{"id":4472,"date":"2023-09-20T11:00:37","date_gmt":"2023-09-20T11:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.literatureandlatte.com\/?page_id=4472"},"modified":"2023-11-29T11:05:35","modified_gmt":"2023-11-29T11:05:35","slug":"links","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.literatureandlatte.com\/links","title":{"rendered":"Links for Writers"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Links for Writers<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n<\/section>
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Expand all<\/div>\n
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\n Book-Writing Software\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n
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We understand that the writing process is different for everyone. We love Scrivener because we built it to work the way we do, but if you\u2019ve tried Scrivener and found that it isn\u2019t\u00a0the best fit for you, then we hope you\u2019ll find something useful from this list.<\/p>\n

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Scrivener<\/a><\/h4>\n

macOS | Windows | iOS<\/em><\/p>\n

Oh wait, that\u2019s our software! You probably already know about Scrivener if you\u2019re reading this, but if you came to this page from an internet search or another site and haven\u2019t tried Scrivener yet, be sure to take the free trial for a spin. Scrivener contains everything you need to craft your first draft and is used by writers of all stripes\u2014novelists, screenwriters, biographers, journalists, students and more. Be sure to check out\u00a0Scapple<\/a>, too, which lets you write notes anywhere and make connections between them.<\/p>\n

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SmartEdit Writer<\/a><\/h4>\n

Windows<\/em><\/p>\n

SmartEdit Writer is a free program for editing and organising your writings in a tabbed interface. Providing integrated word processing and outlining, it is perhaps the app closest to Scrivener on this list. The \u201cSnapshots\u201d feature of its predecessor, PageFour, was one of the inspirations for Scrivener\u2019s own Snapshots feature (and yes, we shamelessly borrowed the feature name). Definitely worth checking out.<\/p>\n

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Liquid Story Binder<\/a><\/h4>\n

Windows<\/em><\/p>\n

The developers of Liquid Story Binder had a similar idea to the one that inspired Scrivener: allow writers to store and view their research in the same application as they do their writing. It lets you view pictures and multiple files, and features a decent labelling system along with various other tools aimed at the creative writer. Sadly it has not been updated for several years, but since it represents a unique approach to writing software, we figure it is still worthy of a link.<\/p>\n

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NewNovelist<\/a><\/h4>\n

Windows<\/em><\/p>\n

Unlike most of the other apps listed here, NewNovelist is based on following a rigid story structure\u2014Chris Vogler\u2019s twelve-step interpretion of Joseph Campbell\u2019s work on the \u201chero\u2019s journey\u201d. We list it here mainly because it was one of the initial sparks of inspiration for Scrivener\u2014upon trying it, Keith, Scrivener\u2019s creator, realised that he wanted something with a similar structured sidebar, but which made no assumptions about the structure itself.<\/p>\n

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Ulysses<\/a><\/h4>\n

macOS | iOS<\/em><\/p>\n

Ulysses was one of the first programs on the Mac aimed specifically at creative writers, and was also among the first to offer full-screen writing. It\u2019s a beautiful piece of software based on a strong design philosophy of simplicity and plain text editing using markup. Ulysses is available on\u00a0a monthly subscription basis.<\/p>\n

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WriteItNow<\/a><\/h4>\n

Windows | macOS<\/em><\/p>\n

WriteItNow was one of the earliest apps aimed specifically at novel writers, being built around a chapter-and-scene structure. It provides hierarchical organisation of your work and some powerful research tools.<\/p>\n

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WriteWay Pro<\/a><\/h4>\n

Windows<\/em><\/p>\n

WriteWay Pro is a designed to be a professional writer’s tool, and was among the first apps dedicated to novel writing. It restricts you to using Acts, Chapters and Scenes, but other than that it is fairly freeform, with a “scratch pad” for storing ideas or scenes you don’t know what to do with. It has decent word processing capabilities, although it is fairly rigid in its approach to structure. WriteWay Pro is available for free these days, and is no longer being actively developed. We wish the developer a happy retirement.<\/p>\n

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YWriter<\/a><\/h4>\n

Windows<\/em><\/p>\n

yWriter is a free application which helps writers organise their work into chapters and scenes. A freeform tool that doesn\u2019t impose plot ideas, yWriter focuses on helping the author keep track of characters, locations, point-of-view, notes\u2014and more\u2014all in one application.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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\n Word Processors\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n
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While the applications in our \u201cBook-Writing Software\u201d links section are more about developing ideas and getting words down, word processors tend to focus on the way text looks on the page. Many writers will want both types of app in their arsenal. You already know about Word and Pages, so we\u2019ll focus here on independent and lesser-know word processors.<\/p>\n

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Bean<\/a><\/h4>\n

macOS<\/em><\/p>\n

Bean is a lightweight word processor which provides the main features required for creating everyday documents. It\u2019s fast to open, well-designed, easy to use\u2014and completely free. Although development of new features ceased some time ago, the developer makes an effort to keep it up to date with modern Macs. If you’re looking for a simple and free alternative to TextEdit, Bean might be a good choice.<\/p>\n

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LibreOffice<\/a><\/h4>\n

macOS | Windows<\/em><\/p>\n

Although we generally don\u2019t link to major well-known programs, many people don\u2019t know where the majority of OpenOffice’s development went. As with OpenOffice\u2014its predecessor\u2014this office suite has no qualms about being big and bulky, but if you want to make a spreadsheet or open a .docx file without subscribing to Office 365, LibreOffice is a workable alternative. Developed by volunteers from all over the world, it’s one of the more active open source projects around.<\/p>\n

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Mellel<\/a><\/h4>\n

macOS\u00a0| iOS<\/em><\/p>\n

Mellel has its own way of doing things (such as in its use of styles),\u00a0making its learning curve a little steeper than\u00a0much of the software on this list. It is this uniqueness that is its greatest draw, though\u2014many academics swear by Mellel. It is well known for its stability when handling\u00a0very long documents and for its superb multi-language support.<\/p>\n

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Nisus Writer Pro<\/a><\/h4>\n

macOS<\/em><\/p>\n

Nisus Writer has a great reputation that goes back long before OS X; its fans have have been calling it the best word processor out there since OS 9. At first glance it doesn\u2019t look radically different from Word, so switchers will be right at home\u2014but Nisus does everything in a very \u201cMac\u201d way. It\u2019s beautifully designed, easy to use, and has all of the features you would expect from a top-tier word processor, including good tables support, margin comments, footnotes and change tracking. If you\u2019re looking for a better word processor, you would do well to give Nisus a test drive.<\/p>\n

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LyX<\/a><\/h4>\n

macOS | Windows | Linux<\/em><\/p>\n

Rounding out the list is a program that pushes the limit on what we might consider a word processor to be. Rather than dwelling on the appearance of text in a desktop publishing sense of the word, LyX focusses on the structure of text, using the “What You See is What You\u00a0Mean” phrase as a way of thinking about a document. Uniquely suited as a finishing tool for those using Scrivener for technical work or as a Markdown-based editor, LyX takes advantage of the well-regarded LaTeX typesetting engine to produce high-quality PDFs of your work.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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\n Text Editors\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n
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The line between text editors and word processors is often a little blurry, but the apps listed here all focus on simplicity, deliberately omitting many of the formatting and presentation features found in word processors in favour of getting your words down with as few distractions as possible.<\/p>\n

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Q10<\/a><\/h4>\n

Windows<\/i><\/p>\n

Q10 is a free, lightweight, full-screen plain\u00a0text editor with many useful tools for writers. Its features include live text statistics, customisable page count calculation, writing goals, autosave, timed writing sessions, inline comments, and more. As a place for focusing on single documents, its isolated full-screen implementation is great for blocking out distractions.<\/p>\n

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Writemonkey<\/a><\/h4>\n

Windows<\/i><\/p>\n

Writemonkey is a free app that presents a stripped down and isolated space for pure writing. Although plain text, it supports Markdown, making it easy to export formatted documents. Its focus is on writing rather than editing, based on the idea of reducing distractions to increase writing quality and speed.<\/p>\n

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WriteRight<\/a><\/h4>\n

iOS<\/i><\/p>\n

WriteRight makes text editing easy and beautiful while you’re on the go. In addition to offering the basic features you would expect from a text editor, it can also recognise synonyms and antonyms, conjugations and tenses.<\/p>\n

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WriteRoom<\/a><\/h4>\n

macOS<\/i><\/p>\n

WriteRoom is dedicated to distraction-free writing using a beautiful full-screen mode. If you want to work on a single document without any distractions, WriteRoom is where it’s at. (And if the idea behind WriteRoom seems familiar, that\u2019s because it has a number of popular imitators.)<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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\n Scriptwriting Software\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n
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You can write all sorts of scripts in\u00a0Scrivener<\/a>, including screenplays, stage plays and comic books. When you\u2019re done, you can print or export to popular scriptwriting file formats such as FDX and Fountain. At that point, professional screenwriters may wish to add some finishing layout touches in a dedicated screenwriting package\u2014which is where the apps below come in.<\/p>\n

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Fade In Pro<\/a><\/h4>\n

macOS | Windows | iOS<\/i><\/p>\n

Becoming ever more popular among screenwriters, Fade In Pro works with FDX and Fountain files. It can even import Scrivener projects directly, meaning that you don\u2019t have to compile your screenplay in Scrivener to add\u00a0the finishing flourishes in Fade In Pro.<\/p>\n

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Final Draft<\/a><\/h4>\n

macOS | Windows | iOS<\/i><\/p>\n

Final Draft has long been the industry standard when it comes to screenwriting. If you\u2019re developing a script in Scrivener, exporting to Final Draft is the still the conventional way of preparing for submission or production.<\/p>\n

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Highland<\/a><\/h4>\n

macOS<\/i><\/p>\n

Highland is a distraction-free screenwriting app designed around Fountain, the plain text screenwriting format that has gained a lot of traction in recent years. It\u2019s basically a beautiful Markdown-like app but for screenwriters.<\/p>\n

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Movie Magic Screenwriter<\/a><\/h4>\n

Windows | macOS<\/i><\/p>\n

Although Final Draft remains unsurpassed as the industry standard, Movie Magic Screenwriter is well-established and has developed a strong following in the industry too.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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\n Planning & Research\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n
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For your writing projects, planning tools such as a fully-featured outliner and corkboard are integrated right into\u00a0Scrivener<\/a>. If you want to supplement these, though,\u00a0here are some other great planning and outlining packages.<\/p>\n

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Scapple<\/a><\/h4>\n

macOS | Windows<\/i><\/p>\n

Scapple is our own freeform-thinking app. Ever scribbled ideas on a piece of paper and drawn lines between related thoughts? Then you already know what Scapple does. It’s a virtual sheet of paper that lets you make notes anywhere and connect them using lines or arrows.<\/p>\n

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Aeon Timeline<\/a><\/h4>\n

macOS | Windows<\/i><\/p>\n

Aeon Timeline started life as a discussion between users on our forums. One of our users wanted timeline software that he could use to support his writing in Scrivener, but it soon became a lot more\u2014Aeon Timeline is now a popular and fully-featured app that supports timeline creation for creative writers and businesses. It works well with Scrivener, too.<\/p>\n

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P<\/a>lottr<\/a><\/h4>\n

macOS | Windows\u00a0|\u00a0iOS\u00a0|\u00a0Android<\/i><\/p>\n

Plottr is an outlining app that allows you to visualise book plots and character arcs. You can work with your plot points as a more traditional outline or as a beautiful colour-coded timeline. And when you’ve finished working out your plot, you can export your work as a Scrivener project complete with the outline, index cards and notes all filled in, ready for you to start writing.<\/p>\n

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ConnectedText<\/a><\/h4>\n

Windows<\/i><\/p>\n

This research, information manager and creativity tool brings the power of wiki-style connective thought to your computer. Its unique features can be used as a research assistant or even as a standalone writing program.<\/p>\n

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DEVONthink<\/a><\/h4>\n

macOS<\/i><\/p>\n

DEVONthink is a robust database for organising research with basic writing tools built\u00a0in. If you need a system that can wrangle thousands of sources or gigabytes of material, this is definitely worth checking out. Many Scrivener users use DEVONthink as their research repository, bringing research and notes from DEVONthink into Scrivener when they are ready to begin a writing project.<\/p>\n

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Gingko<\/a><\/h4>\n

All platforms\u2014online app<\/i><\/p>\n

Gingko provides a unique and powerful way of outlining and noting down ideas, allowing you to develop your thoughts using a combination of an outline, lists and cards. Unlike traditional outlines, which work from top to bottom, Ginkgo works from left to right. You create cards for your ideas in a column, each of which can sprout related cards in an adjacent column, forming a sort of horizontal tree of ideas. Gingko is free for a limited number of cards, and then subscription-based after that.<\/p>\n

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OmniOutliner<\/a><\/h4>\n

macOS<\/i><\/p>\n

OmniOutliner is probably the most powerful\u2014and certainly the most popular\u2014outlining tool available for the Mac. It\u2019s so good, that at one point the basic version even came free with new Macs, and it provided inspiration for some of the outlining capabilities of Scrivener. It\u2019s a great staging area for new ideas, and using the OPML format you can easily move your outlines into Scrivener.<\/p>\n

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Outline 4D<\/a><\/h4>\n

Windows<\/i><\/p>\n

Outline 4D (previously StoryView) is an intriguing app\u00a0and is potentially very powerful. It is essentially an outliner & timeline, except that as well as being able to view your story synopsis in a traditional outliner, you can also view it as a hiearchical storyboard. So at the top, you have a very wide box that may be a description of your book as a whole; beneath that, you might have three boxes describing the three main sections of the book; and beneath each of those, you might have several boxes describing the chapters in each part\u2014and so on. Definitely worth trying out.<\/p>\n

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TaskPaper<\/a><\/h4>\n

macOS<\/i><\/p>\n

TaskPaper is an easy-to-use and beautiful to-do list app that takes a similar approach to Markdown-based writing methods in how it stores your lists as simple plain text files. It\u2019s incredibly flexible, making it simple to jot down and manage anything from minor tasks to major projects.<\/p>\n

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T<\/a>hings<\/a><\/h4>\n

macOS | iOS<\/i><\/p>\n

Things is a beautiful task manager that allows you to collect your thoughts quickly, organise them into projects, and work out your goals and the steps needed to achieve them.<\/p>\n

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TinderBox<\/a><\/h4>\n

macOS<\/i><\/p>\n

Tinderbox is an app that almost defies definition. It\u2019s a personal information assistant that\u2019s a little like a mindmap, timeline and outline on steroids, allowing you to track relationships between ideas using a visual approach. Its incredible flexibility means that it can be used to plan almost anything. The more technically-minded can even set up automation and take advantage of its built-in programming language. TinderBox has excellent support for Scrivener projects, so if you need to dig deep into the components of your draft or research, this might be the tool for the job.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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\n Other Apps to Support Your Writing\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n
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Obsidian<\/a><\/h4>\n

macOS | Windows | Linux<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cObsidian is a powerful knowledge base that works on top of a local folder of plain text Markdown files.\u201d As a tool that can load a folder of loose files, it works well as a front end to Scrivener\u2019s external folder sync feature, offering its approach to networking notes through linking and tagging, complementing Scrivener\u2019s ability to integrate such notes with a long-form writing project. Obsidian is available for free personal use, but requires a subscription for commercial use.<\/p>\n

Grammarly<\/a><\/h4>\n

Web service<\/em><\/p>\n

Grammarly is a popular web-based service that boasts a comprehensive grammar and spell-checking system.<\/p>\n

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iTextEditors<\/a><\/h4>\n

This community-built list offers exhaustive feature comparisons between popular iOS text editors. If you’re looking for a specific set of features, this is the list to go to. Maintained by Brett Terpstra, the maker of\u00a0Marked<\/a>. (Of course, the best app on the list is\u00a0Scrivener for iOS<\/a>!)<\/p>\n

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Marked<\/a><\/h4>\n

macOS<\/em><\/p>\n

For those who prefer to write in Markdown rather than use rich text, Marked provides a simple way of viewing a “live” preview of your text, no matter what app you write in. What really makes Marked shine for Scrivener MultiMarkdown users is that it can open your project while you work on it, presenting a formatted version of your draft as you write. It comes with a good selection of beautiful styles in which it can present your text, and makes it easy to add your own CSS.<\/p>\n

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ProWritingAid<\/a><\/h4>\n

Web service<\/em><\/p>\n

ProWritingAid is another popular web-based service that provides tools for grammar-checking and manuscript editing.<\/p>\n

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Reference Managers<\/h4>\n

There are several great standalone reference managers for handling citations and generating bibliographies that work well with Scrivener’s RTF output. If you are working in a field that requires citation and bibliography generation, be sure to check out the tools below:<\/p>\n