good websites for writing books

Looking to publish? Meet your dream editor, designer and marketer on Reedsy.

Find the perfect editor for your next book

1 million authors trust the professionals on Reedsy. Come meet them.

Blog • Perfecting your Craft

Last updated on Feb 07, 2023

The 50+ Best Writing Websites of 2024

The Internet is full of writing websites and blogs to help people reach their creative goals . If you’ve always dreamt of writing your own book, but don’t know how to get there — or if you’re in the process of writing, but feel unsure about what to do next — then it’s your lucky day! Here we have all the best writing websites of 2024 in one single place for your convenience. They’re also organized by category, and alphabetically within each of those categories, to make each one easier to find. Enjoy!

Best writing websites for writing craft and inspiration

1. Almost an Author

Offering up new content every day, Almost an Author covers a grand scope of writing topics. From genre-specific advice to emotional support on your writing journey, there's tons of useful info here for beginner and veteran writers alike.

2. Association of Writer & Writing Programs

Having just marked their 50th anniversary, AWP is one of the premier authorities on writing. The AWP website provides resources and ample opportunities for authors, teachers, and students at every point in their career. Here you’ll be able to find information about writing programs, career options, and conferences all over the world. Keep in mind, though, that access to some of these features is restricted to members only.

3. Creativity Portal

This is a wonderful hub for creative resources that has been around for a whopping nineteen years! Here you can find writing prompts , creative coaching, printable writing templates, and interviews with authors that will help nourish the right side of your brain.

4. Daily Writing Tips

As the name suggests, this site offers daily writing tips ranging from open-ended prompts and exercises to grammar, spelling, punctuation, and vocabulary. It also covers all writing levels and professions, so it doesn't matter how far along you are in your writing career — DWT is sure to help you out.

Instead of spending thousands of dollars on a master’s degree, you can get your own "DIY MFA" right here! This site (founded by Gabriela Pereira ) aims to cover everything you would learn in a graduate program, while giving you the freedom to choose your own areas of concentration and allocate your time as you please. 

6. Electric Literature

While not exactly a craft-focused website — so no straight-up writing advice or prompts — this nonprofit digital publisher showcases literature-related essays, criticism, and recommended readings. If you're looking to brush up on both literary theory and recent literary trends, Electric Lit is the place for you.

7. Fiction University

This virtual university, run by award-winning author Janice Hardy, contains tons of advice and concrete examples to help authors build a strong writing foundation. It's full of blog posts by professionals who share their own processes and techniques, providing tips not just on what you should do as a writer, but on how  to make it happen.

8. Helping Writers Become Authors

Longtime author K.M. Weiland offers writing advice that ranges from outlining and structuring to characterization and dialogue — plus all the little details in between. She updates her blog faithfully with topical posts that would pique any writer's (or non-writer's) interest.

9. Insecure Writer's Support Group

Writing is intimidating for everyone , whether you're a multi-published author or you're just starting out. That's why getting support, guidance, and motivation throughout the process is vital! On IWSG, you'll discover a wealth of information on writing, publishing, marketing, and anything else you might need to ultimately overcome your insecurities.

10. Literary Hub

LitHub boasts a superb selection of content for all things literary. Here you can get all the latest book-related news, posts on design and the craft, your daily dose of fiction, and sparkling reviews of new works. One of this site's best features is its section on literature in translation — a great resource for those who want to read books and authors from around the world.

11. LitReactor

The LitReactor blog consists of writing classes, workshops, and a myriad of posts on writing and books ( some of which are even written by us! ). There’s also an online magazine that includes interviews, criticism and analysis, and seasonally appropriate reads and recommendations.

12. LitRejections

An unfortunate occupational hazard of with writing is rejection. This is where a site like LitRejections comes into play! It offers personal stories to help discouraged writers persevere through rejection, and maintain hope and motivation as they move forward in their careers.

13. Live Write Thrive

In this website by professional writer and editor C.S. Lakin, you’ll find plenty of nuanced writing anecdotes and tips. Lakin also supplies annotated critiques that can help you prep your book for publication.

14. NaNoWriMo

Besides serving as the official information hub for NaNoWriMo , this site also lends constant support for those struggling to "win" National Novel Writing Month. Make sure to check out the NaNoWriMo forums, which are chock-full of other people's personal writing tips and strategies to get you through November — and every other month of the year — as a writer.

15. Now Novel

This comprehensive website, founded by author Bridget McNulty , is a go-to for just about every writing-related question you might have. Here you'll also find advice, courses, and even an author dashboard where you can keep track of your own writing progress.

16. Positive Writer

If you often feel uncertain about your creative abilities, this is the site for you. Bryan Hutchinson created Positive Writer to encourage and inspire all those who want to write, no matter how much experience or confidence they have.

17. ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid offers a fantastic manuscript editing software that analyzes your writing and creates reports for you to learn from! This tool also includes a thesaurus, grammar checks, style suggestions, and more — you can learn all about it on the ProWritingAid blog, or in our review of the app !

18. She Writes

A well-established writing website with a feminist bent, She Writes is "the largest online community and content site for women writers... all around the world." The site features thoughtful posts and resources to help writers on their journeys, as well as a personal She Writes blog page for every user who signs up.

19. Well-Storied

Here you can find recent articles, workbooks, tutorials, and fascinating discussions on writing. Kristine Kieffer has an extensive archive of posts as well, where you can procure information on just about any topic related to books and writing.

20. The Write Practice

Fulfilling the promise of their name, every single post on this site emphasizes putting theory into practice! There's simply no better way to become a writer than by creating a routine, and that’s exactly what The Write Practice helps facilitate.

21. Writer’s Digest

Writer's Digest is one of the most encyclopedic writing websites out there — after all, the print magazine has been around for almost a century now! Here you’ll find genre and vocation-organized articles, events and competitions, webinars, templates, tutorials, and so much more.

22. Writer Unboxed

Writer Unboxed features articles by authors and industry professionals, focused specifically on the craft and business of fiction writing.

23. The Writing Cooperative

Plain and simple, this is a group of people who want to help each other become better writers. On Writing Cooperative, you will find articles that cover just about every aspect of the writing life. They also have monthly writing challenges to keep you incentivized, and there’s even a space where you can submit your own article to the blog!

24. Writing.com

This is an absolutely all-inclusive community for writers . It’s open to all levels and provides a creative, supportive environment for all members, as well as portfolios to store and display their writing. Like most writing websites, it also includes a plethora of writing tools , contests, and rewards.

25. Catapult: Don’t Write Alone

Don’t Write Alone is a blog written by the Catapult team dedicated to helping writers grow their skills. As a publisher and magazine founded in 2005, Catapult has seen a lot of works and now they’re spilling all the details. From interviews, to craft essays, to writer lifestyle essays, Catapult covers it all.

26. Kirkus Review’s Writers’ Center

Kirkus Review is known for its prestigious $50,000 dollar annual prize and its bi-monthly issues where they critique hundreds of recently published books. But, did you know they also have a section of their website devoted to helping emerging writers grow their skills and navigate the publishing industry? They’re always up to date on the latest trends — if they aren’t creating new trends themselves.

27. Writers Write

An invaluable resource for creative writers, business writers, or bloggers, Writers Write offers over 1400 articles, courses, and workbooks to help you take your writing practice to the next level. Alongside their educational content, they offer book reviews, trivia on famous authors, and prompts. Sign up for their inspirational newsletters for regular hits of motivation that will keep you writing.

28. The Narrative Arc

Beginning as a home to Andie R. Cranford’s writing journey, The Narrative Arc is now a treasure trove of practical tips and prompts to inspire your creativity. Breakdowns of popular books are particularly handy for the budding author — but whether exploring writing for the first time or tightening the bolts on your Franken-novel, the site's ideas on craft are elegant and inspiring.

Best writing websites in the publishing industry

29. Agent Query

This database allows authors to perform in-depth searches for literary agents . You can narrow your search by genre and keywords, view agents’ full profiles, and see if they are currently accepting queries — all for free!

30. The Creative Penn

Besides being a bestselling author on various topics, Joanna Penn is also a leading voice in self-publishing . On her punnily named site, you’ll find abundant information related to writing, self-publishing, marketing, and everything else you mind need to make a living as a writer.

31. Digital Pubbing

Digital Pubbing provides industry news, interviews with indie authors, and resources for learning all about ebooks and the publishing industry. In accordance with the name, this is the perfect site for any author hoping to absorb some serious digital knowledge.

32. The Independent Publishing Magazine

We know it might seem like we're repeating ourselves, but this website really is all about publishing (both independent and traditional, despite what the name indicates). Whatever info you need about self-publishing, trad pub, or hybrid publishing , you’ll definitely be able to find it here.

33. Publishers Weekly

And if you have a specific question about the publishing world, you’ll most likely find the answer here. This weekly magazine is packed full of news, reviews, announcements, and many other resources on the industry. It has been dubbed as "the Bible of the book business" and with its extensive archive, it’s easy to see why.

34. Publishing Perspectives

Publishing Perspectives is another leading source of publishing info, specializing in industry news and topical articles. Aimed at publishers, agents , and authors alike, it features a variety of posts that cover book fairs, distribution, education, and much more.

35. Query Shark

Not sure where your query letter is up to snuff? Query Shark offers the opportunity to have your query critiqued, and to read detailed query critiques of other authors' letters, so you can get the best possible results for your book. Be warned, though, that this sharp-toothed feedback isn't for the weak of heart.

36. Writer Beware

This amazingly thorough site compiles information on schemes and scams that affect authors , especially those run through email and the Internet. It’s sponsored by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, but obviously applies to authors everywhere. If you're a fresh-faced author trying to get published, definitely check it out — it could save you from losing thousands of dollars in an elaborate scam.

37. The Darling Axe

When the industry professionals at The Darling Axe aren’t working on manuscripts, they flock to the internet to share their hot takes on the publishing industry. They also host writing contests throughout the year to build a writing community and give unpublished authors the chance to get feedback from professionals.

Best writing websites for marketing and design

38. David Gaughran

An experienced author of historical adventures, short stories, and popular books for writers , David Gaughran is one of the definitive writing experts out there. His eponymous blog contains plenty of info on marketing and self-publishing, plus workshops to help aspiring authors. And similar to Writer Beware, he's the noble opposition of online publishing scams and scammers — so if you're frustrated by these issues, you'll discover a blissfully sympathetic voice on his blog.

39. Kikolani

Focused specifically on marketing, Kikolani offers tips and strategies for bloggers who want to grow their presence and attract more readers. Here you’ll find information on brand development , social media, customer retention, and other useful tips that you can put to good use as a blogger. (If you're just getting started, though, we'd recommend this course .)

40. Kindlepreneur

Dave Chesson is — in his own words — a “digital marketing nut.” His blog has all the information you could ever need about Kindle book publishing , how to write to market, increasing your rankings on Amazon, and lots more practical tips and advice.

41. Storiad

Storiad is a marketing platform that helps authors and publishers sell books. Go here for essential information on writing apps , databases, tools, and budgeting to help you run your own publishing campaign from start to finish.

42. Writers & Artists

Part of the distinguished Bloomsbury, Writers & Artists has quite a few articles on writing and the self-publishing process. They also offer editorial services and events on many different topics, like genre-specific writing courses and how to get connected with agents .

43. Your Writer Platform

Naturally, this site is dedicated to building your very own writer platform. There are tons of tips, resources, tools, how-tos, and even individual consulting services to help you build the platform that works best for you and your marketing needs.

Best writing blogs by industry professionals

44. Goins, Writer

Bestselling author Jeff Goins created this blog to share his thoughts on writing and to inspire others to chase their creative dreams. He's especially good at breaking complex topics down into digestible bits — new writers, go here for your primers.

45. Jane Friedman

With copious experience in the publishing industry, Jane Friedman offers online classes and articles on the entire process of book publishing. She's a real goldmine of business knowledge, so keep her in mind for when you're ready to publish your book.

46. Nail Your Novel

As a bestselling former ghostwriter who now publishes under her own name, Roz Morris provides advice about writing, self-publishing, and of course, ghostwriting . If you're interested in becoming a ghostwriter, be sure to check out her courses!

47. Nathan Bransford

Nathan Bransford is a former literary agent who posts all about the inner workings of publishing, as well and information on agents and self-publishing. He also does consultations, edits, and critiques . 

48. Rachelle Gardner

Skillful agent Rachelle Gardner has negotiated over 200 contracts with over twenty publishers and helped more than 100 authors fulfill their dreams of publishing. On her blog, she offers writing, publishing, and social media coaching, along with general writing and publishing tips.

49. Kris Writes

For regular insights from a New York Times bestselling author, look no further than Kristine Kathryn Rusch's blog. On Mondays, she posts free short stories for authors to find inspiration in, and Wednesdays she posts in her “Business Musings” collection where she breaks down news from the publishing industry and offers her inside opinions. 

50. The Marginalian  

Maria Popova describes her site as “a record of my own becoming as a person — intellectually, creatively, spiritually, poetically — drawn from my extended marginalia on the search for meaning across literature, science, art, philosophy, and the various other tendrils of human thought and feeling.” She sends out a Sunday newsletter with thoughtful deconstruction of the week’s best liberal arts goings-on to help broaden her readers’ appreciation of the creative world.

51. John August

For all the screenwriters out there, John August co-hosts a weekly podcast with fellow screenwriter Craig Mazin discussing both the craft and business of screenwriting while breaking down popular movies. To help screenwriters really get a feel for the process of working with a studio, John has posted multiple versions of scripts from different stages in the production process on films and series he’s written, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory , Big Fish , and Chernobyl .

What are some of your favorite writing websites? Let us know in the comments below!

Continue reading

Recommended posts from the Reedsy Blog

How Many Sentences Are in a Paragraph?

From fiction to nonfiction works, the length of a paragraph varies depending on its purpose. Here's everything you need to know.

Narrative Structure: Definition, Examples, and Writing Tips

What's the difference between story structure and narrative structure? And how do you choose the right narrative structure for you novel?

What is the Proust Questionnaire? 22 Questions to Write Better Characters

Inspired by Marcel Proust, check out the questionnaire that will help your characters remember things past.

What is Pathos? Definition and Examples in Literature

Pathos is a literary device that uses language to evoke an emotional response, typically to connect readers with the characters in a story.

How to Start a Children’s Book: Coming Up with Your Big Idea

If you've ever dreamed of writing a children's book but aren't sure where to start, check out this post to learn more about how you can create the perfect story for kids.

How to Become a Travel Writer in 5 Steps: A Guide for Travel Bugs

If you want to get paid to share your adventures, learn how to become a travel writer with these five tips.

Join a community of over 1 million authors

Reedsy is more than just a blog. Become a member today to discover how we can help you publish a beautiful book.

Bring your stories to life

Use our free writing app to finally write — and publish — that book!

1 million authors trust the professionals on Reedsy. Come meet them.

Enter your email or get started with a social account:

Become a Bestseller

Follow our 5-step publishing path.

Fundantals of Fiction & Story

Bring your story to life with a proven plan.

Market Your Book

Learn how to sell more copies.

Edit Your Book

Get professional editing support.

Author Advantage Accelerator Nonfiction

Grow your business, authority, and income.

Author Advantage Accelerator Fiction

Become a full-time fiction author.

Author Accelerator Elite

Take the fast-track to publishing success.

Take the Quiz

Let us pair you with the right fit.

Free Copy of Published.

Book title generator, nonfiction outline template, writing software quiz, book royalties calculator.

Learn how to write your book

Learn how to edit your book

Learn how to self-publish your book

Learn how to sell more books

Learn how to grow your business

Learn about self-help books

Learn about nonfiction writing

Learn about fiction writing

How to Get An ISBN Number

A Beginner’s Guide to Self-Publishing

How Much Do Self-Published Authors Make on Amazon?

Book Template: 9 Free Layouts

How to Write a Book in 12 Steps

The 15 Best Book Writing Software Tools

The 25 Best Writing Websites for Authors in 2024

POSTED ON Feb 12, 2024

Written by Linda Cartwright

There are many writing websites that are useful hubs of information for aspiring authors of all types and genres.

Apart from the desire to become an author and a bit of determination, what makes a successful writer? According to veterans of the industry, it’s lots of reading, writing, and a supportive community . 

The writing websites in this blog can provide you with all three. So, without further ado and in no particular order, let me introduce these top book writing websites to learn more about the craft, stay up-to-date with industry news, and find fellow writers in your network.

The blog on the best writing websites will cover:

The 25 best writing websites.

Here are our favorite writing websites that can help you perfect your craft:

1. selfpublishing.com

What kind of writing website would we be if we didn't include ourselves in this list of writing websites?

At selfpublishing.com , we are proud of our educational blog and are always creating new content to help writers turn their dream of publishing a book into reality.

If you're looking to improve your writing skills, learn how to self-publish a book , market a book , or even create your own author website – this is the ideal place to learn.

2. Self-Publishing School

Self-Publishing School is the leading educational self-publishing company . It's our second choice for the best writing websites to keep on your radar.

If you're interested in learning all about Amazon self-publishing to how to create an online course to build your author brand, Self-Publishing School produces informational articles, videos, and podcast content on a variety of topics.

In addition, there are several author education programs offered, depending on what your goals look like.

3. Self-Publishing Advice

Self-Publishing Advice is a watchdog community organized by the Alliance of Independent Authors. It aims to protect self-publishing writers from untrustworthy publishers. It also reviews other writing websites (mostly in the independent and self-publishing services spaces).

The site has a collection of reviews on various publishers, with rating scores ranging from “excellent” to “watchdog advisory”. The authors themselves report dishonest publishers and regularly update their base. However, the site’s usefulness isn’t restricted to that. 

There is also a blog with loads of advice on self-publishing (obviously!), audiobook creation, inspiration, and everything of interest to an indie author.

4. The Book Designer

Joel Friedlander is a graphic designer with an extensive background in book design and advertising. He has created The Book Designer , which is a treasure trove of articles on book marketing, self-publishing, and, of course, book design (including book covers , typography basics, and text layout).

His series “eBook Cover Design Awards” is particularly instructive, since every nominated book cover is dissected with respect to genre aesthetics, intended audience, and all the minute details that can make a difference between a bestseller and an obscure title no one notices.

Even if you don’t create covers yourself, it’s always good to know what to look for when you outsource the task to a designer, which is what makes this one of the best writing websites.

Apart from valuable advice, Friedlander shares free book cover templates, a book launch toolkit, and a media kit for authors to optimize the marketing of your book.

5. Paper Help

Typos are the worst. I have yet to meet a writer who could be 100 percent sure their text was absolutely typo-free, even after rounds of editing. Because it never is.

Authors are notorious for their typo blindness because by the third draft, they know the text like the back of their hand and familiarization handicaps your ability to pick out mistakes.

That’s why we need editors – or at least editing services that will comb through the text for misspelled words and other pesky oopsies. 

Paper Help is a service that specializes in writing and editing of all sorts of papers. If you need a second pair of eyes to go through your manuscript before its debut, it can be a nice low-cost compromise between a literary editor and doing it yourself, which has earned it a spot on our list of the best writing websites.

6. Grammar Girl

Of course, to make your editing less of a struggle, it’s better to make fewer mistakes in the first place. That’s why one has to have go-to writing websites for all things grammar. Mignon Fogarty’s blog is just the right sort of resource for that. 

Grammar Girl is a section on the Quick and Dirty Tips portal devoted to everything that a writer needs to know about spelling and grammar.

You can read your daily dose of nicely summed-up linguistic wisdom and build your competency bit by bit – and have lots of fun in the process.

7. AutoCrit

Okay, with grammar off the table, you still need to edit your drafts with regard to consistency, adverbs, repetition, readability, useless filler words, etc. Here is where AutoCrit comes in.

This is not so much a book writing website, but a word-processing tool with editing features and guidance based on real-world publishing standards.

AutoCrit makes our list of writing websites because it analyzes your text and gives recommendations on how to improve it. For example, it can flag poor dialogue , misuse of adverbs, or relying on clichés. This tool has subscription plans with more robust professional features, but they also offer a free option with essentials that every author needs. 

Plus, the site has a collection of articles with tips about the craft and the business of writing, from adding depth to your characters to DIY proofreading techniques.

8. Janice Hardy’s Fiction University

Janice Hardy, a teen fantasy novelist, is the founder of Fiction University . With the help of fellow writers and guest contributors, she has amassed more than 2,500 articles on fiction writing. They deal with every stage of penning a novel – from brainstorming ideas and developing a story to self-publishing your finished opus.

Starting soon the creators of the website plan to organize workshops where they will introduce some practice to go with the theory. Still, the scope of the material on the website is impressive as is, making it one of the best writing websites.

Fiction University is comprehensively organized by relevant topics, making it a true writing encyclopedia and a go-to place for anyone who starts their writing career or simply wishes to improve their skills.

9. 750 Words

You know what makes you a better writer? More writing. 750 Words is a simple website for writers that has just one goal – helping you to build a good habit of writing every day. 

You have probably heard about the technique called “morning pages”. Morning pages are three pages of text (or 750 words) that you write, preferably in the morning to get everything distracting out of your head and shift focus on putting thoughts into words.

With gamification devices like badges and competitiveness (via anonymous statistics), 750 Words encourages you to stick to a schedule and write those pages every day. It’s minimalistic and private – no one will see your writing but you.

10. Build Book Buzz

Marketing strategy is often overlooked by self-publishing authors. Too bad, even the best books don’t sell themselves.

This website for writers has some tips on how to prepare the launch and how to promote a book when it’s already out and about. The blog section is full of detailed how-to guides on working with beta readers, coming up with promotion strategy, boosting sales via various social media channels, partnering up with influencers, and more.

Build Book Buzz is one of the best writing websites with just the right ratio of figures and statistics vs. insider tips on how to build an online presence.

11. Language is a Virus

With writing games and exercises galore, Language is a Virus makes a perfect playground for word enthusiasts. It never fails to spark imagination and get your creative juices flowing.

From the prompt of the day greeting you on the homepage, to avant-garde techniques of Jack Kerouac and Salvador Dali, this is one of those writing websites that is truly committed to getting you writing.

Poem visualization, surrealistic word definitions, generating reverse poetry from your text, or adding your line to a never-ending story by thousands of other writers – not one bizarrely mesmerizing activity here will leave you indifferent.

So next time you need a little writer's block help , don’t waste your time and head here straight away.

12. Six-Words Memoirs

Six-Word Memoirs is a charming little project with a big goal. It aims to inspire the participants to get to the essence of who they are and what matters most. To do that, they have to answer some pretty existential questions in six words – no more, no less.

This can be quite a challenge even for experienced writers, which means it's a great writing tool to get down to the basics. Sci-fi and fantasy stories in six words, seismic shifts in six words, your personal paradise in six words – a nice exercise in eloquence and one of the best writer’s block remedies I’ve seen. 

13. The Writing Cooperative

The Writing Cooperative is a diverse resource for writers by writers. A piece of advice on any situation under the sun from writer’s block to existential crisis and burnout. Everything is specifically tailored for a fellow writer like yourself, so this is a true hub for diverse topics.

Anyone with something to say can submit a post and the community is quite diverse and supportive. There are also some secrets of the craft shared here, from where it is best to share your writing to why digression can sometimes be a boon for your story. These tips make The Writing Cooperative one of the best writing websites.

14. The Write Life

At first glance, The Write Life seems geared more towards bloggers and freelancers, yet it has much to offer to anyone whose livelihood depends on their writing talent. How to come up with great titles, how to find a critic to improve your text, how to self-publish your book, how to market it, how to hire a freelance editor , how to prevent burnout, and other secrets of the craft.

In the tools section, there are eBooks and courses for writing professionals as well as some handy tools, such as editing apps, invoicing software, marketplaces, and communities for freelance writers.

15. Helping Writers Become Authors

For those of you who have long been creating content for a living but never dipped your toes into long-form prose, Helping Writers Become Authors is a perfect boot camp.

Award-winning author K.M. Weiland tells how to create a compelling character with a story arc, what mistakes authors most often make, how to make readers love every page of your novel, and why even movies falling short of our expectations is always a bad writing problem.

If for some reason blog is not your preferred format, there are instructional eBooks, vlogs, and a podcast.

16. Association of Ghostwriters

If you want to find a ghostwriter or are just curious to know more about this particular specialization, Association of Ghostwriters has answers to your questions. Although it has paid membership plans, lots of valuable information is free for grabs, making it one of the best writing websites.

How to write a memoir , what to do when your work on a big project slows down, and why ghostwriting might be an intermediate step between freelancing and getting a good publishing deal on your own book. If you want to learn how to publish a book traditionally, Association of Ghostwriters has you covered. 

17. NaNoWriMo

NaNoWriMo (National Novel-Writing Month) is an epic creative writing event where participants work towards writing a 50,000-word novel in the month of November. Although professional writers are ambiguous about this marathon, it can work for some authors who understand how speed drafts fit into the entire writing process.

The NaNoWriMo website was created especially for the event. Here you can track your progress, set milestones, and get pep talks and support from other writers in an ever-growing community. There are online and offline events that help you finish your novel.

Whether you are a seasoned writer or an enthusiastic beginner, NaNoWriMo is one of the best writing websites, with inspirational posts, a company of fellow contestants, tips, tools, resources, and encouragement. Just remember, if your word count is lower and you didn’t get that badge – you are still a writer. It’s only a game!

18. Scribophile

Every writer needs feedback to improve, and it’s always better when this feedback is detailed, informed, and comes from someone who knows what they are talking about.

Better still, if you get this feedback before you publish your work and start receiving bad reviews from underwhelmed readers. (That’s what beta-readers and writing workshops are for.)

At Scribophile , you will find a supportive community of writers like yourself. Here, they are willing to give you feedback to improve your text with their critique instead of tearing you down.

If you are still tentative, there are writing tutorials and publishing tips available without even signing in.

Do clichés and passive voice actually have a place in your prose?

How to start writing poetry if you never had done it before?

Come and have a look at one of the best writing websites.

19. Self-Publishing Formula

Mark Dawson is an author who makes a living by self-publishing . On Self-Publishing Formula , he shares his journey with other writers who want to take this path.

Blog posts with valuable tips, resources, and guides are available for everyone and there are free, paid, or limited-access courses you can subscribe to.

Mark also co-hosts weekly free podcasts with James Blatch where they interview top-selling indie authors, successful debutants from traditional publishing , and industry insiders to shed light on the process of publishing and promoting a book independently.

20. Almost An Author

Almost An Author provides a wealth of resources for writers at various stages of their careers. It has new content every day, from writing tips and craft advice to publishing insights and author interviews. You can get genre-specific advice or emotional support to get you through your publishing journey.

21. Creativity Portal

As the name suggests, Creativity Portal is a treasure trove of inspiration and resources for writers looking to tap into their creativity. It offers writing prompts, exercises, and articles on topics like mindfulness and overcoming creative blocks, making it an invaluable resource for writers and one of the best writing websites around.

22. Writer's Digest

Writer's Digest might just have more resources than any of the other writing websites on this list. It's like an encyclopedia of knowledge for writers, after all, the magazine has been around for almost a century! You'll discover a plethora of articles, events, competitions, webinars, templates, tutorials, and various other resources neatly organized by genre and vocation.

23. Insecure Writer's Support Group

Writing can be a solitary and often daunting endeavor, and the Insecure Writer's Support Group aims to provide a supportive community for writers grappling with self-doubt and insecurity.

Through blog posts, forums, and online events, members of the group can connect with fellow writers, share their experiences, and receive encouragement and advice, creating a nurturing environment for writers to grow and thrive.

24. LitReactor

With its focus on the craft and business of writing, LitReactor offers a range of courses, workshops, and articles designed to help writers hone their skills and navigate the publishing industry. Whether you're looking to improve your writing craft, learn about the latest trends in publishing, or connect with other writers, LitReactor provides a valuable platform for writers at all levels.

25. Now Novel

Now Novel is a comprehensive platform that helps writers plan, outline, and write their novels. With tools like step-by-step writing courses, personalized feedback from experienced coaches, and a supportive community of fellow writers, Now Novel provides the structure and guidance that writers need to turn their ideas into finished manuscripts.

Make use of the best websites for writers

So there you have it! Those are 25 writing websites that you should absolutely be following.

Of course, in the sea of online blogs, there are plenty of other valuable writing websites to follow. We just had to choose our favorites.

FREE BOOK OUTLINE TEMPLATE

100% Customizable For Your Manuscript.

Related posts

An author’s guide to 22 types of tones in writing, why (and how) you must find a book writing coach as an author, the best 15 christian books for women to read right now.

Home » Writing » 15 writing websites and online resources to help you write your own story

15 writing websites and online resources to help you write your own story

Just like any craft or task, having the right tools for the job can make writing your own story or short story much easier. There are myriad writing online resources and websites out there to help with every aspect of story writing, from story title ideas and plot development to editing. We’ve picked a few of our favorite websites to help you get started, improve your writing, develop your characters, and learn how to edit your work. Ultimately, we want to help you become a more confident and productive writer. But remember, in addition to writing tools, reading more books is the best way to improve your writing because it exposes you to a wide range of writing styles, vocabulary, and language structures.

Resources for getting started

Nothing strikes fear into the heart of an aspiring author more than the blank page. The endlessly flashing cursor. Even when your head is full to the brim with plot twists and characters, getting it all down on paper in a coherent form is another thing altogether. Luckily, this is a common first hurdle for lots of writers, so hundreds of tools and apps have sprung up—dedicated to helping you gather your thoughts and start writing.

1. Evernote

This bookmarking tool is a great way to collect moments of inspiration and ideas for your story together in one place, where they can be filed and organized, ready to be put to good use. It might be a ‘how to’ article you want to read, a quote that reminds you of one of your characters, or an image that would be the perfect setting for your next scene. Inspiration strikes in the most unexpected of places, but as Evernote is available on pretty much every platform, you can collect notes wherever you are. You can choose to have one notebook that you throw everything into, or you can set up separate notebooks to help you organize your thoughts and ideas as you go. If you’re working on a novel, why not set up separate notebooks for each character or each chapter?

2. NaNoWriMo

November is a special time of year for writers. If you are struggling to get started writing your own story, then joining NaNoWriMo is the perfect opportunity. Confident that anyone can write a novel in just 30 days, NaNoWriMo provides tools, advice, and resources throughout November to help writers do just that. Be spurred on by the hundreds of writers around the world who join across social media and NaNoWriMo forums to cheer each other on and share learnings from their own experiences. All you need to start is a draft title for your book.

3. The Time is Now

Check out this section of Poets & Writers Magazine online to get weekly writing prompts—poetry on Tuesdays, fiction on Wednesdays, and creative nonfiction on Thursdays. It’s a great resource to help you build a daily writing practice, get new ideas, and improve your craft. Most prompts are inspired by specific books, so you can also grow your reading list!

4. Underlined

Formerly known as Figment , Underlined is a website that provides story starters, writing inspiration, and advice from published authors . You can also join a community of aspiring writers, share excerpts of your work, and provide feedback to each other—all valuable parts of the creative life.

Sites for improving your writing

Whether this is your first attempt at writing your own story or you have a few books behind you always, there are always new things to learn and more ways to improve your writing.

5. 750 Words

As with any skill, the best way to improve your writing is practice, practice, practice. Story writing websites like 750 Words or Writer’s Digest’s Creative Writing Prompts , provide daily nudges to get your creative juices flowing. By just writing without an agenda and without judgment, you’ll make writing every day a regular productive habit and steadily build your confidence.

6. Helping Writers Become Authors

The Helping Writers Become Authors podcast recourse hosted by award-winning author, K.M. Weiland, offers practical tips and advice on story writing from structure and plot to character identity and honing your craft as a writer.

7. Grammar Girl

Get to grips with the quirks of language and the rules of good grammar with this entertaining and hugely useful podcast. Popular Grammar Girl episodes include “Affect Versus Effect” and “Active Voice & Passive Voice.”

Resources for developing your characters

We’re betting you have more than one favorite character from more than one book. Characters like Elizabeth Bennett, Albus Dumbledore, and Bilbo Baggins live on in reader’s minds long after they’ve turned the final page. Your characters should become like old friends, that you know inside and out, to add depth and humanity to your story.

8. Writer’s Digest – Character Development Sheets

Subscribing to the Writer’s Digest mailing list gets you access to this free worksheet designed to flesh out each of your characters. Working through a series of questions, you’ll develop their key hopes, fears, and skills, their personality quirks, how they might act in different situations, and how all of this will be revealed to the reader throughout your story.

9. The Write Practice – Characterization 101

This free course from The Write Practice guides you through seven key steps to creating memorable characters, covering important character archetypes, character motivations, how not to introduce a character to your story, and much more.

Resources for editing, reviewing, (and repeating it)

In addition to proofreading for spelling, language, and grammar errors, two other forms of editing should form part of your review process. Developmental editing, which is editing for the structure, flow, and consistency of your story, and substantive editing, which is concerned with clarity, accuracy, and reader comprehension.

When your manuscript or first draft is complete, let it sit a while before reviewing. It also helps to have a second and third set of eyes on your work. Even better, if budget allows, employing the skills of a professional editor can give your story the polished finish it deserves.

10. Grammarly

Available as a Google Chrome extension, Grammarly works across your web pages as you write to help you catch common writing errors. It will highlight and fix grammar, punctuation, and contextual spelling mistakes. The premium version can also suggest alternative vocabulary choices.

Remember not to rely on online spell checks alone to proofread your work. Always give your text a thorough sense check yourself, too.

11. Hemingway Editor

As the name suggests, Hemingway Editor is an online editing tool and website that will help make your writing clearer, bolder, and more direct—just like the author it’s named after. Simply copy and paste your text into the tool to check for overly complex sentences, overuse of adverbs, and the passive voice. It will also highlight instances where a shorter word could serve the same purpose.

Every writer needs a good editor, and the Reedsy website only works with the best. Their hand-picked, experienced, professional editors can review your story development, structure, consistency, and style, helping to perfect and polish your manuscript. Reedsy also offers a tool to easily  write and format a book , the same way a professional typesetter would.

Resources for promoting your writing

13. wattpad.

Use this storytelling platform to connect with writers and readers around the world, build an audience, and even get discovered. On Wattpad , you start by sharing a story, and then if you build a big enough fan base, you may have a chance to work with entertainment companies and publishers looking to feature your work.

On this writing and reading hub, you’ll find stories, articles, and inspiration that are curated to your taste, written by people like us. Want to share your own writing, photos, or videos? You can do that on Medium —and potentially earn money. The platform lets you see how your stories are performing and what kinds of readers like your writing, plus it offers tips for starting a newsletter, submitting to publications, and curating your work.

15. FictionPress

If you’re interested in getting feedback on your own work—and browsing an archive of self-published short stories, fiction, and poetry—see what’s happening at FictionPress (a sister site to FanFiction ). You can upload your own writing for free and let other people review it. Sometimes all you need is a little motivation and support from like-minded writers to keep you on track toward your writing goals.

From collecting inspiration to the final finishing touches, there’s a whole world of tools , websites, support, and advice out there to help you with every stage of writing your own story and making your own book. But, when it comes down to it, the thing that will make the most difference is you. You have all the tools you need. Now write!

Novels , Reedsy

This post doesn't have any comment. Be the first one!

This is a unique website which will require a more modern browser to work! Please upgrade today!

This is a modern website which will require Javascript to work.

Please turn it on!

Book Writing Software (2024): Top 10 for Writers

by Joe Bunting | 20 comments

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 tool, a piece of book writing software, that would make it easier to reach my writing goals.”

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 software, we have the best resources to help you finish your book, like this book idea worksheet , which will get you started on your book in just a few minutes. Get your free copy here. )

In this article, we 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.

Best Writing Software: Contents

• Google Docs
• Google Sheets OR Microsoft Excel
• ProWritingAid
• Publisher Rocket
• Microsoft Word
• Bonus: Note Taking Apps
• Bonus: Google Drive OR Dropbox

Worst Pieces of Software for Writing a Book

Before we discuss writing software that will help you write a beautiful book, it'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 (always, always, always!) but also Solitaire, Sudoku, Angry Birds, Star Wars Galaxy of Heroes, and Wild Rift/League of Legends.

• Facebook, TikTok, and Other Social Media Software.  Do I really need to say more? Fortunately there'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 you writing time publishing social media posts.
• Other Productive Software Not Directly Associated With Your Writing.  Yes, it's good to reconcile your bank account on Quickbooks or make sure you're up to date on your calendar app, but responsible, well-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 game, make writing your daily word count your game. If you want more “likes” on social media, imagine how great getting five-star reviews on your book will be.

If you need to check your bank balance several times a day, think about what your bank balance will be when you stop checking it constantly, finish your book, and 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

First, there 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. Still, these ten book writing software options can help. Take a look at the pros and cons of each:

1. 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 modes, allowing you to view book chapters, sections, or 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 writing, and has templates for novels, nonfiction books, screenplays, and more.

You can read our  full Scrivener review here .

To be fair, Scrivener also has its weaknesses. Formatting is more complicated than it needs to be and collaborating isn't easy, meaning it loses its effectiveness as soon as you bring on an editor (we recommend Google Docs for collaborating).

You can sync with your iPhone/iPad, but only through Dropbox, making it not as easy as it should be. It also has something of a learning curve, especially for its advanced features. But it more than makes up for that by being so helpful in the early stages of the writing process. Again, here 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 much, we published a book about how creative writers can write more 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 creative writing, you can  get Scrivener Superpowers here . You can also learn more about how to use the software with one of these resources:

• Scrivener Superpowers  by M.G. Herron
• 3 Reasons I Love Scrivener
• Microsoft Word vs. Scrivener

Cost: $59.99 for Windows, Mac

Scrivener  is the premier book writing app made by writers  for  writers. It's powerful set of tools allow you to write, organize, edit, and 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

2. Dabble (Word Processor)

Similar to Scrivener, Dabble is a word processor that gives you the power to organize and rearrange scenes and chapters using drag and drop, manage your word count goals to keep to a deadline, and 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 needed, find plot holes easily, and make notes on each plot point as detailed as you like. 

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 note, or 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 browser, on your phone, or in the desktop app. As you're writing, you can make notes and comments.

Don’t want to type? You can dictate. And when you’re done writing, there’s a Read to Me feature that reads your manuscript to you!

Cost : Subscription plans range from $10/month to $20/month; Lifetime access cost is $499; 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 drop, manage your word count goals to keep to a deadline, and 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

3. Google Docs (Word Processing)

While Scrivener and Dabble are a great book  writing  software, once you get to editing and getting feedback, it begins to fall short. That's why Google Docs has become my go-to piece of book writing software for collaborating with editors, beta readers, and other writers.

It's free, easy to use, and requires no backups since everything is in the cloud.

Best of all are its collaboration abilities, which allow you to invite your editor to the document and then watch as they make changes, which are tracked in suggestion mode, and 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 binder, but it makes navigating your book much easier.

While not the best for brainstorming, writing, or organizing your book, Google Docs, the free word processor available in Google Drive, is the single best word processor for collaborating with co-writers, beta readers, or editors.

• Real-time collaboration with editors, beta readers, or other writers
• Suggestion mode
• Outline View
• 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 spreadsheet, I would have told you I didn't major in English to have to use a spreadsheet.

But now, as I'm finishing my fifteenth book, I realize that I use spreadsheets almost daily. Spreadsheets allow you to get a sense of the elements of your book at a glance, and when you're working on a 300-page document, distilling it down to useable information becomes very necessary.

You might use spreadsheets for:

• Character tracking
• Breakdown of scenes
• A Foolscap/Beat sheet

Google Sheets is perfect for this because it's free and you can quickly share your documents with your writing partners, editors, or beta readers to get feedback.

Microsoft Excel is another great option, but Excel lacks the real-time editing with other users and is overall lacking in the collaboration functions. Still, if you already have Excel, it's a great way to quickly get started plotting your book or managing your project.

• Real-time Collaboration : Work with editors, beta readers, or co-authors in real-time.
• Speed : It's fast and responsive, which 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 mode, the overall experience is better with an internet connection.

• Familiar : If you already own or have used Microsoft Office, it should be familiar to you.
• Advanced Feature : Excel is slightly more powerful than Google Sheets (although for most writing related tasks, you will likely not need advanced features).
• Offline Access : Unlike Google Sheets, Excel doesn't require an internet connection, which is handy for working on-the-go.
• Cost : Unlike Google Sheets which is free, Excel comes with a cost as part of the Microsoft 365 Office Suite.
• Collaboration : Although Excel has collaborative features, they're more streamlined in Google Sheets.

5. Vellum (Book Formatting/Word Processing)

If you want to turn your book into an eBook, it's not that hard. Scrivener, Word, Pages, they all can format eBooks and print books. But that doesn't mean they'll look good. In fact, it 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 Scrivener, Word, and Pages leave off, giving you a tool to make great looking eBooks and print books, usually 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 Kindle, Fire, iPhone, Nook, and other eReaders.

It also has stripped-down, option-based formatting, which 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 books, often within an hour. It features a book previewer which allows you to see how your book will look on various eReaders and in print, and offers a simplified, option-based formatting to format beautiful books faster.

• Ease of Use: Easy to navigate and use, even for inexperienced writers.
• Quick Formatting: The simplified, option-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 Sudlow, our in-house editor, she'll tell you, “If you don’t have access to an editor (or if you do, but you don’t want to hire them to edit your emails or Facebook posts), software that performs grammar checks like  ProWritingAid  is an accessible, affordable alternative.”

If you struggle with grammar mistakes, sentence structure, spelling, or even writing style, ProWritingAid can help. It goes far beyond your built-in spellcheck. You should still learn grammar skills, but 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 processor, so you can check your grammar wherever you write.

The paid version, just $96 a year with our discount link (33 percent less than Grammarly ‘s price), gives you additional support on sentence structure, style, and vocabulary. Learn more about how writers can get the most out of ProWritingAid here .

• Grammar and Style Correction: Gives "as-you-type" grammar corrections as well as comprehensive style analysis to help you write clearer, more engaging prose.
• Writing Insights: You can learn a lot about your writing style with their detailed reports on readability, sentence structure, and more.
• Integration: You can integrate it with nearly any other writing tool or word processor..
• Subscription Cost: While more affordable than other options, there is a subscription cost for for full access.
• Overwhelming Feedback: Not all the feedback is useful, and without knowledge of the book writing process, you 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 robust, the 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 style-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 questions, Publisher 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 with 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 example, books 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 tool, perfect for anyone working on a book.

We also like KD Spy, another Amazon research tool (check out our review here ). You can compare and contrast the two tools below:

• 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 make, historically).
• 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 Amazon, may 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 usage, not a standalone software.
• Basic Keyword Tools: Keyword functionalities are quite basic compared to Publisher Rocket.
• Dependent on Amazon : Insights are tailored for Amazon, may not apply to other platforms.

8. Atticus (Book Formatting/Word Processing)

Once you've  written  your book, how do you turn it into something people can actually  read ? If you're self-publishing, you 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 publishing, including print and eBook formats.

But Atticus is more that just a formatter. It's an all-in-one solution for writers, giving you the organization features of Scrivener, the cloud collaboration features of Google Docs,  and  the book formatting abilities of Vellum. Yes, that's just as cool as it sounds!

It also works on all platforms, whether you're working on Windows, Mac, Chromebook, or even Linux. While I still love and use Vellum (see below), the benefit of Atticus is that it works for everyone, not just Mac users. Learn more about Atticus in my full review.

• All-in-One Solution : Combines writing and formatting capabilities seamlessly.
• Multi-Platform Availability : Available on PC, Mac, Linux, and Chromebook.
• Cost-Effective : Priced lower than some competitors like Vellum while offering similar capabilities

Cons: 

• Learning Curve : While intuitive, mastering advanced features may require some time.
• New Software : Being relatively new, it might have fewer features compared to established software, with 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 authors, with collaboration tools between authors, editors, and book designers, to take your book from idea to finished, publishable product.

9. 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 article, but as far as using writing software to encourage focus goes, I recommend Freedom. It's my favorite writing tool for a distraction-free writing experience.

Freedom allows you to enter focus mode, blocking your biggest distractions, including both websites and mobile apps, for a set period of time. So when you mindlessly escape your book to scroll through Facebook, you'll find the site won't load.

You can also schedule recurring sessions, so 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 blocklist, even if you try.

There are other apps like this that we've written about before, notably Self-Control for Mac and StayFocused for Windows. But Freedom goes further, allowing you to block sites on both your computer  and  your phone, and enabling recurring sessions.

You can learn more about  how writers can get the most out of Freedom on our review here .

Freedom is a productivity app that can help writers in stay focused by blocking distracting websites and mobile apps for a designated period or during specific schedules, like during your morning writing time.

• Distraction Blocking : Helps you concentrate on writing by blocking distractions.
• Scheduled Focus Sessions : Schedule your focus mode in advance for recurring undistracted writing sessions.
• Mobile Device Syncing : Getting it working with mobile devices can be a bit challenging.
• Bypass Possibility : It's possible to find ways around its blockers if one tries hard enough.

Cost: $29 / year for Pro version, which I use and recommend (there's also a free trial available)

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 book, it might be an excuse to avoid doing the hard work of writing.

Most of us learned how to use computers by using Microsoft Word, or a program like it. Word gets the job done. Sure, Scrivener is a little better for books, but 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 grows, it becomes more and more difficult to work with, whereas with Scrivener, it becomes easier—but the point is, if Word is what you have, don't let that stop you from finishing your book.

You don't need a fancy tool to plan a book in the early stages, like if you draft a character description for your protagonist, or in the editing stages, like 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 be, it 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 books, it provides a familiar platform for writers to create, share, and review their work.

• Familiar Interface : Known and used by many, making 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 set, it lacks specialized tools for book writing included with applications like Scrivener or Dabble.
• Lack of Real-Time Collaboration : While it offers some collaboration features, it falls short in real-time collaborative editing compared to some cloud-native applications like Google Docs.

Cost: $69 / year with Microsoft 365 (includes Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook, and other Microsoft software)

Note:  Another word processor we can't recommend is yWriter, which while it has a cult following and was designed by a fellow novelist, 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 session and going to save your work, then your computer crashes and you discover you've lost your best writing. It's enough to send any writer into the throes of grief and depression. There's a simple solution, though: save a copy of ALL your writing to the cloud using Google Drive, Dropbox, or BOTH.

Here's my process:  I have all my Scrivener book files saved on a folder on Google Drive on my computer. Then, Scrivener automatically backs up every few minutes to a Dropbox folder. That way, I know I will always have the document I need, no matter what happens. Best of all, both of these apps have free plans, making 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

Sign up for Google Drive here »

Sign up for Dropbox here »

BONUS #2: iOS Notes OR Evernote OR Ulysses OR Bear (Note Taking)

When I'm writing for a long time, I like to get up and go for a walk. Sometimes, I wish I could continue writing while I walk. Other times, I find myself brainstorming ideas while I'm not at my computer, typing it up on my phone, and 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 Notes, Ulysses ,  Evernote , and  Bear  are note taking apps that allow you to sync between all your devices, so you have what you need wherever you are, 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 devices, their 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 Scrivener, they all have a binder-like sidebar that allows you to move documents around. None of them are designed specifically for books, so they may take a little configuring to make it work for you, but once you have one set up the way you want, it's very intuitive.

And while I hate Markdown, a markup language that allows you to format your text, I actually like the paired-down formatting options Ulysses and Bear give, especially for brainstorming. Overall, I wouldn't convert from Scrivener to any of these apps, but as supplements, they 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

Get the app here »

Evernote  Cost: Free with Paid options

Ulysses Cost: $45 Note: Ulysses is only available for Mac, either in the App Store or from their website.

Bear Cost: $1.49 monthly / $14.99 yearly Note:  Bear is also only available for Mac, either 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 clearly, that your writing makes sense, but 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   adverbs , passive voice , and sentences as units . Hemingway App is useful, but even the best book writing software can’t replace a good editor.

Pros of Hemingway:

• Fast, easy style advice

Cons of Hemingway:

• Somewhat arbitrary advice
• Hemingway himself would fail

Cost: Free!

Try out Hemingway App here »

The 30+ Tools Every Writer Needs

Writing is no different, and while the right software is important, it'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 .

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 friends, tired from the day's work. You begin to tell a story. It's one you've told before, told a hundred times. You can see faces around the fire, the children with their eyes wide, the 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. Instead, storytellers had their imaginations, their voices, and a rapt audience. Y

ou don’t need book writing software to write a great story. Book writing software can make the process a little faster or easier, but the truth is great stories will always exist, no matter what kind of software we have.

The only three things essential to writing a great book:

• Your imagination
• A desire to tell your story

That’s all you need. Do you want to write your book? If you do, then 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 .

The world is full of powerful software to help you write your book. In the end, though, all 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 practice, set 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 progress, or 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 done, share your writing practice in the Pro Practice Workshop . And if you share, be sure to leave feedback for your fellow writers!

Joe Bunting

Joe Bunting is an author and the leader of The Write Practice community. He is also the author of the new book Crowdsourcing Paris , a 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.

Work with Joe Bunting?

WSJ Bestselling author, founder of The Write Practice, and book coach with 14+ years experience. Joe Bunting specializes in working with Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, How To, Literary Fiction, Memoir, Mystery, Nonfiction, Science Fiction, and Self Help books. Sound like a good fit for you?

20 Comments

Dragon NaturallySpeaking software. Following a comprehensive beat sheet (created in a screenwriting format), I dictate into MS Word. Grammarly sits to the side. 1000-2000 words a day. Requires a larger screen (mine is a modest 24″) and some computing horsepower. Very effective.

Good one! Personally I use dictation every once in a while, but it’s not my thing. Glad it’s working for you!

I just purchased ProWriting Aid. Its editor, grammar, sentence structure and readability scales. There’s a free app but i wanted the pro. I’m excited about this. I’ve had scrivener on my computer for 2 years and still use word. Learning Scrivener is overwhelming to me.

My practice from my current WIP:

“Please, Captain, may we take his body? Merk did have family.” Harper twisted his cloak in his hands.

“Aye. Do that.” Adam walked to the door, tapping the flat of the sword against his hand as he walked, doing his best to insure the blade touched the plate as little as possible. As he passed the bar, he grabbed the waiting pitcher of ale.

Outside, he found Carter leaning against the tavern wall, staring up at the moon. Without looking over, Carter spoke. “Come to arrest me?”

Adam snorted and passed him the pitcher. “No. Not for killing that filth. You know why his bounty was so high so quickly, right?”

Carter took a sip of the ale. “He carried it with him.”

“Gods, no. He built it entirely here.” Adam leaned against the wall of the building opposite of Carter. He pulled a small pouch and rolled a cigarette. “He killed the governor’s daughter in an argument.”

Carter looked over at his friend. “I thought the Thieves’ Guild didn’t go for killing?” “They don’t. They only took him on as a favor to his previous guild.”

“Let me guess: Assassins.”

Adam pointed at Carter. “Got it first try.”

He offered the cigarette to Carter who declined with a raised hand. Putting it between his lips, he patted his pockets. Carter leaned forward and snapped his fingers, producing a flame for the cigarette. Adam drew in a bit of smoke and nodded at his friend.

“Thanks.” He exhaled a pleasant smelling ring of smoke and glanced at Carter’s empty hand. “You can do magic now?”

“No.” Carter shook his head. “This is due to a minor cantrip on a scroll.”

This was cool and pulled me right into the story. Good work!

My personal favorite is Microsoft Word. It’s easy to use and I’m comfortable with it.

Here’s my practice. I’d appreciate comments/feedback! —

Julia finally slammed into the ground at the bottom of the steps. Swallowing back a sob, she pushed up on her hands and knees and cringed at the shooting pain in her shoulder, which had taken the brunt of the fall.

“Get back here, you little brat,” Sean shouted behind her.

A gasp shuddered into her lungs and she leapt to her feet and broke into a sprint up the sidewalk. She looked over her shoulder. He was still behind her. He shoved people out of his way and kicked over a baby stroller as he charged toward her.

Julia clamped a hand over her mouth as the baby in the stroller wailed. The woman who’d been pushing the stroller righted it and hushed the baby, stroking its head.

Julia kept pumping her legs, but nausea swished in her stomach and a sharp ache started in her chest. How could Sean treat people like that?

She’d probably never know the answer.

Cutting down an alleyway, Julia darted through puddles from the recent rain and chugged quick breaths.

Sean’s yelling voice echoed behind her. “When I get my hands on you I’m going to finish what I started.”

Breathing hard, she yanked herself to a stop by the rung of a ladder and lunged onto it, taking the rungs two at a time. She was shaking. Sean had tried to hurt her once. She wouldn’t let him do it again. Not without fighting back this time.

The ladder quivered and she stopped climbing to stare down between her shoes. Sean ascended, his hands quick on the rungs, his cold blue eyes swallowing her.

A gulp of air rolled down her throat and she pulled herself up faster. She kept her eyes focused high, fixing them on the handles at the top of the ladder. Memories slid their tentacles into her mind. Images of Sean looming over her, holding her down. Her own voice pleading.

Tears welled in Julia’s eyes and she blinked them away. She just had to focus on going up. To the roof. Once she reached it, she could either go into the building through a roof entrance or she could jump to the next building. She’d make it. She had to.

Julia curled her tired, chafed fingers around the vertical handles at the top of the ladder and hauled herself up onto the roof.

Then a hand clamped around her ankle.

I personally use a combination of my notebook, Google docs, Grammarly, Hemmingway editor, and thoughts and critiques from my writing friends. Best thing about paper: it doesn’t have internet.

So true! I find that I can write faster on a computer, but I love the focus you get from writing on paper.

It helps me, sometimes, I think, to feel the words as I write them, which I don’t get when I type. It does make it more of a pain to edit, though it does make it harder to permanently delete whole sections of writing and start over from scratch.

I use Scrivener to write and format my books and recommend it though the learning curve is steep if you want to take full advantage of all its features. But I would recommend the following items.

Pro Writing Aid does so much more than Grammarly. Checks for style, diction, overused words, and things I’d never even heard of before I started using it. there is a free version but the paid version which syncs with Scrivener is a less expensive subscription than Grammarly.

Excel is so limited. I’d recommend Airtable. It is far more flexible and I use it for everything from characters, to accounting, to research, tracking promotions, reviews and more. There are templates for authors. It is intuitive and will do just about anything you want. Support is excellent. Airtable is has a free version (which is all I need), sharable and collaborative.

Then there is Aeon Timeline for plotting and planning. It helps keep your story in order. It is flexible, customizable, and syncs with both Scrivener and Ulysses. It is not expensive and not a subscription, pay once and it is yours.

Rescue time has a free version that helps you track your time spent on various tasks and websites and is useful to prove to the IRS that you are indeed a full time author.

I use all these things daily in my writing. Check them out. They will probably help you too.

I would recommend using FocusWriter to block out any notifications and other programs which are running

Thanks for the great article. I use Google Docs right now and will check into some of the resources you recommended. I am an Astrologer and am writing my first basic Astrology book. I wasn’t clear whether the free handout for novelists would be appropriate for this project, and would appreciate your feedback.

The Hemmingway App no longer free. But $19.99 isn’t much to pay.

Wattpad (which isn’t on the list) is a very good writing site.

Have you had a look at The Novel Factory? Full disclosure, it’s made by me and my tiny team – but it’s starting to really get traction as we get so much positive feedback about how it’s helped people make progress like never before…

Another one you might like to try is http://wavemaker.co.uk It’s new and helps with the planning stages in particular. Disclaimer- I wrote it, but thought you’d like to have a look at least.

For free versions, try One Note. I’ve been using it for years.

I want to write a technical book that would be formatted such that it would be like a textbook and have horizontal bars that would separate topics. I need the ability to repeat essential elements of techniques repeatedly and denote them in various fashions. Any software come to mind for that?

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

• Best Book Writing Software: Word vs. Scrivener - […] this post, we’re going to look closely at two of the best pieces of book writing software: Microsoft Word…
• Best Book Writing Software: How to Plan a Novel Using Excel - The Write Practice - […] just as important. Before I wrote my first novel, if you’d told me that an important part of my…
• Best Book Writing Software: Grammarly Versus Hemingway - The Write Practice - […] and catch a few errors, but what if you’ve reached the end of your grammar prowess? Need some book…
• Announcing Scrivener Superpowers, Our New Book - […] better. You might have even tried Scrivener, the top word processor for writers (and our favorite book writing software), hoping…
• Announcing Our Latest Book, Scrivener Superpowers, Now in Paperback | Creative Writing - […] better. You might have even tried Scrivener, the top word processor for writers (and our favorite book writing software), hoping…
• 9 Writing Apps for the Modern Writer | Diwa Daily - […] “Book Writing Software: Top 10 Pieces of Software for Writers” via The Write Practice […]
• Book writing software: Top 10 pieces of software for writers – LOVE INDIE ROMANCE - […] Book writing software: Top 10 pieces of software for writers […]
• 2017 Was a Great Year for Writers! - […] Book Writing Software: Top 10 Pieces of Software for Writers […]
• 2017 Was a Great Year for Writers! – Art of Conversation - […] Book Writing Software: Top 10 Pieces of Software for Writers […]
• Best Book Writing Software: How to Organize Your Writing so You Never Lose It Again - […] programs and platforms to the point that it took me an hour to find a snippet I wanted to…
• How to Write a Book Using Microsoft Word - […] important thing about writing a book is actually writing it. No fancy software is going to help you with…
• How to Write a Book Series Without Messing Things Up - […] building out the world and thinking through long character arches, but I’m trying to stay more organized and […]
• How to Write and Publish a Book for Free - […] this may be the most difficult step. Not because the tools aren’t available and easily accessible; but rather because…
• 10 Obstacles to Writing a Book and How to Conquer Them - […] Looking for more software options? Check out all our book writing software recommendations here. […]
• Publisher Rocket Review: Will This Help You Sell More Books? (2019) - […] where Publisher Rocket, a powerful piece of book marketing software, comes in. What is Publisher Rocket, and will it…
• Publisher Rocket Review: Will This Help You Sell More Books? (2019) – Books, Literature & Writing - […] where Publisher Rocket, a powerful piece of book marketing software, comes in. What is Publisher Rocket, and will it…
• Write a Great Memoir: How to Start (and Actually Finish) Your First Draft - […] the way, this is one reason I love Scrivener, my favorite book writing software, because it allows you to…
• How to Create a Character Sketch Using Scrivener - […] is a writing program and word processor designed specifically by writers, for writers. If you’re working on a […]
• Best Black Friday 2019: Book Writing Deals - […] The Write Practice, we have long been tracking the best tools for writers and writing software. The cool thing…
• Freytag’s Pyramid: Definition, Examples, and How to Use this Dramatic Structure in Your Writing - […] the plot of your own stories. We’ll also look at how to use Scapple, a great piece of book…
• Freytag’s Pyramid: Definition, Examples, and How to Use this Dramatic Structure in Your Writing – Books, Literature & Writing - […] the plot of your own stories. We’ll also look at how to use Scapple, a great piece of book…
• 12 Best Apple Pc (Word Cpu) Composing Apps For 2020 (No Cost + Paid) – Zlodeji - […] to Hemingway App […]
• Microsoft Word vs. Google Docs For Writing - Bittergreen Writer - […] There’s Pages, Freedom, Ulysses, and Vellum (good for writing eBooks) and many more. Click here for a list of…
• How to Write a Story: The 10 Best Secrets - […] Then, start your next one. There’s no shortcut besides this: keep writing. Even using the best book writing software…
• Best Writing Tools for Students in 2020 – X herald - […] there is no way to describe it. If you want to read some more about the best writing tools…
• Best Writing Tools for Students in 2020 – X herald – Sundaqq – Financial News - […] there is no way to describe it. If you want to read some more about the best writing tools…
• Best Writing Tools for Students in 2020 – X herald – Enalid - […] there is no way to describe it. If you want to read some more about the best writing tools…
• Writing Practice - The List Post Chronicle - […] Then, start your next one. There’s no shortcut besides this: keep writing. Even using the best book writing software or tools…
• Book Writing Software: Atticus Review - […] is not only for book formatting. It’s a solid piece of book writing software as well, […]

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Submit Comment

Join over 450,000 readers who are saying YES to practice. You’ll also get a free copy of our eBook 14 Prompts :

Popular Resources

Book Writing Tips & Guides Creativity & Inspiration Tips Writing Prompts Grammar & Vocab Resources Best Book Writing Software ProWritingAid Review Writing Teacher Resources Publisher Rocket Review Scrivener Review Gifts for Writers

Books By Our Writers

You've got it! Just us where to send your guide.

Enter your email to get our free 10-step guide to becoming a writer.

You've got it! Just us where to send your book.

Enter your first name and email to get our free book, 14 Prompts.

Want to Get Published?

Enter your email to get our free interactive checklist to writing and publishing a book.

Related Topics

• Types of Writers
• How to Become a Writer
• Author Overview
• Document Manager Overview
• Screenplay Writer Overview
• Technical Writer Career Path
• Technical Writer Interview Questions
• Technical Writer Salary
• Google Technical Writer Interview Questions
• How to Become a Technical Writer
• UX Writer Career Path
• Google UX Writer
• UX Writer vs Copywriter
• UX Writer Resume Examples
• UX Writer Interview Questions
• UX Writer Skills
• How to Become a UX Writer
• UX Writer Salary
• Google UX Writer Overview
• Google UX Writer Interview Questions
• Technical Writing Certifications
• Grant Writing Certifications
• UX Writing Certifications
• Proposal Writing Certifications
• Content Design Certifications
• Knowledge Management Certifications
• Medical Writing Certifications
• Grant Writing Classes
• Business Writing Courses
• Technical Writing Courses
• Content Design Overview
• Documentation Overview
• User Documentation
• Process Documentation
• Technical Documentation
• Software Documentation
• Knowledge Base Documentation
• Product Documentation
• Process Documentation Overview
• Process Documentation Templates
• Product Documentation Overview
• Software Documentation Overview
• Technical Documentation Overview
• User Documentation Overview
• Knowledge Management Overview
• Knowledge Base Overview
• Publishing on Amazon
• Amazon Authoring Page
• Self-Publishing on Amazon
• How to Publish
• How to Publish Your Own Book
• Document Management Software Overview
• Engineering Document Management Software
• Healthcare Document Management Software
• Financial Services Document Management Software
• Technical Documentation Software
• Knowledge Management Tools
• Knowledge Management Software
• HR Document Management Software
• Enterprise Document Management Software
• Knowledge Base Software
• Process Documentation Software
• Documentation Software
• Internal Knowledge Base Software
• Grammarly Premium Free Trial
• Grammarly for Word
• Scrivener Templates
• Scrivener Review
• How to Use Scrivener
• Ulysses vs Scrivener
• Character Development Templates
• Screenplay Format Templates
• Book Writing Templates
• API Writing Overview
• How to Write a Book
• Writing a Book for the First Time
• How to Write an Autobiography
• How Long Does it Take to Write a Book?
• Do You Underline Book Titles?
• Snowflake Method
• Book Title Generator
• How to Write Nonfiction Book
• How to Write a Children's Book
• How to Write a Memoir
• Mistakes to Avoid When Writing a Book
• How to Write a Book Title
• How to Write a Book Introduction
• How to Write a Dedication in a Book
• How to Write a Book Synopsis
• Business Writing Examples
• Business Writing Skills
• Types of Business Writing
• Dialogue Writing Overview
• Grant Writing Overview
• Medical Writing Overview
• How to Write a Novel
• How to Write a Thriller Novel
• How to Write a Fantasy Novel
• How to Start a Novel
• How Many Chapters in a Novel?
• Mistakes to Avoid When Writing a Novel
• Novel Ideas
• How to Plan a Novel
• How to Outline a Novel
• How to Write a Romance Novel
• Novel Structure
• How to Write a Mystery Novel
• Novel vs Book
• Round Character
• Flat Character
• How to Create a Character Profile
• Nanowrimo Overview
• How to Write 50,000 Words for Nanowrimo
• Camp Nanowrimo
• Nanowrimo YWP
• Nanowrimo Mistakes to Avoid
• Proposal Writing Overview
• Screenplay Overview
• How to Write a Screenplay
• Screenplay vs Script
• How to Structure a Screenplay
• How to Write a Screenplay Outline
• How to Format a Screenplay
• How to Write a Fight Scene
• How to Write Action Scenes
• How to Write a Monologue
• Short Story Writing Overview
• Technical Writing Overview
• UX Writing Overview
• Reddit Writing Prompts
• Romance Writing Prompts
• Flash Fiction Story Prompts
• Dialogue and Screenplay Writing Prompts
• Poetry Writing Prompts
• Tumblr Writing Prompts
• Creative Writing Prompts for Kids
• Creative Writing Prompts for Adults
• Fantasy Writing Prompts
• Horror Writing Prompts
• Book Writing Software
• Novel Writing Software
• Screenwriting Software
• ProWriting Aid
• Writing Tools
• Literature and Latte
• Hemingway App
• Final Draft
• Writing Apps
• Grammarly Premium
• Wattpad Inbox
• Microsoft OneNote
• Google Keep App
• Technical Writing Services
• Business Writing Services
• Content Writing Services
• Grant Writing Services
• SOP Writing Services
• Script Writing Services
• Proposal Writing Services
• Hire a Blog Writer
• Hire a Freelance Writer
• Hire a Proposal Writer
• Hire a Memoir Writer
• Hire a Speech Writer
• Hire a Business Plan Writer
• Hire a Script Writer
• Hire a Legal Writer
• Hire a Grant Writer
• Hire a Technical Writer
• Hire a Book Writer
• Hire a Ghost Writer

Home » Blog » The 17 Best Writing Websites to Become a Better Writer

The 17 Best Writing Websites to Become a Better Writer

TABLE OF CONTENTS

In the competitive world of writing, no one is perfect. Even the best of the best can make improvements to their craft. No matter how accurate you think you are, there are always things to learn.

This can be done in a few ways, with writing websites being one. These websites exist with the sole purpose of helping writers of all levels and types.

Writing websites can provide many things to a writer looking to improve themselves:

• Tips to strengthen your stories.
• Tighten up your publishing knowledge and skills.
• Empower writers to work hard and do a good job.
• Improve your methods of writing and storytelling.
• Provide daily motivation, inspiration, and general advice.

These are resourceful places to get all the information we might need as writers. The owners of these websites are, usually, genuine people who want to help growing writers become the best they can be.

Writing websites are a comfort zone for writers. You can go to them in times of distress, writer’s block, or uncertainty around your plotting. You will be able to find resources to help you know how to write a novel or a helpful nonfiction book.

Benefits of Using Writing Websites

• Writing websites give specific pieces of writing advice to all writers – established and aspiring.
• Writers get the ultimate guidelines from successful authors, whether they are looking for help writing or publishing.
• These sites offer literary techniques to help writers reach their full potential in their writing endeavors.
• Writers will learn how to correct mistakes and create credible work.
• Writing websites will provide resources, exercises, and things you can do to improve your writing skills.
• They offer writers free courses on a variety of subjects, so you are sure to learn a lot.
• Writing websites help writers learn how to market themselves and their work. This can help them get both published and hired.
• All the learning, whether from people or courses, is (mostly) free.
• Writing prompts are posted daily on some writing sites which can be useful for many writers struggling to find inspiration.
• Writing sites help a writer to keep on writing; it can give writers a boost and a push when they are feeling down and unmotivated.

Classification of Writing Websites

There are numerous writing websites online and of course, they all offer something a little different. You will need to look around a little to find what you are looking for, specifically.

Writing websites are generally classified into five categories, depending on the content.

[table id=7 /]

The 1 7 Best Writing Websites

There are so many helpful writing websites online. They all help writers learn different things. Listed below are some of the best ones.

The guides, tools, and advice on these writing websites are fantastic when used in conjunction with quality writing software. A good example of this is Squibler.

Squibler helps a writer do the actual writing. Organization, research, development, settings – it can help you put into practice everything you learn from these resources.

Daily Writing Tips

This writing website helps writers improve their grammar construction and word usage. The site gives writing tutorials and advice to writers.

The tips provided here are free, but if you want to gain some additional features, a $5 monthly price can be paid to get premium access. This includes comprehensive courses to help you improve your writing. 

Janice Hardy’s Fiction University

This website will help a writer that has a rigorous weekly schedule. You will be able to develop the discipline that can help you get through the week without giving up on your writing halfway through.

This blog publishes articles about writing, with a focus on novels. There are many areas in which you can find advice:

• Planning your novel
• Writing your novel
• Common writing problems
• Editing your novel
• Selling your novel
• The general life of a writer

With over 2500 articles published, there is a lot of good information here. In addition to their own articles, they also offer a comprehensive list of other resources. Some of these include:

• Other writing sites
• Agents and querying resources
• Writer’s conferences
• Editing and writing services
• Publishing-themed websites
• Communities
• Critique sites
• Writing blogs
• Book review blogs

The website is run by Janice Hardy, a writing teacher who is passionate about helping everyone learn to write. She offers her own expertise as well as plenty of posts and articles from guests who offer a different perspective.

Helping Writers Become Authors

This writing website is run by K.M Weiland, who has written a number of books – both fiction and nonfiction. She strives to help writers make the transition to authors.

She has many articles about the most basic elements of writing a novel. These include:

• Story structure
• Character arcs

She has published several books that are also written to help writers become authors. These books are an extension of the information found on the blog.

She offers a couple of freebies to start, with the rest being available for purchase on her website. 

Kristen Lamb

Best-selling author Kristen Lamb runs a blog that offers tips, advice, and help for writers. She has a fun and casual demeanor that is welcoming for readers.

Her posts are relatable and easy to understand.

She also offers a number of courses where she will teach on different aspects of writing. Some of these are downloadable courses while others are live classes.

At its core, Reedsy wants to create beautiful books. They do this by giving authors and publishers access to quality professionals, useful tools, and educational content.

If you are looking for a professional to help you make your book better, Reedsy offers a diverse team including:

• Ghostwriters
• Web designers

In addition to this they also offer a free writing tool that helps you with the actual process of writing your book. The software provides a space to create and organize your different sections and elements – such as characters, research, etc.

You can use the software yourself, but it also has a fantastic collaboration feature. With this, you can seamlessly write with others. This is especially useful for new writers who are still learning how to write a book .

Lastly, Reedsy offers a large database of writing prompts to get you started.

You can pick from a list of different genres, and get some specific ideas start writing about. You can use these to begin your next big novel, or to do some practice.

Write to Done

Write to Done is a writing website that covers many different areas of writing. They have sections for:

• Freelancing
• Copywriting

They have articles from several different writers who all have different perspectives and opinions to offer.

Writers in the Storm

This is a unique writing blog that focuses on inspiration and motivation. If you are in a metaphorical writing “storm” this is a good place to go before deciding to give up.

The blog is run by a few different writers who all come from separate genres. This offers a wide range of perspective.

They also have some articles and information on improving your writing craft itself.

The Book Designer

This site is one that focuses more on the physical book itself and the publishing process.

It is run by Joel Friedlander who uses his own extensive experience to create articles on design and self-publishing. His wealth of information has already helped thousands of writers.

Jerry Jenkins

Jerry Jenkins is a 21-time New York Times best-selling author who is revealing his secrets.

One thing he offers on his site is an extremely helpful free guide: How to Become an Author: Your Complete Guide.

Once you’ve downloaded this, you can join his network of thousands of other writers and sign up for his newsletter which sends writing advice right to your inbox.

He also offers a list of writing tools to help you learn how to write a book. These are tools that assist with editing, organization, and distraction. These are programs that he endorses personally, so you can be sure they offer a quality service.

Lastly, his blog covers pretty much everything you need to know to learn how to write a novel or nonfiction book . From ideas, to characters, to plot, you can find advice right from the mouth of a seasoned writer.

Writers Helping Writers

This writing website does exactly what it says – it has writers helping other writings. They offer coaching services in addition to their articles on writing and publishing.

They also have a series of writing tools available for download. These are designed to help writers in a few different areas:

• Character arc progression
• Setting planner
• Character profile questionnaire
• And many more

The website is run by two women: Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi. n addition to running the site, they have co-authored a series of books to help writers.

The books are all part of the “thesaurus” series. It includes titles such as The Emotion Thesaurus and the Positive Trait Thesaurus.

Language is a Virus

Here you will find some articles on the writing craft. However, this is not their focus. This website contains several tools to help you either get started or keep going in your writing.

Their home page itself has a writing prompt right on it, with the option to generate another if you don’t like it.

They have a series of writing games, exercises, and generators to help you get inspired and motivated.

This is a fantastic resource for writers who may be feeling stuck or defeated.

Story a Day

Story a Day is an initiative that hopes to inspire creativity. They run two month-long challenges each year – one in May and one in September. The challenge is to write a short story every day.

This alone can be inspiring for writers, but they offer many extras:

• Accountability group. On the first of each month you can publicly post your commitments for the coming month.
• Weekly writing lessons and prompts.
• A blog with regular posts on writing and creativity.
• Twice-monthly podcasts with writing prompts and pep talks.

This writing website provides a community based challenge. this not only stimulates a writer’s imagination, but it does so with the support and accountability that others can provide.

The Intern Archives

While no longer an active blog, this archive can be extremely helpful to those embarking on a publishing journey. “The intern” also known as Hillary Smith, worked as an intern for several years.

In these archives, she shares insider information about the publishing industry that she thinks will be helpful to new and aspiring authors.

Positive Writer

This site was created to help writers stay positive. The blog contains posts on many positivity themed categories:

• Writer’s doubt
• Positive thinking
• Goal setting

In addition to these inspiring and motivational articles you can also find information on writing, blogging, and publishing

Writer’s Digest

 This site is for writers who want to be successful. The website is vast and extensive, but a few of the key features include:

• Writing Prompts
• Competitions
• Online writing workshops

From poetry, fiction, and nonfiction,you can find advice, tips, and resources to help you. The workshops and communities available will only serve to enhance your ability by connecting you to others.

Poets & Writers

Poets and Writers is a non-profit that looks to serve creative writers of all kinds. In addition to their helpful and informative website they offer a number of other services:

• A magazine.
• Financial support for readings and other events.
• sponsorship of writing prizes and awards.

The website offers articles on writing itself, as well as publishing, agents, awards, and writing news.

Writer Beware

Everyone appreciates getting help with their writing and publishing efforts. There are many people out there telling writers what they should do, or at least consider doing.

Authors everywhere choose some programs or websites to endorse, and they send their readers on their way. Writer Beware has taken it upon themselves to warn writers and authors of scams, schemes, and fraud they should be avoiding in the writing world.

Founded in 1998, they have been around long enough to see a lot of shady things go down. They know what they’re talking about.

Especially if you are close to publishing, take a look around this website. Make sure you don’t fall victim. This would make your experience learning how to write a book more negative, where you should only be doing positive things to move forward.

Improve Your Craft with These Writing Websites

This collection of writing websites should be enough to get you going. With a combination of advice, tips, insight, prompts, inspiration, and tools, you have more than enough to start learning how to write a novel or book of any kind.

Related Posts

Published in Writing

Join 5000+ Technical Writers

Get our #1 industry rated weekly technical writing reads newsletter.

• Skip navigation and go to content
• Go to navigation

• Our Sponsors

Final Month!

Enter our Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest . Win $3,500 for your story or essay. Deadline: May 1.

Deadline 11:59pm Hawaii Time TONIGHT!

Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest . $3,750 in prizes. No fee.

Congratulations to the Winners of our North Street Book Prize

Daniel Victor won the $10,000 Grand Prize. Read about the winning entries.

Congratulations to our Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest Winners

Billie Kelpin and Jennifer Tubbs take top honors. Read the winning entries.

Get a critique for your book, manuscript, or shorter works.

Just $90-$180. Satisfaction guaranteed. Learn more.

LAST CALL to Enter Our Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest

Win $3,000 for a poem, published or unpublished. Submit by 11:59pm Hawaii Time on Sep 30.

Congratulations to our Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest winner!

CB Anderson and Elizabeth Becker take top honors. Read the winning entries.

Beth Ann Fennelly of Oxford, MS won $2,000. Read the winning entries.

Deadline 11:59pm Hawaii Time Tonight! North Street Book Prize

Win $10,000 for your self-published or hybrid-published book. Submit now.

Congratulations to our Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest Winners

Maurya Kerr and Tamara Panici take top honors. Read the winning entries.

Congratulations to our North Street Book Prize Winners

Diane Chiddister wins the grand prize of $8,000. Read about the winning entries.

New! Get a critique for your poem, story, or essay.

We guarantee your satisfaction. Try it today.

Congratulations to our Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest Winners

Koss, Marcus Bales, and J. Clark Hubbard take top honors. Read the winning entries.

Final day! Win $5,000 for your self-published book

Our annual Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest . $4,000 in prizes. September 30 deadline.

Our annual North Street Book Prize for Self-Published Books . $6,000 in prizes. June 30 deadline.

Get instant access to our database of the best free literary contests — subscribe to our free newsletter

One of the Writer's Digest 101 Best Websites for Writers

Home  >  Resources  >  Reedsy's 50 Best Writing Websites of 2023

Reedsy’s 50 Best Writing Websites of 2023

Publishing-services company Reedsy names its favorite sites for the inspiration and business of writing, in this list updated in 2023. Included are sites for self-publishing guidance and services, finding agents, craft advice, industry news, and scam-busting.

Source: https://blog.reedsy.com/best-writing-websites/

Categories: General Resources for Writers

Our Contests

Wergle flomp humor poetry contest.

Prizes: $3,750 Deadline: Apr 1, 2024 Most Recent Winners No Fee!

Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest

Prizes: $10,000 Deadline: May 1, 2024 Most Recent Winners

North Street Book Prize

Prizes: $20,400 Deadline: Jul 1, 2024 Most Recent Winners For self-published and hybrid-published books

Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest

Prizes: $10,000 Deadline: Oct 1, 2024 Most Recent Winners

Dan Veach Prize for Younger Poets $100 prize, deadline change: received by June 1 | Visit source

Fountain Magazine Essay Contest $1,000 prize, deadline change: received by June 30 | Visit source

View All News

Customer Support

Let us help! We generally respond within one business day.

• Frequently Asked Questions

Tell me more

Get instant access to our database of The Best Free Literary Contests, edited by Jendi Reiter Subscribe to our free newsletter.

I already subscribe and would like to login

Write Your Novel Online Now

NovelEasy is the online writing platform for writers of all skill levels. Whether you’re a published author or budding talent looking for life beyond status updates, you can get away from the noise and focus on telling your story with NovelEasy.

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” — Maya Angelou

You want to write but you get distracted when you go online. Humans are creative. We have ideas and incredible stories to tell, but often we end up scrolling instead of writing. Is the next Shakespeare out there fishing for “likes”? Is the next Dickens sharing memes?

NovelEasy wants to change that. Here you can unleash your creativity and write something you can be proud of. You’ve always wanted to write a book. Let’s do it!

More Efficient, Better Writing

Easy to Use

Just start typing into the distraction-free text editor and NovelEasy will automatically and securely save for you. Click on a title for quick inline edits, then jump right back into your writing. Best of all, NovelEasy is 100% FREE to join.

Easily add, reorder, delete, and navigate chapters . Start using them to build an outline, then add text to flesh out your story. All the flexibility of a three-ring binder, but a whole lot easier.

Universal Formatting

Spruce up your writing with NovelEasy's convenient Markdown buttons in addition to typing in your own tags. The built-in Markdown renderer will display your styling right in your browser. Best of all, everything you type is preserved exactly as you entered it.

Writing Statistics

PREMIUM FEATURE

Track your daily progress with word count, time spent writing, days spent writing, monthly totals, and more! Go back and see your past statistics * and get a true picture of your writing journey.

*Statistics recorded from December 2018 onward.

Get to the Finish Line

Monitor your book's length using NovelEasy's word counter . Review your novel in Reading Mode then, when you're done, export it as a Markdown document that you can open with most text editors.

Ebooks, Publishing, and Everything in Between

• Downloads & Pricing
• Advertising

Best 14 Websites for Aspiring Writers

• on May 17, 2022
• in Writing Tips
• Last update: October 8th, 2023

According to Benjamin Franklin, you should “either write something worth reading or do something worth writing”. But for writers out there, that is easier said than done. Thankfully, technology has helped us in this aspect, as now you can find lots of blogs and websites that are tailor-made for helping writers. 

In this article, we will tell you about the top blogs and websites for writers to get your creative juices flowing. So make sure to keep a pen and paper (or an old-timey typewriter, we won’t judge) next to you, to prepare yourself for your next writing masterpiece. 

Top 9 Blogs for Writers That You Need to Check Out

Although some might think that blogs are more of a 90s platform, they are still an up-and-coming phenomenon. Writers definitely can benefit from the many blogs that have writing advice from pronounced writers and authors. 

We have compiled a list of the top 9 blogs for writers that you should definitely check out. From how to use quirky, dark humor and incorporate it into your dialogue, to tricks of the trade to self-publish your book, you will find in these blogs any writing advice you’re looking for! 

Beemgee is a story development and storytelling blog that can help all types of writers out there. You can also find a Beemgee story development tool that can help you work on your new fantasy novel, even if you will not publish it. Through the tool, authors can write novels, screenplays, narrative video games, and drama scripts; all kinds of writers out there will find a good thing to use on Beemgee! 

You will also find that there is a wide range of topics, from Chinese literature to James Bond-themed plots. When you are writing the first draft of your story, Beemgee will help you form the content in your fictional world. This blog focuses on the development of your story’s plot and characters, which will turn your story into a bestseller in no time. You can use Beemgee before, after, or during your first draft, as reading their content will help you along the way. 

2. SelfPublishing

Don’t worry; this blog is not just for self-publishing tips and advice only. You will also find a lot of writing topics covered in immense detail. Whether you are a writer who wants to publish your book or a novice writer who does not know where to start, SelfPublishing is the right blog for you. 

This blog will give you all the advice you need, such as character bios and in-depth advice on book writing. Additionally, once you subscribe, the blog offers guidebooks and writing tools that will give you everything you need to self-publish your book, including self-confidence in your writing. 

3. The Write Life

If you have been looking at writing blogs for a while, then you have probably stumbled upon The Write Life. This blog has a lot to offer and it is a great resource for all kinds of writers. 

If you are looking to write a book as a first-time author or you want to become a freelance writer, then you will find that The Write Life is the right place to go. You can also find advice and tips on blogging and marketing. 

The articles on this blog cover many writing aspects, so you do not need to look elsewhere! Additionally, you can look through their comment section for feedback from the writing community, which can be extremely helpful.

4. Writer’s Digest

Who is the best person to give writing tips? Someone in the writing industry, of course. This is why you should definitely check out Writer’s Digest, which is one of the best writing blogs out there. Amy Jones, the editor-in-chief of Writer’s Digest, is also the managing editor for North Light Books and IMPACT Books. 

This blog will help you discover or rediscover your creative potential through simple, yet insightful posts. These posts transform complicated writing issues into simple solutions, which will make the writing process much easier for you. 

Moreover, The Writer’s Digest hosts competitions and provides in-depth information on different writing events they host. You can even find blog posts that are featured by editors and writers alike. If you are the type of writer who is looking for a support group in the writing community, then you should give the Writer’s Digest a whirl. 

5. The Write Practice

The Write Practice is an extensive writing resource that offers all forms of helpful information for writers. This writing blog covers writing posts on a wide range of topics, including writing exercises to writing prompts that will get your creative juices flowing. With the Write Practice bookmarked on your browser, you will never feel helpless when it comes to writing.

Furthermore, The Write Practice offers free tips through their blog posts, which will help you evolve your writing style and restructure your writing process. It also offers writing programs and contests. 

Evolving your author platform is important, which is exactly what the Write Practice can help you with. 

6. Terribleminds

Chuck Wendig, the person behind the TerribleMinds blog, has a unique taste that screams dark humor. This author is brutal in his writing and adds a touch of humor to his writing advice for aspiring writers, and his blog is one of the best writers’ blogs to follow.

Terribleminds offer a wide range of topics that are extracted from Wending’s personal work and the writing of other writers to help you out. The best part is that you will never get bored with Wendig’s unique delivery of writing advice. Since Chuck Wendig is a published author, you will find that he has the best insight into any writing obstacle you might face. 

7. Write to Done  

There are many different aspects that writers need to be aware of in order to build a successful career path in writing. That is exactly what Write to Done will help you with. This creative writing blog gives tips and advice on nonfiction writing, as well. It is the best of both writing worlds, regardless of what type of writing you want to tackle. 

Write to Done, which is considered one of the best blogs by writers, will also help you master several writing techniques and habits that you need to fulfill your writing dreams. Make sure not to miss out on all the writing tips that Write to Done has to offer, along with the motivational posts that will help you during tough writing times.  

8. Well-Storied

Kristen Kieffer is the author and genius behind Well-Storied. She is also a well-known author and writing coach who gives advice to all aspiring authors that need help. This writing blog offers great writing tips, as Kiffer has dedicated her time to helping writers unleash their true abilities. 

When visiting this blog, you will be able to access her free courses, listen to her podcast, and join her community chats. You will also find that Well-Storied has a wide range of topics to help you improve your writing style. Thanks to her great tips and advice, you will find yourself turning to her blog every once in a while!

9. The Creative Penn

If you are planning to transform writing into a full-time job, then you should have a look at  The Creative Penn. This writing blog discusses a lot of topics from genre-specific advice to publishing tips. Joanna Penn, who is responsible for managing this blog, is a bestselling author, which makes her advice both practical and beneficial.

The main aim of this blog is to educate writers on how to improve their writing. Penn has several self-help books for the writing community that are available for purchase. You can also access her podcasts, courses, writing tools, and anything else you need to help your writing process move forward; and the best part is that it’s free of charge! 

Top 5 Websites for Writers

Blogs can be a great source of writing advice, but sometimes writers need a tool that helps them with the process, and this is where writing websites come in. We have compiled a list of 4 of the top websites for all aspiring writers out there. You will be able to tap into your true potential through these writing websites. 

1. The Book Designer

The Book Designer will help you with writing creative disclaimers and using social media in an efficient and effective manner. As mentioned in their tagline, this writing website offers practical tips on how to build better books and how to choose the right platforms for your book.

Inklyo is a writing website that offers tips for writers, bloggers, entrepreneurs, and students alike. This website will give you writing inspiration, along with practical tips that will help you develop your writing skills. 

One of the main concerns for writers is remaining productive, which is exactly what Inklyo will help you with. If you are in the mood for getting some writing insight and instruction, then Inklyo offers several writing courses and e-books that help you learn how to write absolutely anything. 

3. Kristen Lamb

Chosen as one of the “Best Websites for Writers” by both The Write Life and Writer’s Digest, Kristen Lamb’s website is the go-to for authors looking for consultations or on-demand classes. Lamb is a bestselling author with non-fiction books about writing on social media and blogs, as well as her fiction book, The Devil’s Dance.

Besides the writing classes and videos, this website also offers guidance to writers through comprehensive posts that are seriously detailed. You will find that these posts are funny and easy to read, which is great for writers who do not have the energy to think too hard about their writing style. 

4. Warrior Writers

Warrior Writers is a community of military veterans, service members, artists, allies, and healers dedicated to creativity and wellness. Some of the programs they offer highlight turning your pain into art. After all, writers put the ache in heartbreak, right? 

If you feel like you are in a writing rut, then you will find this writing website offering inspirational stories that you need to hear about. Here is a review from a veteran who used this platform:

“It has been an amazing experience. It’s a collaborative project and it’s not something any of us could have done alone. I used to write before I went to Iraq, but when I got over there, I wasn’t able to write. So through the Warrior Writers Project, I have been able to slowly begin to find my words again and share my experiences and what happened over there. It’s been a healing experience.” – Eli Wright, Iraq Veteran and Artist

5. Jane Friedman

From paid and free online classes and newsletters to blog posts and resources for writers, this website has it all. The one behind all of this is the published author Jane Friedman, who has more than 20 years of experience in the publishing industry. She has also written and contributed to many books that guide the authors through the process of writing and publishing.

Friedman is especially interested in how the digital age is transforming the writing and publishing industry. She aims to help authors find new business models in the internet era. Moreover, she has worked with many prominent institutions, such as IngramSpark , PublishersWeekly , and Authors Guild .

Final Thoughts

Writing doesn’t have to be a lonely endeavor; there is an entire writing community that can help you out in any conundrum you may face. These writing blogs and websites will develop your writing skills and show you how to work on your writing style. When you visit these platforms, you will also find writing exercises, writing prompts, and many more tools to help you out! 

7 Steps You Need to Follow to Write Your Ebook

6 Fun Writing Strategies to Help You Write More

500+ Online Writing Courses to Join in 2022

Bellinda Porterman

Thanks for the compilation! I totally agree, and I’d also throw in a few more awesome tools for automation and information storage: – If you’re all about structuring your character info and diving deep into plotting, Notion https://www.notion.so/ is a game-changer. The customization options are almost limitless, making it a real powerhouse. – And don’t forget about this name generator https://instausername.com/fake-name-generator for first and last names, and other character data. They’re a lifesaver when it comes to creating characters. You can filter by country, gender, or age, making brainstorming a breeze. – Oh, and speaking of character development, there’s another fantastic tool https://bookraid.com/ai/book-character-generator for generating character biographies. You can tweak the settings for gender, genre, and comments, which makes it super convenient. It’s a real time-saver!

Hi Bellinda!

Thank you for the awesome input! 💡

Notion is indeed a powerhouse for structuring characters and plotting, and that name generator and character biography tool sound like fantastic resources. Collaboration like this makes our writing community stronger. Feel free to share more gems if you come across them!

Happy writing! 🚀📝

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Currently you have JavaScript disabled. In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser.

Kotobee is the complete end-to-end ebook solution for you and your business. Export multiple formats. Deliver securely.

Create, publish, and sell ebooks with ease

Kotobee es la solución completa de ebooks de extremo a extremo para usted y su empresa.

Cree, publique y venda libros electrónicos con facilidad

Welcome to Open Library

Read Free Library Books Online

Millions of books available through Controlled Digital Lending

Set a Yearly Reading Goal

Learn how to set a yearly reading goal and track what you read

Keep Track of your Favorite Books

Organize your Books using Lists & the Reading Log

Try the virtual Library Explorer

Digital shelves organized like a physical library

Try Fulltext Search

Find matching results within the text of millions of books

Be an Open Librarian

Dozens of ways you can help improve the library

Volunteer at Open Library

Discover opportunities to improve the library

Send us feedback

Your feedback will help us improve these cards

Trending Books

Preview Book

Classic books.

Books We Love

Recently Returned

Authors Alliance & MIT Press

Browse by Subject

106,413 Books

Science Fiction

19,700 Books

13,158 Books

Biographies

23,867 Books

9,254 Books

20,450 Books

31,575 Books

53,440 Books

2,062,212 Books

50,783 Books

135,053 Books

Mystery and Detective Stories

15,488 Books

2,855 Books

77,010 Books

91,234 Books

Around the Library

 Here's what's happened over the last 28 days. More recent changes .

About the Project

Open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published. more.

Just like Wikipedia, you can contribute new information or corrections to the catalog. You can browse by subjects , authors or lists members have created. If you love books, why not help build a library?

Latest Blog Posts

• 🎉 2023 Open Library Community Celebration 🎃 - October 30, 2023
• How do patrons prefer to read? - September 14, 2023
• Google Summer of Code 2023: Supercharging Subject Pages - August 25, 2023

What Is the Best Software for Writing a Book?

T here are plenty of apps that can make writing a book easier, but the best ones are tailored to writers. Get to know the most efficient book writing software around today. You’re bound to find a great fit for your literary needs.

1. Scrivener

This is a desktop and mobile app for writers that mean business. You get a 30-day free trial, after which you pay a fee to keep using its very handy tools.

Scrivener really is one of the best writing software at your disposal. When you start a new project, there are three fiction templates: Novel , Novel (with parts) , and Short Story . But there are also scriptwriting, non-fiction, and useful miscellaneous options.

The project editor lets you break down your manuscript into as many sections as you need. You can write every scene right there on Scrivener, plan your characters and fictional world, prepare your front matter for different versions of your book, and more.

And all this is in addition to a huge range of word processing tools, from tables and bibliographies to word count targets and statistics reports.

Download: Scrivener for Windows | macOS | iOS (Free, premium version available)

There are many Scrivener alternatives for writers , but if you prefer professional online apps, Atticus is the way to go.

It’s a great software for writing a book, also available on desktop but only through the web app. Keep in mind that there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee instead of a free trial.

As for how it works, your first step is uploading or starting a new book. Once in the editor, you get lots of user-friendly tools for writing and formatting your manuscript. For example, Atticus automatically creates your front and back matter, while you add chapters, details, images, and the text itself.

As you write your story, you can see a print or digital preview based on different devices. Other features include a timer, goals, default and custom layouts, publisher info, and the ability to export the file as an EPUB, PDF, or DOCX.

So, what’s the industry standard software for writing a book? Sophisticated apps like Scrivener and Atticus are the first to come to mind, but simpler services are just as capable of producing quality books.

Dabble is a good example. It’s a browser-based service with a free trial that lasts 14 days before the subscription kicks in. But there are discount opportunities like $20 off if you write 1000 words.

In terms of functionality, your dashboard is simple and free of distractions. It offers similar tools to the previous apps, such as formatting themes, a breakdown of your manuscript and story notes, and settings for goals, stats, and images.

You also get spell, style, and grammar checkers, a thesaurus, and a read-aloud tool with multiple voice options. Exporting is limited to a Word and text file format, but you can create a shareable link, too.

4. Reedsy Book Editor

All kinds of apps can support writers, and some don’t cost a thing. If free project management tools for Windows exist, so do great software for writing a book.

One such great option is Reedsy’s Book Editor, designed by experts in the publishing industry. You get an online workspace to plan, structure, and write your book. You can also set goals, check your spelling and grammar, see a report of your progress, pin notes, and more for free.

Export options include EPUB, MOBI, and PDF files. The formatting templates are only three, and you can’t create a custom layout. Besides minor flaws like that, this app is worth your time.

Another fantastic free option to consider is Novlr. It’s designed to make reaching your writing goals easier, whether it’s to boost your productivity or publish a novel.

The app asks you about this from the get-go. When starting a new project, you’re also offered templates for different types of prose and poetry.

The interface is quite simple but useful. It offers just enough tools to write each part of your book, plan its contents and layout, track your progress, export the document in Word, PDF, or ODT form, and even create an ebook with custom cover art.

One downside is that, even with the Pro package, Novlr is missing perks that other book writing software have. However, it remains among the best free services you’ll come across today.

6. Microsoft Word

As far as word processors go, Microsoft Word is the most popular, and for good reason. It’s especially valuable to creative writers, available online and as a desktop app. There’s also a one-month free trial to test its offerings.

It may not be the cheapest package or one dedicated to book writing like most options on this list, but there are templates for writing a novel and plenty of tools to develop your manuscript.

You can write, edit, and get your book ready for publication, all in one place. Other features are perfect for writers like dictation, endnote and bibliography tools, an array of formatting options, and the ability to use add-ons.

If you like the app but can’t afford the subscription, try ways to get Microsoft Word for free . Some methods won’t provide the same range of tools useful to writers, but you’ll still have a reliable space to jot down ideas when inspiration strikes.

Download: Microsoft Word (Free, subscription available)

7. Google Docs

The best free alternative to Word for creative writing is Google Docs. It’s not quite as powerful, but it’s more than capable of helping you produce a book.

When using Google Docs as a book writing software , you can look forward to a clean and user-friendly space to write and edit, handy tools for designing your manuscript, and several options for sharing and downloading.

It’s a good idea to use specialized tools when setting up the book for print or digital publication, but Docs can handle the writing process up to that point.

8. Squibler

If you want another platform like Dabble that’s complex but affordable, try Squibler. On the one hand, its functions are a bit slow and glitchy. On the other, you get good writing and planning tools.

Squibler works best with projects you start on the app—uploads tend to need editing. Available templates range from short stories to novels and screenplays of different genres.

In addition to standard word processing features, you can choose between DOCX, PDF, MOBI, and TXT formats when downloading your work.

Squibler isn’t perfect, but it’s got plenty to offer your writing projects, once you learn the app’s ins and outs.

What makes the best software to use for writing a book boils down to being able to put a story and manuscript together as easily as possible. And yWriter is another reason why you shouldn’t go straight to the flashy and expensive services for that.

This free app looks old-school and has a small learning curve because of its multiple features. But, like Squibler, you just need to get to know how it works to fully benefit from it.

With yWriter, you can plan every single part of your book, including chapters, scenes, characters, locations, and items. You can customize and connect different elements in great detail.

There are even tools for creating a storyboard, writing your synopsis, and finding predefined or custom problem words authors should avoid. Ultimately, yWriter is more powerful than it seems.

Download: yWriter for Windows | macOS | Android (Free)

10. Bibisco

If you like the sound of yWriter, give Bibisco a go, too. The purpose is the same: construct a narrative in loads of detail straight from your computer.

But Bibisco’s interface is simpler to use as you gradually build your book with a premise, chapters, characters, and more. The software tracks your project’s progress based on set goals and even offers tips on how to write different parts of the story.

Unfortunately, not everything is free. A 30-day trial lets you use notes, character relations, objects, and a timeline, for example. These premium features are then hidden behind a fee.

Download: Bibisco for Windows | macOS | Linux (Free, premium version available)

Find the Best Book Writing Software for All Occasions

The web and desktop apps above are the writing community’s top choices, thanks to each platform’s excellent tools for authors. But one software may not suit all writers, so look for the option that fits your needs most.

Are you a professional writer with money to spare looking to publish a quality book? Scrivener or Atticus is best. Are you new to the craft and just want to practice? Novlr or yWriter are great choices.

Clearly, software for writing books come in many forms. Just filter through them with your specific requirements in mind.