The Best Writing Software For 2023: It's Not The One You Think... 

It's better to have offline backup running anyway for all files you create, not just those for your writing. So your Scrivener files would be backed up with everything else. I learned long ago anything subscription based is a risk, cloud based services even more so. A 7 year old version of a program will still open files. I've got 20 year old programs I'm still using. A cloud based service vanishes and you're lost. Springpad hurt me the most! I lost a fair bit of work. Sometimes you get a lot of notice, other times it's mere weeks. And that's assuming you catch their email or log on regularly. Doesn't matter what it is now, cloud based or stand alone software, anything in propriety format I always export a copy into plain text. And it's easy to set up a simple backup program to copy every hour to a flash drive, and to have offline cloud backup. For extra belt and braces, keep a weekly flash drive backup off site.

Um… scrivener DOES have automatic backup! And it syncs to the cloud as well. I use it across 2 Mac, an iPad, and my phone ALL THE TIME! Scrivener has documentation on how to do it. The only thing you have to keep in mind is that since it IS software that resides on-device, you need to close out on a given device before opening on another. But if you forget, the software creates versions and stores them on your device if you forget.

I have been using Scrivener. It is a steep learning curve. I just found Atticus via another author and I like what I am seeing.

This video was very helpful for me. I use my ipad and the scrivener app is nothing like the desktop version. Thank you very much for taking the time to make this video!

I'm so glad this video showed up for me this morning! I've been knocking myself out trying to learn Scrivener and there was just something about it that made me uncomfortable - things that you mention here. I want no part of monthly subscriptions - in fact, it angers me to think that I'd have to pay someone every month just to be a writer! I refuse to be held hostage. Um, ok, I'm done with my little rant. Reedsy it is! I don't need anything fancy. When I began writing, PCs weren't even available yet! I come from notebooks - good old pen and paper! Thank you so much for this. Great job presenting the fact.

Recently started writing and really appreciate your video. I've been using Word and it's a pain to keep things organized.

Really great video. Helped a lot thank you. Note - Living writer, i noticed, has a lifetime purchase option which is 3.33 years of the annual subscriptions ($499 in Australia). Much more expensive than Scrivener’s $39 price but would save you $ if you’re definitely going to need / use it long term.

Great reviews with Pro's and Cons. Best Pro: Use what works best for YOU. Worst Con is ANYTHING Subscription Based. I was wondering when/if you would get around to 'Readsy's Book writing online. I tried Readsy's Book writing --- It works quite well, I was surprised and pleased, but that is not my preferred method of working. I transcribe by hand all of my Brainstorming and Layouts the input into a Blank Scrivener Doc to do all of my 'Zero' Draft set up and then proceed the development through to the 'Final Draft'. I the Hemingway Desktop editor to keep my writing simple and understandable. Writing is a challenge, use anything to help you along the way and alway pinch your pennies until the scream.

Thank you very much for this information. Very helpful.

A very good video and I enjoyed the comments too. One note. On the last of your video sections dealing with Reedsy, you have it as "REESES Book Editor" . That made me think of Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, which led me back to my college days, which led me to why I was enjoying ReesesPeanut Butter Cups munchies in the first place. I love Reeses Peanut Butter Cups; I wonder if I'll enjoy using Reeses Book Editor as much too. Just thoughts to lighten the day.

I am using living Writer now. I do have Scrivener as well but I found it frustrating and I honestly do not need all the features f Scrivener. That being said, I just started with Living Writer a few weeks ago and I've already learned how I want to organize my writing and research. I am a nonfiction writer right now so I don't have character development. I hope to learn much more about what Living Writer does, and I'm sorry to leave Scrivener in the dust, at least for now. Thanks for the info in this video. Very helpful and clear information.

Thank you so so much, you are a very kind person to share your knowledge with us much love

Wow, beautiful ❤️. I love this

Good concept, i appreciate it.

Thanks for a fine intro to different tools. If you use dropbox - you can safe on both your laptop and on dropbox at the same time.

As a new kid who is exploring a new venture, your video was extremely helpful. Thank you.

very helpful. thank you

Thank you VERY much!

I’ve never used a web app that saves more reliably than a computer. I once tried novelpad and I didn’t even go a day without lost work and sync issues. I like scrivener and Ulysses, though

For what I use it for in writing novels, Scrivener is great. I find it easier to stay organized than in Word and OneNote and use the cards for summarizing chapters. I save to DropBox and therefore have copies locally on computer and laptop, and on the cloud. What I wonder about the web-based packages is, can you write without internet access?

Thank you. I been using scrivener for screenwriting before I purchased Final Draft. Now I'm certain that I'll use scrivener strictly for books.

Thank you for this. I’m going with Reedsy because I switch between the iPad and a PC. It makes Scrivener ridiculous. Scrivener should be ashamed of itself for staying in the stone ages, but a lot of writers are older gen and will stick to it with loyalty like mad. I’m surprised Amazon hasn’t jumped on the bandwagon and created something for Kindle. Thank you!!

Cool video, quite informative, and you've got my interest. However, and I'm probably too late for a reply, but I gotta ask. With the subscription based, what happens to my writing if my sub expires? Is my writing saved in a proprietary format which I lose access to opening? Or is it just the writing tools I lose access to? I'd hate to have to choose between trying to save my most current writing, notes, clipboard etc manually, just in case I I can't pay and my writing gets help hostage. Any idea how that part of it works?

You said you were considering moving toward using NovelPad or LivingWriter, but you did not say which of the two you decided to use. You did say they were both pretty much the same which interested me because NovelPad is also similar to Dabble only better when it comes to writing from your scene, info and plot cards which Dabble can't do. Personally, I prefer NovelPad because of the option to write from virtually anywhere within the software. This is fantastic. Even if you are in the plotting section or the character comparison part of the software or if you in the timeline, just with one single click you can begin your writing right there where everything is linked by you, connected and so very intuitive. So that's why I chose NovelPad over LivingWriter, Scrivener and Dabble. The second reason I chose NovelPad is because it's brilliant with drag and drop, click and move or click and immediately write where LivingWriter involves a lot more clicks and a lot more setting up when it comes to using scene cards or the plotting section. LivingWriter is not one simple click - and you there - or one single click and drag - and you are done - like you find in NovelPad. Instead LivingWriter, although still easy to use, is a lot more of telling the software what to so so that everything is connected and intuitive where NovelPad already knows what to do as you do your thing within the app. I guess what I'm saying in summary is that for me NovelPad is the easiest to use, the least complicated with the least drama when you just want to get down to the business of plotting, planning or writing your novel. Please let me know what you finally settled on. I am very interested know your final choice.

Storyist for me. Syncs across iCloud (unlike Scrivener) and a joy to use once you've set it up.

I keep my Scrivener Projects on Microsoft's OneDrive. I keep the auto-backups on the local drive. I use Scrivener and OneDrive on both PC and Mac without issues. In my experience it is the most seamless cloud storage system. OneDrive, for most things acts like a local drive for the end user. iCloud is not bad if you are Apple only. Like all storage systems you must wait till the files are saved/synchronized. This takes longer with cloud storage and slow internet connections. The solution to 90% of OneDrive problems is to wait till the files are synced with the cloud.

Question: I have used both Living Writer and Scrivener. I am nervous about saving and backup. So, If I use Living Writer, I would like to back up to the hard drive for very simple and not-so-simple reasons. What if I stop paying them or they go out of business or the censors decide to access cloud-based documents? THen of course there are all the things that go wrong that we haven't even thought about. On the other hand, On Scrivener, I have a hard time knowing where the documents or stored on my c drive, which is scary enough, and add to that the simple fact of issues related to damage to the C drive damage. So, is there a way to save on Living Writer to Dropbox, or c drive or both? Also, is there a way to easily organize my files on Scrivener and for them to be saved to another cloud, as well, like drop box? I know that's a lot, but those are my concerns. Feedback?

I wrote 4 screenplays using Movie Magic Screenwriter. It comes with a bunch of bells and whistles and I've hardly used any of them and didn't need them. I write my first draft on paper and then type it into the app. It formats it so that all I need to do is just write. Aside from spellcheck, saving my work, and then putting it in a PDF file and exporting it to where I save it on my PC, I don't really see the need for all the other stuff but I understand to each his own. Due to the writer's strike, I'm now going to start writing books but I don't see where I have to change my method. What writing app/program would you recommend that formats automatically thus allowing the user to just write? I'll probably use Hemingway to edit.

I use google sheets for the basic character information, physical description etc and any notes I have on the character. Its quick and easy. I've been using Novel Factory recently and have enjoyed it though having to go through all my characters and add in the information when I'm already into the so deep is a little annoying

Onenote all the way! Its intuitive, its as complex as you WANT it to be without a learning curve i would say. It's cheap/free... You can outline as much and as deep as you want. You can make backups locally (if you don't trust your books being stored in a hack-able cloud environment) or you can store it on the one drive cloud. It's no hassle, it's reliable, it auto backups everything, and it does not look like it was made in 1995. Living writer looks nice though, but it's way up there for pricing and it's cloud only??? I tried Scrivener for years and i never got used to it. I simply hate it to be honest. It does everything indeed, except for letting you write in peace.

Never used Scrivener, but I wonder if storing the local Scrivener files in a local folder that is automatically synced to a cloud would work well.

Both Windows and MacOs comes with native cloud storage solutions, so that Scrivener does not have it built-in, is not a real issue. DropBox is the recommended cloud service for use with Scrivener. Google Drive also works. There used to be issues with cloud storage, but these have been solved. The compiler, used for creating formatted output, is a very good idea, but the implementation is unnecessarily complicated. My main issue is with formatting lists, which is so bad it often requires manual fixes after compilation. That means formatting non-fiction books can be a hassle. Overall, I do like Scrivener a lot, despite its quirks.

I did try scrivener at first, but I bought it right before the new update came out and I was then required to repurchase the entire thing for full price just to get the update. I really didn’t like that plus the windows version is always way behind the Mac version which irritates me to no end.

Great Video, (subscribed) in fact I came here because of a computer crash and lost back ups I have just lost 3 years of work. I was using scrivener I wont be using it anymore, I am at a toss up between living writer or novelpad, people will have to get over subscription services it is the way things are going unfortunately, My main job is 3D Graphics and practically every software i use is now a subscription model. Between the 2 Novelpad or Living Writer which would you recommend.

I wish you'd mentioned which were subscription first. I'm not interested in being held hostage. Still Interesting and useful review.

Can you go off the grid with these software? The problem I have with web based and cloud based is the portability. It’s hard to go off to a remote place where there’s terrible internet reception and you can’t access your files. Do you have any suggestions for off-line users?

Atticus is excellent for Formatting and they are developing it for writing, Not all its writing features are there yet but they are on the way. It's a one time fee and then you have it for life. It doesn't have some of the organizational features in scrivener and if you want them, you might not like that but it's cloud based and has a backup feature as well. I am so glad that I purchased Atticus. I remember hiring a formatter and she was good, but she was expensive and the results I get from Atticus are just as good but once you've bought it, you never have to pay for formatting again. There is a bit of learning but once you've done that you will get impressive results and you can export e-pubs and PDF's with ease. There is also a word count goal feature if that appeals to you.

I think I might have tried all the writing software in existence

Appreciated this video. I am an Apple based (read that as intuitive & user friendly) and brought Scrivener & found it daunting. I do not want anything subscription based. My books lean towards non-fiction memoir and self-help (I have Final Draft gathering dust) so I want something that doesn't make my eyes spin to try to organize. I am going to check out Reedsy but wanted to know your thoughts on Atticus? Thanks.

Thank you

Would you recommend the same programs for non-fiction books where the character develop features are far less valuable but you still need the ability to save and organize research?

Is there a way to make the sidebar NOT disappear whenever im writing on LivingWriter? Cause it drives me insane! Im writing and need to focus on it but i also need to know that i don´t have to move the whole interface to get to the type modifications!

I am looking at writing a short non-fiction book so I don't need much of the scrivener hoo-ha. I may give Reedsy a look. I really will need something that helps format once the writing is done. Anyone on here tried Squibler with its AI assistance? If yes, what do you think of it? Thank you for your insights.

For LivingWriter: I really did like the software and even considered the lifetime purchase. However if you take a look at their roadmap you'll notice it basically never moves. Never updates. I kept an eye on them for more than a year, and their ETAs were constantly moved back from 90% down to 50%. I also contacted them twice and never got a response. Now, with something like Scrivener I don't expect many updates at all since it's a one-time-buy, but when LW is primarily subscription based (since most will not be buying the high lifetime price) it should be updating at a more promising rate. My guess--all conjecture--is that they're not making enough to do so, and can only afford maintenance. I'm pretty sure LW has a small team on it, last I checked it was 2 people or so.

I really wanted to use Scrivener, but it is so obtuse and inconsistent that I think I'm going to have to go in a different direction. I've been trying to figure out which program works best for the intricate drama/fantasy that is currently (and insistently) circling the inside of my brain. I've tried about 5 different platforms and I've really liked both NovelPad and Dabble for keeping track of the various plot lines and conflict progressions, and they are approximately the same price. I do like that Dabble's standalone app seems to be better than NovelPad's, which I've yet to figure out how to work (the help files only show how to use it with a Mac and I'm on a Windows PC). Anyway, that's my 2c!

What about Dabble? does it live up to any of the ones you mentioned here?

I'm writing memoir and looking for organization features. Which is best.

I appreciate it

Use whatever you want. It’s that simple. You don’t need any of these apps to write a novel or series.

I appreciate

Pen and paper always works.

Thank you so much. Very informative info. I'm going to try Reedsy. I'm a 77 year old writer for the first time. A memoir. Murder, suicide, sexual abuse. Police scandal, difference between love and lust. PTSD with husband from WW11, after death, PTSD with finance from Vietnam. Moving to Las Vegas from Chicago, becoming a dealer in the casinos for 40 years and raising 2 wonderful children all with the help of God and most of all MUSIC! I've got a lot to say.🥰

The only problem I have, and this is more a problem with RU-vid Search, I did a search for "Android writing apps for novels". I really don't understand why your video came up. As you are talking more about writing software for Windows and maybe Mac's. You never did mention an Android app.

These tools sound like they are more geared towards fiction. What if you are writing nonfiction?

I'm currently exploring Livingwriter. My only concern is that their support/social medias don't seem there? Very few updates and zero to interaction to people commenting. It's worrying. I'm a scrivener user but I really want a cloud-based word processor. Which one did you end up switching to?

What's wrong with Word and Google Docs?

My big fear with ANY cloud-based software is if they ever go out of business. It's happened in the past! Then...you're REALLY in a bind!

I bought Scrivener for Windows 11, and don't even know how to access it on my Lenovo laptop.

Hello, first time in your channel. I bought Scrivener but it's a bit time consuming to learn it. There is a person trying to charge USD 60.00 but I must be crazy to try that. Maybe it will take more time to start writing. I have all my infomation, ideas, etc. in Word. Sometimes I feel lost. Please help if you have time. Thanks. Greetings from Switzerland.

Any plans to do a Scrivner demo?

Please do a proper video on creating a Bibliography for your book/series

Good content, but one question: if you store your work in the cloud, aren't you afraid that someone will steal your manuscript before you've had a chance to edit and publish it?

How would you evaluate Atticus?

What do you think of Dabble?

Scrivener is over-hyped fluff. It's full of procrastination tools. The compilation tools are iffy, and its word-processor capabilities are awful.

Did you ever get a chance to review Dabble?

Reedsy has no dark mode. Dealbreaker :(

Thank you for your review, especially for the scrivener... I use scrivener for a while, after watch your video I find only 2 cons for this software, i.e. about the learning curve and work everywhere (or about the cloud thing). Regarding the learning curve, i think i am ok with that because i have more time and willing to learn, and for the second con, I think I can solve it using "backup to dropbox" directly. I think there is a feature in scrivener to "backup" our work to "outside", but i guess it's only to dropbox, not google drive, or other media. Thank you...

Storing your life's work on some proprietary subscription-based cloud somewhere gives you "peace of mind." Dude...

There aren't any serious program that don't come with the need to learn how to use them. Simple. All of them have a requirement to understand how they work and where the features are and how to use those features. This should not be a criterion for rejection. You just need to put your head into it, and learn the concept, because Scrivener is also a concept and an architecture for writing a book. I have had to learn my companies' business applications, which never were user's friendly. To me, a software that you lose access to the moment you stop renting it, is a non-starter! In 12 months, you have purchased several licenses of Scrivener. I see that Atticus is also a one time purchase, but is that steep price justified compared to Scrivener? what does it do better, if anything? being web based is not! I own the Affinity suite, photo, designer, publisher, and it does not bother me a bit that it is not web based.

Why is this crap so HARD to find? I just want to write some stuff!!!!

242024 today is the nice day 2/4/2024

Scrivener, a bunch of cloud stuff and no mention of Obsidian or its alternatives. Nope, I'm out of here sorry.

It is a writer’s responsibility to save his/her work. DropBox and iCloud are garbage.

Thanks for not mentioning they're subscription based till the end, great at wasting time

I draft in scrivener and format in Atticus. It's painfully slow to draft in Atticus.

I use reedsy all the way!! Its free and super easy to use!!

I appreciate