Writing tools to help turn ideas into stories.
From plotting your novel and organising research to polishing sentences and writing screenplays, the right tools can make the writing process a little easier. Here are some useful applications for writers at different stages of their work.
You don't need every writing app.
Every writer works differently. Some need a powerful system for organising an entire novel, while others simply want a distraction-free place to write or an extra pair of digital eyes during editing. We've grouped these tools by what they do, so you can quickly find something that suits the way you write.
Novels & Long-Form Writing
Useful when you're developing characters, scenes, plotlines or keeping a large manuscript organised.
Plottr
A visual planning tool for arranging scenes, plotlines, timelines and character arcs before — or while — you write.
Visit PlottrScrivener
A popular long-form writing application for keeping manuscripts, research, notes, chapters and reference material together in one workspace.
Visit ScrivenerUlysses
A clean writing environment combining focused writing with document organisation and manuscript management.
Visit UlyssesiA Writer
A minimalist Markdown writing application designed to reduce distractions and keep your attention on the words themselves.
Visit iA WriterObsidian
A flexible note-taking and knowledge system that can be useful for research, world-building, character notes and interconnected story ideas.
Visit ObsidianScreenwriting Tools
Applications built for writers working with screenplays, stage plays and script formatting.
Final Draft
One of the best-known professional screenwriting applications, with tools for screenplay formatting, outlining and production.
Visit Final DraftStoryist
A writing environment designed for novelists and screenwriters, combining manuscript writing with story development and screenplay formatting.
Visit StoryistEditing & Style
Helpful once the words are on the page and you're ready to improve clarity, grammar, style and readability.
ProWritingAid
A writing and editing assistant offering grammar checks, style suggestions and detailed reports to help examine your prose.
Visit ProWritingAidGrammarly
A widely used writing assistant for checking grammar, spelling and clarity across browsers and common writing applications.
Visit GrammarlyHemingway Editor
Highlights dense sentences and common readability problems, helping writers spot passages that may be unnecessarily difficult to read.
Visit HemingwayReadable
Analyses written content and provides readability scores that can help you understand how accessible your writing may be to readers.
Visit ReadableOutwrite
An editing assistant that offers grammar, spelling and writing suggestions as an alternative to other browser-based writing tools.
Visit OutwriteHear Your Writing
Listening to a manuscript can reveal awkward sentences, repetition and pacing problems that are easy to miss on screen.
NaturalReader
A text-to-speech application that can read your manuscript aloud — useful when proofreading or experiencing your work from a reader's perspective.
Visit NaturalReaderThe best writing tool is the one you'll actually use.
Software can help you plan, organise and polish your work, but it can't replace your imagination or your voice. Try a few tools, keep what genuinely improves your process, and ignore the rest.