Best Free Novel Writing Software for Authors on a Budget
As a novelist, you‘re embarking on an exciting but challenging journey – giving life to the characters, worlds and stories in your imagination. The process of writing a novel involves many stages, from initial research and planning to drafting, revising, and eventually publishing your work.
Having the right tools can make a huge difference in your writing experience and even the quality of your finished book. Just like a chef needs sharp knives and a carpenter needs a sturdy hammer, a novelist needs reliable writing software to stay organized, focused and productive.
While you could use a standard word processor like Microsoft Word or Google Docs, dedicated book writing programs offer so much more. They provide a structured but flexible environment to capture your ideas, develop your story elements, organize your chapters and scenes, track your progress, and handle formatting.
Two of the most popular paid options are Scrivener, considered the ultimate power tool for long-form writing projects, and Squibler, a more streamlined solution to guide you from first draft to final manuscript. But what if your budget is tight or you‘re not ready to commit to a purchase?
The good news is there are several high-quality free programs designed with novelists in mind. In this article, we‘ll take an in-depth look at the best no-cost book writing software available for Windows, Mac, Linux and the web. Whether you‘re a beginner working on your first book or a seasoned pro looking to simplify your process, you‘re sure to find an option that fits your needs and style.
But first, let‘s recap the key phases most novelists go through when writing a book and how software can support you each step of the way:
Research & Worldbuilding
- Gather and save info on relevant topics
- Create character profiles with images
- Map out your story‘s setting
- Track your sources and notes
Planning & Outlining
- Brainstorm and structure ideas
- Develop your plot points and character arcs
- Outline your chapters and scenes
- Create a writing roadmap and schedule
Drafting & Editing
- Write distraction-free with motivational goals
- Easily navigate and rearrange scenes
- View story elements alongside your manuscript
- Get feedback and collaborate with others
Revising & Formatting
- View and edit your complete draft
- Analyze and strengthen your writing
- Automatically format for print or ebook
- Track changes and compare versions
Publishing & Marketing
- Convert your book into publishable files
- Create a polished, professional design
- Collaborate with editors and proofreaders
- Promote and sell your finished novel
As you can see, novel writing software is designed to assist you throughout the entire process of bringing your book to life, from the initial lightbulb moment to the final upload or print run. It keeps all your ideas, notes and drafts in one organized place while providing guidance, structure and motivation to help you finish.
Of course, no software can replace your imagination, hard work and perseverance. And every writer‘s process is unique. The key is finding tools that click with your personal style and workflow, not force you into a rigid mold.
Think about how you prefer to write and what features matter most to you. Do you crave simplicity or enjoy tinkering with advanced options? Are you a planner who likes to map everything out or do you dive right into a draft and figure it out as you go? Consider factors like ease of use, supported platforms, file compatibility, offline access, and your computer‘s specs.
With that in mind, let‘s compare two of the most robust premium programs before diving into the top free alternatives.
Scrivener vs Squibler: Power or Simplicity?
If you ask a group of experienced novelists to recommend writing software, chances are Scrivener will come up again and again. Developed by Literature & Latte, it‘s been a go-to for authors for over a decade thanks to its deep feature set and high degree of customization. It‘s available for Windows and Mac for a one-time fee of $49.
Scrivener excels at organizing large, complex writing projects. You can break your manuscript down into chapters and scenes which you can easily drag and drop to rearrange. The corkboard view lays out your scenes visually while the outliner provides a structured hierarchy.
You also get a research area to store images, PDFs, web pages and other materials. There are outlining tools, writing targets, snapshots for version control, and a powerful compile feature to export your draft into various formats. And you can customize the workspace to your liking.
However, Scrivener‘s depth and flexibility can also be overwhelming, especially for first-time novelists. The interface takes some getting used to and certain features have a learning curve. Patience and a willingness to consult tutorials will go a long way.
On the other end of the spectrum is Squibler, a web-based app designed to simplify the novel writing experience, especially for beginners. For $9.99/month, it provides a clean, modern interface that guides you step-by-step from premise to a finished book.
When you start a project, Squibler offers templates for popular genres like mystery, sci-fi and romance that set up a story structure and even provide brief writing prompts for each chapter. As you write, you‘ll see an outline of your story on the left and a distraction-free editor on the right.
The built-in goal tracker, word sprint timer and streak counter help you stay motivated and productive. You can invite other writers or editors to collaborate. And when you‘re ready to publish, it takes just a few clicks to export a formatted ebook or print-ready PDF based on popular style guides.
The trade-off is less control over the process compared to Scrivener. You can‘t endlessly nest folders or have 20 documents open at once. And you must be online to use it. But for many writers, especially those feeling overwhelmed by a blank page, Squibler‘s simplicity and guidance is a huge plus.
Ultimately, both are excellent, well-crafted tools. Plotters who enjoy organizing and want ultimate control will appreciate Scrivener‘s power, while pantsers looking for more of a helping hand will vibe with Squibler‘s clear path. The good news is both offer free trials so you can test them out before buying.
But what if you‘re on a tight budget or just not ready to pay for software while exploring your novel idea? Let‘s look at the best free programs that prove you don‘t have to spend money to access quality writing tools.
Best Free Book Writing Software
Just because a program is free doesn‘t mean it skimps on functionality. Thanks to some generous and talented developers, novelists have access to several robust apps for Windows, Mac, Linux and the web that won‘t cost you a cent. Here are our top picks that give the paid competition a run for its money.
SmartEdit Writer
Platforms: Windows
Cost: Free
Website: https://www.smart-edit.com/Writer/
Formerly called Atomic Scribbler, SmartEdit Writer is a feature-packed program for novels and short stories. Developed by an author, it offers a clean, tab-based interface for organizing your chapters, scenes, characters, locations and research.
You get a full-screen writing mode, automatic backups, a name generator, and a submissions tracker for sending your work to magazines or publishers. The SmartEdit tool analyzes your writing and points out areas to polish, like repeated phrases, unnecessary filler words and misused dialogue tags.
When you‘re done, you can export your manuscript in popular formats like Doc, RTF and HTML. SmartEdit Writer is completely free, though the developer offers the original Microsoft Word add-in for sale if you prefer working in that program.
Manuskript
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux
Cost: Free and open source
Website: https://www.theologeek.ch/manuskript/
Another labor of love from a fellow novelist, Manuskript provides an open source writing environment packed with the organizing, plotting and exporting features authors need to craft their books. It boasts an attractive, modern interface and works on all major desktop platforms.
In Manuskript, your book is broken down into acts, chapters and scenes, which you can drag and drop to reorder. You get an outliner to structure your story, a distraction-free mode for writing sprints, and a corkboard to visualize and rearrange your index cards.
The novel assistant provides a place to develop your characters, plot and world, with a helpful questionnaire to flesh out the details of your story. And the frequency analyzer assesses your manuscript for repeated words and phrases to weed out.
Other handy features include writing goals, a pomodoro timer, bookmarks, annotations, and a powerful search function. You can export your finished book to popular ebook and print formats. And since it‘s open source, tech savvy authors can tinker with the code.
yWriter
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux,
Cost: Free
Website: http://www.spacejock.com/yWriter7.html
Created by programmer and novelist Simon Haynes, yWriter has been around since 2004 and garnered a passionate following. And for good reason. This free software packs in tons of functionality for organizing, writing and analyzing your novel.
yWriter divides your book into chapters and scenes, which you can drag and drop to restructure. You get storyboard and timeline views to visualize the flow. Tabs let you store notes, characters, locations, and items.
Project targets and a progress meter keep you on track to finish. And you can analyze your novel‘s word count, pacing and readability to see where it needs tightening up or fleshing out. When you‘re done, export your book for submission, self-publishing or just safekeeping.
The trade-off for all these features is an interface that looks quite dated and takes some learning to master. But if you can get past that, yWriter is a robust free program for plotting, penning and polishing your novel.
Wavemaker
Platforms: Web, mobile (iOS/Android)
Cost: Free
Website: https://wavemaker.co.uk/
For authors looking for a free, web-based option, Wavemaker is worth checking out. This slick app runs in any browser, with offline support so you can keep writing without an internet connection. There are also mobile versions so you can pen scenes on the go.
Wavemaker allows you to organize your story into acts, chapters and scenes which you can drag-and-drop to rearrange. You can set writing goals, check your progress, and view stats about your book. There‘s also a place to create character and location cards to keep track of story elements.
A novel planning board, mind map and various reports help you analyze your draft. And a nifty snapshots feature lets you restore past versions if you decide that big change wasn‘t the right move.
Other handy tools include a name generator, writing prompts, a thesaurus, and a focus mode for distraction-free composition. You can also customize the color theme of the editor. And while it‘s totally free to use, you can support development with an optional donation.
Reedsy Book Editor
Platforms: Web
Cost: Free
Website: https://reedsy.com/write-a-book
Created by the popular author services marketplace, the Reedsy Book Editor is a simple but elegant way to pen your novel right in your browser. While it lacks some bells and whistles, it offers a clean, modern writing environment and makes it easy to format and export a professional book.
With Reedsy, you write your book by chapter. The editor offers a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) interface, which means your manuscript appears formatted as it will in the final product. But you don‘t have to worry about the intricacies of layout–just choose your trim size and the app will handle the rest.
When you‘re ready to share, you can export a beautifully typeset ebook or print-ready PDF optimized for popular distributors like Amazon. You can even download free professionally-designed templates to give your book an eye-catching look.
Since it‘s web-based, your writing is backed up automatically. And you can invite collaborators to edit and comment on specific chapters. But keep in mind you‘ll need an internet connection to access the app.
Other Free Writing Tools
In addition to these top picks, there are a few other free programs worth mentioning for certain use cases:
- FocusWriter – A simple, distraction-free editor for writing sprints with themes, timers and goal-tracking
- LibreOffice Writer – A full-featured, open-source word processor that works offline and supports many formats
- Evernote – A cross-platform note-taking app to capture your ideas, outlines and research
- Hemingway App – A web and desktop editing tool to strengthen and simplify your prose
- Novlr – A sleek web-based option with a 2-week trial (then $10/month) and built-in grammar/style checking
- bibisco – A free, open source program for Windows, Mac and Linux with a step-by-step novel planning wizard
How to Choose the Right Software For You
As you can see, novelists today have access to a wealth of free and affordable tools to help them plan, write, edit and publish their books more efficiently. But with so many options, it can be overwhelming to determine the best fit for your project and process.
Here are a few factors to consider when evaluating writing programs:
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Your writing style and experience level. Are you a veteran novelist who prefers granular control over every aspect, or a first-time author seeking step-by-step guidance?
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Your preferred platform and devices. Will you be writing mainly on a Windows PC, a Mac, a Chromebook, a mobile device, or a mix?
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Your project‘s length and complexity. Are you penning a short, straightforward story or a sprawling epic with multiple storylines, characters and settings?
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Your budget and commitment. How much are you willing to invest in software, and do you prefer a one-time license or a monthly subscription?
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The features you need. Which tools are must-haves for your writing process, and which are just nice-to-haves you can live without?
Remember, the "best" software is the one that helps you write your novel in a way that feels intuitive, efficient and enjoyable to you. Don‘t be afraid to try out a few options to see what clicks.
Most paid programs offer free trials and many free apps are quick to download and explore. Give yourself time to play around, consult tutorials and discover how each tool can support your personal workflow.
And don‘t forget writing software is just one part of a novelist‘s toolkit. You may also want to consider:
- Proofreading and editing tools like Grammarly, ProWritingAid or the Hemingway App
- Ebook creation and formatting software like Vellum, Draft2Digital or Reedsy
- Productivity and goal-tracking apps like Freedom, RescueTime or 4theWords
- Author websites and email marketing tools like WordPress, MailerLite or ConvertKit
- Cover design tools like Canva or Adobe Creative Suite
- Checklists, courses and communities from self-publishing experts like Joanna Penn or Mark Dawson
With the right combination of tools, training and support, you‘ll be well on your way to finishing your novel and sharing it with the world. But remember, no software can replace the power of your imagination, the discipline to keep writing, and the courage to put your story out there.
As author Jodi Picoult said, "You can always edit a bad page. You can‘t edit a blank page." So choose the tools that inspire you to keep filling that page, day after day, until you can finally type "The End" on your novel. Then celebrate! You did something most people only dream about.
Happy writing!