Best Book Writing Software 2024 [Writing, Editing & Focus] (2024)

As an author, finding the right book writing software can make a world of difference in your book writing process. The best tools can save you time, reduce frustration, and even make the long journey of writing a novel or nonfiction book more enjoyable.

Bottom Line: After years of experience and thorough testing, I’ve found that Atticus is the best book writing software available. It’s not just a great writing program, but it’s also excellent for formatting. For those seeking a free word processor to make your writing process easier, I recommend Google Docs.

Why am I Qualified to write about the Best Book Writing Software?

Let's face it, there are many people out there that write these kind of articles by just doing some research on what others say, and regurgitating it out without actually trying the best writing software themselves (or worse, have AI write it for them). That's not the case here.

As someone who's been publishing books for over 13 years, I've seen many book writing apps come and go. Some seemed promising, while others never quite enhanced the writing process as they promised.

As a matter of fact, while I was working for Apple, I was given one of the first ever copies of Scrivener (a writing software we'll discuss a bit later). Over the years, I've truly tried many writing apps for my own book creation, including some free book writing software options.

However, there's a lot more to the writing process than just dabbling in a novel writing software. I have certain preferences that other authors don't agree with and vice-versa. What works for me might not work for you.

So, in order to create a top-notch review of the best book writing software programs, I sent out surveys to my readers, and talked to some heavy-hitting authors in the industry – many of which I have been a consultant to as well.

Based on my observations, the results from those surveys, and talking with some of the most well-known authors out there, I feel very strongly that this is a subject I can truly tackle.

So, with that, let's jump into a list of what I think is the best overall writing software in the industry and I'll even try to break them down into best categories based on their strengths.

1. Atticus: Editor's Choice

Atticus is the best all-in-one novel writing software for writing and formatting a book. It provides full capabilities for both of these tasks and works on Mac, Windows, Linux, and Chromebook. If Scrivener, Google Docs, and Vellum had a baby, its name would be Atticus.

Can I write a book in Atticus? Absolutely! It’s built with goal tracking and other tools that make writing in Atticus a way to increase your writing momentum.

How much does Atticus cost? Atticus is a one-time fee of $147 USD. That includes all future updates, which you will receive at no extra cost. Forever. No subscriptions.

Pros for using Atticus to write a novel:

• Available on all platforms
• More affordable than alternatives
• Easy to use
• Combines features of Vellum and Scrivener
• Works as a formatting software and a word processor

Cons for using Atticus to write a novel:

• Not all features are available at launch

Why not Vellum? Atticus is not only better and more feature-rich than Vellum, but it’s also over $102 cheaper. For a detailed comparison, check out our Vellum vs Atticus article.

In the end, I really like this software. It’s clean and super easy to use. Because it can handle both writing and formatting, this is my go-to software and the one I will use for the rest of my writing life.

2. Scrivener: Best for Pure Writing

Scrivener is an amazing creative 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. Scrivener's extensive features allow authors to refine their writing style, making it an invaluable tool for serious writers.

What is the most complicated program for writing a book? The most complicated program for writing a book is Scrivener in my experience. 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.”
• Click Here, and then use Kindlepreneur’s unique discount code (KINDLEPRENEUR) to get 20% OFF your purchase.

Follow these steps to use my discount coupon.

Before you purchase it, you can try Scrivener’s full trial for 30 working days, for free. 30 working days means that Scrivener only counts the trial days when you actually open the app and work on it.

Within Scrivener, you open projects, not documents. Its developers realized that one project itself can entail endless files and folders and spreadsheets, so they made it incredibly simple to navigate through multiple documents within the same Scrivener project. Also, you can find some excellent Scrivener templates for just about every creative writing form out there.

Unfortunately, when I imported a TXT file into Scrivener, it seemed to undo all italics I had in the file. I had no formatting problems when importing DOCXs or RTFs.

Pros of using Scrivener:

• Organizes entire projects in one file with easy access to countless documents and research
• Corkboard with index cards, split-screen, and outliner working views makes it ideal for longer or more complicated works
• Comments, notes, and synopses are all simple to make for future reference
• Composition Mode erases all distractions and lets you write on a screen of nothing but text
• Customizable toolbar
• More affordable than its competitors
• Can export (or “compile”) projects as EPUB, MOBI, PDF, RTF, RTFD, DOC, DOCX, OTD, HTML, TXT, or even FDX, MD, or FOUNTAIN files

Cons of using Scrivener:

• Can open DOCX files but not DOC files or ODT files
• No real-time collaboration or co-author capabilities
• There’s a learning curve to learn all of Scrivener’s advanced features (check out this crash course tutorial on Scrivener)

One of my favorite aspects of Scrivener is that you can customize the toolbar.

Some authors will want the Dictionary feature on their toolbar, while others want the Insert feature. When editing, you may add the Comment button to your toolbar, or the Add button when you’re first compiling your project.

3. Sudowrite: Best AI Book Writing Software

Sudowrite is a powerful AI writing tool specifically designed for fiction authors. It offers a comprehensive suite of features to assist writers throughout the entire creative process, from brainstorming to editing. Sudowrite's AI-driven features ensure that authors can focus on the actual writing, enhancing creativity and productivity.

Pricing:

• $19/month for 225,000 credits per month
• $29/month for 1,000,000 credits per month
• $59/month for 1,000,000 credits per month

Pros:

• Extensive feature set tailored for fiction writing
• Story Engine for guided novel creation
• Excellent tools for first drafts, revisions, and brainstorming
• No content restrictions, suitable for all genres
• Unique features like “Show Don’t Tell” rewrite and plot twist generator

Cons:

• Interface can be overwhelming with numerous features
• Higher price point compared to some alternatives
• Some features may need refinement

Key Features:

• Story Engine for step-by-step novel creation
• First Draft and Guided Write for prose generation
• Expand and Rewrite tools for enhancing existing text
• Brainstorming tools for various story elements
• Canvas for organizing notes and outlining

Sudowrite stands out as one of the best AI tools for fiction authors, offering a guided experience that doesn’t require extensive prompt engineering skills. While it may have a steeper learning curve due to its many features, it provides unparalleled support for fiction writing, making it an excellent choice for authors looking to integrate AI into their creative process.

4. Google Docs: Best for Collaboration

Google Docs is a useful browser-based writing app that is free and available to anyone with a Google account. However, Google Docs may not be able to handle a lengthy manuscript.

Our team uses Google Docs for writing our blog posts because it’s the easiest way we’ve found to all work on one document at the same time, add comments, see revisions, and even chat. (Google spreadsheets can also be a useful tool, especially for outlining.)

What is the best free software for writing a book? The best free software for writing projects is Google Docs, if your book is short. Apple Pages or yWriter may be better for longer books, as far as the free stuff goes.

Read my more in-depth discussion on writing a book in Google Docs.

Many users experience major lag when editing a document with more than 15,000 words — not even half the length of a novel.

I’ve known authors who used Google Docs because it was free and convenient, then had to give it up. Why? Because you have to wait five seconds for every sentence to appear after you type it once you surpass 15k-25k words.

Pros for using Google Docs to write a novel:

• Autosaves every change you make and every version of your manuscript along the way
• Free to use with a Google account
• Accessible on any device
• Built-in Headings and Title functions make navigating your document simple using the table of contents
• Designed with real-time collaboration in mind
• Probably the most convenient word processor on this list, especially for bloggers and coworkers

Cons for using Google Docs to write a novel:

• Cannot handle large documents (15,000 words plus) without huge latency problems
• Cannot export to PDF at a higher word count
• The grammar checker is not as robust as MS Word, let alone Grammarly or ProWritingAid

As you can see by this screenshot, Google Docs offers a whole host of formatting options, constant autosaving (as long as you’re online), and extensive sharing/collaboration capabilities.

5. 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 (yep, I said it).

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 Word. However, I would not recommend it.

Read my more in-depth instructions to use Microsoft Word to write books.

My 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 to draft his book manuscripts. He uses Final Draft to write screenplays.

How much does 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 Office for FREE during a 1-month trial.

Pros for using 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 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

6. 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.

Read my more in-depth review of yWriter.

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

7. Ulysses

Ulysses is a simple, clean, yet customizable app for writing longer projects. Your work syncs automatically between your devices, or you can choose to store work locally. Ulysses also offers light and dark modes, allowing users to customize their writing environment for better comfort.

Unfortunately, Ulysses works only on Apple products.

The price has gone up in recent years. Ulysses now costs $5.99/month or $49.99/year. They also offer a free 2-week trial.

Read my more in-depth review of Ulysses, as well as my comparison to Scrivener.

Pros for using Ulysses to write a novel:

• Clean interface for distraction-free writing
• Drag and drop functionality concerning scenes and chapters (called the library)
• Ability to add filters to scenes and chapters
• Export to PDF, DOCX, HTML, or EPUB with ease

Cons for using Ulysses to write a novel:

• Only available on Apple devices (macOS and iOS)
• Price is a yearly or monthly subscription model, instead of one-time
• No collaboration functionality
• No built-in templates (though you can find them online)
• Steep learning curve if you are not familiar with markdown
• Not available for PC users

8. Apple Pages

Pages is Apple’s free text editor which lets you write, edit, comment, and collaborate. It is streamlined, yet versatile, offering a distraction-free writing experience.

Like most basic word processing programs, Pages can apply text styles and formatting to your words. You can insert images, graphs, and more. And they look great with Pages’ layouts.

Similar to Google Docs, Pages allows real-time collaboration via iCloud. The original author can decide who is allowed to edit or view only.

However, Pages is all about making every page look fantastic — hence the name. It’s not meant to be a strong word processor.

Pages is free for anyone with an Apple account from the Apple Store. Pages comes pre-installed on Apple devices.

Pros for using Pages to write a novel:

• Probably the easiest-to-use word processor on this list
• Absolutely free with every Mac or iOS device (Or use it on a browser)
• Has helpful “Track Changes” and “Smart Annotations” features
• Comment features can be used by an author trying to organize their thoughts or a collaborator editing the work

Cons of using Pages to write a novel:

• Every real-time collaborator in Pages needs an Apple ID
• Lacks a Draft View that displays text without page headers or footers
• Not meant to process words, so much as produce good-looking pages

As you can tell from this apple.com screenshot, Pages works cross-platform and seamlessly collaborates between devices.

9. Novlr

This beautiful display (Novlr's best feature) shows Novlr's simple word processing in Night Mode. From Novlr's website.

Novlr is a simple word processor with just a few added perks.

The Novlr Proof Reader (grammar and spell check) is on par with Grammarly, which is amazing — a lot better than Google Docs or MS Word. And Novlr offers in-app writing courses to help get the most out of its features.

It doesn't come with story templates like other premium word processors. And its formatting options are surprisingly limited.

A subscription to Novlr costs $10/month or $100/year. They also offer a 2-week trial for free — no credit card required. In my estimation, though, Novlr is not worth the money.

Pros for using Novlr to write a novel:

• Constant autosaving
• Can sync with Google Drive and Dropbox
• Offers Day, Evening, and Night mode to set the mood with color schemes
• Tracks progress with the Analytics tab
• Works both online and offline

Cons for using Novlr to write a novel:

• Limited formatting options, including for front matter and back matter and print-friendly formatting
• The analytics tab is nice but very limited — only gives stats for today, this month, and this year
• No collaborative editing

If you'd like to learn more, I have a full Novlr review you can check out.

10. Squibler

Squibler is another tool that many authors use for writing books, plotting, and managing their projects. It features several appealing features such as a clean organizational system, writing templates, and more.

It is built more as a project management system, meaning it’s ideal for authors who work on big interconnected stories together.

You can also use it to write virtually any kind of written material, from technical writing to novels to a screenplay.

But how much does Squibler cost? Well, it’s a little pricey at $9.99/month with no lifetime price. That means you’re paying $120 every year. This is why we recommend Atticus which has a lifetime price of $147, meaning you’ll never have to pay for it ever again, and all future updates come at no extra cost.

Read my more in-depth review of Squibler.

Pros for using Squibler to write a novel:

• Great organizational features
• It has a lot of writing templates for all sorts of writing types and styles
• It exports to any file format that you need

Cons for using Squibler to write a novel:

• It’s expensive
• There’s no distraction-free mode or dark mode
• The app can lag a bit
• It lacks advanced formatting features

Book Writing Software We Don't Recommend

While the following software options have their merits, we believe there are better alternatives available:

• Bibisco: While it offers character-focused tools, Scrivener provides a more comprehensive writing experience.
• Vellum: Atticus offers similar formatting capabilities at a lower price point and works on all platforms.
• FocusWriter: While it provides a distraction-free writing environment, other options like Scrivener's Composition Mode offer similar features with more robust writing tools.
• LibreOffice: Although it's free, Google Docs provides a more modern and collaborative writing experience.

For more detailed reviews of these software options, check out our full reviews: Bibisco Review, Vellum Review, FocusWriter Review.

Best Book Writing Software Comparison Table

Program	Cost	OS	Formatting	Check It Out
Atticus	$147 for all platforms	Mac: PC: Linux: Chromebook:		Check It Out
Scrivener	$49 for Windows or Mac $41.65 for educational license $19.99 for iOS	Mac: PC: Linux: Chromebook:		Check It Out
Microsoft Word	$139.99 by itself $150 for the entire suite, including Word $7-10 per month for the entire suite	Mac: PC: Linux: Chromebook:		Check It Out
Google Docs	Free — no premium version	Mac: PC: Linux: Chromebook:		Check it out
Reedsy Book Editor	Free on a Browser	Mac: PC: Linux: Chromebook:		Check it out
Ulysses	$5.99/month $49.99/year	Mac: PC: Linux: Chromebook:		Check it out
Vellum	$199.99 — ebook only $249.99 — ebook/print	Mac: PC: Linux: Chromebook:		Check it out
Apple Pages	Free — no premium version	Mac: PC: Linux: Chromebook:		Check it out
LibreOffice	Free — no premium version	Mac: PC: Linux: Chromebook:		Check it out
FocusWriter	Free — no premium version; optional donation	Mac: PC: Linux: Chromebook:		Check it out
Novlr	$10/month or $100/year	Mac: PC: Linux: Chromebook:		Check it out

The Best Book Editing Software

The importance of good editing cannot be understated. While editing software can never replace a real-life editor, these softwares can noticeably improve your writing.

Editing and proofreading software can fix typos, check grammar, and improve your readability. Premium editing software even checks for clichés and passive voice.

Here are the 4 best book editing softwares that any book writer would benefit from:

1. ProWritingAid ($40/year or $140/lifetime) checks not only your spelling and grammar, but checks for readability, filler words, and clichés. It works with Scrivener, Google Docs, and MS Word. Check out my full review of ProWritingAid.
2. Grammarly ($0 for the free version, $139.95/year for the premium version) is a neat editing tool that finds spelling, punctuation, and grammar mistakes (as well as handy explanations) that works as a browser extension or an app to download onto your computer. Even the free version is a great tool for any writer. Check out my full review of Grammarly.
3. Hemingway Editor is a FREE website and desktop app that highlights and color codes passive voice, adverbs, complex words, and difficult-to-read sentences. However, it does not give you suggestions on how to improve your writing. Check out my full review of Hemingway.
4. AutoCrit ($0 for free version, $30/month or $297/year for premium version) is an online book editing software that offers writers unique editing suggestions. AutoCrit shows writers surprisingly insightful problems to change in their book, such as filler words, unintentional repetition, shifts in verb tense, and even slow paced paragraphs. You can compare your work to famous authors’ works, too, with AutoCrit’s Summary Score — which is why AutoCrit is ideal for fiction writers in particular. Check out my full review of AutoCrit.

Plus, if you're looking for a plagiarism checker, here is a free one you can use. Grammarly includes one as well with their paid version, while ProWritingAid using a token system.

Other Software Every Writer Should Have

Writing your book is only half the battle.

If you'd like to learn more about the art of writing, be sure to check out the masters at MasterClass. These courses are led by prolific writers like James Patterson, Margaret Atwood, Malcolm Gladwell, and more.

Also, we authors have got to market and sell our book as well as write it.

Below are several tools to help with not only writing but being a successful author:

• Publisher Rocket is a must for your book marketing research, including hot keywords and AMS advertising.
• Evernote allows you to share countless “notes” with beta readers, collaborators, other authors, classmates, family members. It is the coolest app for note-taking and -sharing.
• IAWriter’s minimalist, award-winning design cuts out distractions, like rulers and toolbars, and even blinds everything out except the sentence/paragraph you’re writing. Its Focus Mode might just change your life.
• Ommwriter offers a calm writing environment and meditative tracks to listen to while you write.
• Freedom productivity app helps you stay focused by blocking distracting websites and apps for scheduled writing sessions.
• Write or Die is a somewhat humorous and perhaps helpful tool that gives writers “tangible consequences” if they don’t meet a word count goal or time spent writing goal. Consequences include annoying sounds (such as “Never Gonna Give You Up”) or Kamikaze mode which deletes whatever was just written.
• A Plotting Software such as Plottr, Novel Factory, or Plot Factory. Each of these will help you plot your book, build compelling characters, and build your world.

Verdict: What is the Best Writing Software?

You should use Atticus‘ word processing software to write your next book. If you're looking for a free download, use Google Docs for smaller works, or Apple Pages if you're a Mac user.

I use Google docs to write my articles because it allows me to coordinate with my team and my editor. For blog posts and intracompany documents, easy collaboration is key.

However, that doesn't cut it when I have a 30K or even 100K-word book to write. When writing a book, I need the best book writing software out there. Google Docs just can't handle it.

Atticus is the only writing program I use for writing my books. Download it today.

I need book writing software that will easily help me to research, outline, reorganize, write, collaborate, and edit. Atticus has me covered.

No monthly or annual fee? Atticus is a one-time purchase.