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 toola piece of book writing softwarethat would make it easier to reach my writing goals.”
Bad news/good news: writing a book will always be hardand even the best software for writing a book won't write your book for you. Some may even require a steep learning curve. Others are easier.
The good news is there is book writing software that can make the writing process and meeting your daily goals easier!
(The better news is that once you've found the right softwarewe have the best resources to help you finish your booklike this book idea worksheetwhich will get you started on your book in just a few minutes. Get your free copy here.)
In this articlewe will cover the ten best pieces of software for writing a book and look at the pros and cons of each. Click the links below to get our review on the best writing software.
Just a heads-up: this article contains some affiliate linksbut this has not affected any of our opinions on the software.
Best Writing Software: Contents
Worst Pieces of Software for Writing a Book
Before we discuss book writing software that will help you create a beautiful bookit'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 (alwaysalwaysalways!) but also SolitaireSudokuAngry BirdsStar Wars Galaxy of Heroesand Wild Rift/League of Legends.

- FacebookTikTokand Other Social Media Software. Do I really need to say more? Fortunatelythere's a piece of book writing software for avoiding this very distracting software (see Freedom below). You can't write a book if you spend your writing time publishing social media posts.
- Other Productive Software Not Directly Associated With Your Writing. Yesit's good to reconcile your bank account on Quickbooks or make sure you're up to date on your calendar appbut responsiblewell-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 gamemake writing your daily word count your game. If you want more “likes” on social mediaimagine how great getting five-star reviews on your book will be.
If you need to check your bank balance several times a daythink about what your bank balance will be when you stop checking it constantlyfinish your bookand become a successful author. Now let's talk about some book software for authors that can help you with your book writing process.
The 10 Best Pieces of Book Writing Software
Firstthere is no such thing as the perfect book writing software. No amount of key features or book writing templates or editing features will write a book for you. Stillthese ten book writing software options can help. Take a look at the pros and cons of each:
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Similar to ScrivenerDabble is a word processor that gives you the power to organize and rearrange scenes and chapters using drag and dropmanage your word count goals to keep to a deadlineand plot like a pro. (Screenshots seen here are in the optional dark mode.)
Dabble has a plot grid that allows you to easily see a macro view of your story. You can rearrange as neededfind plot holes easilyand make notes on each plot point as detailed as you like.

It’s easy to set your word count goals and see your daily and overall progress in the manuscript se
ttings. You can even set days off and it will take those days into account when calculating your daily word count goals. (You can check out Dabble here.)
Collaboration is easy. You simply add a co-author and they will be sent an invitation. They must also have a subscription or they will only be able to read the document.
You can insert images in any scene or noteor add title images to chapters or full page images within or between chapters. You can even set cover art for the manuscript.
Focus mode in Dabble is automatic. Simply start typing and everything else fades away. No need to worry about saving every few minutes either.
Dabble is cloud-based and automatically saves as you go. You can access your manuscripts everywhere: in your browseron your phoneor in the desktop app. As you're writingyou can make notes and comments.
Don’t want to type? You can dictate. And when you’re done writingthere’s a Read to Me feature that reads your manuscript to you!
Cost: Subscription plans range from $9/month to $29/month; Lifetime access cost is $699; 14-day free trial
Dabble is a word processor designed specifically for books. It gives you the power to organize and rearrange scenes and chapters using drag and dropmanage your word count goals to keep to a deadlineand plot like a pro.
- Easy Learning Curve
- Streamlined collaboration
- Cloud-based syncing
- Built-in Dictation
- Easy Exporting
- Word count targets and deadlines
- Plotting tool
- Subscription service
- Lifetime access cost is high
- Only simple formatting options
2. 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.
You can also get a high-level view of your book using the corkboard and outliner modesallowing you to view book chapterssectionsor 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.

Scrivener has formatting features for publishing (e.g. on Amazon or Barnes & Noble)as well as basic features for distraction-free writingand has templates for novelsnonfiction booksscreenplaysand more.
You can read our full Scrivener review here.
To be fairScrivener also has its weaknesses. Formatting is more complicated than it needs to be and collaborating isn't easymeaning it loses its effectiveness as soon as you bring on an editor (we recommend Google Docs for collaborating).
You can sync with your iPhone/iPadbut only through Dropboxmaking it not as easy as it should be. It also has something of a learning curveespecially for its advanced features. But it more than makes up for that by being so helpful in the early stages of both the nonfiction and creative writing process. Againhere 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 muchwe published a book about how creative writers can write 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 nonfiction or creative writingyou can get Scrivener Superpowers here. You can also learn more about how to use the software with one of these resources:
Cost: $59.99 for WindowsMac
Scrivener is the premier book writing app made by writers for writers. It's powerful set of tools allow you to writeorganizeeditand publish books.
- Easily manage writing projects
- Made by writers for writers
- Corkboard and outliner views
- Project targets and deadlines
- iPhone and iPad app
- Complicated formatting
- Steep learning curve
- Syncing isn't always easy
- No Android app
3. Google Docs (Word Processing)
While Scrivener and Dabble are great book writing softwareonce you get to editing and getting feedbackit begins to fall short. That's why Google Docs has become my go-to piece of book writing software for collaborating with editorsbeta readersand other writers.
It's freeeasy to useand requires no backups since everything is in the cloud.
Best of all are its collaboration abilitieswhich allow you to invite your editor to the document and then watch as they make changeswhich are tracked in suggestion modeand leave comments on your story (see screenshot below).

I also like the outline feature in the left sidebar. You can display it by clicking View > Show Outline. Then format the chapters and main sections of your manuscript as headings to make them appear in the document. You can then easily visualize and even click through your book to navigate it. This feature isn't as useful as Scrivener and Dabble's binderbut it makes navigating your book much easier.
While not the best for brainstormingwritingor organizing your bookGoogle Docsthe free word processor available in Google Driveis the single best word processor for collaborating with co-writersbeta readersor editors.
- Real-time collaboration with editorsbeta readersor other writers
- Suggestion mode
- Outline View
- Free!
- Few large-document organization features
- No productivity features
- Usually requires an internet connection
4. 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 spreadsheetI would have told you I didn't major in English to have to use a spreadsheet.
But nowas I'm finishing my fifteenth bookI realize that I use spreadsheets almost daily. Spreadsheets allow you to get a sense of the elements of your book at a glanceand when you're working on a 300-page documentdistilling it down to useable information becomes very necessary.
You might use spreadsheets for:
- Character tracking
- Breakdown of scenes
- 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 partnerseditorsor beta readers to get feedback.
Microsoft Excel is another great optionbut Excel lacks the real-time editing with other users and is overall lacking in the collaboration functions. Stillif you already have Excelit's a great way to quickly get started plotting your book or managing your project.
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- Real-time Collaboration: Work with editorsbeta readersor co-authors in real-time.
- Speed: It's fast and responsivewhich is useful for quickly developing an outline or managing a project.
- Cost-effective: It's so cost-effective it's free!
- Handling External Spreadsheets: Managing spreadsheets from other sources like Excel can be annoying.
- Internet Dependency: Although there's an offline modethe overall experience is better with an internet connection.
- Familiar: If you already own or have used Microsoft Officeit should be familiar to you.
- Advanced Feature: Excel is slightly more powerful than Google Sheets (although for most writing related tasksyou will likely not need advanced features).
- Offline Access: Unlike Google SheetsExcel doesn't require an internet connectionwhich is handy for working on-the-go.
- Cost: Unlike Google Sheets which is freeExcel comes with a cost as part of the Microsoft 365 Office Suite.
- Collaboration: Although Excel has collaborative featuresthey're more streamlined in Google Sheets.
5. Vellum (Book Formatting/Word Processing)
If you want to turn your book into an eBookit's not that hard. ScrivenerWordand Pages can all format eBooks and print books. But that doesn't mean they'll look good. In factit 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.

Vellum picks up where ScrivenerWordand Pages leave offgiving you a tool to make beautiful eBooks and print booksusually 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 KindleFireiPhoneNookand other eReaders.

It also has stripped-downoption-based formattingwhich is perfect for designing both eBooks and print books. I really love this writing app!
Vellum is a book formatting tool to quickly and easily create beautiful eBooks and print booksoften within an hour. It features a book previewer which allows you to see how your book will look on various eReaders and in printand offers a simplifiedoption-based formatting to format beautiful books faster.
- Ease of Use: Easy to navigate and useeven for inexperienced writers.
- Quick Formatting: The simplifiedoption-based formatting lets you create books in as little as an hour.
- High-Quality Aesthetics: Delivers visually beautiful books.
- Book Previewer Tool: View how your book will appear on various eReaders as you work.
- Platform Limitation: Restricted to Mac users.
- Style Restrictions: Limited design and styling options can be a drawback for some.
- Cost: Higher price point compared to some other formatting software.
6. ProWritingAid (Grammar/Spell Check)
Can a grammar checker replace an editor?
Definitely not. But if you ask Alice Sudlowour in-house editorshe'll tell you“If you don’t have access to an editor (or if you dobut you don’t want to hire them to edit your emails or Facebook posts)software that performs grammar checks like ProWritingAid is an accessibleaffordable alternative.”
If you struggle with grammar mistakessentence structurespellingor even writing ProWritingAid can help. It goes far beyond your built-in spelling or grammar check. You should still learn grammar skillsbut 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 processorso you can check your grammar wherever you write.
ProWritingAid has even expanded into virtual developmental and beta reader reportswhere you can get actionable feedback on your manuscript within minutes (check out our full review of both here.)
The paid version (which you can get 10% off on yearly premium and premium pro licenses by using our discount code “Writepractice10”)gives you additional support on sentence structureand vocabulary. Learn more about how writers can get the most out of ProWritingAid here.
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Free up to 500 words ($10 / month for paid plan). Get 10% off yearly premium and premium pro licenses by using our code: Writepractice10
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- Grammar and Style Correction: Gives "as-you-type" grammar corrections as well as comprehensive analysis to help you write clearermore engaging prose.
- Writing Insights: You can learn a lot about your writing with their detailed reports on readabilitysentence structureand more.
- Integration: You can integrate it with nearly any other writing tool or word processor..
- Subscription Cost: While more affordable than other optionsthere is a subscription cost for for full access.
- Overwhelming Feedback: Not all the feedback is usefuland without knowledge of the book writing processyou may get distracted by the amount of feedback.
- Internet Requirement: You must have an internet connection for most types of feedback.
- Easy to Use: User-friendly design (slightly more easy to use than ProWritingAid in my opinion).
- Spell-Check and Grammar Check: Detailed spelling and grammar check functionality.
- Goal-Setting Feature: It can help you tailor suggestions based on writing goals.
- Broad Integration: Works with many platforms (the Google Docs integration isn't very good though).
- Cost: While the free plan is robustthe premium plan is more expensive compared to ProWritingAid.
- Google Docs Integration: Lacks a fully functional integration.
- Big Picture Feedback: Does not provide as much overarching edits and -based feedback as ProWritingAid.
7. 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 questionsPublisher 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 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 examplebooks 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 toolperfect for anyone working on a book.
We also like KD Spyanother Amazon research tool (check out our review here). You can compare and contrast the two tools below:
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- Target Popular Keywords: Helps writers find specific phrases readers are using on Amazon to discover books.
- Market Understanding: Offers a clear view of what books are competing with yours (and how many sales they makehistorically).
- Category Identification: Find the most relevant Amazon categories for your book.
- Cross-Platform Compatibility: Works on both PCs and Macs.
- Learning Curve: May require some time and education to fully utilize all features.
- Cost: One-time purchase required.
- Amazon-Centric: Tailored for Amazonmay not be as effective for other platforms.
- Amazon Category Research: Analyze Amazon book categories to understand competition and profitability.
- Keyword Tools: Provides niche and seed keywords to help in market understanding.
- Competition Snapshot: Ability to get an overview of your competitors.
- Traffic Light System: Visual cues to understand keyword difficulty and category competitiveness.
- Limited Keyword Data: Doesn't provide Amazon search numbers.
- Browser Extension: Limited to browser usagenot a standalone software.
- Basic Keyword Tools: Keyword functionalities are quite basic compared to Publisher Rocket.
- Dependent on Amazon: Insights are tailored for Amazonmay not apply to other platforms.
Cost: $199
8. Atticus (Book Formatting/Word Processing)
Once you've written your bookhow do you turn it into something people can actually read? If you're self-publishingyou need a tool like Atticus.
Atticus is a book formatting and word processing tool that allows you to take your manuscript and quickly and easily format it for publishingincluding print and eBook formats.
But Atticus is more than just a formatter. It's an all-in-one solution for writersgiving you the organization features of Scrivenerthe cloud collaboration features of Google Docsand the book formatting abilities of Vellum. Yesthat's just as cool as it sounds!

It also works on all platformswhether you're working on WindowsMacChromebookor even Linux. While I still love and use Vellum (see below)the benefit of Atticus is that it works for everyonenot just Mac users. Learn more about Atticus in my full review.
Pros:
- All-in-One Solution: Combines writing and formatting capabilities seamlessly.
- Multi-Platform Availability: Available on PCMacLinuxand Chromebook.
- Cost-Effective: Priced lower than some competitors like Vellum while offering similar capabilities
Cons:
- Learning Curve: While intuitivemastering advanced features may require some time.
- New Software: Being relatively newit might have fewer features compared to established softwarewith some desired features planned for future updates.
- Crude Formatting: Out of the box formatting options aren't as refined as Vellum and will require more tweaking.
Atticus is a complete book writing and formatting tool that merges the capabilities of an online word processor with plug-and-play book formatting features. It can function as a one-stop solution for authorswith collaboration tools between authorseditorsand book designersto take your book from idea to finishedpublishable product.
9. Twig (Virtual Developmental Edit)
Finishing a draft is hardbut figuring out what to do next can feel even harder. You know your manuscript needs editingbut developmental editors are expensive and often takes weeks or even months to return your critique.
That’s where Twig comes in. Twig is a virtual developmental edit that delivers detailedactionableprofessional-level feedback on your book in 30 minutes or lessat about one-tenth the cost of traditional editing.
Twig doesn’t just identify issues. It shows you exactly where they are and how to fix themwith an editorial letterstep-by-step revision planand detailed chapter-by-chapter analysis. (Learn more about how Twig works in this detailed review.) By the end of your reportyou’ll know exactly what to focus on in your next draftleaving you with a stronger manuscript and better prepared to get the most out of a human developmental editor later.
Twig works for fictionnonfictionand memoir thanks to its genre-specific framework. And if you’re feeling braveyou can even opt into a (humorously) brutal roast. Overallit’s a smart first step for writers who want clarityspeedand savings before diving into revisions.
You can learn more about how to get the most out of Twig on our review here.
Cost: $0.3¢ per word.
Twig is a virtual developmental edit that delivers actionableprofessional-level feedback on your book at a fraction of the price and time.
- Rapid Feedback in thirty minutes or less
- Approximately one-tenth the cost of traditional developmental editing
- Actionable Suggestions
- Privacy Protection
- Excellent Customer Support
- Occasional inaccuracies (such as misidentifying characters or confusing similar names)
- Limited nuance for experimental writing
- Learning curve for determining which suggestions to take and which ones to ignore.
- More expensive than general AI tools like ChatGPT (although it provides a much more specialized analysis)
- Not a substitute for human connection
10. 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 bookit might be an excuse to avoid doing the hard work of writing.
Most of us learned how to use computers by using Microsoft Wordor a program like it. Word gets the job done. SureScrivener is a little better for booksbut 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 growsit becomes more and more difficult to work withwhereas with Scrivenerit becomes easier—but the point isif Word is what you havedon't let that stop you from finishing your book.
You don't need a fancy tool to plan a book in the early stageslike if you draft a character description for your protagonistor in the editing processlike if you want to make comments on scene details.
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 beit doesn’t matter what new writing software you invest in. It is not going to help.”
Microsoft Word is the industry standard word processing software. While limited in its features for writing booksit provides a familiar platform for writers to createshareand review their work.
- Familiar Interface: Known and used by manymaking collaboration easier.
- Extensive Features: Provides a wide range of writing and formatting tools.
- Cost: Requires a subscription to Microsoft 365.
- Lack of Book Writing Features: Despite its extensive feature setit lacks specialized tools for book writing included with applications like Scrivener or Dabble.
- Lack of Real-Time Collaboration: While it offers some collaboration featuresit falls short in real-time collaborative editing compared to some cloud-native applications like Google Docs.
Cost: $99.99 / year with Microsoft 365 (includes ExcelPowerpointOutlookand other Microsoft software)
Note: Another word processor we can't recommend is yWriter. While it has a cult following and was designed by a fellow novelistit seems to be out of development and has no support for Mac/OSX.
BONUS #1: Google Drive OR Dropbox (Cloud Backup)
There's nothing worse that finishing a great writing sessiongoing to save your workthen your computer crashes and you discover you've lost your best writing. It's enough to send any nonfiction or creative writer into the throes of grief and depression. There's a simple solutionthough: save a copy of ALL your writing to the cloud using Google DriveDropboxor BOTH.
Here's my process: I have all my Scrivener book files saved on a folder on Google Drive on my computer. ThenScrivener automatically backs up every few minutes to a Dropbox folder. That wayI know I will always have the document I needno matter what happens. Best of allboth of these apps have free plansmaking 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
BONUS #2: iOS Notes OR Evernote OR Ulysses OR Bear (Note Taking)
When I'm writing for a long timeI like to get up and go for a walk. SometimesI wish I could continue writing while I walk. Other timesI find myself brainstorming ideas while I'm not at my computertyping it up on my phoneand 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.

iOS NotesUlysses, Evernoteand Bear are note taking apps that allow you to sync between all your devicesso you have what you need wherever you are. They're 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 devicestheir 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 Scrivenerthey all have a binder-like sidebar that allows you to move documents around. None of them are designed specifically for booksso they may take a little configuring to make them work for youbut once you have one set up the way you wantit's very intuitive.
And while I hate Markdowna markup language that allows you to format your textI actually like the paired-down formatting options Ulysses and Bear giveespecially for brainstorming. OverallI wouldn't convert from Scrivener to any of these appsbut as supplementsthey 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
iOS Notes Cost: Free with any iOS device
Evernote Cost: Free with Paid options
Ulysses Cost: $39.99 yearly Note: Ulysses is only available for Maceither in the App Store or from their website.
Bear Cost: $2.99 monthly / $29.99 yearly Note: Bear is also only available for Maceither in the App Store or from their website.
Bonus #3: Hemingway App (Style Checker)
Most writers think their sentences are easier to read than they are. You think you're coming across clearlythat your writing makes sensebut then someone reads it and comes away with something totally different. Hemingway App (sometimes called Hemingway Editor) helps with that.

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 adverbspassive voiceand sentences as units. Hemingway App is usefulbut even the best book writing software can’t replace a good editor.
Pros of Hemingway:
- Fasteasy advice
- Free!
Cons of Hemingway:
- Somewhat arbitrary advice
- Hemingway himself would fail
Cost: Free!
BONUS #4: 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 articlebut as far as using writing software to encourage focus goesI recommend Freedom. It's my favorite writing tool for a distraction-free writing experience.
Freedom allows you to enter focus modeblocking your biggest distractionsincluding both websites and mobile appsfor a set period of time. So when you mindlessly escape your book to scroll through Facebookyou'll find the site won't load.
You can also schedule recurring sessionsso 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 blocklisteven if you try.
There are other apps like this that we've written about beforenotably Self-Control for Mac and StayFocused for Windows. But Freedom goes furtherallowing you to block sites on both your computer and your phoneand enabling recurring sessions.
You can learn more about how writers can get the most out of Freedom on our review here.
Cost: $40 / year for Pro versionwhich I use and recommend (there's also a free trial available)
BONUS #5: Reedsy Studio (Book Formatting/Word Processor)
Want to planwriteand format your book all in one place? Reedsy Studio might be a good option for you.
Reedsy Studio is a free (for the basics) all-in-one app for writers. And while there are a lot of featuresthey're fairly intuitive and straightforward to use.
The familiar word processor toolslike SpellcheckFind and Replaceand Track Changesmake it incredibly simple to write straight into the program. You can also upload your work-in-progress and go from there.
Revising is made really easy with a writing timeline to keep track of all your changesand you can even set writing and word goals with the Goals & Insight feature. My favorite tool here was the “Most Used Words” and “Most Used Phrases.” I’m a repeat offender when it comes toumrepetitionso this was really handy to have right there on the right-hand sidebar.
In the planning sectionyou can outline your book into different acts for easy reference. You can also create your own Boardswhich you can fill with notes and folders about your writing process. For exampleyou could create a folder about your characters and then use individual notes to create character biblesarcsor whatever else you’d find helpful.

Reedsy has recently launched over 40 new fillable planning templates toofor all different aspects of worldbuildingsettingcharacterizationand narrative devicesto make it even easier to create your book.

For exampleyou can add and then fill in a worldbuilding note all about the armor in your world:

When you’ve finished writingyou can export your book into a Print-Ready PDF or EPUB file. There aren’t quite as many formatting options as apps specifically designed for thatsuch as Atticusbut my exported book still looked clean and professional. I particularly liked how easy it was to customize the copyright page. All I needed to do was pop in a few details and Reedsy did the rest.
Pros of Reedsy Studio:
- This is a convenientall-in-one app for planningwritingand formatting your book
- You can get the basics for freewhich includes “core” features like your 30-day writing historybasic writing statsand exporting to PDF and EPUB
- You can invite collaborators to work on the manuscript as well
Cons of Reedsy Studio:
- While it’s fairly intuitiveand there are detailed tutorialsit might still take some time to learn and fully utilize all the features
- You will need to pay if you want to get the most out of the app
BONUS #6: Tertulia Author Website Builder
Tertulia has recently expanded into building websites for authorsand it’s quickly become one of our favorites (check out our full review here).
Tertulia knows what authors need and makes website building an absolute dream.
The process is intuitive and comes with plenty of guidance so you don’t get stuck. But if you dodon’t worry. The team is extremely helpful and responsive if you have any questions or need help.
And perhaps best of allit’s fast. You could have a professionalbeautifully formatted website in under thirty minutes.
If you’ve ever struggled with building your own websiteor want to give yours a makeoverwe highly recommend you try Tertulia.
Pros of Tertulia Author Website Builder:
- You can start with Tertulia for freeand paid plans are affordable.
- The team provides excellent customer service if you run into trouble or have questions.
- The step-by-step process makes it easy to use for beginners.
Cons of Tertulia Author Website Builder:
- Users who want a highly distinctive website may find some of the design options and features a bit limiting.
BONUS #7: Sudowrite (AI Writing Tool)
Sudowrite is an AI writing tool that helps authors brainstormdraftand polish their books. Its features make it easy to develop a story from start to finishand it goes far beyond just writing.
Check out our full review of Sudowrite here.
One of Sudowrite's best features is the Series Folderwhich lets you store and reference things like charactersworld-building detailsand past events across multiple books. This is incredibly helpful for ensuring continuityespecially for writers juggling a series or those who just want things like character descriptions to stay consistent while drafting.
If you want a little extra help brainstormingorganizingor polishing your manuscriptSudowrite is a great option.
Pros of Sudowrite:
- You can try Sudowrite for freewith paid plans starting at just $10/monthmaking it an affordable option for writers.
- There are so many features you can useand you can choose how collaborative you want the AI to be.
- It's intuitive and easy to useespecially for new writers.
Cons of Sudowrite:
- It's not as open-ended or customizable as some AI writing toolssuch as Plot Drive.
- Having so many features and options can make it feel intimidating at first (although it does become intuitive and accessible once you get used to it).
- Its suggestions vary in helpfulness.
BONUS #8: ManuscriptReport (Book Marketing Service)
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned in my publishing journey is that writing a book and writing its sales copy are two very different things. ThankfullyManuscriptReport offers an easy (and affordable) way to help authors set their books up for success and sell more copies.
Take a look at our full review here: ManuscriptReport Review
ManuscriptReport has several packages to choose fromranging from full marketing reports to ready-to-post social media contentall tailored specifically to your book. Just upload a PDF of your manuscriptand they take it from there.
The best part? Each report breaks down what every section is forhow to use itand even what to look out for after you've sent it out or posted it. You can use the sales copy exactly as they provide itor tweak it to match your voice and vision. It feels like ManuscriptReport isn’t just setting your book up for success—it’s setting you up for success as an author.
Great books deserve great marketingso if you’re looking for a system that will support your whole launch (and beyond)ManuscriptReport is definitely worth a look.
Pros of ManuscriptReport:
- The packages are very affordablewhich makes them a great option for new writers or authors on a budget.
- ManuscriptReport doesn’t just hand you sales copy. The reports also come with instructions and tips on how to use itso you can launch or refresh your marketing feeling prepared and confident.
- The reports are clearactionableand easy to tailor to your voice and brand.
Cons of ManuscriptReport:
- The pictures in the social media report aren't quite as helpful as the rest of the content.
The 30+ Tools Every Writer Needs
Every professional has a set of creative tools at their disposal that not only makes their job possiblebut makes them better at doing it.
Writing is no differentand while the right software is importantit's just one of the many tools you need as a writer.
That's why we published a list of all of our favorite tools for everything related to being a writer.
You can download our tools for writers guide for free here.
Enjoy!
The Most Essential Book Writing Software
Imagine it's three thousand years ago.
You're sitting around a campfire with some of your family and friendstired from the day's work. You begin to tell a story. It's one you've told beforetold a hundred times. You can see faces around the firethe children with their eyes widethe men and women who have heard the story before but still enjoy it because it brings meaning to their lives.
Storytellers—writers—have existed since the beginning of humanity. They didn’t always have book writing software. They didn't have the printing press or the internet. They didn't always even have the alphabet to write their stories down. Insteadstorytellers had their imaginationstheir voicesand a rapt audience.
You don’t need book writing software to write a great story. Book writing software can make the process a little faster or easierbut the truth is great stories will always existno matter what kind of software we have.
The only three things essential to writing a great book:
- Your imagination
- Your words
- A desire to tell your story
That’s all you need. Do you want to write your book? If you dothen do it. Write it. Nothing is stopping you except you. So go get writing.
What pieces of book writing software do you use? Let us know in the comments.
PRACTICE
The world is full of powerful software to help you write your book. In the endthoughall these tools are just that—tools. The stories you imagine and your discipline to put the words on the page are far more important.
So for this practiceset aside all the fancy software. Eliminate all the bells and whistles and open up your computer's native text editor (TextEdit for Mac or Notepad for Windows).
Take fifteen minutes to write without any distractions.
Continue your work in progressor start a new story based on this prompt: A student discovers one of their teachers is not what they appear to be.
When you're doneshare your writing practice in the The Write Practice Pro workshops. And if you sharebe sure to leave feedback for your fellow writers!
Not a member yet? Join us here.
Joe Bunting is an author and the leader of The Write Practice community. He is also the author of the new book Crowdsourcing Parisa real life adventure story set in France. It was a #1 New Release on Amazon. Follow him on Instagram (@jhbunting).
Want best-seller coaching? Book Joe here.
