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.”
Before we discuss writing software that will help your writing, 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, and, for me right now, Star Wars Galaxy of Heroes.
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- Facebook, Twitter, 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).
- 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.
The 10 Best Pieces of Book Writing Software
No piece of writing software will write your book for you, but these ten will help. Let’s look at the pros and cons of each. “Find the writing software that works for you—but remember, no tool will write your book for you.Tweet thisTweet
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.
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You can also get a high-level view of your book using the corkboard and outliner modes, allowing you to view 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.
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Scrivener has formatting features for publishing (e.g. on Amazon or Barnes & Noble), as well as 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:
Cost: $49 for Mac and WindowsGet started with Scrivener here »
2. Google Docs (Word Processing)
While Scrivener is the best book writing software, once you get to editing and getting feedback, it begins to fall short.
That’s why Google Docs has become my second go-to piece of book writing software. It’s free, very 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).
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Pros of Google Docs:
- Real-time collaboration with editors, beta readers, or other writers
- Suggestion mode
- Free!
Cons of Google Docs:
- No large-document organization features
- No productivity features
- Offline mode withstanding, usually requires an internet connection
Cost: Free!Get started with Google Docs here »
3. 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
- Scene lists
- Outlines
- 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 is a bit behind in the collaboration functions.
Pros of Google Sheets:
- Real-time collaboration with editors, beta readers, or other writers
- Fast
- Free!
Cons of Google Sheets:
- Managing spreadsheets from other sources (e.g. Excel) can be clunky and time-consuming
- Offline mode notwithstanding, usually requires an internet connection
Cost for Google Sheets: Free!Get started with Google Sheets here »
If you have Excel already and love it, great.
Cost for Microsoft Word: $69 / year (includes Word, Powerpoint, Outlook, and other Microsoft software)Get started with Microsoft Excel here »
4. 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.
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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.
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It also has stripped-down, option-based formatting, which is perfect for designing both eBooks and print books.
I really love this writing app!
Pros of Vellum:
- Easy and intuitive
- Format a manuscript for print and ebook in less than an hour
- Beautiful styling
Cons of Vellum:
- Limited styles
- Relatively expensive
Cost: $199 for eBook generation; $249 for paperback formattingGet started with Vellum here »
5. 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), grammar checking software like ProWritingAid is an accessible, affordable alternative.”
If you struggle with grammar, 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 $60 a year (less than half of what Grammarly costs), gives you additional support on sentence structure, style, and vocabulary.
Learn more about how writers can get the most out of ProWritingAid here.
Pros of ProWritingAid:
- Quickly copyedit your book
- Better suggestions for creative writers than other grammar checkers
- Less expensive than some grammar checkers
Cons of ProWritingAid:
- Sometimes gives suggestions that are incorrect or out of context
- Interface is slightly less intuitive
Cost: Free! (Premium version is $60 / year)Get started with ProWritingAid here »
6. Publisher Rocket (Book Marketing App)
How do you know if your book will sell? Wouldn’t it be nice to know if there is a market for your book before you start writing? How do you find the most readers on Amazon for your published book?
For all of these questions, Publisher Rocket has an answer.
Read our full Publisher Rocket review here.
Publisher Rocket a book marketing research tool that helps you understand what readers actually want and how to connect with them with your books. Here are some things you can discover in Publisher Rocket:
- What phrases Amazon buyers are actually searching for.
- The psychology of how readers choose to buy books.
- How much money readers are spending on certain niches and topics.
- How much money specific books are making per month (for example, books that might be competing with yours).
I’ve personally used Publisher Rocket to take mid-list books to #1 bestseller status on Amazon. It’s an amazing tool, perfect for anyone working on a book.
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Pros of Publisher Rocket:
- Find out how much other books in your genre make
- Get metrics on how to become a #1 Bestseller
- Excellent learning resources and support
Cons of Publisher Rocket:
- Learning curve
- Limited to book marketing
Cost: $99Get started with Publisher Rocket here »
7. 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.
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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
Evernote Cost: Free with Paid optionsGet started with Evernote here »
Ulysses Cost: $45
Note: Ulysses is only available for Mac, either in the App Store or from their website.Get started with Ulysses here (Mac only) »
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.Get started with Bear here (Mac only) »
8. 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.
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.
Pros of Freedom:
- Focus on your writing without distraction
- Schedule focus mode in advance
Cons of Freedom:
- Getting it working with mobile devices can be difficult
- You can figure out ways around its blockers if you try hard
Cost: $29 / year for Pro version, which I use and recommend (there’s also a free trial available)Get started with Freedom here »
9. 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.
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.”
Pros of Word:
- Ubiquitous: most people are familiar/own with Word
- Universal file types
Cons of Word:
- Not designed to organize and manage large writing projects, like books
- Can become slow to load as book grows
- No real-time collaboration like Google Docs
Cost: $69 / year from Amazon (includes Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook, and other Microsoft software)Get started with Microsoft Word here »
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.
10. 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 helps with that.
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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
- Free!
Cons of Hemingway:
- Somewhat arbitrary advice
- Hemingway himself would fail
Cost: Free!
Try out Hemingway App here » “The only thing you need to write is a desire to tell your story. Will you tell us yours?Tweet thisTweet
BONUS: 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 »
All the Book Writing Software
| Rank | Book Writing Software | Type | Cost | Review | Where to Find It |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scrivener | Word Processing | $49 | Read the review » | Get it » |
| 10 | Hemingway | Grammar Check | Free | Read the review » | Get it » |
| 11 | Google Drive | Backup | Free / Premium | Get it » | |
| 2 | Google Docs | Word Processing | Free | Get it » | |
| 3 | Google Sheets | Spreadsheet | Free | Read the review » | Get it » |
| 4 | Vellum | Book Formatting | $199 | Get it » | |
| 5 | ProWritingAid | Grammar Check | $60 / year | Read the review » | Get it » |
| 6 | Publisher Rocket | Book Marketing | $99 | Read the review » | Get it » |
| 7 | Evernote | Note Taking | Free / Premium | Get it » | |
| 8 | Freedom | Productivity | Free / Premium | Read the review » | Get it » |
| 9 | Microsoft Word | Word Processing | $69 / year | Read the review |
1. Grammarly
Use for: Checking your work for grammar mistakes
Pricing: From free trial available, then $29.99 per month
I use this application to check my blog posts and book chapters for typos and spelling mistakes. The premium version of Grammarly has powerful features that also help you to improve your writing skills.
It provides several editing recommendations such as avoiding passive voice, using shorter sentences, alternative word suggestions for using a broader vocabulary, and so on. Many of these features are also invaluable when you need to trim your word count.
You can find out why I like this premium grammar checker in my 2022 Grammarly review.
It costs $29.99 per month.Try Grammarly for FREE
2. LivingWriter
Use for: planning and writing stories
Pricing: From free trial for 14 days to $96 billed once a year / $9.99 per month
LivingWriter is a new story writing app for writing stories or a book. Rather than using a word processor, Living Writer is accessible via your web browser. It helps writers arrange their plots and stories using boards much like Scrivener. Living Writer contains a series of outline templates for popular story structures like the Hero’s Journey.
It’s a great choice for short stories and novels. LivingWriting now includes apps for Android and iOS and a new offline desktop mode. You can take out a 14-day free trial without using a credit card.
Read our Living Writer review Take a 14-Day FREE TRIAL
3. ProWritingAid
Use for: Proofreading and grammar checking for self-editing
Pricing: From free to $25+ per month
ProWritingAid is another proofreading and grammar checker writing app that will help you improve your writing and refine the art of self-editing.
It works similarly to Grammarly, but it’s more affordable. If you’re unsure about this writing software and how it compares to the apps above, I recently published a detailed review and video comparison. It costs $50 for one year.
Read our ProWritingAid reviewGet ProWritingAid
4. Scrivener
Use for: Writing books and longer-form works
Pricing: From $49 per month
I can’t recommend Scrivener enough as a writing app for longer-form works.
I use this book writing software to write feature articles for newspapers, long-form content, reports, books and more. In the past, I used Scrivener for blogging. These days, I use it mostly for long-form writing. Scrivener goes far beyond a regular word processor such as Microsoft Word.
Scrivener makes it easier for writers as well as students to organise their ideas and manage more complicated writing projects, using both the desktop and mobile writing app. It’s also available on iPad.
Scrivener also has plenty of keyboard shortcuts to speed up the writing process. It costs $45.
Read our Scrivener reviewTry Scrivener
5. Dragon Anywhere
Use for: Dictation
Pricing: $14.99 per month or $149.99 per year
I use dictation writing software to write 1,000s of words per hour when up against a deadline, something I just couldn’t pull off with a word processor. Dictation is not like typing, but it’s a skill worth learning.
For exploring this writing app to write faster and converting speech to text, check out my guide to how I use the writing app Dragon Naturally Speaking. If you’re on a budget, you can try dictation by using the inbuilt software in Windows or Mac for your work. Dragon Naturally Speaking costs approximately $300 or you can pay a $14.99 monthly subscription for Dragon Anywhere.
Read our Dragon Anywhere reviewTry Dragon Dictate
6. Write! Pro
Use for: Writing and Note-taking
Pricing: $21.49
Write! Pro bills itself as a digital workspace for writing and note-taking.
It works on Mac, Windows or Linux as an app on your computer. Write! Pro backups up your work to the cloud for safety and anywhere access.
It’s a distraction-free writing app much like Byword or IA Writer and comes with a focus mode and white and dark themes. However, Write! Pro includes more fonts and editing features than those apps.
For example, the app enables writers to set daily goals around word-count and arrange both short and long-form writing using a file and folder structure as well as tabs, kind of like Scrivener.
Writers can also share their work with readers and editors from inside of the app. It also supports Markdown. It costs $21.49.Write! Pro
7. Rev
Use for: Transcriptions and dictation
Pricing: $1.25 per minute of transcribed audio
Rev is another useful dictation app for writers.
Using the iPhone or Android app, you can dictate a draft into your phone and then upload to Rev for transcription by a human at $1 a minute.
Alternatively, if you interview someone for writing better non-fiction articles, you can save time by transcribing these interviews. It’s more accurate than using a dictaphone but at a cost.
It costs $1.25 per minute of transcribed audio.
Read our Rev reviewTry Rev
8. Vellum
Use for: Preparing a book to self-publish
Pricing: $199 to created unlimited ebooks
I… love Vellum.
One of the trickiest parts of self-publishing is creating a book that looks good. Or at least it was.
With Vellum, you can create beautiful looking e-books and print books in minutes. I prepare all my books for self-publishing with Vellum, and it’s a delight to use.
It costs USD199 to created unlimited ebooks.
Read our Vellum reviewTry Vellum
9. Ginger Software
Use for: Checking your work for grammar mistakes
Pricing: $13.99 per month
Ginger software is an affordable alternative to Grammarly.
I recommend the Ginger software writers who don’t consider English their primary language. It enables you to translate documents written in Spanish, French, German and more into English and check for grammar errors.Read My Best Grammar Checker Review
10. IA Writer
Use for: Writing articles and blog posts
Pricing: From $29.99 per month
IA Writer is my favourite distraction-free writing app for short blog posts and articles. While Scrivener is great for managing large writing projects, this writing app is perfect for smaller ones.
This writing app for iPad, iPhone and Mac helps writers overcome distractions through a feature called the Focus Mode.
The writing app also has a full-screen mode that highlights the line you are currently typing and fades out everything else on the document.
This is one of the most ingenious features I have come across for focusing your mind on the current point, which is rather useful especially in creative writing projects.
I use IA Writer on my laptop, desktop and mobile. It’s an elegant, easy-to-use word processor and it syncs my writing across all of my devices.
Other minimalist writing app alternatives include Byword and WriteRoom.
Read our IA Writer reviewTry IA Writer
11. A Plain Text Editor
Use for: Writing whatever, wherever
Pricing: Free
That’s right, if you’re a writer on a budget, you don’t need to spend any money buying expensive writing software or apps.
Instead, you can use the text editor that comes free with your operating system.
Just open up Notepad on Windows or TextEdit on a Mac. I like plain text editors for writing something short quickly and easily, without thinking much about it.
12. Dynalist
Use for: Outlines
Pricing: From free to $7.99 per month
I use Dynalist to create bullet-point outlines of articles and book chapters before I dictate them.
It’s the fastest outlining app I’ve tried apart from mind-mapping software.
It also enables sharing and collaboration, which is useful if you want to commission an article and give it to another writer to create.
If you’re the type of writer who likes to outline their work in advance, this app is useful. It also supports Markdown and can be used as a to-do list tool.
It costs $7.99 per month, but the free version is probably good enough for most writers.
Read our Dynalist reviewTry Dynalist
13. Ulysses
Use for: Writing articles and blog posts
Pricing: From $5.99 per month
For instance, it has features such as Markup-Based Text Editor, keyboard shortcuts so that writers can be faster, a library to organise notes and documents, set writing goals, publish directly to WordPress and Medium, and so on.
It includes mobile and tablet writing apps. Arguably, it’s not quite as distraction-free as IA Writer, but it helps you organise both small writing projects (like a blog post) and large ones (like a book).
Read our Ulysses reviewTry Ulysses
14. Final Draft
Use for: Screen-writing
Pricing: $99.99 per month
Final Draft is the default app of choice for screenwriters.
I’ve experimented with Final Draft and it strikes me as an example of powerful writing software with a bigger learning curve than your typical word processor.
Although I don’t write screenplays I was in a creative writing group a few years ago, and a few screenwriters in it used this app.
Read our Final Draft reviewTry Final Draft
15. Day One
Use for: Journal writing
Pricing: $2.95 per month
I’m a big believer in the power of journal writing for finding new ideas and conquering issues like writer’s block.
I use the writing app Day One every morning to write a short entry about what I’m struggling with and areas to focus on.
It syncs across all of my devices and supports pictures and markdown too.
Read our Day One reviewTry Day One
16. Evernote
Use for: Writing articles and blog posts
Pricing: Free
I use Evernote to record ideas for blog posts and book chapters during the day.
Jotting down n notes immediately when ideas come to you is a fantastic way of capturing random moments of inspiration as well as overcoming writer’s block. So this is certainly a note-taking app worth exploring.
I also save articles and writing prompts I like into Evernote as part of my personal swipe file using the mobile app.
This writing app also has several other features worth exploring such as dictation mode which will easily allow you to transcribe your voice notes as text, integrations, team collaboration and more.
You can read about how I take charge of Evernote in this guide. Bear is a popular alternative to Evernote.
Read our guide: What is Evernote?Try Evernote
17. Hemingway App
Use for: Self-editing
Pricing: From free to $19.99
“If I started to write elaborately, or like someone introducing or presenting something, I found that I could cut that scrollwork or ornament out and throw it away and start with the first true simple declarative sentence I had written.”
Ernest Hemingway
That’s easier said than done.
So they created a writing app with him in mind!
The good news is writers can use Hemingway Editor to improve their writing and self-editing skills. Paste your text into the application and it will provide suggestions for removing unnecessary words here and there such as adverbs or tautology.
It also suggests reframing specific sentences from passive voice to active voice and much more. Hemingway is useful when you wish to reduce your word count without leaving out any essential points from your article.
It’s also free.
Read our Hemingway app reviewTry Hemingway App
18. Ayoa
Use for: Outlining your non-fiction articles and chapters
Pricing: $10 to $13 per month
I use Ayoa to create mind maps for articles and book chapters. This writing app enables me to finish articles faster.
I recommend outlining as a way of working for non-fiction writers who want to increase their daily word-count.
This approach works particularly well if you then dictate your mindmaps as articles.
iMindMap is the most advanced mind mapping app available today but cheap alternatives include MindNode and MindMeister.Read My Mind-mapping Guide
19. Blurt
Use for: Non-fiction, creating a daily writing habit
Pricing: 4.99 a month
Blurt is an interesting new app with the aim of helping writers work a little every day.
It’s useful for writing journal entries, blog posts, a newsletter, a book and an essay via a web-browser.
Once logged in, pick a project type and then set a target word-count for a writing project as well as the days you’ll work on it.
The clean and distraction-free interface is a little Medium, assuming you don’t find writing in a browser distracting. It also enables you to prevent self-editing while writing the first draft by blurring out previous sentences.
Once a project is complete, you can share writings directly from Blurt to Medium, copy them from Blurt or export as Markdown.
If you’re interested in Blurt, you can take out a free 14-day trial before paying USD4.99 a month.Try Blurt
20. Airstory
Use for: Non-fiction, research, newsletters, curated content
Pricing: Free
I purchased Airstory as part of an AppSumo detail a year ago. It’s changed a bit since then.
Today, Airstory offers a free web-clipper for Chrome or Firefox.
When you come across an interesting piece of research, clip it into your Airstory library and tag it.
Later, when writing a newsletter or article in Google Docs, drag that clipping with a citation into your document. It’s a little like Evernote although faster and streamlined.
Airstory is a useful app for non-fiction writers who like to capture and cite reading materials online. It’s also a good writing app if you curate content for a newsletter.Try Airstory
21. The Novel Factory
Use for: Fiction, learning how to write
Pricing: £24.99
The Novel Factory is writing software for fiction writers.
It works on the web and via a desktop app for Windows. You can try it for free before a once-payment of £24.99.
It offers a step-by-step tutorial to writing your first novel taking you through scene, character, themes and so on.
I don’t write fiction much these days so I haven’t tested The Novel Factory extensively. It reminded me a little of the Scrivener fiction template.Try the Novel Factory
A Final Word On The Best Writing Apps
There are thousands of writing apps, some of which are free, some of which are expensive, and all of which look promising.
I’ve spent a lot of time testing and using these writing apps and blogging apps. I dumped the apps that added no value to this site, and I paid for ones that helped me grow an audience and write better articles and stories.
As you can see there are many blogging and writing apps, and each will solve specific problems for you, but your craft should always come first.
Pick an app from this list if it solves a problem for you and then get back to what counts. Filling the blank page and building lasting relationships with your readers.
Why You Can Trust Us
I’ve written and published dozens of articles for newspapers, magazines and online publications including, Forbes and Lifehacker. I’m also a best-selling non-fiction author, a trained journalist and a copywriter. I regularly use and test the latest writing apps for my work. I also ask other freelance writers to share their impressions about these apps.
Our Testing Criteria
I update this roundup regularly to bear in mind new features for each of the writing apps listed. I write articles and book chapters in them. I also bear in mind the ideal audience for each app, the cost and ease of use.
Writing apps Resources
The Best Writing Tools Show Comments
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CONCLUSION
Ever thought about writing a book? I have, but never got around to it because I struggled to find the right software. I tried Scrivener, Microsoft Word and various other tools. None of them matched my expectations. But then I found a tool that finally made it easy for me: Ulysses. I will review this tool in the post below and share my recommendation.
Do you have a lot of writing to do? Whether it’s admin work at home, college homework, or blogging, there will come a time when you’re sat in front of your computer with a looming deadline. Your brain is tired and your eyes ache. You don’t want to write anymore… The answer is simple – stop writing by hand! Why waste the effort writing something, then typing it into the computer. When there are so many tools out there that can help you in different ways – check this article out to see which one fits you best!