Are you looking for the perfect story writing tool that is sure to bring your story to life, but not sure where to start or which to use? Let’s walk through the top tools and their essential features to help you decide the best options for your genre.

Why do Different Genres Use Different Story Writing Tools?

Different genres have to use specific story writing tools because each has unique storytelling needs. Like mystery and thriller writers benefiting from plotting tools that help manage suspense and clues. On the other hand, fantasy and sci-fi authors often use tools for world-building and complex character histories. Character-driven genres like romance rely on tools focused on emotional arcs to develop strong character relationships. Horror and mystery genres use tools that create dramatic effects to handle pacing for suspense. Sci-fi and fantasy genres require apps that can hold up to detailed world-building. Historical fiction writers benefit from tools that maintain accuracy with real-world details. Commercial genres that prioritize quick production use streamlined, collaborative tools. Tailored apps help authors meet genre-specific demands and bring essential story elements to life for a deeper plot and organized structure. Let’s find the best tools for your story!

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Scrivener

Scrivener is a powerful story writing tool designed to help authors organize and manage complex writing projects. It’s like a digital binder where you can store all your research, notes, character sketches, and scenes in one place. You can easily rearrange these elements, experiment with different structures, and keep track of your progress.

Who Uses Scrivener?

The ideal user for Scrivener is a writer handling a large, complex project, such as a novel or research-heavy nonfiction. It’s particularly suited for detail-oriented writers who benefit from visual organization tools. The learning curve is moderate—Scrivener offers extensive functionality, but the basics can be picked up quickly with tutorials, allowing users to grow into advanced features over time.

Top 5 Story Writing Tools by Scrivener:

Binder: This is the heart of Scrivener, where you organize all your project files. You can create folders for different parts of your story (chapters, scenes, characters, research), and easily drag and drop them to rearrange your narrative.

How to Use: Create folders and subfolders in the Binder to organize your manuscript. Write individual scenes or chapters in separate documents and drag them to reorder them within the Binder.

Corkboard: This visual tool allows you to see all your scenes as virtual index cards. You can add summaries, keywords, or color-coding to each card, making it easy to get an overview of your story’s structure.

How to use: In the Corkboard view, each document in your Binder becomes an index card. Write a brief synopsis on each card, use labels to categorize scenes, and rearrange them on the board to visualize your plot.

Outliner: For those who prefer a more linear approach, the Outliner provides a hierarchical view of your project. You can use it to create a detailed chapter outline, track plot points, or manage character arcs.

How to use: Switch to the Outliner view to see your scenes and chapters in a list format. Use the columns to add metadata like word count goals, character appearances, or plot developments.

Snapshots: This feature allows you to take “snapshots” of your manuscript at different stages, allowing you to experiment with changes without fear of losing your original work.

How to use: Before making major revisions, take a Snapshot of your current draft. This creates a separate version that you can revert to if needed.

Compile: When you’re ready to share your work, Scrivener’s Compile feature exports your manuscript into various formats (Word, PDF, ePub) with customizable formatting options.

How to use: Go to File > Compile to choose your output format and adjust settings like font, spacing, and front matter.

Plottr

Plottr is a visual story writing tool that helps writers outline their novels, screenplays, or even non-fiction projects. It focuses on creating timelines and connecting plot points, making it easy to see the big picture of your story and how all the pieces fit together. Think of it as a digital corkboard, but with more flexibility and organizational power.

Who Uses Plottr?

Plottr is perfect for writers who prefer a visual approach to story planning, especially for those who enjoy outlining before writing. It’s ideal for both plotters and discovery writers who may need to refine story structure as they write. The learning curve is low to moderate. The software is intuitive, and most users find they can start creating plots with minimal setup using this story writing tool.

Top 5 Story Writing Tools by Plottr:

Timeline: This is the core of Plottr, where you visually map out your story’s events. You can create separate timelines for different plot lines, add scenes as cards, and easily rearrange them to experiment with different structures.

How to use: Create a new timeline and start adding plot points as scene cards. Each card can include a brief description, character names, and relevant details. Drag and drop cards to change their order, and use color-coding to distinguish between different storylines.

Outlines: Plottr offers both a visual timeline and a traditional outline view. You can switch between these views seamlessly, allowing you to see your story from different perspectives.

How to use: Use the outline view to get a more linear overview of your plot, or to focus on specific chapters or scenes. You can also add notes and details to each outline point.

Series Bible: This feature allows you to create a centralized repository for all your story’s information, including character profiles, world-building details, and important plot points.

How to use: In the Series Bible, create entries for your characters, locations, and key events. Add images, notes, and links to keep all your information organized and accessible.

Templates: Plottr provides a variety of pre-made templates based on popular plotting methods (like the Snowflake Method or Save the Cat! Writes a Novel). These templates can give you a starting point for your story structure.

How to use: When starting a new project, choose a template that suits your genre or writing style. You can then customize the template to fit your specific story.

Collaboration: Plottr allows you to share your project with others, making it ideal for co-writing or getting feedback from beta readers.

How to use: Invite collaborators to your project and assign them different roles (viewer, editor). You can then work together on the timeline, outline, and series bible.

Campfire

Campfire Blaze is a visual story writing tool that helps writers build immersive worlds and compelling characters. It offers a suite of story writing tools for mapping out locations, creating detailed character profiles, and organizing all your story’s lore in one place. Think of it as a digital toolbox for crafting vibrant and believable fictional universes.

Who Uses Campfire?

Campfire is ideal for world-builders, especially those working on stories with complex settings, detailed lore, or multiple character arcs. It’s suited for writers who enjoy developing intricate backstories and settings alongside the main narrative. The learning curve is moderate, with many features that can be learned progressively. The modular structure lets users start with basics and gradually explore more advanced functions as needed.

Top 5 Story Writing Tools by Campfire:

Worldbuilding Canvas: This is where you visually map out your fictional world. Create continents, countries, cities, and landmarks, adding details like geography, climate, and important locations.

How to use: Use the drawing tools to sketch out your world’s map, then add pins to mark important locations. Each pin can contain detailed descriptions, images, and even links to related characters or events.

Character Builder: Create comprehensive profiles for your characters, including their appearance, personality traits, backstories, relationships, and motivations.

How to use: Fill out the character sheets with details like age, occupation, family history, and key relationships. Upload images or use the built-in avatar creator to visualize your characters.

Relationship Web: Visualize the connections between your characters, mapping out their alliances, rivalries, and family ties.

How to use: Drag and drop character profiles onto the Relationship Web and connect them with different types of relationships (family, friend, enemy, romantic). Add notes to each connection to describe the nature of their relationship.

Timeline: Create timelines to track important events in your story’s history, from major wars and political upheavals to the births and deaths of key characters.

How to use: Add events to the timeline, including dates, descriptions, and relevant images. You can create separate timelines for different regions or families to keep your history organized.

Lore Keeper: Store all your world-building details in one place, including information about cultures, religions, magic systems, and important objects.

How to use: Create entries for different aspects of your world’s lore, adding text, images, and links to related characters or locations. Use the Lore Keeper as a central repository for all your world-building information.

Dabble Writer

Dabble Writer is an online story writing tool that aims to make the writing process as simple and enjoyable as possible. It has a clean, distraction-free interface and focuses on providing essential features without overwhelming the user. It’s designed to be accessible for writers of all levels, from beginners to published authors.

Who Uses Dabble Writer?

Dabble is ideal for writers who prefer a simple, intuitive setup without sacrificing essential plotting and organization tools. Its straightforward interface makes it suitable for new writers, as well as experienced authors looking for a no-fuss platform. The learning curve is low; users can get started quickly with minimal guidance, although the tool has enough depth to support detailed story planning.

Top 5 Story Writing Tools by Dabble Writer:

Distraction-free writing mode: Minimize distractions and focus on your writing with Dabble’s “Focus Mode,” which hides all unnecessary elements and allows you to concentrate on your words.

How to use: Click the “Focus Mode” button to hide the sidebar and other distractions. You can customize the appearance of Focus Mode to suit your preferences.

Plot Grid: Visually outline your story using the Plot Grid, which allows you to create plot lines for different characters or subplots and track their progress across your manuscript.

How to use: Create new plot lines and add plot points to each one. You can color-code plot lines, rearrange events, and add notes to keep track of your story’s development.

Story Notes: Keep all your story-related information organized in one place, including character profiles, world-building details, and research notes.

How to use: Create separate notes for different aspects of your story, such as characters, locations, and important events. You can link notes to specific scenes in your manuscript for easy access.

Goals and deadlines: Set daily or weekly word count goals and track your progress towards your writing targets.

How to use: Set your desired word count goal and Dabble will display your progress in the sidebar. You can also set deadlines for completing specific chapters or sections of your manuscript.

Collaboration: Share your project with other writers or editors for feedback and collaboration.

How to use: Invite collaborators to your project and grant them different levels of access (viewer, commenter, editor).

Grammarly

Grammarly is an AI-powered story writing tool that goes beyond basic grammar and spell checking. It analyzes your writing for clarity, conciseness, tone, and plagiarism, providing suggestions to improve your overall communication. Think of it as a virtual editor that helps you polish your writing and ensure it’s error-free and impactful.

Who Uses Grammarly?

Grammarly is perfect for writers who want an efficient, automated tool to refine language mechanics and overall readability. The ideal user spans across genres, from new writers looking to improve their grammar to professionals aiming for polished, publication-ready text. The learning curve is minimal; Grammarly is user-friendly, with intuitive design and clear, straightforward feedback that doesn’t require extensive tutorial time.

Top 5 Story Writing Tools by Grammarly:

Grammar and spelling checker: Grammarly catches common grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and punctuation issues, ensuring your writing is error-free.

How to use: Install the Grammarly browser extension or desktop app and start writing. Grammarly will automatically underline errors and provide suggestions for correction.

Clarity and conciseness: Grammarly identifies sentences that are unclear, wordy, or awkward, suggesting ways to make your writing more concise and impactful.

How to use: Pay attention to the clarity and conciseness suggestions provided by Grammarly. Rephrase sentences, eliminate unnecessary words, and choose stronger verbs to improve your writing.

Tone detector: Grammarly analyzes the tone of your writing, helping you ensure it aligns with your intended audience and purpose.

How to use: Set the desired tone for your writing (e.g., formal, informal, confident, friendly) and Grammarly will highlight any sentences that deviate from that tone.

Plagiarism checker: Grammarly scans your writing for plagiarism, comparing it to billions of web pages and academic databases to ensure your work is original.

How to use: Run your document through Grammarly’s plagiarism checker to identify any unintentional plagiarism. Cite your sources properly to avoid academic dishonesty.

Genre-specific writing suggestions: Grammarly can tailor its suggestions to different types of writing, including academic essays, creative writing, and business reports.

How to use: Select the appropriate genre for your writing in Grammarly’s settings to receive more relevant suggestions.

Hemingway Editor

The Hemingway App is a free online story writing tool that helps you write with clarity and conciseness. It highlights lengthy, complex sentences and common errors, encouraging you to simplify your writing and make it more impactful. Think of it as a digital writing coach that channels the spirit of Ernest Hemingway’s direct and vigorous prose.  

Who Uses Hemingway Editor?

The Hemingway App is ideal for writers who prioritize clarity and readability, particularly those working in genres that benefit from straightforward language. The perfect user is someone looking to improve sentence flow and eliminate excess complexity. The learning curve is minimal—Hemingway’s interface is simple, with color-coded highlights and an intuitive layout, making it easy to start editing immediately.

Top 5 Story Writing Tools by Hemingway Editor:

Sentence highlighting: Hemingway App color-codes sentences to indicate their complexity. Yellow highlights suggest sentences that are a bit too long or complex, while red highlights indicate sentences that are very difficult to read.

How to use: Pay attention to the highlighted sentences and try to shorten or simplify them. Break long sentences into shorter ones, and use active voice instead of passive voice.  

Adverb detection: Hemingway App highlights adverbs in blue, encouraging you to use stronger verbs instead.

How to use: Try to replace the highlighted adverbs with more descriptive verbs. For example, instead of saying “He ran quickly,” say “He sprinted.”

Passive voice detection: Hemingway App highlights instances of passive voice in green, prompting you to use active voice for a more direct and engaging style.

How to use: Rewrite passive sentences in active voice. For example, instead of “The ball was thrown by the boy,” say “The boy threw the ball.”  

Readability score: Hemingway App provides a readability score for your text, indicating how easy it is to understand.

How to use: Aim for a readability score that is appropriate for your target audience. Lower scores indicate easier-to-read text.  

Direct editing: You can write directly within the Hemingway App and see the highlights and suggestions in real-time.

How to use: Paste your text into the Hemingway App editor or start writing directly in the app. Make changes as you go, based on the app’s suggestions.  

yWriter 7

yWriter is a free word processing program specifically designed for novelists. This story writing tool helps you break your novel into chapters and scenes, making it easier to manage and organize your work. Unlike some other tools that focus on visual planning or world-building, yWriter prioritizes the writing process itself, providing a structured environment to write and revise your manuscript.

Who Uses yWriter 7?

yWriter is perfect for authors who prefer structured scene-by-scene storytelling, with a focus on detailed planning and organization. It’s especially suited for plot-driven genres with complex storylines, such as thrillers and fantasy. The learning curve is moderate; while yWriter’s interface is straightforward, exploring all the available features takes some time. Writers can start with basic scene management and gradually incorporate advanced tracking tools as needed.

Top 5 Story Writing Tools by yWriter 7:

Project organization: yWriter allows you to divide your novel into chapters and scenes, making it easy to navigate your manuscript and keep track of your progress.

How to use: Create new chapters and scenes within your project. You can rearrange scenes within a chapter or move chapters around to experiment with different structures.

Scene summaries: Write brief summaries for each scene to get an overview of your plot and identify any gaps or inconsistencies.

How to use: In the scene editor, write a short summary of what happens in that scene. You can view these summaries in a list to track your story’s flow.

Character and location tracking: Create profiles for your characters and locations, including details like their appearance, personality, and backstory.

How to use: Add new characters and locations to your project and fill in their details. yWriter will track where each character appears in your manuscript, helping you maintain consistency.

Word count targets: Set daily or weekly word count goals to stay motivated and track your writing progress.

How to use: Define your word count targets and yWriter will display your progress. You can also set deadlines for completing specific chapters or sections.

Export options: Export your manuscript in various formats, including RTF, HTML, and PDF, making it easy to share your work with others.

How to use: Choose your preferred export format and yWriter will generate a formatted document that you can share with beta readers, editors, or agents.

ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid is a comprehensive editing and story writing tool that helps writers improve their grammar, style, and clarity. It goes beyond basic spell-checking and grammar correction, offering in-depth analysis and personalized feedback to help you strengthen your writing. Think of it as a virtual editor that provides a detailed critique of your manuscript, helping you identify areas for improvement and polish your work to perfection.

Who Uses ProWritingAid?

ProWritingAid is ideal for writers who are looking to improve not just grammar but also the style and structure of their work. The perfect user is someone serious about polishing their manuscript to a professional level, whether for self-publishing or submission. The learning curve is moderate on the list of story writing tools. ProWritingAid offers numerous reports and tools, but users can start with the basics and gradually explore the more detailed reports as they become familiar with the interface.

Top 5 Story Writing Tools by ProWritingAid:

In-depth reports: ProWritingAid provides 25+ detailed reports that analyze various aspects of your writing, including grammar, style, readability, overused words, and sentence structure.

How to use: Run your manuscript through ProWritingAid and review the reports. Each report focuses on a specific area of your writing and provides actionable suggestions for improvement.

Grammar and style checking: ProWritingAid identifies grammar errors, punctuation mistakes, and stylistic issues, suggesting ways to improve your writing’s clarity and conciseness.

How to use: Pay attention to the grammar and style suggestions provided by ProWritingAid. Correct errors, rephrase sentences, and choose stronger words to enhance your writing.

Readability analysis: ProWritingAid analyzes the readability of your text, identifying sentences that are too long or complex and suggesting ways to make your writing more accessible.

How to use: Review the readability report and aim for a score that is appropriate for your target audience. Break down long sentences, use simpler vocabulary, and vary your sentence structure to improve readability.

Plagiarism checker: ProWritingAid scans your writing for plagiarism, comparing it to billions of web pages and academic databases to ensure your work is original.

How to use: Use the plagiarism checker to identify any unintentional plagiarism and properly cite your sources.

Contextual thesaurus: ProWritingAid’s thesaurus provides alternative word suggestions that fit the context of your sentence, helping you find the perfect word to express your ideas.

How to use: Right-click on a word and select the thesaurus option to see a list of synonyms that are relevant to your sentence.

MindMeister

MindMeister is an online mind mapping story writing tool that helps you visually organize your thoughts, ideas, and information. It’s great for brainstorming, outlining, project planning, and note-taking. Think of it as a digital whiteboard where you can connect ideas, create hierarchies, and see the big picture of your project.

Who Uses MindMeister?

MindMeister is perfect for visual planners and writers working on complex stories with multiple interconnected elements. It’s ideal for those who need a flexible space to brainstorm, outline, or organize intricate world-building details and character relationships. The learning curve is low and this might be the easiest story writing tool yet. Most users find the drag-and-drop interface intuitive, making it quick to learn and easy to use.

Top 5 Story Writing Tools from MindMeister:

Mind map creation: Create mind maps with unlimited branches and subtopics to visualize your ideas and their connections.

How to use: Start with a central topic and add branches for related ideas. Use colors, icons, and images to make your map more visually appealing and engaging.

Collaboration: Share your mind maps with others and collaborate in real-time, making it ideal for brainstorming sessions and group projects.

How to use: Invite collaborators to your mind map and assign them different roles (viewer, editor). Work together to add ideas, rearrange topics, and leave comments.

Attachments and notes: Add attachments, links, and notes to your mind map topics to provide more context and detail.

How to use: Attach files, images, or links to relevant topics. Add notes to provide further explanation or clarification.

Presentation mode: Turn your mind map into a dynamic presentation with just a few clicks, making it easy to share your ideas with an audience.

How to use: Switch to presentation mode and MindMeister will automatically create a slideshow from your mind map. You can customize the presentation settings to control the flow and appearance of your slides.

Integration with other tools: MindMeister integrates with popular tools like Google Workspace and Microsoft Teams, making it easy to incorporate mind mapping into your existing workflow.

How to use: Connect MindMeister to your Google Drive or Microsoft Teams account to access your mind maps from within those applications.

Google Docs

Google Docs is a free, web-based word processor story writing tool that allows you to create, edit, and collaborate on documents online. It’s a versatile tool that’s widely used for everything from writing novels and essays to creating reports and presentations. Its strength lies in its accessibility, collaboration features, and seamless integration with other Google services.

Who Uses Google Docs?

Google Docs is ideal for writers looking for a versatile, user-friendly platform that supports real-time collaboration and provides essential document editing features. The perfect user is someone who needs to share drafts easily with others, collect feedback, or collaborate on projects, like memoirs or nonfiction work. The learning curve is very low, as Google Docs has an intuitive, minimalistic interface and integrates smoothly with other Google services.

Top 5 Story Writing Tools by Google Docs:

Real-time collaboration: Multiple users can edit a document simultaneously, seeing each other’s changes in real-time. This makes it easy to collaborate with co-writers, editors, or beta readers.

How to use: Share your document with others and grant them editing permissions. You can see their cursors moving as they type and make changes.

Version history: Google Docs automatically saves every change you make, allowing you to revert to previous versions of your document if needed.

How to use: Go to File > Version history to see a list of all previous versions. You can name specific versions and restore older versions with a single click.

Commenting and suggestions: Leave comments and suggestions directly within the document, making it easy to provide feedback and discuss revisions.

How to use: Highlight the text you want to comment on and click the “Add comment” button. You can also suggest edits that the document owner can accept or reject.

Voice typing: Dictate your text directly into Google Docs using voice typing, which can be helpful for writers who prefer to speak their ideas or who have difficulty typing.

How to use: Go to Tools > Voice typing and start speaking. Google Docs will transcribe your words into text.

Integration with other Google services: Google Docs seamlessly integrates with other Google services like Google Drive, Google Search, and Google Translate, making it easy to store, research, and translate your work.

How to use: Access your Google Drive files directly from Google Docs. Use the built-in research tool to search the web without leaving your document. Translate your text into different languages using Google Translate.

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Find Your Perfect Writing Tool and Get Started!

Did you find the best story writing tool for your genre? Whether it’s Scrivener for complex novels, Plottr for multi-layered thrillers, or Campfire for immersive fantasy worlds, you have many options to help bring your story to life. Start writing and turn your ideas into a self-published book that you can hold in your hands! Check out PrintingCenterUSA.com for more helpful resources like a free sample pack to make your publishing journey easy and rewarding. Let’s get your story into the world!