marked-up text, making it easy for you and your team to incorporate changes.

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Pages User Guides

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Build spreadsheets that are bottom-line brilliant.

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The Ultimate Writing App for Mac, iPad and iPhone

Powerful features and a pleasant, focused writing experience combined in one tool, made for people who love to write and write a lot — this is Ulysses.

Like 12 Fingers, 25 Hours a Day

Some things simply work better when you’ve got the right tool . Ulysses’ well thought-out features boost your productivity through the entire writing process; its distraction-free interface keeps you in the flow so you can get things done.

Projects Get Too Big

Be it college essays, blog posts, or the next Great American Novel : No matter what you’re working on, Ulysses is equipped for managing writing projects of all sizes and ambitions.

Ulysses is the only app I know that combines a very minimalist writing interface with the backend power to manage and shuffle around the many different parts and scenes that go into a book.

— David Hewson, Best-Selling Author (“The Killing”)

novel writing software macbook

Built-In Proofreader and Editing Assistant

Write with confidence: Ulysses’ built-in grammar and style check helps you avoid mistakes and meet the right tone. Available for over 20 languages, it offers suggestions for capitalization, punctuation, semantics, redundancy, style and more.

Let Your Words Shine

After you’re done writing, Ulysses can turn your texts into beautiful PDFs, Word documents, ebooks and even blog posts. Everything is just a click away, with on-the-fly switching of styles and a live preview built right in.

The Ultimate Tool for Writing Your Book

Gather all your scenes and chapters in one spot, and still keep the overview.

Divide long passages into handy chunks, and reorganize your text with ease.

Keep excerpts, inspirational images and background information at hand.

Turn your text into a proper ebook or a Word manuscript ready to send to your publisher.

The Ultimate Tool for Posts & Articles

Feeding a blog? Write your posts in Ulysses, complete with featured images, tags, excerpts…

… and publish them seamlessly to these platforms: WordPress, Ghost, Medium and Micro.blog .

Working on a tight character limit ? Set it as a goal and track your progress.

Working for various clients ? Organize your texts in separate folders.

The Ultimate Tool for Getting the Work Done

Work in a distraction-free environment and focus on writing.

Rely on Ulysses’ markup-based text editor — no need to lift the fingers from the keyboard.

Set deadlines & daily goals and monitor your writing behavior .

Distinguish critical writing assignments so you can tackle them first.

Work Anywhere, Anytime

All your texts will be stored in Ulysses’ library, and seamlessly sync to all your connected devices. It doesn’t matter where you are or when inspiration hits: All of Ulysses’ tools, and all your texts, are always at your fingertips.

All Kinds of Writers Rely on Ulysses

Executive, startup founder and author rebekah bastian.

Rebekah Bastian wrote her book “Blaze Your Own Trail” as a side project while serving as a corporate executive; later, the impulse led her to found a company. Both the book and her business aim to support women to follow their own individual path in life.

Video Game Journalist and Novelist Matt Casamassina

Strategist in the games business by day, science fiction author by night – Matt Casamassina is a co-founder of the legendary IGN.com, led the App Store games editorial team for almost a decade, and in addition to all that, helped found a games company.

TV Host and Book Author Ralph Caspers

Ralph Caspers is the host of two of the most well-known German children’s TV programs. His work is asking questions and presenting the answers in an educational yet entertaining manner: How do the things work that surround us in everyday life, and that we mostly take for granted?

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Improving with Age ✨

Ulysses has existed since 2003, and we work on it with the same diligence and dedication as in the beginning. We still constantly maintain and improve the app and adapt it to new technologies, making it the ideal, reliable companion to any writer. The only difference is that we’re much more experienced today!

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16 Best Novel Writing Software for Authors

Millie Dinsdale headshot

Millie Dinsdale

novel writing software

Table of Contents

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Planners vs Pantsers

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

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

Fiction vs Nonfiction

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

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

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

Content Generation

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

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

ProWritingAid

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Novel Factory

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

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

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

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

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

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

Scrivener is a software that helps authors write books, and many authors swear by it. It’s designed for fiction and nonfiction authors and screenwriters.

It offers features like book bibles, character management, plot tracking, formatting and exporting options, and more.

One of the most popular features on offer is the goals and tracking, which are both especially useful during NanoWriMo. You can set overall writing targets, or targets for a particular session, and there is a handy bar available to track your progress.

Integrations : MacOS, Windows, and iOS.

Price : There are two licenses available: a standard license and an educational license. Each license is for a lifetime, and they both cost under $50 each. The licenses are specific to MacOS or Windows, so if you would like both, you will need to purchase two licenses.

Conclusion : As long as you are okay with a steep learning curve and minimal learning resources, then Scrivener is a brilliant piece of software with some innovative features and an excellent price.

Fictionary is an editing software that is specifically focused on developmental (or story) editing.

The tool has 15 different insights including blurb and synopsis, story arc, word count per scene, characters, and story map.

One of the best parts of Fictionary is the onboarding. There are tutorials and articles to help you use every single feature, so you will get the most out of your purchase from day one.

Integrations : Microsoft Word, Safari, and Chrome.

Price : There are three subscriptions: StoryTeller, StoryTeller Premium, and StoryCoach. Each subscription is available to purchase on a yearly or monthly basis. The cheapest plan allows you to edit three manuscripts at a time and costs $19 a month. The most expensive plan is $396 a year and is designed for professional editors.

Conclusion : Fictionary is an excellent tool in a writer’s arsenal, especially if you are a visual learner, but it is not a stand-alone software. You will also need a tool like ProWritingAid to help you with the line editing and proofreading.

Novlr is a writing software created by writers.

The features on offer include a basic writing interface, organizational features, statistics tracking, the ability to set motivational goals, style help, and export options.

There are also free courses and guides available that help writers to improve their craft.

Integrations : Online only.

Price : There are three basic plans available: Starter, Plus, and Pro. Starter is free and gives you access to five projects. Plus costs $5 a month and gives you unlimited projects, plus the ability to comment. Pro offers some additional features that are powered by ProWritingAid, including a proofreader, thesaurus, and advanced grammar and style checks.

Conclusion : Novlr is a lightweight tool with a clean, easy-to-use interface, which is a great option for writers looking for a lighter-touch tool that gives you full autonomy.

Atticus is writing software created by Kindlepreneur. It works online and offline and helps with writing and formatting.

The writing feature is a word processor with a few novel specific features, such as chapters and covers.

The formatting feature is where Atticus really shines. There are templates and a custom theme builder you can use to format your book, and then you can publish on Amazon, Apple Books, and more.

Integrations : Windows, Mac, Linux, and Chromebook.

Price : There is only one plan available, and it is a lifetime plan. It costs $147 to format an unlimited number of e-books and books for print.

Conclusion : Atticus is one of those tools that is good already but will clearly be great in the future. It’s an affordable way to format your book, but for now, you will still need some complimentary writing tools in order to give your story the best chance.

Bibisco is a book writing software designed for authors.

It allows you to create a novel structure, use mind maps to track relationships, organize your world-building, visualize your story timeline, and analyze chapter lengths and the points of view throughout.

You can also set writing goals, include words per day and words overall, and track your progress in the app.

The tool is available in 15 languages, including English, French, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Turkish, and more.

Integrations : Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Price : There are two plans: Community and Supporters. The Community plan is free and allows you to create unlimited projects. The Supporters edition is a one-time payment that also includes mind maps, dark theme, distraction free mode, and more.

Conclusion : This is a great option for writers with a limited budget who are just getting started on their writing journey. 

Ulysses is a writing app designed specifically for Apple users. There isn’t currently a Windows integration.

It has a clean UI for distraction-free writing. The tool also offers dark mode and full-screen writing mode, so you can customize your experience.

It also has brilliant features for organization, including filters, which allow you to find content quickly. Keywords allow you to categorize work, and groups allow you to collate work, for example, different levels of draft for the same project.

Integrations : Mac, iPad, and iPhone.

Price : There are two plans: Personal and Business. The Personal plan can be shared with up to five family members, and it costs $39.99 per year. The Business plan is priced per user and offers the same features as the personal plan.

Conclusion : Although the features are useful, similar ones are available for free in other tools. But if you struggle with organization and like to keep everything in one place, it may be worth trialing.

Vellum is a book formatting desktop software available on Mac only.

It offers import capabilities, different book styles, book set creation, previews, layout and design options, e-book generation, and print generation.

The most popular features in Vellum are the eight book styles. All you need to do is select a style, and the software will change the headings, quotations, paragraph breaks, body text, headers, footers, and more.

Integrations : Mac.

Price : There are two plans: Press and Ebooks. With the Ebook plan, you can format e-books, and with the Press plan, you can format e-books and paperbacks. Both plans are one-time purchases.

Conclusion : Although it is an intuitive software, there are now other tools that offer more for less.

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word is an often-indispensable word processor designed for everyone who writes.

It offers a sleek UI, text formatting, styles and themes, grammar, punctuation, spelling corrections, templates, and customizable page layouts and designs.

One of the most popular features is the ability to collaborate. You can track changes, which is useful for editors, add comments, compare and merge documents, view version histories, and collaborate in real time.

Integrations : iPhone, iPad, Mac, Windows, and Android.

Price : The price for Microsoft Word as a stand-alone application is $159.99. Alternatively, you can pay for Microsoft 365, which includes Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneDrive.

Conclusion : For what it is, it’s expensive, but the almost universal adoption means that it’s still a popular option. Although, we recommend you use a more advanced content editor with writing reports alongside Microsoft Word.

ChatGPT is an online chatbot that can answer questions conversationally. It was built on ChatGPT-3.5, an AI model that was developed by OpenAI.

It uses a natural language processing technology (NLP) to understand messages, make inferences, and generate replies. The program uses information that is publicly available on the internet, information from licensed third parties, and information from users and human trainers.

It has a few limitations. For example, it’s only trained on information up to September 2021, the tool generates responses that can be biased, and it does not check grammar comprehensively.

The interface is simple. You simply add a prompt and ask ChatGPT to generate content. You can then edit the prompt and regenerate responses.

Integrations : Online and Android, iPhone, and iPad apps.

Price : Free.

Conclusion : Despite its limitations, ChatGPT is a great free online tool that can generate ideas, names for people and places, and more.

LanguageTool

LanguageTool is a paraphraser, text editor, and grammar checker.

It can fix punctuation mistakes, help with formatting, and allow you to set up your own style guide. Premium users also have access to unlimited rephrasing, while free users are limited to five per day.

Additionally, LanguageTool works in over 25 languages, including English, Spanish, French, and Italian. Although it doesn’t offer the option to translate any text.

Integrations : Chrome, Edge, Google Docs, Firefox, and more.

Price : There are three plans: Free, Premium, and Teams. The Free plan offers basic features, with the advanced features behind a paywall. The Premium plan offers four payment intervals, with the cheapest being the two-year plan, and the most expensive being the monthly. The Teams plan is priced per number of users and offers additional features like team style guide and dictionary.

Conclusion : LanguageTool’s price is on the lower end, and it offers a fair selection of features. However, the lack of a plagiarism checker, tone checker, and structural reports means that creative writers may need to carry out additional edits.

Like ProWritingAid, Grammarly is an AI writing tool that checks grammatical errors in your writing in real time. It’s designed to streamline the writing process and reduce writing errors.

It’s available for multiple different English dialects, including British English, American English, Canadian English, and Australian English.

Some of its most popular features are spell check, engagement ratings, citation generator, grammar check, synonym checker, readability score, writing style suggestions, plagiarism detection, tone adjustments, and writing assistant.

Another popular feature is the paraphraser, which allows you to reword sentences, emails, articles, academic work, and more.

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

Price : Grammarly offers four different subscriptions: Free, Premium, Business, and Enterprise. The Free plan is simple and corrects written mistakes. The Premium plan includes rewrites, plagiarism checks, and more. The Business and Enterprise plans are designed for teams and organizations, and they include enhanced security and customized integrations.

Conclusion : This is a generalized tool that is suitable for most types of writers. However, if you are looking for a targeted tool that offers customized writing options for creative writers, other tools may be better suited.

QuillBot is a writing tool that is designed for students and working professionals.

QuillBot offers seven features: paraphraser, grammar checker, co-writer, plagiarism checker, summarizer, translator, and citation generator. The best known of these features is paraphrase, which has a variety of modes, including standard, fluency, and creative.

The tool is available in over 20 languages, including English, Spanish, German, and French.

Integrations : Chrome, Google Docs, Microsoft Word, and more.

Price : There are two plans available: Free and Premium. The Free plan is limited and gives users an idea of what the tool can do. The Premium plan includes all the features and is available in three different payment plans: annual, semi-annual, and monthly. The annual plan costs $99.95 a year, and the monthly plan totals to $239.40 a year.

Conclusion : QuillBot is a popular tool for students and business writers, but the features aren’t optimized for creative writers.

Ginger is an AI-powered writing assistant and proofreading tool designed for all types of writers.

The tool offers basic grammar and spell-checking, which you can accept and correct in bulk, a translator, a rephraser, text-to-speech, and more.

The translator is the feature that sets Ginger apart. It allows you to translate into 50 languages, plus it can proofread text in those languages, too.

Integrations : Microsoft Office, Gmail, Chrome, Safari, Edge, desktop and mobile apps, and more.

Price : There are six plans: Free, Monthly, Quarterly, Annual, 2-year, and Teams. The monthly plan is $19.99, and the 2-year plan is $120 overall. The Teams plan is $4.99 per month per member. Each paid plan offers the same features.

Conclusion : It’s a top choice for English second language (ESL) creative writers because of the translator, but for native English speakers, it doesn’t have as many advanced features as some of the other writing tools on this list.

Google Bard

Google Bard is a conversational AI tool that is available in over 40 languages to the public in 230 countries and territories.

It has three different generative options: understand, create, and explore. Understand provides specific details and information to help users understand a topic. Create generates text based on a user’s prompt. Explore is for general requests and exploration.

The tool also offers voice commands, translation in over 100 languages, and a share feature, which allows you to continue and refine responses with others.

It can be used to ideate before planning your novel or give you fresh ideas when you hit a blocker during the writing stage.

Integrations : Chrome, Opera, Firefox, Safari, and Edgium.

Price : Free to everyone aged 18 and older.

Conclusion : It’s useful for providing information for general use, and it can be useful to spark ideas. But, as it’s artificial intelligence, it isn’t very creative, so you can’t rely on it.

As writers, we know each writer has different requirements, and there is software out there for everyone. To find the right software for you, consider the price, features, integrations, and ease of use.

Price : Novel writing software ranges in price from $0 to $500+ per month. Before falling in love with a tool, decide what your budget is.

Features : What are the top features that you do or don’t want? With thousands of tools on the market, you are bound to find one that fits your needs.

Integrations : Where do you write now, and does your new tool need to be compatible with your current tools? Integrations can speed up onboarding and reduce the learning curve of a new tool.

Ease of use: Do you prefer a tool that you can start using right away, or are you okay with a learning curve? If your chosen tool is complex, double-check it has the resources and support you need to get up to speed.

And that’s a wrap. Our top 16 favorite novel writing software and a few tips for choosing the perfect tool for you.

If you’re looking for a tool that can help you with every aspect of the novel writing process, from ideation, to drafting, to editing, to proofing, then why not give ProWritingAid a try ?

Not only do we offer a 14-day money-back guarantee for our yearly and lifetime memberships, but we also offer a free plan that will allow you to test our 20+ reports on up to 500 words of your text.

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Millie is ProWritingAid's Content Manager. A recent English Literature graduate, she loves all things books and writing. When she isn't working, Millie enjoys gardening, re-reading books by Agatha Christie, and running.

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The Write Practice

Book Writing Software (2024): Top 10 for Writers

by Joe Bunting | 20 comments

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

Book Writing Software - Top 10 Pieces of Software for Writers

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

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

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

Best Writing Software: Contents

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

Worst Pieces of Software for Writing a Book

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

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

No World of Warcraft for Writers

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

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

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

The 10 Best Pieces of Book Writing Software

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

1. Scrivener (Word Processor)

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

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

Scrivener Deadline Week 3

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

You can read our  full Scrivener review here .

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

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

Pros of Scrivener:

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

Cons of Scrivener: 

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

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

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

Cost: $59.99 for Windows, Mac

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

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

Scrivener

2. Dabble (Word Processor)

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

Dabble Review: Best book writing software

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

Dabble Review: Best book writing software

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dabble

3. Google Docs (Word Processing)

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

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

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

Google Sheets Editing: Best Book Writing Software

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

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

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

Google Docs

4. Google Sheets OR Microsoft Excel (Spreadsheet)

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

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

You might use spreadsheets for:

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

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

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

Google Sheets

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

Microsoft Excel

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

5. Vellum (Book Formatting/Word Processing)

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

That's why I love Vellum so much.

Vellum makes beautiful books.

Vellum: Top Book Writing Software

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

Vellum Previewer: Best Book Writing Software

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

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

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

Vellum

6. ProWritingAid (Grammar/Spell Check)

Can a grammar checker replace an editor?

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

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

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

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

ProWritingAid

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

Grammarly

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

7. Publisher Rocket (Book Marketing App)

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

Read our  full Publisher Rocket review here .

novel writing software macbook

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

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

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

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

Publisher Rocket

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

KDSpy

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

8. Atticus (Book Formatting/Word Processing)

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

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

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

Atticus Home Screen

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

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

Cons: 

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

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

Atticus

9. Freedom (Productivity App)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Freedom

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

10. Microsoft Word (Word Processor)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pros of Drive:

  • Universal cloud backup
  • Automatically syncs
  • Free or inexpensive

Cons of Drive:

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

Cost: Free with Paid options

Sign up for Google Drive here »

Sign up for Dropbox here »

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

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

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

Ulysses Book Writing Software

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

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

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

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

Pros of Evernote:

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

Cons of Evernote:

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

iOS Notes  Cost: Free with any iOS device

Get the app here »

Evernote  Cost: Free with Paid options

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

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

Bonus #3: Hemingway App (Style Checker)

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

Hemingway App Purple Prose

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

Pros of Hemingway:

  • Fast, easy style advice

Cons of Hemingway:

  • Somewhat arbitrary advice
  • Hemingway himself would fail

Cost: Free!

Try out Hemingway App here »

The 30+ Tools Every Writer Needs

30 Tools to Write, Publish, and Market Your Book

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

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

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

The Most Essential Book Writing Software

Imagine it's three thousand years ago.

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

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

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

The only three things essential to writing a great book:

  • Your imagination
  • A desire to tell your story

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

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

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

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

Take fifteen minutes to write without any distractions.

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

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

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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.

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Best Mac for writers 2024

Macbook Pro M1 Lifestyle

Whether you're using Microsoft Word, Apple Pages, or another word processor to write your next term paper or best-selling novel, we've got you covered. The following are the best Macs for writers in 2022, starting with our favorite, the MacBook Air (M2, 2022), a portable, powerful solution. There are other noteworthy Macs, too. We've rounded up the best to help you choose the one that fits your needs best. Let's dig in.

Best overall: MacBook Air (M2, 2022)

You can always trust iMore. Our team of Apple experts have years of experience testing all kinds of tech and gadgets, so you can be sure our recommendations and criticisms are accurate and helpful. Find out more about how we test.

The all-new M2 MacBook Air has a different chassis design, fresh colors, a faster chipset, a larger screen, and the thinner borders we've been lusting over for years. Our M2 MacBook Air 2022 review gives a more thorough look at the specs and an in-depth look under the hood, plus a big thumbs up from us.

You'll need to reach a little deeper in your pockets for the M2 MacBook Air because it's priced a little higher than the Airs usually run. We think it's worth it, though. We love the speedy M2 chip, the stronger-than-ever battery life, and the reintroduction of MagSafe charging.

Writers will dig the 2.7-pound lightweight build and the sleek flat design. If you do your writing on the road, even from time to time, the latest release MacBook Air fits nicely in a backpack or bag, and it's so light that you'll forget it's there. And the keyboard is buttery smooth! The large Force Touch trackpad and clicky keys make typing a satisfying endeavor, even when you're on a deadline. For most, this is the best Mac for writers out right now.

MacBook Air (M2, 2022)

Reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

With the bigger screen, fast charging, and new M2 chip, this is the best Mac for writers this year.

Best performance: MacBook Pro (M2, 2022)

The MacBook Air is no slouch in the performance department, but if you need a little more oomph under the hood, you should go with the new MacBook Pro, which also sports the latest M2 chipset. Our MacBook Pro review gave high marks to Apple's latest Pro for its strong battery life and reliable performance.

If your writing job also includes a bit of photography or videography editing, or you like to keep 10,000 browser windows open at a time, the MacBook Pro M2 is the one laptop up to those tasks. Apple's second-generation silicon M2 chipset is blazing fast, and it has active cooling fans built in so you can run this machine under a heavier load than an entry-level Mac or even the 2020 MackBook Pro with an M1 chip.

The MacBook Pro also comes with the love-it-or-hate-it Touch Bar seen in previous generation MBPs. And speaking of things seen before, all the externals on the latest MBP will look familiar because they are, unfortunately, identical. The MBP is long overdue for a makeover, but it didn't make the cut this year, nor did MagSafe. Still, if you need a lightning-fast laptop that can handle writing, editing, and processor-heavy video work, this is among the best Macs of the year.

MacBook Pro (M2, 2022)

It's powerful, up to any task, and the only new MB to still have the Touch Bar.

Best value: MacBook Air (M1, 2020)

At 2.8 pounds, the 2020 13-inch MacBook Air is still one of the lightest and most portable MacBooks on the market. It may not sport the chassis update found in this year's model, but it holds its own, and it's perfect for writers on a budget who need a high-performance laptop in their arsenal of tools.

The 2020 MacBook Air has Apple's speedy M1 chipset, a backlit Magic Keyboard, and a Touch ID sensor. The battery is strong, holding out for up to 18 hours of use between charges, and it's the best deal going right now, especially with the release of the newer MacBook Air.

This entry-level model is just right for those who spend all day drowning in documents, though it certainly has enough power to edit photos, make video calls, and perform your other daily duties. On the downside, the 2020 MacBook Air has only two Thunderbolt ports, one of which is taken up while charging, and its display and speakers are inferior to the new MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. None of that should hold writers back from grabbing this solid little laptop. This is still a worthy MacBook, and it rings up cheaper at the register.

MacBook Air (M1, 2020)

Whether for work or school, this is a great MacBook for writers and almost everyone else too.

Best alternative: 13-inch MacBook Pro M1 (2020)

The 13-inch MacBook Pro may have a couple of years behind it, but it's still a powerful machine that's up to your workload and then some. If you're a writer who catalogs every story and article written, you'll appreciate the storage options in this model. The M1 13-inch MacBook Pro from 2020 offers up to 4TB of storage and 32GB of memory.

This base M1 MacBook Pro has two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports, a backlit keyboard, Touch Bar and Touch ID, and even though it's not the latest and greatest, it's still a speed demon. If you need to add more memory or a bigger hard drive, be aware the cost of this machine goes up quickly.

The M1 MBP has a little more processing than the MacBook Air of 2020, and it's certainly cheaper than investing in this year's MBP. If you want all the goodies that come with a MBP but don't want to pay a premium, this is the best Mac for you.

13-inch MacBook Pro (2020)

There's much to love about this model, which offers better internals than the 2020 MacBook Air.

Best premium: 16-inch MacBook Pro (2021)

If you're looking for a MacBook with the largest possible display and the heaviest specs, this is the one to get. The 16-inch MacBook Pro features a Liquid Retina XDR display and at least 16GB of unified memory. Upgrades cost more, of course, and these could set you back thousands of dollars extra if you're not careful.

The 16-inch MacBook Pro is a terrific choice for writers looking for a larger display and a little extra power for other tasks like editing photos. The 16-inch MacBook Pro has three Thunderbolt 4 ports, an HDMI port, and an SDXC card slot. You'll need deep pockets for this model, but it's worth every penny.

16-inch MacBook Pro (2021)

If you're okay with the price, no doubt this is the MacBook to get. Happy writing!

Best desktop: iMac 24-inch (2021)

We reviewed the newish iMac 24-inch and loved it. The processor, graphics, and memory are integrated into the new M1 chip.

The entry-level model is the one we recommend for writers. It features an 8-core CPU and 7-core GPU. There are three mics onboard for studio-quality sound and a 1080P FaceTime HD camera. Best of all, it comes in four new colors, so you can finally ditch Apple White or space gray.

If a desktop computer is in your future as a writer, this is the one you should get, case closed.

iMac 24-inch

The whole family will love this desktop computer. It comes in some cool colors and has enough power to do anything.

Best Mac for writers

Whether for school, business, or home use, a Mac is a great choice. For writers especially, you can't go wrong, no matter which model you select. Our favorite, the MacBook Air (M2, 2022), sports a fresh design, blisteringly-fast M2 chip, and comes in four color choices.

The hot-off-the-presses MacBook Air is the lightest Apple laptop on the market and also the one that offers the most battery life between charges. It's also the thinnest so you can bring it with you at any time.

Master your iPhone in minutes

iMore offers spot-on advice and guidance from our team of experts, with decades of Apple device experience to lean on. Learn more with iMore!

Bryan M Wolfe

Bryan M. Wolfe has written about technology for over a decade on various websites, including TechRadar, AppAdvice, and many more. Before this, he worked in the technology field across different industries, including healthcare and education. He’s currently iMore’s lead on all things Mac and macOS, although he also loves covering iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. Bryan enjoys watching his favorite sports teams, traveling, and driving around his teenage daughter to her latest stage show, audition, or school event in his spare time. He also keeps busy walking his black and white cocker spaniel, Izzy, and trying new coffees and liquid grapes.

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Novel Writer 4+

Learn how to write a novel, moviewriterpro, screenshots, description.

Whether you want to write a detective novel, an adventure story, a romantic comedy or even your own autobiography, Novel Writer software eliminates your writer's block thanks to a unique step by step methodology which includes a simultaneous approach: Learn and Write! Step by step, this method helps you define your subject, organize your story outline and its various elements while at the same time letting your imagination roam freely. PRODUCT FEATURES: *Expert designed lessons on the main principle of writing *Over 35 exercises related to your story including tips and help *Full word processing software, compatible with Microsoft Word and other *Spell checker *Smart chapter navigator *Summary note *Character and set cards, and many other tools

Version 5.29

Many improvements and bug fixes.

Ratings and Reviews

Great for a novice.

Ive been wanting to write a novel for a long time. Ive made notes, typed several pages, deleted several pages, and left a lot of gaps. Never have I gotten to the point of having anything close to being done. Writing a novel is pretty new to me but this app does a great job of helping you visualize what you want to get out. Its not going to do the work for you but it will definitely give you a break down of all the things you need to have a coherient story. It explains the basics and also helps break your story into interesting sections. For novice and intermidiate writers this is a great app. Professionals would probably want something more powerful.

App Privacy

The developer, MovieWriterPro , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

Data Not Collected

The developer does not collect any data from this app.

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

Information

  • App Support
  • Privacy Policy

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Family Sharing

Up to six family members can use this app with family sharing enabled., more by this developer.

WonderCat Adventures

InteriorDay Generator

Just write.

Novelpad's online and offline novel writing software helps you organize, write, and edit your novel anywhere, on any device , from start to finish..

novel writing software macbook

"Novelpad brings rhythm and order to the chaos of writing. It's got robust features, but is simple enough to just pick up and start writing."

Chris Michaud, NovelPad Author

novel writing software macbook

"I love having a one-stop shop for my planning, writing, and editing. It keeps me more organized as an author."

Judith McNees, NovelPad Author

novel writing software macbook

"With all of Novelpad's features, a clean, distraction free interface, and a responsive, hardworking team, I find it hard to use any other software."

S.R. Beaston, NovelPad Author

Simple. Beautiful. Powerful.

Clean, distraction-free editor with easy learning curve.

Drag & drop scene cards to organize or plan your story better.

Best in class grammar, spelling, and style checking provided by ProWritingAid.

novel writing software macbook

Backup & Rewind

Automatically saves to the cloud every minute.

Seamlessly rewind to any save, ever, for extra peace of mind.

Synchronize across all your devices — desktop, laptop, phone, and tablet.

novel writing software macbook

Stay on track.

Adaptive goals that work with your schedule.

Track word count and time for every scene.

Follow your progress with a visual timeline.

novel writing software macbook

What makes novelpad different?

We have cake. (just kidding.).

Discover more about your novel by cross-referencing scene attributes on the Insights Board.

Character Tracking

Read your novel from any character's perspective using our automatic character tracking.

Scene Cards & Columns

Reorganize your manuscript and plot your story with easy, drag & drop scene cards and scene columns.

Import from Word

Get up and running in minutes by importing your existing novel from Word.

Write together.

Active community chat server (Stop in and say "Hi!").

Collaborate with your editor in realtime.

Chat with our staff to get help and support.

novel writing software macbook

Ready to get started?

© 2024 NovelPad All Rights Reserved

Vellum shown on a MacBook

Create beautiful books

  • macOS 11 or newer

Only Available for Mac

Ebooks Everywhere

Create ebooks for every platform: Kindle, Kobo, Apple Books, and more. Each specialized file can guide readers to buy your next book in their favorite store.

Completed a series? Combine everything into a box set in just a few steps.

  • Validated Files in EPUB 3 / EPUB 2
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  • ACE-Approved Accessible Output

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Painless Print

Choose your trim size, and Vellum does the rest, with automatic setup of margins, page numbers, and headers and footers.

Vellum even handles complex tasks like widow-handling and spread-balancing, giving you a professional result every time you generate.

  • Paperback or Hardcover
  • 14 Trim Sizes + Large Print
  • Full-Bleed Pages & Backgrounds
  • Professional-Grade PDF/X-1a

Illustration of the first page of a chapter in a paperback book

Effortless Style

Use drop caps, embedded fonts, and flourishes, all with a click to select your favorite Style. Add your own touch with custom ornaments and backgrounds.

Illustration of a paperback book with a background featuring an image of a lake

Designed for Books

novel writing software macbook

  • Import your manuscript and Vellum builds everything for your book, including a Title Page and Table of Contents. Need to add a Copyright page or backmatter? You can do that right in Vellum.
  • Browse through Vellum’s Book Styles to find the best match for your book. As you do so, Vellum applies your selection to every chapter (even if you add new ones).
  • Use Vellum’s Preview to see how your ebook will appear on a range of devices, and to see how your book will look in print. The Preview updates instantly and with every edit.
  • When you’re happy with your book, generate ebooks and your print edition, all at once . Every edition stays in sync, even when you need to make changes.
  • Need to fix a typo? Add new backmatter? Return to Vellum whenever you need to update your book; you’ll have a new set of files in seconds.

What will you create?

Supernatural, Superhero, Spy Thriller, Shapeshifter, YA, NA, Dystopian, Urban, Steampunk, and Steamy.

Thousands of books have been Created with Vellum .

“ My go-to for formatting. I love the control it gives me. ”

— Hailey Edwards, author of Black Hat, White Witch

“ A lifesaver. It’s easy and has everything I need to make my pages beautiful. ”

— Rachel Leigh, author of His Hollow Heart

“ Absolutely love all the ways Vellum makes publishing seem effortless. ”

— Corinne O’Flynn, author of Undead Men Tell No Tales

“ I’m trading in my boyfriend for Vellum, because I am in LOVE. ”

— Maggie Evans, author of The Duet Dilemma

novel writing software macbook

  • Download Vellum for free
  • Build , Style , and Preview your book
  • Purchase when you’re ready to publish

Vellum is only available for Mac

"Writing for Immortality" is for writers ready to start and finish their books. We'll discuss the writer's journey--from coming up with an idea to tackling writer's block to what to do when the book is done. We'll have a rotation of special guests, including authors, artists, PR professionals, literary agents, and more, who'll share their tips for making your book a masterpiece. Hosted by Barbara Basbanes Richter, a professional ghostwriter and founder of In Ink Ghostwriting and DIYBook, "Writing for Immortality" is for anyone who wants to create books that stand the test of time.

Writing for Immortality Barbara Basbanes Richter

  • JAN 20, 2024

Writing for Immortality

"Writing for Immortality" is for writers ready to start and finish their books as well as those who simply love good writing. We'll discuss the world of book creation, with each episode unlocking the secrets of transforming an idea into a masterpiece. Join us as we navigate the twists and turns of a writer’s journey, offering insider advice and strategies for every stage of the writing process. Our guests include authors, artists, PR professionals, and literary agents who will share their tips and tricks to help you write something that stands the test of time. Your host is Barbara Basbanes Richter, a twenty-year veteran of the writing world and founder of In Ink Ghostwriting, a full-service ghostwriting firm, and DIYBook, a fully online do-it-yourself guided writing program that helps people write their life stories and business books affordably.

  • © Barbara Basbanes Richter

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Apple Releases iOS 17.3.1 With Fix for Text Bug

Apple today released iOS 17.3.1 and iPadOS 17.3.1, minor updates for the iOS 17 and iPadOS operating systems that were released in September 2023. iOS 17.3.1 and iPadOS 17.3.1 comes a few weeks after Apple released iOS 17.3 with Stolen Device Protection.

iOS 17

According to Apple's release notes, the update includes a fix for a bug that could cause text to unexpectedly duplicate or overlap while typing.

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Top Rated Comments

dominiongamma Avatar

7 days from now, expect older versions to be no longer signed, can no longer downgrade...

Hogswarts Avatar

I actually encountered that duplication or overwrite graphics bug a lot. Especially when cutting and pasting in MacRumors forum posts using a iPad.

BugeyeSTI Avatar

Haven't had the issue described but, it must effect enough users for them to issue an update..

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Manage your Microsoft 365 subscription or Office product

For most Microsoft 365 subscriptions and versions of Office (2013 and later), you need to associate an account with your product. This is the account you use to sign in to Microsoft365.com and what you use to install or reinstall the apps, or to manage your subscription. Depending on your product, this account can be a personal Microsoft account (such as Hotmail.com, Outlook.com, Live.com), or a work or school account assigned by someone in your organization.

Note:  Some products purchased through an employee  Microsoft Workplace Discount Program  (formerly known as Home Use Program) benefit or volume license versions (managed by an organization's IT department) might not require an account. The information below doesn't apply to these Office versions or Microsoft 365 subscriptions.

Sign in to the dashboard for your account

Open a desktop app like Word or Excel, or go to Microsoft365.com .

Tip:  You might be prompted to sign in. Make sure to sign in with the account associated with Microsoft 365 or Office. If you can’t remember which email address you associated with your subscription or Office product, see I can't remember the Microsoft account I use with Microsoft 365 .

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A Literary Tour of Moscow

novel writing software macbook

It’s hard to count the exact number of great Russian writers who showed their love for Moscow. The city has attracted and prompted stories for a long time now, inspiring many to express their writing talent. Thus, Moscow’s literary sights are fully deserving of our attention, and this guide gladly presents you six of them, from museums to apartments.

1. nikolay gogol museum.

Library, Museum

House-museum of Gogol in Moscow

2. The State Museum of Mayakovsky

Mayakovsy

3. Turgenev's Family House

The portrait of Ivan Turgenev by Vasiliy Perov (1872)

4. Novodevichy Cemetery

Cemetery, Monastery, Museum

Novodevichy Cemetery

5. The Apartment of Dostoevsky

Building, Memorial, Museum

56-3941803-1441302856840439ed4e7b401ebe751c0a0add0e0c

6. The Mikhail Bulgakov Museum

Mikhail Bulgakov Museum

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Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

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‘Moscow exerts a strong gravitational force on writers’.The Novospassky monastery.

10 of the best novels set in Russia – that will take you there

This list of novels and novellas will help you explore Russia’s vast landscapes and complex history Add your favourites to the comments

I spent several years wandering round Russia with books in my rucksack. And several more years reviewing Russian fiction and finding myself transported back, whether to a village with chickens pecking through orchards round a wooden church or to a drunken kitchen table debate in a high-rise overlooking the Moscow suburbs. This subjective list of engaging, relatively readable novels and novellas recreates various Russian landscapes, eras and atmospheres, often in ways that no amount of travelling could. As Ludmila Ulitskaya writes in The Big Green Tent: “Military historians have found many discrepancies in Tolstoy’s description of the Battle of Borodino, but the whole world imagines the event just as Tolstoy described it in War and Peace.”

Yevgeny Onegin by Alexander Pushkin

The River Neva in St Petersburg.

A bored young man inherits a country estate, where a shy, book-loving local girl falls for him. Alexander Pushkin, father of Russian literature, crams laughter, literature, duelling and tempestuous romance into his playful 1820s verse novel. A series of distilled Russian settings serve as backdrops. First: theatres, dancing, lamplit snowy streets, soft summer nights by the glass-smooth River Neva and hungover rides home in the Petersburg morning-after. Then young Onegin’s rich uncle dies, leaving him the country estate, boasting a “vast garden, overgrown/ with wistful dryads set in stone.” Inside, there are brocaded walls, portraits of tsars, tiled stoves and homemade liqueurs. Pushkin lovingly details (although they bore the novel’s hero) traditional rye beer, berry picking, seething samovars and little dishes of jam. So, finally, to Moscow, “chiselled in white stone / the buildings topped with fiery glory / A golden cross on every dome”. Translated by Anthony Briggs, Pushkin Press

Happiness is Possible by Oleg Zaionchkovsky

Moscow exerts a strong gravitational force on writers, just as it does on Chekhov’s three sisters with their refrain, “To Moscow, to Moscow…” One of the subtlest evocations of modern Moscow is Oleg Zaionchkovsky’s Happiness is Possible , a series of darkly comic vignettes published in 2012. The narrator is a struggling novelist whose ambitious wife has left him. Discursive, fatalistic and fond of sleeping in the day, he is reminiscent of Ivan Goncharov’s sluggish hero Oblomov, Russian literature’s traditional “superfluous man”. What his story lacks in plot, it amply repays in dishevelled charm and style. He shuffles, unshaven, through the dacha village of Vaskovo and fills the abandoned apartment with dog hair and ashtrays. Zaionchkovsky’s narrator conveys the city’s magnetic pull, finding a secret solace and reassurance in the deafening noise: “We are Muscovites, children of the metro; time and again we seek refuge in its maternal womb.” Translated by Andrew Bromfield, And Other Stories

The Underground by Hamid Ismailov

Mayakovskaya station

The palatial metro system is one of the best things about Moscow. Several novels take place in its tunnels, including Mikhail Glukhovsky’s dystopian Metro 2033, first in a series of philosophical, post-apocalyptic underground adventures. Hamid Ismailov’s The Underground uses metro stations to structure the posthumous reminiscences of young Kirill. Born nine months after the 1980 Olympics to a Siberian mother and an African father, Kirill dies soon after the collapse of the USSR a decade later. There are recurrent images of the metro as a body, with “stone intestines” or marble pillars like a woman’s legs, “bare to the hip”. Exiled Uzbek author Hamid Ismailov has woven this poignant story, a fictionalised memoir inspired by episodes from his and his family’s own peripatetic lives, into a haunting landscape-tapestry of 20th-century Moscow. Translated by Carol Ermakova, Restless Books

He Lover of Death by Boris Akunin

Boris Akunin, whose real name is Grigory Chkhartishvili, is famous for his bestselling series of clever, tsarist-era thrillers. If you haven’t read any, start with The Winter Queen, which introduces the brilliantly understated detective work of diplomat-turned-sleuth Erast Fandorin . In He Lover of Death , Oliver Twist meets Treasure Island as we follow the adventures of orphaned urchin Senka through 19th-century Moscow. Akunin recreates the slums of Khitrovka, full of spiced tea stalls and gangsters in shiny boots (today the area is all banks and top-end restaurants, of course). Senka finds a hoard of antique silver bars, hires a student to teach him how to be a gentleman and is soon at the theatre, marvelling that people will pay “seven roubles to sit in a prickly collar for three hours” and watch “men in tight underpants jumping about”. The tale’s gruesome denouement has a characteristic blend of action, deduction, intrigue and morality. Translated by Andrew Bromfield, Orion 2010

Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk by Nikolai Leskov

Florence Pugh as Lady Macbeth in the 2016 film

Florence Pugh played the title role in an unflinching 2016 film version of this brutal 19th-century novella , a tale of provincial lust and murder. If people have heard of Nikolai Leskov at all, it’s usually because of Lady Macbeth. Dostoevsky first published it in his literary magazine and Shostakovich later turned it into an ill-fated opera . From the bored merchant’s wife, romping with a newly arrived farmhand under moonlit apple blossom, to a chilling denouement near the “dark, gape-jawed waves” of the leaden Volga, the story showcases Leskov’s restless evocation of place and passion. The setting, with its buckwheat kasha and icon lamps, has bureaucratic warrants and certificates alongside folkloric elements: the locked-up tower of the merchant’s house and the wife’s lover, “like a bright falcon”. In The Enchanted Wanderer and other stories , translated by Pevear and Volokhonsky, Vintage

2017 by Olga Slavnikova

One hundred years after the 1917 revolution, a gem cutter called Krylov falls in love in a Russian city where centenary celebrations lead to repeated cycles of violence. Meanwhile, gem prospectors or “rock hounds” search for precious stones in the mythical Riphean mountains (inspired by Slavnikova’s native Urals). This winner of the 2006 Russian Booker Prize is a genre-defying mashup of speculative fiction, magic realism, romance and thriller. Among many prescient interwoven threads are an ecological catastrophe triggered by human greed, and an epidemic of nostalgia, sparking civil war. In St Petersburg, costumed revolutionary sailors try to fire a museum tank gun at the Winter Palace and in Moscow the toppled monument to murderous security chief Felix Dzerzhinsky is resurrected (this bit almost came true recently). There’s an evocative Russianness in the novel’s linguistic subtlety, the fantastical mountain gorges, the cavalcades on city streets and the pervasive, Kafkaesque sense of strangeness. Translated by Marian Schwartz, Overlook Duckworth

The Big Green Tent by Ludmila Ulitskaya

Framed by modern building of the Hotel Belgrade in downtown Moscow, the Soviet Foreign Ministry in its Stalinist style,

A war-wounded teacher arrives at a 1950s Moscow school and forms a Dead Poets Society-style club, where he leads the boys through the city streets, peeling back the layers of its literary and historical palimpsest. One dilapidated house, where two of the boys later lose their virginity, provides a physical metaphor for Moscow’s strata: “Its walls had been covered in silk, then in empire wallpaper, … in crude oil paint, … then layers of newsprint…” Ulitskaya is always redolent and readable. The interlocking stories in The Big Green Tent revolve around two groups of school friends. This generous novel, spanning four decades of Soviet life, has a Tolstoyan ambition to capture the spirit of an age. Beyond the deftly drawn settings (trams, ice skating, Karelian birchwood furniture) is a powerful sense of cultural baggage. “We live not in nature, but in history,” Ulitskaya writes, as her protagonists walk down a lane once trodden by Pushkin and later Pasternak, “skirting the eternal puddles.” Translated by Polly Ganon, Picador

The Mountain and The Wall by Alisa Ganieva

The Russian authorities are planning to build a wall to isolate the troublesome Caucasus from the rest of the country. That’s the rumour that drives Alisa Ganieva’s 2012 novel, set in a dystopian-yet-real version of her hometown of Makhachkala, Dagestan’s coastal capital city. Shamil, a young Dagestani reporter, wanders the streets while his girlfriend, Madina, dons a hijab and heads for the hills to marry a murderous zealot. It’s another prophetic narrative and Ganieva’s picture of the social and psychological fallout of apocalyptic events feels a bit near the knuckle in 2020. A few years ago, I joined a press trip to Makhachkala to see a new art exhibition and take a trip (with armed escort) into the waterfall-braided mountains. Dagestan is not really a holiday destination, even when there’s no pandemic, and a novel about Islamic radicalisation isn’t likely to encourage tourists. But Ganieva skilfully uses words from some of the 30-odd local languages and fragments of poems, fables, dreams and diaries to evoke this diverse republic sandwiched between war-torn Chechnya and the Caspian Sea. Translated by Carol Apollonio, Deep Vellum

Pushkin Hills by Sergei Dovlatov

A statue of Alexander Pushkin outside the manor house at a museum on the e Pushkin estate.

Boris Alikhanov, an alcoholic, unpublished author, finds work as a summer guide in the Pushkin Hills museum, as Dovlatov himself once did. The atmosphere of Russia’s old towns and zapovedniki (nature/heritage reserves) is conjured up in this novel, set on Alexander Pushkin’s old family estate. It’s not just the physical details that resonate (log houses girdled by birch trees, linden-shaded boulevards, old ladies selling flowers outside the monastery), but also the absurdly reverential guides and clueless tourists. The comedy of Pushkin Hills coexists with bittersweet meditations on creativity, loss and identity. Alikhanov derides Soviet authors who hanker after folk verses and embroidered towels but, explaining to his wife why he won’t emigrate, he says that while he “couldn’t care less about birch trees”, he would miss “my language, my people, my crazy country”. Translated by Katherine Dovlatov, Alma Classics

The Women of Lazarus by Marina Stepnova

  • Russia holidays
  • Europe holidays
  • Moscow holidays
  • Literary trips

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