Are you looking for book writing software free? Have you just finished a self-help book and wondering where to go from here? Or have you been writing a novel for a few months now? It can be a frustrating process, especially if writer’s block has already set in.
But fear not – you have the tools at hand to create your very own piece of literary art – all thanks to modern – er, rather, ancient technology! In that case, take a closer look at the following book writing software free download!
Plottr:
Plottr is a very popular book outlining and story bible software, which helps authors plan and organize all of the details in their books and series. It comes with over 30 plot templates to help you plot (or revise) your books and screenplays, along with over 20 character templates to help you get into the heads of your characters. It’s really a lot of fun and saves you a lot of time compared to other approaches (e.g. using index cards).
One of the best things about Plottr is how flexible and easy it is to use while being focused entirely on writers. For example, you can track any custom details about your scenes, characters, and places that you’d like, and then just search and filter to find what you’re looking for later. If you’re a discovery writer, you can also use the app to outline as you write or for revision. There are so many ways to use Plottr, and there are lots of helpful videos and tutorials on their YouTube channel to explore.
You can get started here with a free trial to see if Plottr is the right story organization tool for you.
Benefits of using Plottr to outline and organize your books:
- Drag and drop visual book plotting functionality, plus story and series bible tracking
- Over 50 combined plot and character templates to help you organize your story ideas
- Export to Microsoft Word and Scrivener
- Affordable pricing + frequent updates + friendly writer community
- Available in both online + offline versions for desktop and mobile (iOS, Android)
AutoCrit:
AutoCrit is the best novel writing software you can get. This online manuscript editing tool enables fiction writers to quickly and effectively self-edit their work anytime, anywhere. This story-writing software gives step-by-step recommendations for improving your manuscript in over 20 areas with the click of a button.
The AutoCrit book authoring software studies millions of published books and then connects you with top editors and agents and works with authors just like you to understand what makes a successful book.
Autocrit’s story writing tools make writing a novel easier by helping you compare your manuscript with the bestselling works of the same genre, making it one of the best fiction writing tools.
Although it’s not a free novel writing software, AutoCrit is a true fiction writing coach that helps you hone your manuscript and fine-tune it for your chosen genre making it one of the best novel writing tools online.
This creative writing tool is for authors and storytellers who have the resources to invest in high-tech writing software, but the website of this novel software also offers free and fun resources that show fiction writers how to write a novel.
Scrivener:
Scrivener is an amazing writing software developed by Literature & Latte that lets you view multiple documents at once, set writing goals, leave yourself brainstorming comments for later, and even import research files to keep on hand.
What is the best program for writing a book? The best program for writing a book is Scrivener. It’s inexpensive and its myriad features more than make up the price tag.
Read my more in-depth review of Scrivener version 3.0.
How much does Scrivener cost?
- Scrivener costs $49 (one-time) for Mac or Windows.
- It’s $19.99 for iOS devices (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch).
- If you use both Windows and Mac, you can buy the combined bundle for a discounted price of $80. You get a separate license for each platform.
- Reduced pricing of $41.65 is available for “students & academics.”
Blurb BookSmart:
BookSmart is free downloadable software that helps you create books and facilitate your publishing options. The software is user-friendly and laid out in a straightforward format. You can also use it to create picture books (comics or children’s books).
In addition to creating your manuscripts, you can use Booksmart to check the layout of your novel and see the final product. The layout functionality can be very useful to authors who self-publish.
ProWritingAid:
ProWritingAid is the only writing improvement software that offers world-class grammar and style checking combined with more in-depth reports to help you strengthen your writing.
This is a grammar checker, style editor, and writing mentor in one package. ProWritingAid’s unique combination of suggestions, articles, videos, and quizzes makes writing fun and interactive.
Microsoft Word:
Microsoft Word is the industry-standard word processor — for better or worse. When you ask the average person what they think of when you say word processing, a majority will say MS Word.
What software do most writers use? Most writers probably use MS Word because it is the gold standard of word processors, even if it shouldn’t be.
The famous DOC and DOCX file formats come from Microsoft’s ubiquitous software. Many publishers ask for manuscripts to be submitted in DOC or DOCX files, and nothing else. (It’s easy to convert another file format into DOC or DOCX.)
Can I write a book in Microsoft Word? Yes, you can write a book in MS Word. However, I would not recommend it.
The biggest problem for Word? It was designed for writing anything — not specifically for writing novels or long nonfiction books. It was not created by authors, nor for authors.
Word is tolerable for shorter works; however, if you’re really looking for the best book writing software, Word does not measure up to its competitors.
Interesting fact: Stephen King uses MS Word writing software to draft his book manuscripts. He uses Final Draft to write screenplays.
How much does MS Word cost? Microsoft Word costs $139.99 as a one-time purchase. You can also spend $6.99/month (or more) for a subscription to Microsoft 365, which includes Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook, and 1 TB of cloud storage on the OneDrive.
You (and up to 5 other people) can try out Microsoft 365 for FREE during a 1-month trial.
Pros for using MS Word to write a novel:
- “What you see is what you get” formatting
- Many book editors prefer Word documents (DOC, DOCX)
- Customizable toolbar
- Comes with a bunch of handy templates for books, essays, resumes… you name it!
- It’s industry-standard, so you’ll find this software on public library computers and company computers and everywhere in between
Cons for using MS Word to write a novel:
- Difficult to use if you don’t work in a linear fashion
- Cumbersome for writing lengthy novels and other books
- Must use a separate tool, such as Calibre, to export as ebook (EPUB/MOBI, etc.)
- Updates every few years, which creates a brand new learning curve each time
Storybook:
Storybook is open source novel writing software designed to help novelists organize their work. They can start by organizing their ideas about characters and the setting in one place. The software includes the tools you need to manage the plot developments, scenes, and characters in your novel.
The “Information” portion of the software shows you all the characters you have created, as well as locations, applicable chapters and plot lines. If something is missing or appears twice, you will see a warning. All of your writing is automatically saved by the Storybook software, so you don’t need to worry about losing any of your precious words.
yWriter:
Simon Hayes (AKA Spacejock) developed yWriter to be the best free, standalone app for fiction writing.
It encourages writers to write scenes, not chapters — since scenes are smaller and more manageable. Also, you can input data into multiple fields concerning each scene and chapter. This provides authors with a wealth of raw data they can analyze at any time.
You can even set goals for words per day or words per hour.
How much does yWriter cost?
- Free on Windows/macOS
- $3.99 on Android
- $4.99 on iOS
All in all, yWriter is great for authors who love analyzing how many chapters each character is in, how many scenes are in each chapter, etc. For authors who don’t care about that, this may sound foreign. But I know a lot of writers who pour over the metadata of their novel almost as much as they pour over the actual story.
Pros for using yWriter to write a novel:
- Breaks down novels into chapters and scenes
- Stores snapshot backups of your work automatically
- Great tools for character development
- Offers the data-hungry author a wealth of useful data points
Cons for using yWriter to write a novel:
- Does not come with templates
- Doesn’t export EPUBs or Amazon Kindle’s native file format
- Not for minimalist writers
- Not the most elegant design — looks dated
Conclusion:
I love to read, more so than watching TV or listening to music. I have read many different kinds of books. And I have also had my fair share of difficulties finding the best book writing software free download or software for children to learn how to read. This is why I want to introduce you to some great resources that will help you find some great sources of book writing software free download. Some of these resources are geared more towards learning how to read, while some are just for fun!