Novel Authoring Tools

In the old days, authoring a book was a laborious proposition. The process of writing words on a page may have been relatively easy (even in the days of typewriters), but the process of submitting your work to an editor and publisher to have it professionally proofed and authored was an ordeal, to put it lightly. Today, with software like Scrivener, the ability to create written work from drafting all the way to final formatting is easier than ever, with your hardest challenge now being the actual writing process itself. All is as it should be!

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  1. Zettlr icon
     226 likes

    Comprehensive writing tool for notes, citations, and drafting with privacy-first features and multi-language support, perfect for diverse writing tasks.

    Zettlr Main Window (dark mode)
    Best alternatives are Obsidian iconObsidianandJoplin iconJoplin161 alternatives
  2. Manuskript icon
     162 likes

    Manuskript is an open-source tool for writers, with outliner, character management, plot development, distraction-free editor, etc.

    Manuskript screenshot 1
    Best alternatives are Zettlr iconZettlrandMicrosoft Word iconMicrosoft Word109 alternatives
  3. Scrivener icon
     257 likes

    Ideal for long writing projects with flexibility in structure, Scrivener integrates easy project outlines and allows seamless restructuring with drag and drop.

    Scrivener screenshot 1
    Best alternatives are Manuskript iconManuskriptandyWriter iconyWriter108 alternatives
  4. pixiv icon
     41 likes

    Discover and share artwork through an engaging platform with tagging, ratings, and customizable sharing options for a tailored experience.

    • Social Network
    • FreemiumProprietary
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    pixiv screenshot 1
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    Best alternatives are DeviantArt iconDeviantArtandBehance iconBehance39 alternatives
  5. bibisco icon
     84 likes

    Desktop software for novel creation providing chapter and scene organization, export to PDF, DOCX, distraction-free writing, timeline, goals, and character tools.

    Novel architecture
    Best alternatives are Manuskript iconManuskriptandScrivener iconScrivener46 alternatives
  6. Ulysses icon
     67 likes

    Ulysses is a text editor for creative writers. Used by bloggers, poets, students and published novelists all over the world, it offers an integrated environment to brainstorm, draft, revise and even submit text on a professional level.

    Ulysses screenshot 1
    Best alternatives are Typora iconTyporaandZettlr iconZettlr115 alternatives
  7. Quoll Writer icon
     36 likes

    Focus on your words not the interface. Quoll Writer is a writing application that helps you focus on your words. Clean and uncluttered. Feature rich. Features are where you would expect them to be.

    Quoll Writer screenshot 1
    Best alternatives are Microsoft Word iconMicrosoft WordandTypora iconTypora66 alternatives
  8. OmniOutliner icon
     48 likes

    OmniOutliner is a start-to-finish writing app. Perfect for collecting information, outlining Big Ideas, adding structure to any sort of writing, and much more. From grocery lists to email drafts to long-form composition.

    OmniOutliner screenshot 1
    Best alternatives are CherryTree iconCherryTreeandWorkflowy iconWorkflowy79 alternatives
  9. yWriter icon
     67 likes

    yWriter is a writing tool that uses "scenes" as a unit of text and allows you to associate that text with all manner of story elements (characters, locations, items) as well as place it and rearrange it within the context of chapters.

    Main screen on Windows XP
    Best alternatives are Manuskript iconManuskriptandScrivener iconScrivener68 alternatives
  10. Lore Forge icon
     12 likes

    The only app you'll need to write your novels and build your worlds. Organize your thoughts and cross-reference anything at any time.

    Overview screen
    Best alternatives are Manuskript iconManuskriptandScrivener iconScrivener39 alternatives
  11. novelWriter icon
     23 likes

    novelWriter is a Markdown-like text editor designed for writing novels and larger projects of many smaller plain text documents. It uses its own flavor of Markdown that supports a meta data syntax for comments, synopsis and cross-referencing between files.

    Screenshot of older version
    Best alternatives are Zettlr iconZettlrandTypora iconTypora55 alternatives
  12. A smooth yet powerful writing experience for devoted authors. With only wanted features and native workflow it runs faster than all your previous apps combined.

    Story Architect (STARC) screenshot 1
    Best alternatives are Microsoft Word iconMicrosoft WordandManuskript iconManuskript39 alternatives
  13. Free offline worldbuilding and story creation tool with dozens of templates, complex tagging options, document linking, and project-wide search. Template examples: characters, places, events, religions, currencies, magic, species, languages.

    Fantasia Archive screenshot 1
    Best alternatives are Manuskript iconManuskriptandScrivener iconScrivener24 alternatives
  14. oStorybook icon
     24 likes

    oStorybook is a free, open source novel-writing software for creative writers, novelists and authors which will help you to keep an overview of multiple plot-lines while writing texts.

    oStorybook screenshot 1
    Best alternatives are Manuskript iconManuskriptandScrivener iconScrivener48 alternatives
  15. Skribisto icon
     6 likes

    Skribisto is born from the ashes of Plume Creator , keeping the goals while adopting more recent ways to think an application.

    Discontinued
    Skribisto screenshot 1
    Best alternatives are Manuskript iconManuskriptandDendron iconDendron37 alternatives