That’s what it’s been designed to be and what it does well. It also has a really great name generator which is pretty snazzy. Learn more. And if you’re like me and aren’t a Plotter, you’re going to love discovering that, while the Great-Scrivener-Behemoth may not be for you, there’s probably a dedicated writing software that is! Two of the most popular upgrades for writers seeking something better are Scrivener and Ywriter. This is actually one of the first blogs I’ve written, but it’s likely going to be about the sixth one I post. It’s just a matter of drag and drop to order your scenes and chapters! If you need to swing back and forth throughout your story, take a look at the research you’ve been collecting or work with a storyboard it’s, well… perhaps not the best. I’m still hitting the writing goals, just haven’t made much time for this. I like the feel of Scrivener and the name generator (pretty cool), but the more I use yWriter, the more I like it and the way it feels. Is it worth the cost? Update: Since writing this post, I’ve moved on to using Scrivener instead (cost: $40), which is basically yWriter on steroids. Both these programs are excellent tools for writing. A couple reasons I went with the Novel Factory rather than Scrivener are the lower learning curve and overall less cluttered feel. I have found a couple downsides to yWriter. When you introduce Shawn in chapter one, you’ll tell a little bit about him. It’s well known and a well-accepted fact that Scrivener has a huge learning curve. I have not used it. I find it unnecessarily complicated and difficult to use. I write them as scenes (articles) in chapters (categories) first, then transfer them to the site. I hated YWriter, it felt like it had a much steeper learning curve to get it to do what I wanted. I use Scrivener for all novel/short story writing of my books. The downside… that means it’s VERY complicated. Then in chapter fifteen, you’ll find you can’t remember if Shawn has dark brown hair or light brown hair or is slightly balding on top (I assure you, he is not). It’s called Scrivener Superpowers. One of the things I assumed right off the bat with writing was that Microsoft Word was the way to go (yup, I’m a PC guy). Scrivener is great if you need everything it does, and you want to / can pay for it. The main attraction for a lot of people will be the lack of payment needed to get started using Ywriter. Final Draft: Best Screenwriting App. You can also set up characters in both programs. I find there are times when I am lying in bed and I get some  inspiration. It is intended for Windows. Here they are: This is a game-based site to help you write. So we’ll focus on what makes the two programs different. First, yWriter is designed and written by a writer. This is extremely helpful. For many, many writers, especially those with limited budgets, Scrivener might be more than necessary, and yWriter is a perfect alternative. I had always just thought that Word would have been exactly what you’d need. It helps you to organize your thoughts and writing in a way similar to yWriter. Join the 26,000+ members who trust WriterAccess to hire quality freelance writers, editors, strategists, and translators to help with your company or agency's content marketing needs. So use it and keep an eye out for a big discount. yWriter sticks with formatting panels as well. Each one has their own version of setting writing goals. Here are a few other options. yWriter and Scrivener allow you to see your story in the form of a storyboard (little boxes with a short description or a title of each scene). There are also beta versions of Ywriter available for iOS and Android. Don’t forget to also check out Five Great Tools to Help Your Writing for some other apps which are a big help. It flows well, it runs smooth and it looks good. Tired of Scrivener Coupon sites with outdated Discount codes? It has beta versions which are mobile friendly but these lack the functionality and stability of Scrivener’s more established apps. If you like a simple word processor, but want a simple and free one, I would check out Google Docs, Office Online, ThinkFree or one of the many other options. I’m in the process of waiting for one of these. Let me explore three options below (and mention a few others) as well as share my recommendations: MS Word is a great word processor. Check out that blog to help you get started with some great, affordable software specifically […], […] For a helpful blog on software to assist you in organizing your writing, check out my blog about yWriter and Scrivener. What I’ve done sometimes is I have copied the paragraph from the book where the character is described into the character description so when I look back I can see exactly what I wrote. Let me say two things about yWriter right off the bat. Getting frustrated with a standard writing tool like Microsoft Word is often the starting point which leads to a number of questions. All Rights Reserved. It needs to have a flow and there is software out there which can help you do this. I have so much fun when I write and I find it so relaxing. Re. I like the feel of Scrivener and the name generator (pretty cool), but the more I use yWriter, the more I like it and the way it feels. The fact that Ywriter has been created and is regularly updated by someone who both programs and writers is a major draw. If you want something you can jump into without worry, Ywriter might be the way to go. I’m going to sit on it for a bit and touch it up over the next while. And the best part about yWriter? I've tried several (Ywriter, Scrivener, Nimble) but always come back to WriteitNow. You write and the number of words you write helps you to win the game. I don’t like Calibre. We explored a few different options, but focused in on yWriter and Scrivener. The spelling and grammar checkers are great. Some of the downsides to Ywriter include –. There, I said it. Whereas in Scrivener you can choose whether to make use of locations and characters, these options are hardcoded into Ywriter. Scrivener’s look and feel is far nicer, but both work. Ywriter’s bread and butter is running on Windows. I grab my phone and write! Scrivener is the same way. It does everything yWriter does and more, but it does have a steeper learning curve. Ulysses uses Markdown, and Scrivener supports it but also offers traditional formatting panels. If you use Mac, there is no point in checking out Ywriter. Scrivener is a popular app for novelists, with writers, such as Neil Cross, Karen Traviss and Marc Goodman, being outspoken supporters of it. Since yWriter is free to use, it’s worth checking it out and even writing your book in it. YWriter is a hidden gem for authors using Windows. I recommend the software either way. I have not researched any of these to any great length, but thought I would mention them for those who like lots of options before them. It’s a great way to go if you are motivated by this kind of thing. If you’re looking at buying the software, I would check this out. I have registered my copy (and I have purchased the Android App). I like this a lot! This is a long post, so by way of overview, we’ll be covering: Writing software focused on organization (stuff that’s a lot like Scrivener) They also let you set up scenes within the chapters. Scrivener also has an iOS version (around $20) which you can use to edit on the fly. Finally, Ywriter is in many ways simpler than Scrivener, and takes less time to learn. I’m finding Quoll much easeir. I’ve used both, YWriter about 5 years ago, Scrivener around the same time and since then. Scrivener’s corkboard function is an absolute favorite for writers who rely on visual aid to help with outlining. They allow you to collect information and put it where you want it. Experiment with these programs a bit and find the one you like! Scrivener seems to be more popular amongst more generalist writers (novelists, short fiction writers, non-fiction authors). Since you don’t want to mess that up, you simply look in the character description and you’ll find all the information you have written in there about that character. The blog is organized and laid out and I can just add to it and change things as needed. Compare Scrivener vs SmartOffice head-to-head across pricing, user satisfaction, and features, using data from actual users. Scrivener vs Storyist When it comes to writing tools, it’s easy to be confused by the choices available on the market today. Final Draft is the aptest substitute for Scrivener and in many … Just like with those tin snips, writing tools may visually look the same, you type and the words appear, but each one is designed for a particular purpose. The Android and iOS Apps are, at the time of this writing, still in beta, but available to purchase. The difference between the two amounts ($12 or $25) to register is simply a different amount of financial support. :) It depends on what you want to do with it. However, the positives of this software far outweigh the negatives (see “The Perks of yWriter and Scrivener” below)! Non-linear Writing Capabilities: Scrivener – You have a lot more power to structure things however you like, nesting documents and folders Backups and Restores Later on I might actually sit and write it out, but for now I know where I’m going and what I want to blog about in a month! To be honest, since I don’t have a Mac, I don’t know what these features are so I don’t miss them as much as you might think. So if you use it every other day, the trial period will last for two months! This is perfect to help you stay on track with regular writing! Scrivener Coupons: Discount Codes that WORK. Even if you use Scrivener, you've got nothing to lose by giving it a try. I like Scrivener. The main strengths of Ywriter are as follows –. First, you should be writing an outline for your story before you begin. Word is fine if you have it already, but if you’re a writer, it’s worth the learning curve to learn yWriter or Scrivener. I would write each chapter in a separate docx file in order to keep it organized. One thing I use it for now is a bit different: I use it to keep track of all the articles on my website. Price tag: Free software (you can tip, though!) Second, I’m using yWriter right now to write this blog. You can grab whole chapters and move them around or move a scene from one to the next… it’s surprisingly helpful and you will find it much easier to do this when it is organized in one of these two programs, rather than in Word. Scrapbook. Well, cutting-edge from several centuries ago: why I write with a fountain pen on paper. […] writing software available out there. Ywriter provides the standard writing environment that you would expect from any word processor, along with a number of organizational features and options that offer a greater range of benefits than found when using Microsoft Word or Google Docs. You can download a fully functional free trial of Scrivener here. Occasionally, the software will go on for half price through places like StackSocial or with a really great coupon code. Typewriter. If you eventually decide that Scrivener is a better fit for your needs, but you still want to be thrifty, use a Scrivener coupon to make the software as affordable as possible. Probably the most widely known alternative to Scrivener, yWriter isn’t as robust as some of the others on this list, but has every feature you could need to assist you in your writing. FocusWriter. Interesting. If you want to skip the detail and just understand how Scrivener and Ywriter match up, consider the following short and sweet comparisons –. (click the pic), fully functional free trial of Scrivener here, Cool data such as quickly showing how often a character has appeared, Dedicated programmer who uses his own software and releases updates, Shorter learning curve than Scrivener due to less functionality, No support for Mac, Ywriter runs on Windows in its main iteration, Ywriter is better for Windows users who are happy to use totally free software with less functionality than the paid option, Scrivener, Scrivener is the only option for Mac users, Scrivener has better mobile apps than Ywriter, Ywriter has a shorter learning curve due to its lesser functionality, Scrivener is more customizable and richly-featured. In the end, Scrivener and yWriter help you to organize your thoughts and the book flow better. All you have to do is grab the second scene with your mouse and drag it up to where you want it. If this is all you’ve got and all you’re comfortable with, go for it! Scrivener vs Ulysses Apart from the price (Scrivener charges a one-time licensing fee while Ulysses charges yearly), the two platforms offer many of the same features. Since yWriter and Scrivener (mentioned below), function a lot alike, I will explain their features together (look below the Scrivener section). Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. (Also, I had been using yWriter previously and continue to use TreePad, and NF provided features I was missing in yWriter.) Iphone users out there… i like it and keep an eye on the old list, FocusWriter... Book flow better up over the next time i comment of these your mouse and drag it up where. As having the viewpoint and away i go and scenes set up characters in both programs writers. Writing for some other apps which are mobile friendly but these lack the functionality stability... Felt like it and the number of words you ’ re comfortable with, go for it sisters or.... 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