If you’re a beginner, you might be wondering how to get started writing books.
The good news is that it’s easier than ever to write a book! Today’s tools make it possible for anyone to write and publish a book—even if all you have is a laptop and an internet connection.
So what is the best free book writing software for beginners? We’ve put together this list of the top free book writing software options so that you can make an informed decision.
Free Book Writing Software For Beginners
On the hunt for the best book writing software for you?
Writing software can be hard to come by, especially since what might work best for you, doesn’t necessarily work for someone else and vice versa.
Some might argue that the medium is not the issue – they’ll tell you don’t worry about fancy writing software, just start writing.
And while that may be true for some, in our experience with helping thousands of authors write and self-publish a book, we’ve found that every author has a tool that helps them organize their writing, and increase their productivity.
Software specifically designed to write a book can make your writing process more organized, efficient, and focused, ultimately allowing you to write your book faster.
We’ve compiled the best free writing software for beginners, but there are some paid tools included here that require some learning, too.
best book writing software
In this article, we’ll not only take a detailed look at the free writing software tools available to authors, but we’ll cover some paid tools, as well.
Here is the best book writing software:
Free Writing Software
Zoho Writer
LibreOffice
Google Docs
FocusWriter
Evernote
Paid Writing Software
NovelPad
Ulysses
Hemmingway App
Scrivener
FastPencil
Microsoft Word
Grammarly
Freedom
ProWritingAid
FocusWriter
What is Book Writing Software?
Book writing software is a program designed to streamline the book writing process using technology on a computer or other device. It is mainly a word processor with added benefits specifically for authors and novelists, such as book organization tools, story development features, and more.
Related: Novel Writing Software
There are many options for free book writing software, as well as paid writing software for all budgets and price points. Depending on your own needs as an author and writer, there are many book writing softwares to choose from.
Maybe you’re a writer that’s just getting started on how to write a book. Or maybe you’re a seasoned writer that’s researching how to become an author and you’re ready to commit to your practice with the best book writing software available.
No matter what type of writer you are, there is software designed to streamline your writing process. It’s just a matter of finding the perfect one to fit your needs!
Do You Really Need Software to Write a Book?
We know what you’re thinking. All that’s needed to write is pen and paper.
In simple terms, yes – you don’t need a fancy writing tool to actually write. In fact, humans have been expressing their creativity and ideas through writing using the most basic tools available for centuries.
But every writer needs a medium, which is the tool that you use to write on or with. The efficiency and ease-of-use of the medium can affect the writer’s productivity.
Think about how easy a typewriter or keyboard makes it to type a 50,000 word novel; now, imagine having to write that many words by carving it on stone. See how the medium can affect your productivity as a writer?
Technology has made the writing process easier – there’s no doubt about that. But is writing software necessary?
I posed this exact question to a group of writers to see if they really use software. Based on their feedback, it’s clear that writers like you value these programs. Every writer has their preferred book writing software, and some use multiple writing software programs.
Take a look at some of the responses:
best writing software user feedback screenshot
That’s just a quick look at how many real-life writers actually use book writing software to improve their efficiency and organization.
So, the next time you’re in need of gifts for writers, consider buying them a subscription to their favorite book writing software!
The Pros to Using Book Writing Software
Of course you can write using whatever tools are available to you, but there are some important reasons to consider using special software for writing a book.
Writing is already hard – why make it even more difficult by not utilizing the tools that were designed to make the process easier?
Related: Book Templates
When you make technology work for you and not against you, great things can come out of it – like that book you’ve been meaning to write!
Here are the main reasons to use book writing software:
- Your book files are organized in one place. No need to have each book chapter file saved in various places throughout your desktop. Keep it clean and organized with book writing software. With most tools, you can even access files from anywhere, making it easy to pick up where you left off no matter where you are, or what time of day it is.
- Special built-in features designed to make your writing life easier. The best writing software programs have built-in features that can prevent a ton of issues. For example, you can check for spelling and grammar mistakes on-the-go, which cuts down your editing time. Or use features like a plagiarism checker, which automatically highlights sections in your text that need citation.
- The auto save feature will automatically save your work as you type. Losing your unsaved work due to unavoidable circumstances (like your power going out) is a thing of the past! Auto-save is a lifesaver when it comes to ensuring your book progress is continuously updated.
- Prevent distractions so you can focus on writing. Some book writing tools have features to block you from unnecessary distractions. This ultimately helps you get done with your book in the shortest time possible, and helps you create a productive writing space.
- Create a productive writing process. Once you learn the ins and outs of your book writing software, you’ll feel comfortable making it part of your writing process. Chances are, you won’t want to write without it!
Now that you know why it’s important to give book writing software a shot, let’s dive start with the free book writing software available. Then, we’ll move on to book writing software tools that offer paid versions.
As we go through the list, it is important for you to consider certain factors when choosing which writing tool is best for you.
There isn’t a one size fits all when it comes to writing. What works for one author, might not work for another author.
How to decide which book writing software is best for you:
Cost of the software. Think of your budget. Can you afford to invest in writing software, or do you need to rely on the free versions for now?
Accessibility. Think of where you write. Do you need to be able to access your book manuscript from multiple devices (like a phone or tablet), or do you only write on one specific machine?
Features. What features are important to you? Do you need spell checker, plagiarism checker, and productivity-improving features?
User-friendliness. Are you tech-savvy, tech-challenged, or somewhere in the middle? There are some book writing software programs that require a steep learning curve for more advanced writers, and others that are great for beginners.
The simplicity of the writing software. Do you need all the nuts and bolts, or do you work better with less?
Size of the book writing software. Will the program take up a lot of space on your hard drive?
Writing Software Perfect for… Cost Accessibility Pros Cons
Zoho Writer Those in need of a versatile cloud word processor Free Online and offline -Great for on-the-go writing
-Can be used across all devices -Not specific to book writing
-No distraction assistance
LibreOffice Those in need of a free alternative to Microsoft Word Free Offline -Versatile suite options
-All the features of Word
-Autocorrect & grammar tools -Not specific to book writing
-No distraction assistance
-Not cloud accessible
Google Docs Those in need of a free, flexible option Free with a Gmail account Online only -Autosave
-Easy collaboration
-Smooth editing -No distraction assistance
-No formatting functions
-Online only
yWriter Those in need of a free software designed especially for book writers Free Offline -Novel organization tools
-Designed specifically for authors
-Storyboard view -Limited importing availability
-Upgrading to new versions can be clunky
Evernote Those in need of a digital notebook set up for various topics and research Limited free with pay-to-upgrade option Online -Organized notes
-Versatile
-A research hub -Notebook set up can be limiting for book formatting
Novelize Those in need of a robust writing software specifically for novelists and fiction writers Starts at $5/month Online -Designed for fiction
-Minimal, distraction-free design
-Outline options
-Word count tracker -Costs money
-Online only
Ulysses Mac users Starts at $4.99/month Online -Available on multiple devices
-Minimalist interface
-Customizable editor
-Desktop publishing features -Costs money
-Only available on Apple products
-Set-up is not always user-friendly for books
Hemingway Editor Those that need software to improve and edit writing in real-time Starts at $19.99/month Online and offline -Easy to use
-Promotes strong writing
-Distraction-free feature -Suggestion explanations are minimal
-Limited features
-Visual attention might cause distractions
Scrivener The career author that plans to write numerous books Starts at $49.99 (one-time fee) Offline -Progress tracking
-Outlining capabilities
-Plotting features -Costs money
-Learning curve
FastPencil Those in need of an all-in-one book writing software (from writing to publishing) Limited free option with paid features Online only End to end book writing software No offline editor, may charge royalties if you publish through them
Microsoft Word Those in need of a simple, reliable classic without all of the bells & whistles Starts at $129.99 Offline, Device-specific -Spelling/grammar check
-Ease of use
-Outline view -Limited accessibility
-No auto-save
-No distraction assistance
Grammarly Those only in need of a robust writing checker Free with paid option Online Uses Artificial Intelligence to check writing for errors and improvement Not specific to book writing
Freedom Those that need a tool to block distractions Starts at $6.99/month Offline, Device-specific -Eliminates distractions on all devices
-Increases productivity
-Auto-set features -Not writing specific
-Doesn’t allow for research while writing
ProWritingAid Those in need of a powerful tool to improve writing Free with paid option Online Can be used with many book software programs to suggest improvements and fix errors -Not specific to book writing
-Extra features cost
FocusWriter Those in need of a ord processor with distraction-free features Free Offline, device-specific -Blocks distractions -Not specific to book writing
Free Book Writing Software For Beginners
Before we dive in to the best paid book writing software, let’s take a look at some of the free options available to beginner writers.
We always recommend taking advantage of some of the free tools out there, so that you can get a feel for what you want to invest in. There are plenty of free book writing software for beginners to choose from, so try a few (or all!).
These free book writing tools have the basic essentials to provide you with the features you need, so that you can have more time for writing.
1 – Zoho Writer
Writer by Zoho, also known as Zoho Writer, is an online word processor that comes with special features to help you write from anywhere and at any time you want to. It is a cloud software, which means you can access it on all of your devices, no matter where you are.
Even better, Zoho has different templates for you to choose from, depending on what it is you need to write.
Benefits to using Zoho Writer as a free book writing software for beginners:
1 – It’s readily available. You do not need to sign up or log in to be able to use it. And to add, Zoho Writer is user-friendly and if you are a team of writers, you can work together and share the documents with each other using the share button at the top right corner.
zoho writing software for books
2 – You can write offline, without internet access. To add, despite this software being on online writing tool, you can still write your way offline and have you’re work synced to your account.
3 – You can use it across all devices. You can also use this book writing software across all the devices be it your phone, Tablet, or a PC. No need to worry about accessing your manuscript from the wrong device
This book writing software is free.
2 – LibreOffice
Developed by the Document Foundation, LibreOffice is open source software that prides itself on being a free office suite. While it boasts other programs for spreadsheets and charts, Write is the name of its free word processor.
Benefits to using LibreOffice Writer as a free book writing software for beginners:
1 – It’s a robust one-stop-shop for writers. And it’s similar to Microsoft Word (which we’ll cover in our paid writing software section).
libreoffice writing software
2 – It’s an effective word processing tool with helpful features for authors. It wasn’t only created for writers, but can be used by anyone who needs a word processor. At its core, it can be used as a powerful book writing software for authors. The autocorrect and spell checker tools allows you to catch grammar and spelling mistakes in the fly. It also supports other languages no need to worry if you want to write your book in your native language.
3 – It provides useful templates. LibreOffice includes readily available templates to choose from, that are properly formatted to meet your needs. All you need to do is add your text! Whether you want to write your resume, brochures, letters or your book, these templates can save you time and come in handy for clean, crisp formatting.
This book writing software is free.
3 – Google Docs
Google Docs is by far the most common and widely used writing software, and this list of free book writing software tools wouldn’t be complete without mentioning it.
Google Docs is a word processing tool that comes with your Google account. If you have a Gmail account then you already have access to Google Docs.
Benefits to using Google Docs as a free book writing software for beginners:
1 – You can write and access it from anywhere. Like Zoho Writer, it’s a cloud platform, which means you can write anytime inspiration strikes. You can also use this book writing software when you’re offline and don’t have access to WiFi or internet.
screenshot of google docs writing software
2 – Your work is autosaved. Each time you key a letter, your Google Doc will save your progress. No need to worry about clicking the “save” button every time you add a new page in your book! You can also view revision history, in case you accidentally delete or change something that you want to restore.
3 – It’s easy to collaborate with a team, another writer, or an editor. Additional features streamline the collaboration process, such as sharing your work with others. Be it your co-author, editor, you are a click away. You can also use the track changes feature for the editing process, so you can see exactly what your editor has changed.
Note: A major downside to using Google Docs as your book writing software is that it does not support heavy formatting and outlining. Therefore, writing an entire book on this platform can be a bit challenging, but you can still use it for short stories, articles and note-keeping.
This book writing software is free.
4 – FocusWriter
FocusWriter is a “simple, distraction-free writing environment.” If you struggle to stay focused and on task during your writing sessions, FocusWriter may be the solution for you.
Benefits to using FocusWriter as your free book writing software:
1 – Designed to be distraction-free. Like its name suggests, FocusWriter helps you zero in on your project by eliminating anything that could produce a distraction within the program with its hide-away interface.
2 – Timers and alarms. This is for my writers who love to write in sprints. Structure your writing sessions by planning and timing how long you’ll write.
3 – Auto-save function. If you’re a writer who struggles to remember saving your own work, FocusWriter has you covered with their auto-saves.
This book writing software is free.
5 – Evernote
Evernote has both a free, and paid version. You can use the free version as a word processor and note-taking software, or pay for the premium version if you want extra perks.
While Evernote isn’t designed specifically for books, the tool’s organization makes it a feasible option as a book writing software.
Benefits to using Evernote as your free book writing software:
1 – Streamlines note-taking process. At it’s core, Evernote is a writing software that’s designed to make note-taking easy and efficient. This makes it a useful book writing software because the same note-taking organization principles can be integrated into the process of writing a book.
2 – Versatility makes for easy customization. While Evernote isn’t designed for just authors and novelists, the versatility it brings to users with multiple uses for the program come in handy, especially for those writing a book. The ability to create notebooks, tags, and sort information, as well as robust AI-suggested content means that this book writing software is a power-house for personalization. With enough tweaks and adaptability, Evernote is a super versatile program that you can adjust to fit your needs best.
3 – A hub for your book research and inspiration. Anyone who is in the process of writing a book knows how often a random surge of inspiration, or piece of research, hits us as we write. Evernote is perfect for housing all of our inspirational quotes or research, without derailing our book writing efforts altogether.
Related: Inspirational Writing Quotes
This book writing software is free.
Best Paid Book Writing Software
Now that we’ve covered the top free book writing software tools available, let’s move on to the paid book writing software.
If you’re concerned about investing in a paid book writing software, then do as much research as you can on the product before you buy it. Also, consider the costs of your initial investment – will it pay for itself when you start earning book profits?
6 – NovelPad
NovelPad is a novel-writing software developed for the way writers write.
Unlike other book writing software on the market that requires you to download a program to your computer, NovelPad can be accessed on any device with web access. If you want to try it out before committing, take advantage of the 14-day free trial (no credit card required).
This book writing software is $8 per month
Benefits to using NovelPad as your book writing software:
1 – Use it on any device, online or off. NovelPad is browser-based, so you can open your projects on any device. They also have offline mode, if you’d like to limit distractions by disabling web connection, or if you’re writing on the go.
2 – Minimal, distraction-free design. The layout is simplistic and minimal, with limited distractions. The NovelPad team has stated that they only include features when and where writers require them, which leads to an incredibly intuitive, easy-to-use system.
3 – Chapters page. A popular NovelPad feature is the ability to have a bird’s eye view of your entire project. You can use scene descriptions, color labels, and other organizational tools to know at a glance what’s happening in each scene, then simply click and drag to reorder them. This is a big time save for longer projects!
4 – Customizable word count goal and tracker. Trying to hit a specific writing goal? NovelPad has you covered. Instead of tracking your word count goal externally through a spreadsheet or other means, NovelPad allows you to set goals and tracks them for you. Set vacations and sprints, customize which days you’d like to write more or less, and let NovelPad do the math for you.
5 – ProWritingAid is included. That’s right! Get a streamlined drafting software and stellar grammar check with one subscription.
7 – Ulysses
Ulysses is also another full-fledged book writing software specifically designed for Mac users. Whether you are a Sci-Fi writer or learning how to publish an eBook writer, Ulysses is an all in one software that allows you to focus on your main business – writing.
This book writing software starts at $5.99 per month
ulysses writing software focus and productivity features screenshot
Benefits to using Ulysses Writer as your book writing software:
1 – Minimalist interface. Getting distracted while writing can hurt the flow of your creative juices pretty bad. Ulysses comes with a minimalistic interface to help you stay focused and productive.
2 – The customizable editor comes with special perks. You can choose to switch to typewriter mode. You can attach additional information from images, pdf, keywords, notes, and anything in between.
3 – You can publish directly to WordPress and Medium. Instead of having to copy and paste all of your text from your writing software into a website, you can simply publish directly to the site. This is especially helpful for authors that blog.
4 – You can share your writing in any file format you want. No more complicated conversion processes to be done outside of the book writing software!
Note: Ulysses is only available on Apple products at the time of writing this.
Price: You have to pay for a subscription for you to enjoy its awesomeness.
8 – Hemingway App
Have you heard of Hemingway App yet? If you have, then chances are you know either love it or hate it. As the name suggests, Hemingway is a word processing app that is simple and easy to use, but is very visual.
This book writing software starts at $19.99
hemingway app for authors
Related: Hemingway App Review
Benefits to using Hemingway App as your book writing software:
1 – It comes with advanced editing and revising tools like the spell and grammar checker to help you come up with the finest writing piece. It uses different colors to highlight sentences/words that need restructuring.
2 – There is a helpful sidebar display that shows things like the readability level of your writing, as well as your overall word count.
3 – It has a free editor. Even if you don’t want to pay for the subscription, you can still use the free editing tool!
Note: We’ve all been advised to not edit as we write, especially when during the book writing process. Since Hemingway draws a lot of visual attention to errors, this could slow your writing down if you’re one to get distracted easily!
9 – Scrivener
Almost every modern book writer out there (regardless of the genre) swears by this powerful book writing software.
It’s jam packed with features and tools to help you organize and write your book, but there is a learning curve to be aware of.
If you want to try Scrivener out, plan to take some tutorials before investing in this program to determine if it’s really right for you.
scrivener for book writers
And this is likely because Scrivener was specifically designed for writers.
This book writing software starts at $49
Benefits to using Scrivener as your book writing software:
1 – Scrivener boasts a user-friendly drag and drops features available on its user interface. The outliner tool helps you work on your book while having an overview of what your chapter, a page or even the whole book would look like.
2 – Includes research tools for easy reference. The snapshot tool allows you to take snapshots that you want to view and reference later, without losing your train of thought.
3 – You can set writing targets. Setting targets can really boost your productivity game as a book writer. Scrivener has a target setting tool to help you set your own targets and work towards achieving them.
4 – Customizable organization with the binder tool. If you are the type of writer who likes working on an organized and well-planned piece, then Scrivener is your perfect match. The binder tool allows organizing your manuscript in files, sub-files, sub-sub- files and so on.
Note: While Scrivener is a super robust software for writing a book, you’ll most likely have to watch a few tutorials to learn how to master it.
Price: The cost to purchase Scrivener varies depending on your device.
10 – FastPencil
This is also another writing software that can take your writing game a notch higher. With FastPencil, you can draft, edit, publish, and even sell your book through some of the best booksellers in the industry.
Benefits to using FastPencil as your book writing software:
1 – It’s an all in one software. Just like we mentioned above, you can use this writing software to not only write your book, but it also can include editing, publishing, and marketing services – depending on your needs and budget.
2 – It’s fairly easy to learn how to use. The software is pretty user-friendly, and there isn’t a high learning curve when you’re figuring out how it works.
3 – You can use it to write your book in an organized manner. Because it is designed specifically for book writers, there are tools to help you section off chapters.
4 – A variety of special features are included, such as being able to preview how your book will look live. Another handy tool is the chat tool, which makes collaboration with other writers and/or editors easy.
fastpencil writing software screenshot
Price: FastPencil is available for free if you only want to use it as a word processing tool, but you can pay for access to more advanced features.
This book writing software cost depends on service
11 – Microsoft Word
Microsoft Word is one of the most common, and widely used word processors out there, because it’s pretty much the oldest one.
But even today, it remains a top contender as the book writing software preference for many authors.
This book writing software starts at $159.99, but might be included with your device
microsoft word blank page
Benefits to using Microsoft Word as your book writing software:
1 – It’s very user-friendly and many writers already have experience using it, whether they learned it in school or at work. While it’s an older program and has been updated numerous times, its function remains the same overall.
2 – The simple visual interface can create a distraction-free writing space. Other than the top toolbar, the rest of the window is reserved as your page, with ample room for your text.
3 – You can create and use templates. Because it’s so versatile, Word has many options for customizing the functions to meet your needs as you write your book. For example, you can use headers to create chapters or sections of your book.
Price: If your device doesn’t already include access to Microsoft Word, you can buy it; the price will vary depending on your needs and which package you want.
Bonus Writing Software Tools To Help You Write Your Book
We’ve covered eleven of the best free and paid writing softwares available for aspiring authors. But wait – there’s more!
While the last two writing tools we mention aren’t exactly word processing software programs, they are tools many authors find helpful to use in their writing practice.
12 – Grammarly
Grammarly is not just a writing tool but also an AI-powered program to help you write a clean, crisp book that’s free from common errors, such as grammar and spelling.
There is a free version available, but the paid version offers more advanced features like the plagiarism checker tool.
You can even add Grammarly as a Chrome Extension, so it can edit and revise any writing you do – from emails, to social media posts, and more!
screenshot of grammarly software
13 – Freedom
When you’re writing from a computer or laptop, it’s easy to get distracted with the internet just one tab away – distracting you from your work , and preventing your book from actually getting written. This is where Freedom comes in.
Freedom helps you stay focused by blocking sites on the internet that might shift your attention.
free writing software freedom features
14 – ProWritingAid
We cover all the nuts and bolts of this writing tool in our complete ProWritingAid review.
But for a quick summary, ProWritingAid is a tool that can be used with many book writing software programs, and is a robust tool that checks grammar, spelling, edits style, and offers a number of writing improvement insights based on AI-powered reports.
If you’re looking for a tool to pair with your book writing software of choice, and are dedicated to improving your writing quality and style, then ProWritingAid will offer more than any standard spellchecker can.
Get ProWritingAid here.
15 – FocusWriter
A word processor that touts “distraction-free” features, this simple book writing software is designed to keep writer’s focus on their writing.
Although it’s not as high-tech as some of the other writing programs available, it’s not meant to be. FocusWriter uses a hide-away interface with a customizable environment and autosave. It’s not fancy, but it is useful! And really, the fancy programs are usually the ones that we get sidetracked with due to shiny object syndrome.
Download FocusWriter here.
So there you have it! The best writing software programs you can choose from to streamline your writing process, improve productivity, and get your book written faster.
Researching the different writing softwares and tools can be overwhelming, but remember: it’s important to pick programs that work for you.
What works for one writer, may not work for you! If you start using one software, then discover that it’s not right for you – that’s okay. You don’t have to commit to one writing tool if it’s hindering your productivity.
free writing software
Here is a list of best free writing software for Windows. You can use these software for general as well as creative writing purpose with variety of tools offered by them. All of these writing freeware have some distinctive features to look out for. You can go through the list and get the one which suits your need.
Some of these are distraction free writing software which provide minimal interface to let you concentrate on writing. Many of them let you write for special projects like novels, comics, stories, research papers, etc. by providing key elements to add to them. For example, you can write a novel or story with characters, locations, scenes, plots, etc. Some of them let you write media projects too, like screenplay, stage play, theater, etc.
These software provide standard editing tools to modify font, align text, add numbering or bullets, change background color, etc. They also provide tools for custom dictionary, spell check, navigation, finding word or phrase, etc. While writing a piece or project, keeping a track of progress count is an important aspect. These writing software let you view the statistics of a project by showing counts of paragraphs, words, sentences, readability, etc. Some of these software also provide advanced tools for text encoding, text-to speech converter and vice versa, frequency analyzer, etc. All in all, you get standard functionalities of a word processor in these software.
To import a file to current project, most of these freeware support TXT, RTF, DOC, etc. formats. You can export a project in all these formats and PDF, HTML, XPS, etc. A few of them even allow you to associate a certain file type to import and export.
My Favorite Free Writing Software:
Celtx is one of my favorites as it lets you write for a variety of projects like theater, storyboard, novel, comic book, screenplay, etc. It provides all essential tools with flexibility to write multiple projects in different windows at a time.
I like WriteMonkey and FocusWriter too as they let you write without any interference.
Manuskript is another favorite as you can write both fiction and non-fiction projects while concentrating only on words.
You can also checkout the list of Screenplay, Novel, and Story writing software for Windows.
WriteMonkey
WriteMonkey is a portable writing software. It is basically a distraction-free writing software which can be used for general writing purpose. You can also insert symbols in your writing piece. It provides a context menu where you will find all the options like save, open, spellcheck, find and replace, preferences, etc.
You can use Preferences option to modify font of the content. It provides few standard font types which you can choose from. Also, you can add text effects and change script, font style, and size. You can also add a desired paper and text color, adjust window opacity, dim screen elements, and do more. In addition to that, you can customize screen elements, layout, language, etc.
It provides a Progress option to let you see the statistics of your document with counts of words, characters, sentences, average words per sentence, lexical density, etc. You can choose the unit (words, characters, nonspaces, paragraphs, pages, or reading time) for the progress count. In addition to that, you can limit text and time up to required limit for writing.
You can import and export TXT files using this writing freeware. You can use Print option to save a PDF copy of your writing.
WriteMonkey is a good option to use when you want to pour your thoughts into words without any distraction. It provides an interface dedicated to writing solely. As it is portable, you can just run it when needed without installation.
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Download Page
FocusWriter
FocusWriter is another distraction free writing software.
Features to Set Preferences:
To start with, you can choose a desired theme (default or custom) to create a fantasy atmosphere to pen down your creative thoughts.
It offers multiple languages to write in like Spanish, German, Portuguese, etc. You can also choose to see interface in a different language.
You can set some general preferences for editing, scenes, default output format, user interface, etc. Also, it lets you set daily goals by setting time limit for writing certain numbers of words. You can also customize Statistics, Spell Checking, and Toolbar options. It also lets you edit and save hotkeys for a particular command.
You can also set timer for a reminder while writing.
Features for Actual Writing:
You can add headings and subheadings to a piece of writing.
You can add symbols (blocks or scripts) like musical symbols, ancient symbols, vertical forms, specific language symbols, etc.
You can use formatting options to align text, add typographical emphasis and effects like strikethrough, superscript, and subscript, and increase and decrease paragraph indent. You can also choose writing direction as left to right block or right to left block.
Supported Formats:
FocusWriter supports a good range of formats to import and add to a new document. Those formats are DOCX, FODT, ODT, TXT, and RTF. To save a piece of writing, it supports the same five formats. But, you can use Print option to save it as a PDF too.
FocusWriter is nice writing software which lets you put your creative thoughts out there with all the essential tools.
Home Page
Download Page
Celtx
Celtx is a creative writing software which lets you write for various projects like film, theater, storyboard, novel, audio play, comic book, etc. The three main features to highlight in Celtx are:
Master Catalog: This module lets you maintain a database about various entries for your project. Let’s say if you’re writing a novel, you will need characters, locations, and other items to create a fantasy world. Using this feature, you can easily store information about them with specific details. For example, for a character, you can store information with name, age, physical description, character traits, media file, etc. You can also export the whole catalog as a CSV or TXT file.
Content Writing Module: The actual content for a project can be written here. The format depends on the kind of project you are writing for. For example, if you are writing a screenplay, each of its elements (action, character, dialogue, notes, etc.) will be written in the actual format of a screenplay effortlessly. In case of a storyboard, you will get to write content on index cards by adding images. Hence, you just have to focus on your words and not on the format. You can also import an already existing TXT or HTML file to add to the current project. Also, after modification, you can export the writing piece in the same format.
Sketch: This is an additional feature which can be used to draw a sketch with a few given tools. The created sketch can exported as a PNG image. This option is useful if you are creating a Storyboard project as you can create a sketch and add it directly to the project.
It provides basic tools to modify content like customizing font type, color, and size, adding typographical emphasis (bold, italic, underline, and strikethrough), aligning text, adding bullets or numbering, etc. Other tools like Find and Replace, Check Spelling, Zoom, etc. are also available.
This free writing software supports only Celtx project to import or export. However, you can import (or export) separate files to a project in formats of TXT or HTML. You can also use Print option to save the content in the format of PDF or XPS.
Celtx is a nice software to create different media projects. It provides all essential tools to write for a special project like screenplay, stage play, storyboard, comic book, etc. It also lets you write multiple projects in different windows at a time.
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Manuskript
Manuskript is an open source writing software for fiction and non-fiction projects. It lets you write novels, stories, trilogy, research papers, etc. without putting efforts to format them. To start with, it lets you enter the count of each attribute of a particular type of project. For example, if you want to write a research paper, it lets you enter number of sections and words (per section).
For Fiction Projects (Novel/Story/Trilogy):
You can start with adding general information about a fictional writing project like title, author, volume, genre, brief summary, etc.
You can then add characters (main/secondary/minor), places, real world items, etc. with their specific descriptions. This lets you create an imaginary world for your novel or story.
Now, you can build plots and write scenes for a fiction. You can set POV, label (idea, note, chapter, scene, or research), and status (TODO, first draft, second draft, or final) for each scene.
For Non-Fiction Projects (Empty Non-Fiction/Research Papers):
You can write a non-fiction by adding full summary of a section with its status and label.
You can also add notes or references to each of the sections which you can use in future.
To write for either fiction or non-fiction projects, you can choose simple text editor or index cards. You can also see the outline of a project with the statistics of its key attributes.
Manuskript is a portable writing software. It lets you set some general settings (like application language (English/Spanish/French), saving options, etc.), revisions, text editor and index card settings, labels color, etc. It also provides tools like Spellcheck, Dictionary, and Frequency Analyzer.
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EditPad Lite
EditPad Lite is basically a text editor with various features to support your writing skills. You can write a piece while customizing font (type, style, size, and script), configuring text layout and direction, inserting a TXT or HTML file, adding date and time in desired format, and more. It provides advanced tools to search and navigate through a document. You can also set preferences like configuring keyboard shortcut keys, modifying editing options and tab properties, selecting keyboard navigation options, etc.
It provides Convert menu for converting text to uppercase, lowercase, invert case, etc. It also provides Text Encoding feature to encode original text to another character set like Greek, UTF-8, ASCII, ISO, DOS, ISCII, Mac, etc. You can also delete duplicate or blank lines, trim leading or trailing Whitespace, and do more.
You can associate a file type like RTF, TXT, PDF, DOC, HTML, and more to simply import and export a file to EditPad Lite. To do so, go to Options > Configure File Types and simply add a format to associate to the program.
EditPad Lite is a text editor for both programmers and non-programmers. You can use it for general writing purpose or even creating a web page.
Note: It is free for personal use only.
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yWriter
yWriter is one of best free writing software for creative writing (novel, story, etc.). It lets you add chapters and then write scenes in those chapters. You can add characters, locations, pictures, goals, etc. to your writing project. It provides basic tools to modify content like changing font type and size, highlighting specific text, etc. It also provides a built-in text-to speech converter tool to hear the content. Other features worth mentioning are Storyboard, Reports (to view work schedule, synopsis, etc.), Daily progress log, etc. It offers basic functionalities of a word processor.
You can import TXT, RTF, and HTML formats to add to current project using yWriter. It supports same formats to export your project to. But, you can use Print option to save a piece of writing in PDF or XPS format. It also lets you export specific chapters (RTF) and other data (XML) from a writing project.
yWriter is highly recommended software for writing a novel or a story. It lets you concentrate on the writing part rather than formatting of a particular project.
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Quoll Writer
QuollWriter is a free and open source writing software. It lets you create projects with multiple chapters by adding information like description, goal, tags, plan, etc. You can then write content in those chapters. If you are writing a fictional project, you can add characters, locations, research items, and other items with specific details to your project. You can then link these items to specific chapters. You can also add notes for reference purpose.
It lets you set targets for writing (words per session/daily/weekly/monthly), maximum word limit per chapter, and readability. Also, you can see statistics of a project like total word count, chapter word count, session length, etc. in the form of graph.
To modify content of your project, you can select a desired font type, size, and color, align text, fix text border width, highlight line, change background color of editor, etc. It also provides a feature of inviting a person to edit your project by entering his/her email ID.
You can import a file to a project in DOCX or DOC formats. To export a project, Quoll Writer supports DOCX, EPUB, and HTML formats. You can also create a backup of your projects.
Quoll Writer is a good writing software with variety of features to manage a writing project.
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FreeWriter
FreeWriter is a free writing software which can be used for general writing as well as creating a novel or story. It lets you add multiple sections to a project and then write content in them. You can set status of a section as In Progress, Draft, or Completed and see the word count progress too. You can also create a novel and story by adding chapters to them. It also lets you decide the fore matter (introduction, acknowledgement, preface, etc.) and back matter (references, bibliography, etc.) pages to include in such projects.
It provides different tabs to write prose, thoughts (as label/sticky note/though link), and notes in a project. You can modify font by changing its type, color, and size, align text, add image (PNG, JPEG, GIF, or BMP), and do more. It provides Dictate tool which lets you speak content through microphone to add it to the project. You can save content of each section individually using Print option in ‘Review’ tab.
It supports RTF and TXT formats to add to current project. To publish a writing project, it supports RTF, TXT, PDF, and XPS formats.
FreeWriter provides standard tools of a word processor. It provides different interface skins to select from.
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DocPad
DocPad is yet another free writing software. It can be used for general writing purpose. You can choose the document type as ASCII, Unicode, or UTF-8. It lets you insert a TXT file in the current project. You can also use Calendar and Calculator while writing, and add a date too.
Along with basic features of a word processor, it also provides tools for integer increment/decrement, normalizing spaces, randomizing paragraphs, trim trailing spaces, etc. It provides an advanced tool called Convert Encoding which lets you encode (or decode) written content to hex, BASE64, HTML, Quoted Printable, URL, UUENCODE, UTF-7, and UTF-8. It also provides a Macro-record tool which lets you enter combination of keystrokes, record a macro, and then play it. You can also see statistics of a document.
DocPad supports Text documents (.txt), Configuration files (.ini), log files (.log), and MS-DOS Batch files (.bat) to import and export. You can also import a HTML file as text to the current writing project. To export a file as PDF, you can use Print option.
DocPad comes in various interface skins to choose from. It has a simple user-interface with basic as well as advanced tools to write.
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RoughDraft
RoughDraft is a free writing software to write a screenplay, stage/radio play, prose, or a general text piece. To create any of these projects, you just have to change the mode of the program. You can add text or sentences to a project as a title, header, sub header, body text, or typewriter. It lets you add a file in TXT or RTF format to the current project. You can also insert date within a project.
It lets you format a whole paragraph or specific text by using some standard tools. You can modify font, add typographical emphasis, align text or a paragraph, add superscript and subscript, and apply text and background color. In addition to that, you can adjust line spacing, add bullets, numbering, alphabetic numbering, and roman numbering, increase or decrease indent, etc.
It supports TXT, RTF, and DOC formats to import to add to current project. You can save a writing in formats of RTF, TXT, or publish as HTML.
RoughDraft provides basic functionalities of a word processor like navigation options, spellcheck options, etc.
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Manuscriptor
Manuscriptor is a basic writing software for Windows. It lets you add title, headings, paragraph, and bullets to write, but doesn’t provide any option to modify the font. It provides some other tools for smart quotes, dictionary, etc. You can also enable Scientific Writing option.
It provides a Flow Analysis feature to show a graph with paragraphs and sentences fingerprinting. It also shows statistics of your writing project in an adjacent section with readability and count of paragraphs, sentences, and words.
Manuscriptor supports only RTF format to import in the current writing project. However, to export, it supports HTML, MOBI, Markdown, and Text formats.
Manuscriptor is a good option to choose for writing your thoughts with minimal formatting.
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Dark Room
Dark Room is a free writing software with limited formatting options. It lets you set some preferences to customize Environment and Application properties. The Environment properties include formatting options (font color, type, indent, etc.), page settings (width, height, margin, etc.), and general settings (background, opacity, multiple monitor support, navigation, etc.). The Application properties like data recovery options, auto save, cursor blink time. etc. can also be adjusted. You can also see statistics like count of words, lines, and characters.
It supports TXT format to import and export. But, you can still export a piece of writing in PDF format using Print option.
Dark Room is also a distraction free writing software which lets you focus on words rather than other aspects of writing. It is a portable writing software with a simple user interface.
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