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9 of the Best Software for Writing Books
You’re writing a novel, so it’s safe to assume you’re overwhelmed with keeping your story organized. You constantly have new ideas to jot down; maybe you’re juggling multiple notebooks or files; before you know it, you’re lost in a sea of paper, flashcards, and sticky notes with no idea how to find the information you need.
Sigh!
Fortunately, we have novel planning software to make things easier. In this post, I’ve compiled a list of the best software for writing novels to help you keep writing to the very last page.
What Exactly is a Program for Writing Novels?
You’re probably familiar with writing software such as Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and Apple Pages.
These popular writing applications work just fine to compose a novel. However, these programs have limited features and are not designed for novelists or creative writers.
On the other hand, novel writing software takes the overwhelm out of writing and editing your novel.
Do I Need Novel Writing Software?
Novel planning software makes life easier for writers. Here’s why:
- Access all your notes in one place. An all-in-one program allows you to concentrate on writing instead of toggling to other programs or tools when you need to access your research and notes.
- Plot, write, and edit in the same program. You save time by doing all your work in one program.
- Continuous data backups. For example, cloud-based writing programs will ensure your work is always safe. You also have the freedom to work on your draft from any location and device.
- Easily share your draft with critique partners, agents, and editors. Popular writing programs allow you to export your draft to PDF, Word, and ePub (standard eBook file format).
- Set writing goals and track your word count.
What Program is Best for Writing a Novel?
The following are some of the best programs for writing novels. These programs include outlining and story-planning features.
Scrivner
Price: 30-day free trial and $59 to purchase.
Scrivener is the go-to software for fiction and non-fiction writers. It’s a versatile writing software that adjusts to your writing style. Whether you plan every detail or jump right in, Scrivener gives you creative flexibility and allows you to write organically.
If you’re writing a scene but don’t know where it fits, don’t worry. Just write, and Scrivner lets you move the scene to its perfect place at a later time. Turning chapter four into chapter three is as simple as drag and drop.
The story-planning capabilities of Scrivener are a big reason for its rise to popularity. Thanks to these features, it’s pretty simple to jot down notes, move them around, and post them wherever you like.
In addition, Scrivener provides an outline and corkboard feature that allows you to see the big picture of your project. Perfect for when you get stuck.
When you’re ready to publish, you can compile your work into an eBook, script, novel, short story, or more.
Pros
- Keeps all your notes and research in one place
- Lots of great story-planning features, including outline, corkboard, story snapshot, character development, and worldbuilding
- Keep track of word count and writing goals
Cons
- Takes some practice to learn the software
- Hard to sync between devices
Dabble
Price: 14-day free trial and $10/month for the basic plan
Dabble is a cloud-based writing program designed for novelists. The software provides features to help plot and organize your manuscript. All your notes and research are in one place. You can easily reorganize your story, which is perfect when you get to the editing stage.
Other features include a character tool to create profiles and a plot grid with the option to add more story sections. You can see the big picture and dive into your subplots. The plot grid is based on the plotting method used by J.K. Rowling in her Harry Potter series.
Pros
- Cloud-based. Easily access your project from any location or device
- Designed for novelists.
- Excellent plot grid
- Keep track of word count and writing goals
Cons
- Export to Word only. There are no book formatting options.
Squibler
Price: 14 days free trial and $9.99/month to subscribe.
Squibler is a project management and writing software in one. You can draft and manage your productivity all in one.
Squibler has tools like to-do lists, project management, goal tracking, corkboard view, and writing templates. To start, choose your template, and Squibler will structure your project.
For novel writing, the Plot Generator and Dangerous Prompts are just two fun features you can use to get the creative juices flowing.
Pros
- Online based. You can access your work from any location.
- The software is focused on productivity and emphasizes goal setting.
- Provides a convenient means for outlining your project and staying on deadline.
Cons
- There’s no Focus mode to turn off distractions.
Novel Editing Software
If you are ready to turn your draft into a publishable manuscript, check out the following editing programs. These are some of the most helpful editing tools out there.
ProWriting Aid
Price: $60/yr
ProWritingAid is a popular grammar, style checker, and writing assistant. The program has built-in features designed for creative writers. With ProWritingAid, you can fix surface error typos like punctuation and grammar mistakes, and take your manuscript to the next level by improving language and prose. Additional features include dialogue tag checks, sensory language analysis, repeated word reports, and more.
Pros
- Features designed for creative writing
- Ability to compare your writing to 75+ authors
- Integrates with Scrivner
Cons
- The program may slow down when editing larger documents
- The plagiarism checker must be added separately.
Grammarly
Price: $11.66/month.
Grammarly is a well-known grammar and spelling checker. Grammarly provides robust editing tools such as mood checker, tone checker, and style checker. Running your manuscript through Grammarly will ensure it is grammatically correct and free of common writing errors. Grammarly also suggests sentence rewrites to help you write clearly and concisely.
Pros
- Features to help improve writing
Cons
- No features designed for creative writers
Hemingway Editor
Price: Free
Hemingway is an editing tool that improves the readability of your writing. The ‘Readability Score’ is perhaps Hemingway Editor’s most well-known function. The readability score is an essential factor when writing content with a particular audience in mind.
Pros
- No paid subscription is required.
Cons
- Limited to readability feedback.
AutoCrit
Price: $30/month for the Pro plan. There is also a free version.
Autocrit is an all-in-one tool to plan, write, and edit your manuscript. I recommend Autocrit as an editing tool because I believe in not editing your manuscript until the first draft is complete.
Autocrit is a platform that suggests edits to your manuscript based on data from best-selling books. When you upload your manuscript, you can compare your work to a vast selection of best-selling fiction and non-fiction. I would wait to do this until at least one round of edits.
To help with the revision process, Autocrit gives you step-by-step recommendations in over 20 areas to improve your draft. There is also a community of writers where you can ask for feedback or create your own writer’s group.
Autocrit is worth checking out.
Pros
- In-depth analysis of the writing and editing recommendations.
Cons
- The grammar checker is not the most effective.
- No mobile application
Take Aways
Novel writing software takes the overwhelm out of writing and editing your draft. You have many programs to choose from, and the best one depends on what features you need.
Novel writing software is a great way to stay organized when drafting. The right software can help you keep track of your characters, plot, and other writing details. It can integrate seamlessly with your editing software to see changes directly in the text.
Additionally, many programs offer access to professional editing and publishing services, templates, and other resources. Finally, a good novel writing program will make it easy for you to keep track of your progress.
There are dozens of options. Good software will make all the difference in your novel’s success.