creative writing app

37 Best Writing Apps to Improve Your Skills

Our regularly updated list features the best writing apps and software for authors, bloggers, and freelancers.

Writing apps can help you improve your writing skills, stay organized, streamline workflow, and allow you to get into the creative flow. Whether you’re a screenwriter , playwright, novelist, content writer or blogger, these helpful apps allow you to get your ideas out and develop outlines quickly. Our article reviewed the best writing apps and recommended which suits each writing style and project best.

At A Glance: Our Top 4 Picks For Writing Apps

• Best Writing App: Grammarly
• For Planning And Writing Stories: LivingWriter
• Best Alternative: ProWritingAid
• For Long-Form Writing: Scrivener

Grammar Checkers

1. grammarly, 2. prowritingaid, distraction-free writing tools, 5. ia writer, 8. novelize, best apps for novelists, 10. scrivener, 11. autocrit, 12. storyist (for mac), 13. ywriter, 14. the novel factory, 15. hemingway app, organization tools, 16. dynalist, 18. writer.com, 19. livingwriter, 20. microsoft word, 21. plain text, 22. day one, 23. evernote, ai writing tools, 25. wordtune, 26. articleforge, 28. jasper ai, 29. chat gpt, text and speech tools, 30. fromtexttospeech.com, collaboration tools, 32. google docs, 33. zoho writer, screenwriting tools, 34. script studio, 35. fade in, 36. final draft, 37. writerduet, a final word on the best writing apps.

Using the best grammar checkers in your writing allows you to identify and correct grammar as you work. They offer advanced features that can be great for spotting tone differences, trickier grammar errors, and stylistic suggestions. These tools create a seamless writing experience ensuring your writing is ready to go, with little need for proofreading or heavy editing afterward.

Use for:  Grammar checkering Pricing:  $29.99 per month

Grammarly is a powerful grammar checker, plagiarism detector and AI writing assistant. We use it every day to check work on this site. Both the free and premium versions are useful. It provides several editing recommendations, such as avoiding passive voice, using shorter sentences, alternative suggestions for using a broader vocabulary, etc. Many of these features are invaluable when trimming your word count. You can find out why I like this premium grammar checker in our Grammarly review .

We tested dozens of grammar checkers, and Grammarly is the best tool on the market today. It'll help you write and edit your work much faster. Grammarly provides a powerful AI writing assistant and plagiarism checker.

Use for:  Proofreading and grammar checking Pricing:  From free to $25+ per month

ProWritingAid is another proofreading and grammar checker writing app that will help you improve your writing and refine the art of self-editing. ProWritingAid works similarly to Grammarly , but it’s more affordable. I recently published a detailed review and video comparison if you need clarification on this writing software and how it compares to the apps above. Read our ProWritingAid review .

ProWritingAid is a powerful, accurate grammar checker and style editor. It's suitable for non-fiction and fiction writers and doesn't require a monthly subscription. Save 20% per month or year.

Use for:  Grammar-checking Pricing:  $13.99/month

Ginger software is an affordable alternative to Grammarly . Ginger Software is somewhat useful for writers who don’t consider English their primary language. It enables you to translate documents written in Spanish, French, German, and more into English. It will also check for grammar errors. Read our comparison of Ginger Vs. Grammarly .

Use for:  Grammar and spell check Pricing:  $14.99/month

Linguix acts as a spelling and grammar checker. It’s more affordable than Grammarly’s premium plan. It’s ideal for anyone who writes for a living or as a hobby. Students will also benefit from using it to prove their essays or assignments. While it does an excellent job at catching typos, it won’t catch sentences that run on or are challenging to understand. Read our Linguix review .

The best distraction-free writing tools provide a minimalistic space for writers to focus without being side-tracked by too many features, bright colors, or editing options. They offer a focused environment where writers can concentrate on their writing. Often, these tools have full-screen modes, customizable backgrounds, and no alerts. It can be a great way to get into the flow state when writing and let your creativity shine.

Use for:  Writing articles and blog posts Pricing:  From $29.99/month

iA Writer is a distraction-free writing app for short blog posts and articles. This iPad, iPhone, and Mac writing app helps writers overcome distractions through the Focus Mode feature. It also has a full-screen mode highlighting the line you are typing and will fade out everything else on the document. This is one of the most ingenious features for focusing your mind on the current point, which is helpful, especially in creative writing projects. Read our iA Writer review .

Use for:  Productive and focused writing sessions Pricing:  $10/month or $100/year

Novlr is ideal for creating a production workflow and finishing your writing project with time to spare. This app is aesthetically pleasing and browser-based, automatically saving cloud content. It has a “focus mode” that sets the mood for writing without distractions. You can also track stats, write collaboratively, and organize outlines. Use this writing app on any browser.

Use for:  Writing articles and blog posts Pricing:  From $5.99/month

Ulysses is a powerful, intuitive, distraction-free Mac OS and iOS writing app. Windows and Android writers are still looking for a solution. It also has features such as a Markup-Based Text Editor, keyboard shortcuts so writers can work quicker, a library to organize notes and documents, a space to set writing goals, publish directly to WordPress and Medium, etc. It’s a good choice for bloggers and content writers. Read our Ulysses review .

Use for:  Best for writing novels Pricing:  $9/month or $65/year

Novelize is an intuitive web-based app ideal for novelists and creative writers. With a simple workflow, it has built-in tools for managing notes and rearranging sections. It encourages writers to focus and get into the flow state when writing. Cloud-based storage ensures that work is accessible from anywhere, at any time, so it won’t be lost when creativity strikes.

The best writing apps for novelists offer features such as manuscript organization, plot timelines, and character development tools. They’re a great assistant to writers who might need extra help developing their ideas. Many of these tools offer outline templates with various themes, such as Hero’s Journey or Voyage and Return. These apps help novelists easily plan, write, and finish their work.

Use for: Preparing a book to self-publish Pricing:  $199

Vellum is a writing app that authors can use to prepare a book for self-publishing. One of the trickiest parts of self-publishing is creating a book that looks good. Or at least, it was. With Vellum, you can create beautiful-looking e-books and print books in minutes. I prepare all my books for self-publishing with Vellum, and it’s a delight to use. Read our Vellum review .

Use for:  Writing books and longer-form works Pricing:  From $49/month

I can’t recommend Scrivener enough as a writing app for longer-form works. Scrivener allows writers and students to organize their ideas and manage more complicated writing projects using the desktop and mobile writing app. It’s also available on iPad. Scrivener also has plenty of keyboard shortcuts to speed up the writing process. Read our Scrivener review .

Scrivener is our go-to app for long-form writing projects. It's popular with best-selling novelists, screenwriters, non-fiction writers, students, academics, lawyers, journalists, translators and more. 

Use for:  Editing and learning to write Pricing:  Free, paid is $30/month or pro version for $300/year

AutoCrit is a self-editing app built for novelists and storytellers. Beyond just checking for spelling and grammar errors, it includes tools to examine the pacing and momentum of your work, dialogue, and more. It points out instances of passive voice, showing vs. telling, using cliche phrases, and even if you overuse certain words or phrases. Read our AutoCrit review .

Use for:  Organizing plots and developing characters Pricing:  $59

Storyist is a versatile writing app ideal for novelists, screenwriters, and non-fiction writers. Storyist is one of the best story-building apps available for Mac. It has an intuitive workspace that can be used for organizing plots, developing characters, and integrating research. There are also collaborative editing tools available for teams to use. It’s ideal for self-publishing and collaborative projects alike. 

Use for:  Organized and structuring work Pricing:  Free

yWriter is a powerful writing app designed for authors and novelists who prefer a structured and organized approach to writing. This app is on Mac and Windows and mobile for Android and iOS. yWriter allows writers to store details about their work and turn them into data charts and tables – visually representing various statistics within the writing.

Use for:  Fiction writing  Pricing:  $7.50/month

The Novel Factory is a type of novel writing software for fiction writers. It offers a step-by-step tutorial to writing your first novel taking you through scenes, characters, themes, etc. I don’t write fiction much these days, so I haven’t tested The Novel Factory extensively. It reminded me a little of the Scrivener fiction template. Listen to our interview with Katja Kaine of the Novel Factor.

Use for:  Self-editing Pricing:  $19.99

Writers can use Hemingway Editor to improve their writing and self-editing skills. Paste your text into the application, and it will provide suggestions for removing unnecessary words here and there, such as adverbs or tautology. It also suggests reframing specific sentences from passive voice to active voice and much more. Hemingway is beneficial to reducing your word count without leaving out any essential points from your article. Read our Hemingway app review .

Organization tools for writers help writers re-organize their notes, ideas, and plot outlines with helpful features. This can include creating folders, tags, categorizing notes, and building outlines. Intuitive apps can enhance the writing experience by managing research information and organizing the creative process.

Use for:  Outlines Pricing: Free or $7.99/month

Writers can use Dynalist to create outlines for articles and book chapters. This app is helpful if you’re a writer who likes to outline their work in advance. It also supports Markdown and can be used as a to-do list tool. The free version is good enough for most writers unless you value a revision history. Read our Dynalist review .

Use for:  Outlines Pricing:  From $25 – $65/year depending on plan

Plottr is one of the best tools for creating outlines for your novels. Various outlining templates, including The Seven Point Plot Structure and The Hero’s Journey, are available. Following one of these intuitive templates is a great way to get your ideas on paper and get into the flow of waiting. Plotter can be used on Mac or Windows computers and also has a mobile app.

Use for:  Business Writing Pricing:  $11/month

If you write fiction or casual blog posts, Writer.Com is not for you. Instead, it’s intended for marketing teams, brand agencies, social media managers, sales and HR departments, PR, and more. It can act as a style guide-building platform, so team members can mandate and learn rules for style in terms of the language and tone to use when writing. Read our Writer.Com review .

Use for:  Fiction writing Pricing:  $96/year or $9.99/month

.LivingWriter is a new story-writing app for writing stories or a book. Rather than using a word processor, Living Writer is accessible via your web browser. Like Scrivener, it helps writers arrange their plots and stories using boards. Living Writer contains a series of outline templates for famous story structures like the Hero’s Journey. Read our Living Writer review .

Living Writer contains time-saving templates for authors and novelists. iOS and Android apps available

Use for:  General writing Pricing:  $139.99/year or $6.99/ month

Microsoft Word is a classic writing app for all general writing projects. Although it’s a pricey option, MS Word is reliable, versatile, and easy to use. It works well on Mac and Windows PC and mobile on both iOS and Android. MS Word is a standard writing application for creating documents to print, note-taking, and more! However, its grammar checker could be better, so I recommend using it with the Grammarly plug-in.

Use for:  Writing whatever, wherever Pricing:  Free

If you’re a writer on a budget, you don’t need to spend any money buying expensive writing software or apps. Instead, you can use the free text editor with your operating system. Just open up Notepad on Windows or TextEdit on a Mac and get to work! I like plain text editors for writing something short quickly and easily, without thinking about it too much.

Use for:  Journal writing Pricing: $2.95/month

Day One is the best journal writing app on the market today. It’s much more than an online diary. You can also add photos, audio, and video to your entries. You don’t need to sit down and type anything up; you can record directly into your Apple Watch. As journalling is quite a hard habit to stick to, the ease of use makes it much more accessible. It also automatically uses geotags that add location, date, time, and weather to your entries. Read our Day One review .

Use for: Writing articles and blog posts Pricing: Free

Evernote is a good app for saving research and story ideas. I use Evernote to record ideas for blog posts and book chapters during the day. Jotting down notes immediately when ideas come to you is a fantastic way of capturing random moments of inspiration and overcoming writer’s block. It also has integrations, team collaboration, and more. Read our guide: What is Evernote ?

Use for: Markdown text editor Pricing: From $5.99

Byword is a Markdown text editor. It’s mostly aimed at Apple writers. Byword is not ideal for authors, but bloggers and web developers will find it useful. While it offers Markdown support, it can also support keyboard shortcuts to allow you to Preview your work ahead of publishing. It even boasts MultiMarkdown support, cross-referencing and footnotes, and metadata.

If you’re still familiar with Markdown, Byword has a guide to get you started. It’s $5.99 to download for iOS and $11 to download on Mac. Read our Byword review .

Artificial intelligence writing apps leverage the latest AI technology to assist writers when generating ideas, content, and outlines. Using AI in writing has many new benefits, such as conquering writer’s block, fact-checking, structuring outlines, completing paragraphs, and more. Prompting AI tools to assist with writing can improve productivity and generate creative ideas.

Use for: AI rephrasing and writing  Pricing: From $9.99/month

Wordtune can help you to write better sentences. It’s helpful for employees or freelancers sending emails to editors or writers struggling to find the best way to phrase something. This AI rephrasing tool can help you perfect the tone of what you are trying to write. It can also suggest ways to shorten sentences or expand your thoughts. It also has an online editor. Read our Wordtune review .

Use for: Content generation Pricing: From $27/month

Article Forge is ideal for businesses that need to create content. The app uses artificial intelligence to scan existing web pages for keywords or a topic. It will analyze the content and then rewrite it in its language. The article will be generated in minutes. Read our Article Forge review .

Use for: AI writing tool Pricing: $9/month

Rytr is a tool for businesses looking to create content or even bloggers facing writer’s block. Having it create content from scratch could provide better results. However, it does a solid job of rewriting and improving existing posts. It also does a decent job of mocking up product descriptions if you provide the context. Plus, it can function as an editing tool. Read our Rytr review .

Use for: AI copywriting Pricing: From $29/month

Jasper.ai is a godsend for marketers and entrepreneurs looking to create short-form content. This includes email subject lines, product descriptions, blog introductions, social media posts, and video titles. It’s one of the best apps if you’re looking to use AI to boost your content. It can even help bloggers tackle writer’s block too. Read our Jasper AI review .

Use for: Writing blog articles and copywriting Pricing: Free or $20/month

ChatGPT has taken the world by storm with its AI writing capabilities. Use it to brainstorm ideas for your next novel or blog post, build detailed outlines, fact-check, and build world lore. This is a versatile browser application that can adapt to your needs with ease. It’s an excellent option for combating writer’s block and generating fresh ideas. It’s available on Mac and Windows and as a free mobile app. Read our ChatGPT review .

Text and speech writing tools allow writers to convert their text to speech and vice versa. This is an excellent tool for hearing your work during editing to ensure the content flows and makes sense. It’s also a great way to quickly get your ideas on paper when a creative idea strikes.

Use for: Converting writing to MP3 Pricing: Free

FromTextToSpeech.com is a browser-based application that allows you to turn your writing into MP3 files that can be downloaded to listen to. Many authors recommend reading work aloud to ensure it flows well, so using an app like this is a great way to proofread your novel.

Use for: Transcriptions and dictation Pricing: $1.25 per minute of audio

Rev is another useful dictation app for writers. Using the iPhone or Android app, you can dictate a draft into your phone and then upload it to Rev for transcription by a human at $1 a minute. Alternatively, if you interview someone, you can save time by transcribing these interviews to write better non-fiction articles. It’s more accurate than using a dictaphone but at a cost. If you’re on a budget, use an AI transcription service. Read our Rev review .

Collaboration tools are an excellent way for writers to collaborate on a project. This is especially useful when multiple authors work on a novel, screenplay, or presentation. Many of these tools allow for feedback and tracking changes, ensuring smooth communication among the team members. Here are our top recommendations for collaborative tools:

Use for: Word processor Pricing: Free

Google Docs is a free writing app and an excellent alternative to Microsoft Word. It’s a reliable choice if you like collaborating with other writers or an editor online. It works almost anywhere, assuming you have a reliable internet connection. Its functionality for handling large documents, like a book, has also dramatically improved.

Zoho Writer is less known than Google Docs or Microsoft Word. Zoho Writer offers a writing assistant to help with readability, grammar, and more issues. It also allows live collaboration with team members and offline editing in your browser. Plus, there are a decent number of templates or formatting options. It’s split into three workspaces: Compose, Review, and Distribute, where you can write the content, work with collaborations and then publish or share it. Read our Zoho Writer review .

Screenwriting tools are tailored explicitly to screenwriters and playwrights. They peroxide a structured environment for screenwriters with outlines, formatting, and timeline generation. Often, they have built-in templates that adhere to industry standards, helping bring their ideas to life with ease.

Use for: Writing movie scripts Pricing: F$199.95

Script Studio is a versatile app best suited for scriptwriters. However, it can also be used for other works, such as novels. The most notable feature of this app is the inclusion of popular movie scripts that can be used as a model for your work. The templates are an excellent way to learn the format and polish your movie script. Some features allow you to draft, plot, and organize the works, making it a top choice for aspiring movie writers.

Use for: Screenwriting Pricing: $79.95

Fade In is an excellent tool for aspiring screenwriters, with automatic formatting that allows you to bring your scripts to life. It’s best suited for screenwriters looking to create a first draft of their screenplay. With a convenient beatboard feature, writers can map out the beats of their stories and view them on a timeline above the script. 

Use for: Screenwriting Pricing: $99.99/month

Final Draft is the default app of choice for screenwriters. I’ve experimented with Final Draft, and it strikes me as an example of powerful writing software but with a bigger learning curve than your typical word processor. Read our Final Draft review .

Use for: Collaborative screenwriting Pricing: From $9.99 – $13.99/month

WriterDuet is an industry standard for screenwriting, used by millions of screenwriters for TV shows and blockbusters. This highly-rated tool allows writers to collaborate with other writers on their teams in real time. It can also incorporate text and video chat during writing sessions. Other features include locked and colored pages, sharing and publishing feedback, and stats and reports about your writing.

Two of the best writing apps to try today are Grammarly and ChatGPT. For more general writing, Google Docs and Ulysses are both great. Writing apps are a great way to organize your thoughts and express your ideas. Once you’ve started writing, it’s easy to complete with the help of a comprehension app like the one listed in our guide.

It’s time to start on that writing project you’ve been dreaming about. Pick the best writing app that suits your needs from our guide, and start writing. Embrace the power of writing apps to help unleash your creativity and build your next novel, non-fiction book, screenplay, or blog.

Bryan Collins is the owner of Become a Writer Today. He's an author from Ireland who helps writers build authority and earn a living from their creative work. He's also a former Forbes columnist and his work has appeared in publications like Lifehacker and Fast Company.

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Free writing software: 24 tools to help you create better content, faster

Find the best brainstorming, researching, writing, and editing tools.

As a freelance writer, I try to keep my app costs lean, so I'm a sucker for free writing tools. But with so many writing apps on the market, it's hard to tell which free options are actually valuable.

I've done some of the legwork for you by bringing together some of the best free writing apps on the internet. All of the options listed here are tools the Zapier team or I have used and enjoyed.

For this roundup, I prioritized completely free tools and freemium apps with a forever free plan that was sufficient for actual regular use. Many of the options have paid plans, but those plans are generally geared toward power users.

Researching and note-taking software

Writing software

Editing software

Proofreading software

The best free writing software at a glance

Free writing tools for brainstorming and organizing your thoughts, best free writing software for expanding your ideas.

MindMeister (Web, iOS, Android)

If you like to perform mind mapping to get your thoughts on paper and connect them, MindMeister gives you a virtual space to do it. It includes templates for the traditional mind map as well as more specific layouts for frameworks like SMART goals, case studies, and content plans.

Want to learn more about mind mapping? Check out Zapier's list of the best mind mapping apps , or discover nine ways to use mind maps to jumpstart your projects.

MindMeister pricing: Free for up to 3 mind maps; from $5.99/month for premium plans , including features like unlimited mind maps, advanced exporting, and group sharing

Best free writing software for creating content outlines

Workflowy (Web, macOS, Windows, Chrome, iOS, Android)

Outlines are a writer's best friend , and Workflowy lets you go as deep or shallow as you want. This tool organizes your outline into bullet points that you can click to nest and expand however you want.

Workflowy pricing: Free for up to 250 bullets a month ; from $4.99/month for the Workflowy Pro plan with expanded features like unlimited bullets and uploads

Best free writing software for brainstorming together

When you need to write something in collaboration with others, the brainstorming process is one of the trickiest to facilitate with technology. Miro lets you plot out ideas with mind maps, Kanban boards, virtual sticky notes, and whatever strategy you use to get your thoughts down. The free plan allows for unlimited team members to brainstorm with at the same time.

If whiteboards aren't your preferred brainstorming method, explore Zapier's picks for the top brainstorming tools for more collaborative and solo apps.

You can even use Miro with Zapier (also free), so you can automate your brainstorming workflows. Here are a couple of ideas to get you started.

Create Miro widgets with new Trello cards

Add Miro cards from new rows on Google Sheets

Miro pricing: Free for 3 whiteboards with unlimited team members; from $8/user/month for plans with unlimited whiteboards and advanced collaboration features

Best free writing software for brainstorming topics

Ryan Robinson's Keyword Research Tool (Web)

Go to the Ideas tab of Ryan Robinson's Keyword Research Tool , and it'll provide ideas related to your query. Since it's a keyword tool first and foremost, these ideas are designed to be less competitive on search results, too.

If you're looking for keyword research tools specifically for their main purpose, check out Zapier's roundup of the best free keyword research tools .  

Keyword Research Tool pricing: Free

Best free writing software for brainstorming ideas with AI

ChatGPT (Web)

With the rise of AI , some writers use GPT-based apps to brainstorm ideas and build the base for an outline. ChatGPT is the best free option—and the one you know and love—or you can check out even more GPT-powered writing apps in Zapier's list of the best AI writing generators . 

You can also combine GPT with Zapier to send ideas to your favorite project management tool.

ChatGPT pricing: Free; ChatGPT Plus is $20/month

Best free writing software for brainstorming out loud

Your computer's dictation software (MacOS, Windows)

If you process your thoughts best through speaking, there's a brainstorming app already on your computer. Boot up Windows 10 Speech Recognition on Windows or Apple Dictation on Mac to record your thoughts as you brainstorm out loud.

For mobile and premium dictation app options, check out Zapier's list of the best text dictation software .

Windows 10 Speech Recognition and Apple Dictation pricing: Free

Free writing tools for research and note-taking

Best free writing software for keeping everything in one place.

Notion (Web, MacOS, Windows, iOS, Android)

Notion's balance of organization and spontaneity make it a great place to hold your notes, links, social media posts, transcriptions, and any other resources you need to write that draft. Plus, depending on your writing preferences, you can then write the draft itself in Notion—all for free. 

Add Zapier integrations to the mix to bring even more of your writing life together. Here are some pre-made workflows to get you started.

Save new tasks in Google Tasks in Notion databases

Add new Microsoft Outlook calendar events to Notion databases

If Notion doesn't meet your needs, try one of these Notion alternatives . Zapier also has a list of the best note-taking apps for you to browse.

Notion pricing: Free plan available; from $8/user/month for team plans

Best free writing software for finding free copies of paywalled research

Unpaywall (Web)

Have you ever come across a search result for the perfect research article, only to discover it's behind a paywall? Unpaywall gets you across those paywalls ethically by looking for legitimate free versions of paywalled academic research. It looks at sources like journals' open-access repositories and university and government databases, so you're never infringing copyright.

Unpaywall pricing: Free

Best free writing software for transcribing interview and video content

oTranscribe (Web)

oTranscribe simplifies the manual transcription process by placing your audio controls and a word processor on the same screen. This tool has keyboard controls and speed adjustment, so you can seamlessly transition between your audio and transcript.

If you're willing to pay a bit, here's Zapier's list of the best transcription apps and services .

oTranscribe pricing: Free

Best free writing software for collecting research from other people

Google Forms (Web, iOS, Android)

When you need original quotes or data from other people, a free survey tool or form builder will help you organize it all. Google Forms is an accessible choice for most people because it's completely free and works with the rest of Google Workspace.

Turn your form responses into Trello cards, Notion database entries, or any other nugget of info that serves you well with Google Forms' Zapier integrations .

Create Trello cards from new Google Forms responses

Share Google Forms responses in a Slack channel

Google Forms pricing: Free

Free writing tools for solo and collaborative writing

Best free writing software for collaborative writing.

Google Docs (Web, Chrome, iOS, Android)

Google Docs' straightforward interface and ease of use make it a great tool for writing solo, but this app really shines through its collaborative features . Its suggestion, sharing, and version history features put it on par with its paid alternatives at no cost to you.

You can connect Google Docs to all the other tools you use with its Zapier integration . Here are some ideas for free automations you might set up.

Create new Google Docs from text with new rows in Google Sheets

Create new Google Docs when Trint transcripts are ready

Not a fan of Google Docs or don't want to create a Google account? Find another great option in Zapier's guide to the best collaborative writing apps .

Google Docs pricing: Free

Best free writing software for messages and blurbs

WordCounter (Web)

Sometimes you need to write a small amount of text, such as a message or a blurb, without the pressure of accidentally hitting the Enter button too early. WordCounter acts as a combination clipboard and editor with a word count that saves your work in your browser cache for the next time you visit.

WordCounter pricing: Free

Free writing tools for editing

Best free writing software for finding the perfect word.

OneLook Reverse Dictionary and Thesaurus (Web)

OneLook Reverse Dictionary and Thesaurus offers all the synonyms you could dream of like a regular thesaurus, but it stands out in its reverse dictionary capabilities. Enter a phrase—or even a full sentence—to get words that match that meaning. This feature comes in handy when you want to write more concisely or find that word that's on the tip of your tongue.

OneLook Reverse Dictionary and Thesaurus pricing: Free

Best free writing software for finding the right word—anywhere

Power Thesaurus (Web, Chrome, iOS, Android)

As a freelance writer, I find myself needing to switch up words when I write on various platforms across the internet. Power Thesaurus gives me synonyms, antonyms, definitions, and other forms of word assistance wherever I like to write. It can do the same for you—put it to use on its website, in your browser, on your phone, in Google Docs, in Word, and in Gmail.

Power Thesaurus pricing: Free for fundamental features; starting from $2.49/month for Power Thesaurus PRO , featuring filters and a wider selection of synonyms

Best free writing software for rewording what you write

Wordtune (Web, Chrome, iOS)

When you just can't get phrasing right in your writing, you might turn to a friend or editor to help you sort it out. Wordtune acts as that person by offering suggestions to reword, expand, and shorten your content using AI. It doesn't have as robust of a free plan as some of the other options on this list, but it provides enough if you need assistance here and there.

If you want more features and are willing to pay a monthly fee, you can put AI to work in your editing process with Zapier's list of the best AI rewording and grammar-checking tools .

Wordtune pricing: Free for up to 10 rewrites, three AI prompts, and three summaries a day; from $9.99/month for advanced plans featuring more rewrites, AI prompts, and summaries

Best free writing software for clear and concise writing

Hemingway Editor (Web, macOS, Windows)

Inspired by Ernest Hemingway's concise writing style, the Hemingway Editor points out opportunities to sharpen your writing. This tool highlights passive voice, complex sentences, and adverbs that make your work harder to understand. It also supplies a readability score to estimate how accessible your writing is to a broad audience.

Hemingway Editor pricing: Free for editing in the Hemingway web app; $19.99 for the Mac or Windows desktop app

Best free writing software for creating compelling headlines

CoSchedule Headline Studio (Web, Chrome)

CoSchedule Headline Studio helps you write compelling headlines by analyzing the sentiment and word balance in your titles. Type in a headline to get a score and test different variations based on the suggestions you get. The Google Chrome extension and WordPress plugin let you analyze headlines wherever you go.

CoSchedule Headline Studio pricing: Free for basic features; from $8/month to buy "Premium Headline" credits that give you access to an SEO score, AI writing features, headline suggestions, and word banks for a certain number of headlines

Best free writing software for finding and removing cliches

Cliche Finder (Web)

Cut cliches out of your writing using Cliche Finder . After you paste your text into the textbox and click the Find Cliches button, the tool will highlight any cliches in bold, red text. It's up to you from there, but the tool is 100% free.

Cliche Finder pricing: Free

Best free writing software for finding jargon in your text

De-Jargonizer (Web)

Another writing mechanism that gets in the way of clarity is jargon—terms that only people in a specific role will understand. The De-Jargonizer highlights potential jargon in your writing in orange in red for you to consider rephrasing.

Once you identify jargon in your text with the De-Jargonizer, you can get suggestions for rewriting it from Zapier's Corporate Jargon Translator , built using Zapier's free AI chatbot builder .

De-Jargonizer pricing: Free

Best free writing software for varying your wording and sentence length

Expresso (Web)

Two of the best ways to amp up your writing are to switch up your words and sentence length. Expresso helps you achieve both of these goals by breaking your writing down into metrics based on word usage and sentence length, such as frequently repeated words and average sentence word count.

Expresso pricing: Free

Best free writing software for comparing your writing to AI content

GPTZero (Web, Chrome)

Due to the complexity of the AI situation, it can be tricky to truly detect AI writing with an AI content detector . But, as one writer discovered in our guide to standing out from AI , these tools work well for picking out human content that sounds like AI due to repetitive phrases and generic writing. GPTZero is a free option that judges text based on perplexity (complexity) and burstiness (sentence variation).

GPTZero pricing: Free for documents up to 5,000 words and batch uploads of up to 3 files; from $9.99/month for plans with higher word and batch limits

Free writing tools for proofreading

Best free writing software for catching spelling and grammar mistakes.

Grammarly (Web, macOS, Windows, Android iOS, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)

Check for spelling and grammar mistakes everywhere you write with Grammarly . It looks for even the nit-pickiest details, like missing dashes and incorrect prepositions. Stick to its web editor, add it to your favorite writing tool, or add the browser extension to check your writing wherever you go.

Grammarly pricing: Free for the basic spell- and grammar-checker; from $12/month for plans with advanced features like tone, vocabulary, and rewrite suggestions

Best free writing tool for proofreading short-form content

ProWritingAid (Web, macOS, Windows, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)

ProWritingAid's free plan can analyze less text at a time than Grammarly , but it includes a word explorer, thesaurus, and rephrasing tool on top of its grammar-checking features. These capabilities make it a better fit for writers who like to get really granular with their improvement. ProWritingAid's free plan could be a better option for you than Grammarly if your total word count usually clocks at 500 words or fewer.

ProWritingAid pricing: Free for a 500 word count limit and 10 rephrases per day; from $10/month for a Premium plan with no word count limit, unlimited rephrases, and advanced grammar improvement features like in-depth analytics of your writing

Best free writing tool for making MLA citations

EasyBib (Web)

This one's for the academics out there. Enter your paper's sources into EasyBib , and it'll organize them into an MLA bibliography for you. I had to give everything a once-over and make minor changes, but EasyBib helped me win my college library's bibliography contest back in the day by getting it all together.

EasyBib pricing: Free

Free writing software FAQ

Here are some questions lots of people have about writing apps and how to choose the right one.

What's a good free writing tool?

Tools like Google Docs and WordCounter are free forever and very functional. Other apps, like Grammarly or ProWritingAid, have free plans that offer basic features, with more advanced features available via a paid plan.

But there are a lot of free writing tools available that perform a wide variety of functions—everything from brainstorming to research and note-taking to writing to editing to proofreading.

What writing tool do most writers use?

There's a wide variety of writing tools out there, and which one a writer uses really comes down to preference. A lot of writers use Google Docs to write because they already use Google for so many other things—but some may prefer a tool like Notion, where they can combine writing with project management.

What makes a good writing tool?

In short, whatever helps you write! If a blank page and no distraction is what helps you actually get words down, then open a new Google Doc and go at it. If you need to organize your thoughts before you even think about writing, consider adding a brainstorming tool to the mix. Each writer's process is different, and it's all about finding tools that enable your writing, not add another roadblock to your process.

Sharpen your craft with your new toolkit

As is the case with many skills, it can be easy to focus too much on improving your writing through tools alone. You'll maximize the results you'll get from your apps with a solid foundation in writing techniques. Grab the tools that appeal to you on this page, then brush up on your core writing skills to become a killer prose machine.

Related reading:

The best journal apps

How to capitalize or change the case of your text in any app

How to write great copy: 11 copywriting tips

Copywriting vs. content writing: How to do each one well

How to write a business letter: Formatting + template

This article was originally published in June 2015 by Jane Callahan and has also had contributions from Jessica Greene. The most recent update was in August 2023.

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Melissa King

Melissa King is a freelance writer who helps B2B SaaS companies spread the word about their products through engaging content. Outside of the content marketing world, she sometimes writes about video games. Check out her work at melissakingfreelance.com.

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The 10 Best Writing Apps of 2024

Useful tools for novelists, playwrights, editors, and other wordy types

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If you're serious about writing, consider getting serious about your writing tools. These writing apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS , and Android put your words into the right format, adding polish and professionalism to your creations.

Best Word Processor for All Genres: Microsoft Word

Hundreds of templates make creating any document simple and fast.

Easily add charts, graphs, and images.

Built-in translation tools.

Overwhelming interface.

Full app is expensive.

Only one person can edit shared documents at a time.

No writing tool list is complete without Microsoft Word. This word processor is the best option for all genres, complete with hundreds of templates to choose from, endless formatting tools, and a robust online support system. From a poem to an e-book to a novel, Word can help you do it all. You can even create your own Word templates .

Word is available for macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android devices. You can start with a free trial of Microsoft 365, which includes other Microsoft applications as well. If you choose to purchase, packages range from $69.99 a year to a one-time payment of $149.99. If those prices are too high for you, you can also use Word for free .

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Best Tool for Long-Form Content: Scrivener

Keyboard shortcuts make writing a breeze.

Templates are ready-made to jumpstart your creativity.

Easy to manage and rearrange pages and chapters.

Has a learning curve.

Spelling and grammar check are not enabled by default.

Intended for users who have an intermediate understanding of word processing.

Do you write long-form works like novels or non-fiction books? If so, you need a tool that performs some of the low-level tasks for you. Scrivener offers ready-made templates that eliminate the need to spend time on tedious formatting tasks.

This application also includes features for storing details about your characters and other critical background information, writing sections and placing them in your manuscript later, and viewing a detailed outline built from synopses that you write for each chapter. If you don't like the flow, you can move chapters around. When you're ready to publish, Scrivener makes it simple to compile and export a completed manuscript.

Scrivener is available for macOS, Windows, and iOS. You can try it free for 30 days. After the trial, a standard license costs $59.99 or $50.99 for students.

Best Screenwriting Application: Final Draft

It has everything professional screenwriters need to meet industry standards.

Powerful story mapping tools.

Integrates with Storyboard Pro.

May not be great for beginners due to the hefty price and steep learning curve.

You must sign in to the platform each time you use it.

No support for real-time collaboration.

Final Draft is used by 95 percent of film and television productions. Why? There are hundreds of templates to choose from and Final Draft automatically paginates and formats your script to the industry standard, allowing you to focus on writing.

With advanced tools, the program allows you to easily brainstorm and collaborate as well as plan set pieces or store character research with customized visualizations.

Final Draft offers a free 30-day trial. After that, the cost is $199.99. The program works with both macOS and Windows and also offers a mobile app for iOS devices.

Best Organizational Companion: Evernote

Add photos, audio snippets, and more.

Robust collaboration tools.

Search for text in PDFs, images, scanned documents, and handwritten notes.

Only 60 MB of monthly upload space is available for free.

May include more features than you need for simple note taking.

Free version limits you to two devices.

To electronically capture ideas on the fly, use a text-based note app on your device. For an enhanced organizational experience, we recommend Evernote. It enables you to collect many types of input, including whiteboard photos, website screenshots, different document formats, audio recordings, and your handwriting. You can separate items into different notebooks for multiple projects.

Evernote is free to download for both Android and iOS devices, or you can use it online. Users can upgrade to Evernote Premium for $7.99 per month or Evernote Business for $14.99 per user per month.

Best Application for Distracted Writers: FocusWriter

The tool is easy start using as soon as it downloads.

Free with no catches.

Simple, intuitive interface.

There are no editing functions outside of cut and paste.

Need another word processor for editing purposes.

No mobile version.

Given all the distractions in the world and especially online, it's easy to get off track during your writing time. FocusWriter allows you to focus and get your work done. The interface is basic, with all the tools hidden beyond a screen until you need them, so it's just you and the document in front of you. Hidden timers and alarms alert you when it's time to stop.

Best Writing Software for Bloggers: Google Docs

Changes to your documents save automatically, so no more lost work.

View the history of edits and track changes.

Collaborate in real time.

The Google Docs app for mobile devices is slower than the desktop version.

Limited options for adding charts and other visuals.

Fewer formatting features than premium word processors.

One of the best things about Google Docs is how easy the program makes it to collaborate with others. No more "version shuffle" as you send drafts and revisions back and forth in email.

When you share a document with your blog editor, they can insert suggestions, comments, and changes right there. Then, when it's time to implement the changes, accept the revisions and close comments about issues you resolved. You can even use Google to work on Microsoft Word documents.

Google Docs is a free online tool that's also available as an app for Android and iOS devices.

Best Writing App for Novelists: Werdsmith

Keeps track of your writing goals and tells you how close you are to reaching them.

Lots of helpful templates and formatting options.

Publish your writing to the web from the app.

Must purchase a membership to use the novel and screenplay features.

Text formatting tools could be more intuitive.

Not worth the price if you don't regularly use all the features.

Werdsmith is a portable writing studio, complete with instant formatting for novels and screenplays. You can even use it to publish your online writing portfolio. Werdsmith features a clean design, it's easy to use, and it's the perfect place for keeping your notes and finished work. The goals and stats function helps keep you motivated.

Werdsmith is free to download and use for iOS devices. In-app purchases are offered through a membership for $4.99 per month. Members receive four new themes, novel and screenplay writing tools, hundreds of writing prompts, and more.

Best App for Journalists: Dictation

It's designed for one thing: dictation. This simplicity makes it an easy tool to use on the go.

Accurate transcriptions.

Helps prevents strain on your joints and back.

Without the pro version, you'll see an ad after each dictation you create.

Doesn't integrate with word processing apps, so it can be tedious to use.

No word counter.

For journalists who interview individuals for news stories and features, a good dictation tool is a must-have. Dictation is a speech-to-text app that translates voice to text for mobile devices. It can also be used to dictate any voice while on the go. It's perfect for capturing your brilliant ideas as well.

Dictation is free to download for iOS devices. Dictation Pro, which costs $44.99 per year, removes ads and allows you unlimited app usage.

Best Application for Editors: TextEdit

When the full-scale capabilities of a word processing program are unnecessary, TextEdit fills in the gap.

HTML and JavaScript support.

Save files in various formats (.DOCX, ODF, and others).

Only available for macOS devices.

No third-party plugins.

Formatting issues when you copy-and-paste.

This simple tool is perfect for editing documents, including Word files, on the fly and converting them into other formats seamlessly. Need to change a Rich Text Format (RTF) document to another format quickly? TextEdit is the perfect app for that. You can also easily create and edit HTML documents for the web.

TextEdit comes standard with macOS.

Best App for Song Writers: Lyric Notepad

Record yourself performing and attach the file to your song.

Counts syllables and tracks rhyme schemes to help you maintain your flow.

Inexpensive pro version.

The interface is a bit clunky.

No way to back up your lyrics to the cloud.

No search tool.

For poets, rappers, songwriters, and lyricists, inspiration can strike at any moment. That's why it's important to have a tool available at your fingertips. Lyric Notepad goes beyond typical word processing tasks to track rhyme and syllable schemes, help you find new words, and record your lyrics, all in one app. The built-in notepad allows you to add notes about your songs as you write and the metronome helps you easily keep time.

Lyric Notepad is free to download for both iOS and Android devices.

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Top 7 Writing Apps: Game-Changers for Writers [Inc. AI]

Table of contents

Chelsea Forsyth

There are days when even the best writers need a little assistance getting into their creative flow. So, when one of those days strikes, you want to ensure you have a toolkit of the best apps for writers to rely on.

Writing apps can provide inspiration, improve your writing style, and help you organize your thoughts. They can also help with research, tracking your progress, and sharing drafts with editors, making them a great resource for both aspiring and established writers. Plus, many apps are even available for free!

If you’re looking for some tools to help streamline your creative writing processes, check out our list of eight handy tools. 

1. Wordtune: Using AI while keeping your content human

What kind of list of best apps for writers would this be if we didn’t start with Wordtune? 

Wordtune is an AI-powered writing assistant that helps you improve your writing by providing real-time feedback on grammar, punctuation, and style. It can be used for everything from academic writing to business emails and blog posts, making it a brilliant tool for a variety of writers. 

Wordtune can also help you to find the right words for your writing. It can provide synonyms, antonyms, and other words related to the topic being written about. It also offers definitions and other contextual information to help writers better understand what they’re writing about. For instance, Wordtune highlights words used in the wrong context, or suggests more suitable words or phrases in its place.

Plus, you can use Spices — these are tools developed to enhance your writing even further. You can ask Wordtune to “explain” the topic you’re writing about to help give your reader further clarification, or “emphasize” to help reiterate your point. These are especially useful if you’re struggling to add further detail to your writing, or if you need some help understanding a topic

Try Wordtune for free > Try Wordtune for free >

2. Scrivener: Best for writers who write long-form

Scrivener is a must-have tool for long-form writers. Both an “outliner” planning tool and a word processor, Scrivener allows you to meticulously plan your novel or screenplay by breaking down your writing into sections and ‘outlining’ what each bit will include. You can also organize notes, concepts, research, and whole documents into its “Binder” for easy access and reference. 

Scrivener differs from other apps on this list in that it won't assist you with your writing style — but it will provide everything you need to keep writing. For instance, if you’re writing a novel or a screenplay, you can write when inspiration strikes without worrying if it's in chronological order, as the drag-and-drop interface allows you to easily move sections to another place at a later date. You can also add synopses and overviews to each chapter, which helps when you want to ‘zoom out’ and look at your novel or screenplay as a whole. Plus, Scrivener allows you to keep all your notes and research in one place, supporting photos and audio files, too.

Scrivener also syncs across devices — whether it’s your Mac, Windows, or iOS device — and you can easily compile everything into a single document when you’re ready to export, with popular formats such as Word document, PDF, Final Draft, and plain text supported.

To get started, download Scrivener from the website for a free 30-day trial. Once this is up, you can either purchase it on Mac or Windows for a one-time payment of $49, or on iOS for a one-time payment of $19.99.

3. ChatGPT: Everyone's using it, but writers use it differently

The AI language model ChatGPT is a great tool for sparking inspiration and outlining ideas — just ask it a question, or command it to write something, and see what text it generates. 

ChatGPT can assist in producing high-quality content that’s grammatically correct and coherent. It also processes and analyzes information quickly, generating text much faster than a human. This can be especially useful if you need to write a large amount of content in a short amount of time — you can ask it to generate an explanation of a complex topic, for example, instead of needing to write this out yourself.   

However, as listed in the image above, ChatGPT’s responses can sometimes be factually incorrect or can include biases. Its creator, OpenAI, has also warned users that ChatGPT’s arguments can be logically flawed. And while the tool is known for its supposed versatility, we don’t recommend using it to generate creative writing. There’s only so much an algorithm can do, and thankfully humans win when it comes to being uniquely creative. 

Overall, ChatGPT is a great tool for quick, surface-level overviews; idea generation, summarizing information, and creating outlines are all made simpler by the tool. However, if you want an all-round writing assistant that helps you to construct your narrative, take a read of our article on choosing the right AI writing tool .

4. Evernote: Saving your wonderful thoughts for reference

Most writers carry a notebook to jot down ideas when inspiration strikes. But in the smartphone era, there’s a much simpler and more efficient alternative to capture fleeting thoughts — enter Evernote . Syncing across all your devices, Evernote automatically saves notes online, allowing you to keep everything that’s on your mind organised and in one place. You can add images, illustrations, and to-do lists, handwrite notes, and tag items with keywords, allowing you to always find anything you need. 

Available for free on iOS and Android devices — and accessible from within your browser — Evernote also provides offline access, so you can access your notes even without wifi.  

Take notes, plan projects, and find whatever you need at the touch of a button. Evernote is the perfect companion to a writer’s messy brain.

5. Daily Prompt: Your inspiration injection

Need a nudge to write consistently? It’s time to try Daily Prompt: Creative Writing .

Available as both an iOS app and as a web-based writing tool , Daily Prompt encourages you to get creative every day with a new prompt every 24 hours. You can let Daily Prompt provide you with a prompt, or you can browse existing prompts. Choose from genres such as horror, adventure, romance, or crime, and opt for different types of prompts like “story starters” (a creative prompt encouraging you to contine the story) or “writing obstacles” (an instruction designed to challenge you to write more creatively). 

You can use a limited version of the app on both your phone or web browser, or alternatively, you can pay a yearly subscription of $19.99. This gives you premium access, with free range over the back catalogue of prompts, early access to new features, and a seven-day money back guarantee if you change your mind. Plus, you get to join Daily Prompt’s community of aspiring authors improving their writing skills on a daily basis, and even read their stories.

6. Power Thesaurus: To find the word on the tip of your tongue

Every writer needs a thesaurus to lean on now and again. While a lot of AI writing tools provide synonyms as part of the package, there’s no harm in having a dedicated thesaurus app to rely on if you need alternatives to an overused word. 

One of the best is Power Thesaurus — available as both an iOS and Android app, and as a website. It’s quick, it’s powerful, and it provides a list of synonyms longer than any other thesaurus I’ve used. Plus, you can find the definition of the word you’re searching for, as well as see it used in a sentence, or choose from a list of antonyms. 

7. Hemingway App: Because readability matters more than you think

Hemingway App is a powerful tool for streamlining your writing style. The free online editor enhances the readability and clarity of your writing by highlighting and correcting grammar, fluency, and sentence structure. 

The platform is ideal for editing shorter pieces. If you tend to write longer sentences, Hemingway will encourage you to be clearer and more succinct in your writing by highlighting sentences that are hard to read, or phrases that have simpler alternatives. 

As well as being online, you can also download a desktop version of the app. This requires a one-time payment of $19.99 on both Mac and Windows. 

Time to write

Using a writing app or two is a great way to enhance your creativity, edit your writing, or just make your writing process more enjoyable (and productive) in general. 

Tools like Google Docs and Scrivener are brilliant for keeping you organized and efficient, whereas an AI writing assistant like Wordtune can help you to level up your language and explore ideas you hadn’t previously thought of.

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Home / Book Writing / The Best Writing Apps (for Mobile) Every Writer Needs to Use in 2024

The Best Writing Apps (for Mobile) Every Writer Needs to Use in 2024

In general, I recommend Atticus as the number one writing tool for authors. But this article is about the best writing apps for mobile devices , and Atticus is still working on its mobile capability (stay tuned). So while I would normally recommend Atticus, today I will be talking about Scrivener's mobile app, along with a few other writing apps that I categorized by their primary purpose.

Today's world is on the move. From fast food to fast cars, I'm always on the go, making mobile technologies all that much more critical. You need the best writing apps at your fingertips.

When you imagine a writer's life , you might imagine the stereotype: a pair of glasses hunched over a typewriter furiously punching keys and drowning in endless pots of coffee.

Yes, writers tend to drink a lot of coffee, but the world of writing is changing.

Many writers manage their writing projects with mobile devices.

So let’s talk about the best writing apps for those mobile devices.

What do professional writers use to write? Professional writers use a variety of apps to write their novels . Scrivener, MS Word, Final Draft, Google Docs, Plottr — there are so many great apps that bestselling writers use for their writing process.

Here are my recommendations for the best writing apps for Android and iOS. (Nearly all of them work on desktop as well, but I weeded out the apps that only work on desktop.)

• Best Writing App for Novelists
• Best Writing App for General Writing
• Best Free Writing App
• Best Writing App for Emails & Short-Form
• Best Writing App for Screenwriters
• Best Writing App for Productivity
• Best Writing App for Outlining
• Best Writing App for Notes
• Best App for Text To Speech

Table of contents

• Which platforms does Scrivener work on?
• Best used for:
• Other Good Apps for Novelists
• Which platforms does Word work on?
• Other Good Apps for General Writing
• Google Docs Pros:
• Google Docs Cons:
• Which platforms does Google Docs work on?
• Other Free Writing Apps:
• Which platforms does Grammarly work on?

Other Good Apps for Emails & Short-Form

• Which platforms does Final Draft work on?
• Other Good Apps for Screenwriters
• Which platforms does Novlr work on?
• Other Good Apps for Productivity
• Which platforms does Plottr work on?
• Other Good Apps for Outlining
• Which platforms does Evernote work on?
• Other Good Apps for Notes
• Best Artificial Intelligence App: ChatGPT
• Which platforms does FromTextToSpeech.com work on?
• Other Good Apps for Text to Speech

When you use a link in this article, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. It just helps with my coffee fund (AKA writer fuel), so I can keep bringing you the content you deserve. Plus, it means I can get you exclusive discount codes!

Why Am I Qualified to Talk about Writing Apps?

Let's face it, there are many people out there that write these kind of articles by just doing some research on what others say, and regurgitating it out without firsthand knowledge of the tools in question (or worse, have AI write it for them). That's not the case here.

As someone who's been publishing books for over 13 years, I've seen a lot writing tools go up and down. Some have been revolutionary game-changers, while others haven't lived up to the hype.

However, choosing the right writing app isn't just about picking the most popular one. Each writer has unique requirements and preferences. What works wonders for me might not for you. For example, Grammarly is hugely popular, but it's not what I recommend for long-form editing.

So, in order to create a top-notch overview of the best writing apps (for mobile devices, remember), I sent out surveys to my readers, and talked to some heavy-hitting authors in the industry – many of which I have been a consultant to as well.

Based on my observations, the results from those surveys, and talking with some of the most well-known authors out there, I feel very strongly that this is a subject I can truly tackle.

So, with that, let's jump into a list of what I think are the best writing mobile apps for authors.

Best Writing App for Novelists: Scrivener

Scrivener is the best mobile writing app for novelists, for now (again, see Atticus ). It’s more organized than any other app. It’s got awesome, ready-made templates for all sorts of genres and layouts. And it works great on iPad and iPhone. (Sorry, Android users.)

What is the best mobile app for writers? Scrivener on iOS is the best app for book writers. If you've read a few of my other articles, you may already know of my absolute love of Scrivener. If I had to recommend a single piece of writing software , Scrivener would be it — including for mobile devices.

Scrivener comes with a steep learning curve because it offers so much customizability and handy features. But there are plenty of free tutorials if you ever need help.

Scrivener for iOS is great for planning, drag-and-drop organizing, and even highlighting types of words. This means you can look for adverb overuse. From corkboard arrangement to keyboard shortcuts to word count goals , this app has almost as much power as its desktop app.

(For a complete review on the desktop software, check out my Scrivener review article, complete with coupon code .)

Once you're done, you can always transfer your work over to your devices with Scrivener via Dropbox . Or you can export to DOCX, EPUB, MOBI, PDF, HTML, or even Multi-Markdown.

The only downside: The one-time price is a little steep for a mobile app ($19.99), and you have to buy a separate license for iOS if you already have a license for macOS or Windows.

If you’re an Android user, I’d try Novlr, which is browser-based, so you can use it on any mobile device with an Internet connection.

• Mac (most updated version)

(Sorry again, Android tablet/phone users.)

• $19.99 for iOS
• $49 for Mac or Windows
• $80 for both Mac and Windows licenses
• $41.65 for students & academics

Download Scrivener with this link and get an exclusive coupon code, KINDLEPRENEUR20 , for a 20% discount on your Scrivener purchase.

Follow these steps to use the discount coupon.

Scrivener is great for authors who love organization, distraction-free writing, and ready-made templates. Authors can place audio files, research files, images, and more into Scrivener’s sidebar. This means all your documents and research are in one window — it’s so convenient!

• Ulysses (Mac and iOS only)

Best Writing App for General Writing: Microsoft Word

There’s a reason Microsoft Word is the industry standard text editor: it is versatile and easy to use.

Microsoft Office’s Word works well on mobile devices, running smoothly on iOS and Android. It creates beautiful, professional documents that you can export to multiple file formats.

MS Word is suitable for general writing, but I would not recommend it for novel writing. Although it is perfect for memos, email drafts, and print-ready documents, its organization capabilities are not as robust as Scrivener, Ulysses, or other excellent writing software.

Also, its spelling and grammar checker is not as powerful as ProWritingAid or Grammarly.

MS Word is expensive, but many people can use the app without an extra cost because of work or school giving them access.

Though Microsoft Word comes with some computers, it actually costs a pretty penny:

• $139.99 for Microsoft Word by itself
• $6.99 a month for Microsoft 365, which includes Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word is best used for general writing , business-related documents, and print-ready formatting options. It’s great for corporate America, journalism, students, and the like.

• Google Docs
• LibreOffice

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Best Free Writing App: Google Docs

What is the best free writing app? Google Docs is the best free writing app on Android and iOS. If you’re on a budget, Google Docs is the perfect app for everything except proofreading, novel writing, or writing without the Internet.

It lets you customize headers, spacing, fonts — all the things you expect from a professional word processor. Google Docs autosaves every change you make and saves your version history. It exceeds at real-time collaboration, making it ideal for co-authors, bloggers, and ghostwriters .

• Conveniently browser-based
• Real-time collaboration
• Trackable changes
• Autosave functionality
• Export to multiple file types
• Laggy and buggy once you get over 15,000-20,000 word count
• Google Docs proofreader is weaker than Grammarly or ProWritingAid
• You need the Internet and a Google account to access

Google Docs works on all major platforms and on most mobile devices — both Android and iOS.

• FocusWriter
• Reedsy Book Editor
• Apple Pages

Best Writing App for Emails & Short-Form: Grammarly

Grammarly’s browser app is free to use and great for making sure your emails, memos, and other short-form projects look professional and error-free.

Check out my full review on Grammarly .

Grammarly offers a keyboard that checks your spelling and grammar on mobile devices, offering helpful suggestions on how to improve whatever you’re typing.

Not many people realize that Grammarly’s browser app can download your text as a DOCX file. This is great if you need to attach a DOCX file to your email instead of putting the text in the body.

You can also download Grammarly’s browser extension. This editing tool automatically checks your grammar and spelling when on Gmail, LinkedIn, Instagram, and other social media sites and email sites.

Read this article on the Best Email Services For Authors , like GetResponse or MailerLite .

Grammarly’s free version offers robust proofreading features that are way better than Microsoft Word or MacOS’s built-in grammar and spelling checker.

The premium version of Grammarly is fantastic, too. It offers many more suggestions to improve your writing style, readability, passive voice, and dialogue formatting .

However, if you are paying for a premium proofreader, I’d recommend ProWritingAid’s premium version . Its web version can also export to DOCX. Check out this video where I explain how ProWritingAid’s premium version is superior to Grammarly’s.

Grammarly’s browser application and browser extension make your emails, posts, and memos more professional and error-free. It gives you confidence and lets everyone know that you are not a joke.

Grammarly is a browser-based app and extension that runs on:

Grammarly’s free version is a powerful proofreading tool that ensures your emails, memos, or Facebook ads and posts are professional and error-free.

Grammarly’s premium version offers a lot more suggestions about word choice and writing style. It has multiple pricing options:

• $29.95 per month
• $59.94 per 3 months ($19.98/month value)
• $139.95 per year ($11.66/month value)
• Grammarly Business is $12.50/month per member (minimum 3 members)
• Blog posts (WordPress, etc.)
• Social media posts
• ProWritingAid
• Text Expander
• Readable (Android only)

Best Writing App for Screenwriters: Final Draft

Screenwriting is a type of writing apart from a novel or article that is growing in popularity. Final Draft is an iOS-exclusive paid app dedicated strictly to screenwriting.

According to Final Draft’s own research, fewer than 5% of their users use Android mobile devices, so they won’t develop the Android app anytime soon.

Final Draft has a lot of great features, such as:

• Professionally formatted templates for TV, Film, and Stage Plays
• SmartType, which remembers your character's names , scenes, etc.
• The ability to export PDFs to iCloud, Dropbox , or email
• Element-based script searching
• Color-coded ScriptNotes

David Seidler, the Academy Award-winning author of The King's Speech , loves the ability to change his drafts quickly and on the go.

What app do screenwriters use to write? Screenwriters use the Final Draft app on iOS to write their screenplays.

If you're a serious screenwriter or looking to break into the biz, you should definitely consider getting this app. It’s expensive, but it is the industry standard. According to their website, Final Draft is “used by 95% of film and television productions.”

However, if you don't own an Apple device, Celtx Script is probably your best bet.

Final Draft does not intend on developing or maintaining an Android version of their app.

The full license for Final Draft 11 costs a one-time fee of $249.99, but there are usually deals you can snag to earn 20% off.

Final Draft is best used for writing screenplays, even on mobile devices. There’s a good reason it’s the industry standard for screenwriting.

• Celtx Script (for Android or iOS )
• Storyist (iOS only)

Best Writing App for Productivity: Novlr

Novlr is an aesthetically-pleasing, browser-based creative writing tool that automatically saves to the cloud. Its distraction-free Focus Mode is customizable and perfectly sets the mood for writing productively.

How do I start just writing? If you have trouble just getting started writing, consider using a productivity app like Novlr , Daily Prompt , or FocusWriter.

Features of Novlr:

• Minimalist aesthetic
• Track writing stats
• Motivational goals and positive feedback
• Organization and outlining functionality
• Writing style suggestions
• Collaboration
• Day-night color options
• Easy exporting to multiple file formats

Read my full review of Novlr here.

Novlr is a browser-based app that works on all major browsers:

• Microsoft Edge

You can save app.novlr.org to your phone/tablet’s home screen , and it works much like an application.

After a 2-week free trial, Novlr costs:

• $100/year ($8.33/month value)

Novlr is best used for distraction-free writing that encourages productivity in a plethora of ways. It is sleek, chic, organized, and syncs across all your devices.

• Daily Prompt
• Write or Die (This is a funny site.)

Best Writing App for Outlining: Plottr

With its innovative dashboard functionality, Plottr is a fantastic outlining tool for mobile and desktop. It is a browser-based app, so you can access it from anywhere you have Internet, including from a phone or tablet.

Check out my full review on Plottr .

Read my comprehensive article on The Best Software to Outline Your Book .

You can organize plot points, create colorful characters, and build your world with ease on Plottr. It even comes with ready-made templates.

Plottr offers these intuitive outline templates:

• The Snowflake Method
• The Three Story Method
• The Story Circle
• The Seven Point Plot Structure
• The Hero's Journey

Although you can use Plottr on your Mac or Windows computer, its app is very mobile-friendly. Download Plottr today!

Plottr is an app available on all major platforms:

There are 3 tiers for Plottr:

• 1 Device — $25/year or $99/lifetime
• 3 Devices — $45/year or $149/lifetime
• 5 Devices — $65/year or $199/lifetime

Plottr is best used for outlining novels , but it is an organizational tool at its heart. You can use it to organize nonfiction or even screenplays.

• The Novel Factory
• Plot Factory
• Microsoft Word

Best Writing App for Notes: Evernote

When it comes to note-taking, look no further than Evernote . This award-winning app automatically syncs your notes to every device you have it installed on (only 2 devices with the free version).

Honestly, I am so thankful for my Evernote app. I'm a big fan of jotting down fresh new ideas on my phone. But notes aren't the only thing you can save. You can actually save web clippings, video, PDF, images, GIFs, and more (with a paid upgrade, of course).

On top of that, you're able to share your notes with other people. All you need is to grant the proper permissions to a co-author, friend, or ghostwriter , and voila!

Evernote is always improving. Though I think their table function could use an upgrade, Evernote releases free updates all the time.

The free version of Evernote is robust and useful. Having the “freemium” version of Evernote is still worth getting, even if you don’t plan on spending any money on the premium version.

The premium version of Evernote is separated into 2 versions:

• Premium — $69.99/year
• Business — $14.99/user/month

Evernote’s award-winning app is best used for taking notes in many different ways on many different devices. It is intuitive, versatile, and beyond helpful.

• Simplenote ( iOS or Android )
• Apple Notes
• Google Keep
• Microsoft OneNote ( iOS or Android )
• Plain text editors

When it comes to AI-driven conversation, brainstorming, and writing assistance, look no further than ChatGPT/ChatGPT Plus. This app brings the powerful capabilities of OpenAI's ChatGPT to your fingertips on any device where you have it installed.

For writers, ChatGPT can be invaluable for brainstorming, drafting, and editing text right on your phone. But it's not just limited to generating text. With the browser tool (available to ChatGPT Plus subscribers), it can search the internet, summarize articles, and even help you fact-check or find new ideas. And that's just some of what's available with the paid upgrade of ChatGPT Plus.

On top of that, you're able to share your conversations with others. All you need is to send the session link to a collaborator, friend, or editor, and voila!

Which platforms does ChatGPT Plus work on?

• Android (coming soon)

The free version of ChatGPT is great for a lot of people, and runs on GPT 3.5 technology. However, if you want GPT-4 technology (which is far superior), you'll need ChatGPT Plus.

The premium version of ChatGPT Plus is: $20/month

ChatGPT Plus’s versatile app is best used for generating human-like text, aiding in content creation, brainstorming, or even casual conversation on many different devices. It is intuitive, creative, and an invaluable tool for writers.

Need Help with Your Keywords?

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Best App for Text To Speech: FromTextToSpeech.com

FromTextToSpeech.com is a browser-based app that turns up to 50,000 characters at a time into MP3 files that you can listen to or download. It is simple. Although it looks kind of sketchy, it is entirely safe and legit. It is the best free text to speech service available.

The most natural-sounding voice option is British English Harry. In fact, you will hear British English Harry all across the Internet — on YouTube, Twitch, etc. Many web users utilize British English Harry’s voice because it almost passes for a British human male.

Other text-to-speech apps either cost a lot of money or only allow a few hundred characters.

Read my article on Best Book Transcription Services for Authors .

I know authors who copy and paste in a chapter to FromTextToSpeech.com and listen to it while editing that same chapter. It really helps to be able to hear your words read back to you.

Unfortunately, FromTextToSpeech.com is sometimes down with no warning for upkeep and maintenance.

This is a browser-based application that works on all browsers and operating systems:

FromTextToSpeech.com is free-to-use. There is no premium version.

FromTextToSpeech.com is best used for converting your written word to spoken word. This may help you with editing, experimenting, or simply your own enjoyment.

• Natural Reader
• Amazon Polly
• Google Text-to-Speech
• ReadSpeaker

Which app is the best fit for you?

You use the best tools when you write at home. You should use the best mobile writing apps to take your frantic phone scribbles to the next level.

Gone are the days of jotting down in your notepad, only to have a hard time deciphering it later.

Save time and effort by investing in your craft and selecting the “write” tools for the job. Even if you aren't at your primary workstation.

There may have been a few I missed out on. After all, the world of writing is ever-expanding.

And I know I've said it before: Sorry, Android users. While I understand the pros of being on the Android system, there are just so many more quality writing applications for Apple users.

Dave Chesson

When I’m not sipping tea with princesses or lightsaber dueling with little Jedi, I’m a book marketing nut. Having consulted multiple publishing companies and NYT best-selling authors, I created Kindlepreneur to help authors sell more books. I’ve even been called “The Kindlepreneur” by Amazon publicly, and I’m here to help you with your author journey.

• Other Good Apps for Emails & Short-Form

Related Reviews

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Titling your book can be hard…really hard. As you go through choosing your book title, use this checklist as your guide and make sure you have a title that will sell!

4 thoughts on “ The Best Writing Apps (for Mobile) Every Writer Needs to Use in 2024 ”

What is the best writing app for non-fiction other than Scrivener? I want the same options, to see my chapters on a side bar and be able to put notes with each chapter. That is the basic requirement but other tools are nice, like word count, grammar, etc. Most of the writing apps I am finding are either simple writing, like Word or Goggle Docs, or for novels with characters, plots, etc. Scrivener is too time consuming to learn. Writing and editing takes long enough. (Novlr looks like the closest to what I want even though the app is based on novel writing). Hoping there might be another that I am unaware of. Anyone can answer!! I am using Word currently but really want to get moving on the writing with more organization.

I’m actually building one – Atticus.io. It’s actually combining scrivener and Vellum together – but we’re making the writing area much easier and intuitive. It’s in final beta now and should be releasing publicly mid July.

How about a review of dictation apps? You’ve got text to speech, but I want that turned around. Dragon, of course, but on a phone?

Good overview, Dave!

Two quick things about Google Docs (which I use): 1. It certainly can be used for full-length novels. I write all mine with it (one is 160,000 words). 1b. And it exports well to .docx and works fine with editors using Word’s track changes and commenting. 2. You can use the Grammarly extension with it.

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Best free writing app of 2024

Bring your words to life with the best free writing apps

Best overall

Best for markup, best word alternative, best word processor, best for mac, best online.

• How we test

The best free writing apps serve up more than just text tools - they also offer betters ways to manage and organize all your ideas, outlines, and projects. 

1. Best overall 2. Best for markup 3. Best Word alternative 4. Best word processor 5. Best for Mac 6. Best online 7. FAQs 8. How we test

Like the best free word processors , writing apps help you get your thoughts on the page without breaking the bank (or your train of thought). But we’ve also made sure they’ll make it easier to save, share, and sync all your documents and keep them safe, whether you need a desktop writing app for work, school, or play. 

If you struggle to stay focused, we’ve tested some of the best free writing apps come with distraction-free layouts or gamification challenges to keep you in the zone. We’ve also reviewed those built for professional document creation, with advanced business features such as speech-to-text transcription and online collaboration tools. 

Our picks cover the best apps for writing on the web, Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS - so you’re always ready whenever and wherever creativity strikes. 

Scrivener: best writing software for authors Scrivener is packed with all the features a novelist needs, helping you track plot threads, store notes on characters and locations, structure your work and (most importantly) get some serious work done. It's not a free writing app like the tools below, but it's well worth the investment if your budget will allow it.

The best free writing app of 2024 in full:

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

1. FocusWriter

Our expert review:

Specifications

Reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

FocusWriter helps writers combat one of their biggest challenges: distractions. One of the best free writing software tools out there, it's specifically designed to let you just concentrate on your writing. 

The stripped-back interface is deliciously sparse - ideal for when you just need to get your head down and write - and not dissimilar to a moderately powerful version of Notepad, featuring support for TXT, basic, RTF, and ODT files. 

Even the toolbar is hidden until you actually need it. Just swoop your cursor to the top on the screen to reveal a barren menu, from basic formatting to themes and timers.

Features are light within the software, but FocusWriter isn’t made for heavy editing sessions. It’s designed to make the act of writing flow seamlessly onto the page. 

Elsewhere, the writing app boasts the ability to add themes and your own background images, which can help you stay motivated. 

The Daily Progress tool is a sweet extra, adding Duolingo-style gamification that lets you track your daily writing streak. For when it’s oh-so-easy to slip onto social media when you can’t find the perfect word, it’s a nice way to keep you within the app. 

Available for Windows, Linux, and macOS, the writing software also comes as a portable download, no installation required. So, you can pop it on a USB stick and plug it into any computer you’re working on. 

Read our full FocusWriter review .

• ^ Back to the top

2. WriteMonkey

WriteMonkey is another piece of free writing software that cuts down on the clutter to deliver uninterrupted writing sessions. 

The free word processor, cleverly described as zenware, is unbelievably pared back compared to more traditional writing apps. 

There’s very little in the way of distracting ‘screen furniture’, which means you’re better positioned to concentrate on the writing process. And absolutely nothing else. 

But don’t let that stripped-back approach fool you. As one of the best free writing apps, WriteMonkey is still rich with the sort of core features that matter to writers. 

However, most options are hidden in a context menu (so you’ll need to right-click to view it). It also only supports TXT files, which may limit those looking to read, write, or edit across multiple formats. It is, at least, a portable download, letting you take it wherever you need.

If you’ve enjoyed Markdown, the simplified text-editing language that lets you format, annotate, classify, and link as you type, then great. WriteMonkey’s inner workings will instantly chime. 

First-timers should spend a little time with this free writing software, to uncover that intuitive simplicity. 

Read our full WriteMonkey review .

3. LibreOffice Writer

Writer, the open-source, free writing software, serves almost all general writing needs.

LibreOffice is a near-perfect example of free office software - a familiar, feature-rich take on the office suite. What the veteran software package lacks in Microsoft polish (its interface is undeniably old-fashioned, for starters), it makes up for in its price-point: free. For that, you get access to six tools: Calc, Impress, Draw, Base, Math, and Writer. 

Earning it a slot on our list of best free writing apps is the fact that LibreOffice Writer packs the full editing toolbox. 

This isn’t just a note-taking app for staving off distractions when you’re deep in the zone; it’s for when you’re in pure writer-mode. 

If you’re at all proficient with Microsoft Word, you won’t have any problems using the Writer software. Layouts and functions are almost identical, and there’s support for DOC and DOCX file types, making it efficient to switch out of the Microsoft garden.

This free writing app is ideal if you’re hunting for a tool that almost perfectly replicates the Word experience without the cost. 

Read our full LibreOffice review .

4. Microsoft Word

When it comes to word processors, Microsoft Word is probably the baseline against which all others are compared. It’s the one most of us use at school, home, and work. It’s familiar, comfortable - and it’s available free on the web and mobile devices. 

That may not be the best way to write your masterpiece (unless you’ve hooked up a Bluetooth keyboard). But it’s a great way to jot down ideas on-the-go. When we tested the browser-based version we found it could be a bit slow at first, and we were typing faster than the words appeared on screen. This settles down (mostly) after a minute or so. 

Microsoft’s free writing apps on Android and iPhone had no such issues. Using these was velvety smooth. We especially appreciated the option to switch between mobile view and desktop view, so we could gauge how the document would appear in full-screen. 

As with Google Docs, you’ll need to sign up with a Microsoft account. And, like Google, that also lets you use free versions of PowerPoint, Excel, and the like. While Word offers one of the best free writing app experiences, there’s no denying that the paid-for upgrade is superior, offering more tools, and a true desktop app. 

Read our full Microsoft Word review .

Author promises to make it easier to ‘think, write, and cite’. It’s a promise capably delivered, with a clean interface and bags of writing features designed to make it easy to go from first draft to final copy. 

If you're an Apple user in search of the best free writing apps on macOS, this one demands your attention. 

Concept Maps is one of the best features. It’s a great mind-mapping tool to visualize and lay down all your thoughts while they’re fresh in your head without constraint. You can worry about whipping them into shape later. 

Students and report writers will appreciate Author’s ‘fast citing’ tools - speeding up assignment-writing by correctly adding and formatting citations, references, and contents. 

A paid-for upgrade of the writing software that offers exporting options is available. However, unless you need automatic formatting on export, you can stick with the free version. 

6. Google Docs

Google Docs is a great free writing platform for any writer. It’s an extremely clean, quick word processor available in the browser, on desktop, and phone and tablet apps. So, you can take notes wherever inspiration strikes. 

Docs is more or less Google’s spin on Microsoft Word. The interface is a bit more simple than the professional office software - although it’s no less powerful. 

You’ll find heaps of writing tools, including a pretty accurate speech-to-text transcription tool (just enunciate and don’t talk too fast). Keyboard shortcuts are very well-supported. 

For best results, you’ll need an internet connection, though documents can be used offline. They’ll be synced, and in our experience, that happens swiftly behind the scenes. 

To take advantage of the free writing app, you’ll need a Google account, which may be a deal-breaker for some - but that also opens up the rest of the Google-stuff in the Google-sphere, such as Sheets, Slides, and . With a free account, you get 15GB of storage, which should be more than enough for word documents. A Google One subscription upgrades your storage space, amongst other things. 

Additionally, Google Docs is great if you want to collaborate with one or more other writers. Just be warned to stay in Google Docs for that, because exporting the data into Word or other writing applications can result formatting errors.

Read our full Google Docs review .

Best free writing app: FAQs

What's the difference between a writing app and an ai writer.

AI writers vs writing apps - what's the real difference?

Artificial intelligence is growing in a big way - and when it comes to writing, it's ChatGPT that's been snatching all the headlines of late, with its ability to generate short- and long-form content based on user prompts.

Generally, an AI writer will write your content for you, based on its current learning (although often without 'understanding' the context). A writing app simply lets you write your way, in your own voice. 

Some platforms, such as Canva , have even integrated AI into its Canva Docs and Canva PDF Editor services. However. its Magic Write tool acts as a writing assistant, serving up suggestions and ideas, leaving real writers to work their magic on the content. Though usually hiding in the back-end, you can also find AI integrated in other ways across other the best PDF editor apps (and even the best free PDF editor apps, too).

As always with AI-generated content, whether it's the written word or an artwork masterpiece, human involvement is usually necessary and always desirable. Even if you're using the best AI writers out there, editing and proofreading is essential to give the content accuracy and emotional resonance.

How to choose the best free writing app for you

When deciding which free writing app is best, start by figuring out what sort of writing you want to do. 

Do you need a handy tool for quick scribbles and jotting down ideas here and there, or are you using the writing software to write and edit an epic novel? Tools like FocusWriter and Write Monkey are great for getting thoughts on the page without friction.

It’s also worth considering if you need a writing app with a distraction-free design, so you can concentrate on what really matters to you. Again, FocusWriter performs admirably here, but as a result, you lose core typography and editing functions. Unlike LibreOffice, this isn’t the best Microsoft Office alternative if you need those tools. In that scenario, it may be worth considering looking at some of the best free office software , which includes MS Word-style apps, alongside other tools similar to Excel, PowerPoint, and so on. 

Access is an important factor when using your writing software. A tool like Scribus needs to be downloaded to your machine. Lightweight apps like FocusWriter, however, offer a portable download that can be downloaded to a USB and carried with you. 

Check what file formats your chosen writing app supports, too. While some let you create and edit the common DOC and DOCX files, others only allow TXT or RTF documents.

But most of all, it’s important to choose the best free writing app for your unique creative flow. 

How we test the best free writing apps

Testing the best free writing apps and software, we assess how easy it is to get your words down on the page with the least amount of friction. Portable writing apps rank high, because they let you use the program on whatever computer or laptop you’re using. 

We also look at performance for its intended audience. For distraction-free writing apps, do they really foster focus? For word processor-style software, does it offer good formatting and editing options? 

Most importantly, we expect to see free writing apps that are genuinely cost-free - no-one wants to stumble across hidden fees and charges in the contracts. 

We've listed the best laptops for writers .

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Steve is TechRadar Pro’s B2B Editor for Creative & Hardware. He explores the apps and devices for individuals and organizations that thrive on design and innovation. A former journalist at Web User magazine, he's covered software and hardware news, reviews, features, and guides. He's previously worked on content for Microsoft, Sony, and countless SaaS & product design firms. Once upon a time, he wrote commercials and movie trailers. Relentless champion of the Oxford comma.

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The app for creative writing

Organize your research, ideas, characters and outline in one place.

Organize the creative, messy part of writing alongside your favourite writing software.

The vast majority of writing software is organized around the idea of a linear document. But for most people, writing isn’t linear. Because thinking isn’t linear. Writing is about gradually getting a jumble of ideas into shape. Milanote's writing app matches the way writers think.

See everything in one place

Brainstorm and experiment

Linear word documents are great for your final output, but on day one you need a flexible space to explore your ideas.

• See the connections between your ideas and characters
• Combine text, images and video
• Create mind maps to explore new directions

Bring your characters to life

Use the Milanote Character template to define the specific traits of your characters then map the connections between them. You'll revisit these boards again and again as your story takes shape.

A faster way to research

The Milanote web clipper lets you instantly save text, images, videos or links from any website. It also saves the source of everything you collect.

Outline in a flexible way

Milanote lets you see your story structure at a glance—just like your wall of index cards, but portable. Easily drag and drop to rearrange the key parts as your story comes to life. It's the perfect companion to your manuscript.

Secure and private

Our infrastructure is designed for security, constantly monitored & always available. All of your data is hosted in an environment with world class security and privacy.

• Real-time backups.
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Organize your ideas & planning in one place.

Bring your characters to life.

Plan your story outline, plot & scenes

Collect & organize your research.

Turn an initial idea into something amazing.

Plan your next story

Sign up for free (no time limit)

Unleash your inner author

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The Best 50 Free Writing Software And Free Writing Apps

Writers are spoiled for choice when it comes to free writing software, tools, and free writing apps.

Are you a blogger, author, content writer, or student?

You want the best creative writing tools and software that will do the job for you.

But you don’t want to pay a lot of money to be able to write more effectively. Read on to discover all the choices you have for software, programs, and apps to help you write better and more productively.

In This Article

Your free writing software choices

There is no need for you to spend a penny to get some of the best free writing programs to help you write more productively and accurately.

You can choose and try so many terrific writing programs and tools today. You will find that most of them are unrestricted and will cost you nothing to use.

If you are looking for new apps and tools to improve your writing, you have come to the right place.

This page is regularly updated to bring you the biggest choice of free software and apps for writers.

It includes free writing apps for Windows, Mac, and Linux users.

You can find creative writing apps, grammar checking apps, word processors, mind maps, index cards, book writing programs, and productivity tools.

All of them will help you get on with what you do best, which is writing, of course.

There are also many lite versions of popular premium apps available that can offer you tons of fantastic features.

I have tried almost all the writing tools and apps in this article and use a lot of them every day.

Find the best free writing software and apps for you

You can find lots of free writing software online, but you want writing apps that work best for you and your writing process and style.

With online writing software, I always start with a free version to make sure a new app does what I want it to do.

Very often, a free app will do everything I need.

But yes, sometimes I opt for a premium version to get all the features if it is really a fantastic tool.

It doesn’t matter if you are an author, a blogger, or an article writer.

Choosing the best tools for your writing needs will save you time, effort, and lots of money.

Free apps and writing software for students  are a huge bonus.

They will help you at school, college, or university.

For every type of writer, here are some of the very best free-to-use and freemium apps for you to make your choice.

Scan through my list of the best free writing software and apps below.

See if you can find a few new favorites to download for your laptop or to use online.

Please note that all the apps and software listed on this page are free to use. However, some are a free version of a premium application, and in this case, the free version may be limited in features.

6 Free writing apps for accuracy

The most essential writing app you always need must be a reliable grammar corrector and a spellchecker.

There are a lot of online apps to check, correct, and improve your writing.

For every writer, the options will be different depending on your writing style and needs. There is no one best or better choice.

Some writers might only need a simple online checker for blog posts, articles, or essays.

But for a content writer or author, it is different. You are probably looking for more developed programs and options.

In my case, I always use two programs to check my writing.

I use one for grammar and spelling and another for writing style and readability. It always pays to check and double-check your writing and sentence structure before you publish it online.

Here are six of the most popular free grammar apps to get you on your way. Each one will help you improve the quality and accuracy of your writing.

Try them all to see which one or two work best for you and your style or type of writing.

1. Hemingway Editor – Free

I have a love-hate relationship with the Hemmingway Editor app.

The love is due to how quick and easy it is to check my readability score and grade.

The negative is that it always tells me to simplify my writing. It hates the passive voice, but that’s a good thing.

It is also a great tool for finding overused adverbs and difficult to read sentences.

It’s a simple app. But if you are looking for a free writing assistant, it is one of the handiest tools   a writer can have at their fingertips.

You can choose which Hemingway mode to use – either write or edit.

The online version is very convenient for checking up to a page or so of text. It gives helpful hints to improve your writing.

It’s one of the must-have free apps for any writer.

There is a paid version, but I am not sure it offers much value.

2. QuillBot – Free

QuillBot Grammar Checker is a quick and easy free tool you can use to check your manuscript.

One of the best features is that you can use one-click corrections to fix your grammar, punctuation, and spelling very quickly.

Another advantage is that it has a generous word count limit. I tested it with a text of over 2,000 words, and it quickly analyzed all of my text.

You can probably check one chapter at a time with the tool.

You can check each underlined suggestion and make a quick correction. But it also has a “Fix All Errors” button.

I’m not sure I would trust it for a long text. But it could be useful for a shorter text.

To use the checker, simply paste in your text, or you can use it as an editor and type your text.

When you finish correcting your writing, copy and paste it into your word processor.

Quillbot has other features, but these are only available with the premium version.

However, the grammar checker is totally free to use, and it is an excellent tool to check and correct your writing.

There is also a free Chrome extension you can try.

3. ChatGPT – Free and Premium

ChatGPT has to be on my list of free writing tools, but why is it under apps for accuracy?

Yes, it is a valuable and free tool for writers in several ways. You can use it as a writing prompt generator for inspiration and ideas for new stories or articles.

All you need to do is include keywords or phrases related to the topic you want to write about. ChatGTP will respond with various ideas and writing points to help you.

But you might not know that it can also help you correct your grammar and spelling.

All you need to do is start your prompt with, check the grammar and spelling:  then paste your text.

It will rewrite your text with the corrections.

You can also ask it to do other things. Ask it to change passive to active voice , and it will rewrite your text in all active voice.

Another use is to ask it to rewrite your text in a different point of view. Just ask it to rewrite in the second person .

However, don’t rely on it 100%.

It does an excellent job most of the time, but it doesn’t always get everything right, so make sure you proofread carefully.

AI writing tools are everywhere now, so writers can’t ignore them.

The free version of ChatGPT offers plenty of options with very few limitations.

So it’s probably one of the best tools to start learning how to use AI technology to help you with your ideas and writing accuracy.

Read more about how to use ChatGPT to correct your writing .

4. Grammarly – Free and Premium

Without a doubt, Grammarly is the number one online grammar checker.

For a lot of writers, it’s one of the best writing apps around.

I have used Grammarly for years now.

It is one online writing tool that I always have switched on in Chrome to use with my WordPress editor.

It works with so many sites, platforms, software, and applications. So it is always on and always helping me correct my writing in real-time.

Grammarly has a desktop app. It also has a plugin for Word in Microsoft Office for PC users.

You can use it in any web browser, with WordPress, and even on your social media sites. It also works on mobile devices as well as with an iOS Grammarly Keyboard app.

There is also support for Google Docs, but this feature is still in beta.

No matter what, when, or where you write, Grammarly will always help you write better and more accurately.

The browser version of Grammarly works very well for most users. However, a premium version is available for more advanced features to help you in your writing process.

You can read more in my Grammarly review .

5. Prowritingaid – Free and Premium

Prowritingaid is one of my favorite writing checkers for long-form writing.

You can use the free version of ProWritingAid.

It offers you a lot of functionality to help you write more accurately online using a simple Chrome extension to check your grammar and spelling.

Are you an author? Then you should consider all the editing and checking tools that are available with this app.

It is a superb writing aid for authors and writers of long-form content articles.

The premium version includes over twenty different writing analysis tools and reports. These will give you a wide range of suggestions for improving your writing.

There are also easy to use extensions available for Chrome, Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and Scrivener too.

It is my number one go-to editing tool when I need to work intensively on very long documents such as long-form articles or book manuscripts.

You can also read my full Prowritingaid review.

6. Grammar Lookup – Free

Grammar Lookup is another good choice for an online grammar-checking app.

I used 3,000 words from one of my book manuscripts to test the app.

It started checking for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors almost immediately. It is a good app for checking short-form writing, such as blog posts and short stories.

If you’re looking for a robust grammar app with a generous word limit, this one is well worth trying.

Again, like a lot of online writing tools, it is ad-supported.

12 Free word processors

The first name writers associate with word processing is almost always Microsoft Word.

It is the default writing tool for many writers, bloggers, and authors. But it is definitely not cheap.

Depending on your country, the annual license for Office 356 can range from $60 – $100.

If you want to buy the one-time purchase version, which is called Office Home & Student, it can cost you as much as $150.

Microsoft Office is, as its name implies, software for office use. It includes Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint, and other programs. You will never use these software programs for creative writing.

Do you need to pay for all these extra programs to have a word processor to write a blog post, article, or short story?

What is the best word processor for writers? Are there free writing software tools equal to Word?

Yes. If you want to write, you can always find great word processors that cost you nothing to use. Often they come with many other options and tools that are better suited for writers.

Most of them will be suitable for your writing goals and any form of short creative writing project.

But you should note that a word processor is not the best app for writing a book. You can find better programs for authors in the next section of this article.

1. Google Docs – Free

Like Microsoft Office, Google Docs is a suite of office tools. The big difference, of course, is that Google Docs is available for free online.

If you are familiar with Word, you will have no problem at all adapting to Docs, which is the word processor component.

All the formatting options are very similar, as is the user interface.

Unlike some word processors, Docs has a word count so you can keep track of your word count goal.

I know that many writers, particularly content writers, use Google Docs because of the simplicity of sharing documents online.

Writing projects can be quickly and easily shared using Google Drive, which comes with 5 gigabytes of storage. It is usually plenty of storage space for writers. You can also use Docs offline .

If you are writing every day and working with other writers, content editors, proofreaders, or editors, Google Docs allows you to collaborate with ease.

There is no need to know what file format or program others are using.

As long as each person has a Google account, and who doesn’t, working together is very easy.

2. Apple Pages for Mac Users – Free

If you are a Mac user and all you need is a word processor, Apple Pages can handle everything you could possibly need to do.

It really is the best free writing software for Mac.

Like Word, you can start with a blank document or use the template chooser.

Word processing in the page layout document view is easy to work with. All the text formatting, fonts, and writing tools are easy to find and use.

There is a spell checker, word and page count , and track change with an add comments option.

It also auto-saves directly to your hard drive or your iCloud drive when you are online. There is also the file duplicate function. It gives you very easy version control of your revisions and edits.

It is difficult to think of a standard feature or function in Word that is not available in Pages documents.

There is one other area where Pages shines. It has a lot more control over images compared to Word.

One other big plus with Pages for authors is that you can export directly to epub. You don’t need to convert your file formats into another program.

Pages is one of the best free writing software programs for Mac users.

There is also a mobile app for iPad and iPhone. You can download it from the Mac App Store.

Related reading: Can Apple Pages Replace Microsoft Word For Mac?

3. MS Notepad and Mac TextEdit – Free

These two writing programs are already under your noses. They are installed by default on Windows and Apple computers.

They are both ideal little apps for writing blogs or short articles.

However, they are both worthy of mention because of their usefulness in converting to plain text.

Most word processors can add a lot of background code over the time you take to write a long document.

Cut and pasting, saving, deletions, forgotten tabs and spaces, and formatting changes all add up to a lot that can go wrong.

Because of all this code, there is a chance that the text might have issues when you use it online. It can be especially true if you use WordPress and also in publishing ebooks.

The quickest and easiest way to clean a document, big or small, is to copy all the text into a plain text editor such as Notepad or TextEdit. You can then convert everything to plain text.

Then you can copy back the clean text into your blog editor or word processor for ebook formatting.

4. Libre Office – Free

I used Open Office for many years. It is an open-source project and is still available.

However, many writers now favor Libre Office.

These two office suites branched from the same development stable, so they have a lot of similarities.

Learning to work with Writer, which is the word processor, is easy.

However, it uses traditional and straightforward menus, toolbars, and icons but does not have the ribbon function found in Word.

In some ways, this is a good thing because it lets you get on with the writing process instead of hunting in ribbons for buttons.

If you want a word processor, and that’s all, Writer in Libre Office won’t disappoint you.

5. Word Online – Free

Microsoft Word Online is a free web browser version of Word.

You can create, edit, and share Word documents, but it comes with relatively basic features compared to the paid desktop version.

But for students and part-time writers, it’s a handy free alternative.

One benefit is that you can use it on any device with a web browser, including computers, tablets, and smartphones.

You will need to create a Microsoft account, which is free. You also get 5GB of free storage.

Overall, it’s a worthwhile option for users who want a free and easy-to-use word processing software similar to Google Docs.

6. WPS Office – Free Edition

If you have used Microsoft Word or Google Docs, then you can work with WPS Office immediately.

Like other alternative word processors, it has all the standard features you would expect, and it works with most file types.

One of its key features is that it allows drag-and-drop paragraphs, which can, at times, be practical.

Another time-saving yet straightforward feature of WPS is tabbed documents.

While Excel has had this for years, Word never has, so working on two documents at the same time is much more efficient in WPS.

WPS also has a cloud storage service with 1G for PC and iOS.

7. SoftMaker Free Office – Free

Free Office gets a mention because it can export .epub. It is a convenient tool for self-publishers.

TextMaker is the word processor in this office suite.

But it doesn’t come with the ability to save in docx format unless you opt for the premium version.

But you can open and edit docx files.

Apart from that inconvenience, it has all the advanced features you would expect in a modern word processor.

It comes with advanced formatting options, the ability to create databases for bibliographies and footnotes, as well as track change.

8. Dropbox Paper – Free

All you need is your free Dropbox account to use Dropbox Paper .

It is a word processor, but there is so much more you can do with this app.

The design is clean and simple, but there are so many features at your fingertips.

As well as being a text editor, you can add audio, images, YouTube videos, Slideshare documents, and Trello cards.

It really is a great free writing app for you to create documents and then share them with your team or online.

9. Focus Writer – Free

FocusWriter is a simple, distraction-free writing environment.

It uses a full-screen hide-away interface that you access by moving your mouse to the edges of the screen.

It allows the program to have a familiar look and feel to it. But by getting everything out of the way, you can immerse yourself in your work.

It’s available for Linux, Windows, and Mac OS X.

10. Calmly Writer – Free

Calmly Writer has been designed to help you focus on writing.

As you start typing, all the distracting options disappear from the interface.

Calmly also includes a “focus mode” option, which highlights only the paragraph you are editing at the time.

If you are a writing minimalist, it could be a good choice for you.

It is a browser-based app, and there is a Chrome extension available.

11. Zoho Writer – Free

Zoho Writer is an online alternative to Microsoft Word.

You can sync between your PC or Mac, iPhone, Android, or iPad.

Almost everything you do in Word, you can do with this word processor. There are even collaboration tools.

You can import your existing Word documents and get to work.

There is also a plugin to link your Zoho documents to Word.

That’s not a bad deal for at all a gratis online writing tool.

12. Scribus – Free

Scribus is an open-source program for desktop publishing.

It gets a mention here because it is free writing software, but also because it is such a feature-rich cross-platform program.

Scribus is a page layout and desktop publishing program for Linux, FreeBSD, PC-BSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, Solaris, OpenIndiana, Debian GNU/Hurd, Mac OS X, OS/2 Warp 4, eComStation, Haiku, and Windows.

Scribus supports professional publishing features, such as CMYK colors, spot colors, ICC color management, and versatile PDF creation.

Perhaps it is not a choice for most authors and bloggers. But you might have a desktop publishing need one day.

4 Free book writing apps

Are you ready to start writing a book? You need to hunt a little to find good writing programs for writing books and novels.

A writing app or author software for a book is entirely different from a word processor.

The best book writing programs consist of many elements.

You need plot timelines, character builders, and event tracking. It should also include note-taking and research pinning tools.

Here are four of the best free book apps to help with writing, formatting, and publishing your books or ebooks.

There is a link to seven more free book writing programs at the end of this list.

1. Shaxpir – Free and Premium

For a dedicated book writing tool, Shaxpir gives you a lot of features in its free version.

The Manuscript Builder uses drag-and-drop tools to rearrange your manuscript. You can change the order and hierarchy of chapters and scenes. So you can find a structure that works for you.

You can set your goals and track your progress. You can also keep detailed notes about your characters, places, and events.

It also allows you to add margin comments as well as collect concept art.

There is also an in-built spellchecker.

As far as a book writing program or author app goes, Shaxpir offers you a   huge range of features.

It is available for Mac and PC with offline and cloud access.

2. Scrivener – Free Trial

It is not free writing software, but I have to include Scrivener in this list of apps because there is a generous trial available.

Scrivener is one of the best book writing software tools for authors and screenwriters.

It has an outliner for chapters and scenes, a corkboard, and index cards.

There is also side-by-side viewing, word count targets, and a full-screen editor, along with print, export, and publishing tools. It has everything any writer could ever need.

There is a 30-day trial period offered by Scrivener.

But it is counted by the days that you use the software. So if you use it every second day, your trial period will last you for 60 days.

If you only write at the weekend, it will last you for a good few months.

Scrivener is available for download for both Windows and Mac. There are also iOS apps for iPhones and iPad.

To access your trial, click the Download Trial link.

3. Calibre Ebook Tool

Calibre is often called the Swiss Army Knife of ebook formatting tools.

There is so much you can do with Calibre.

But for most new authors, you will use it to convert your Word manuscript to mobi, epub, and pdf.

If you have some technical ability, you can also edit the epub or HTML files of your ebook.

It really is one of the most powerful ebook tools for authors.

It is available for download for PC, Mac, and Linux.

4. Kindle Create – Free

If you are a self-publishing author on Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Kindle Create is a must-have free writing software app for you to use.

The program has improved a lot over the last couple of years. Initially, it was a little unstable, and its primary function was to help you format a Kindle book.

But stability is much better now, and Amazon has been slowly adding new features since it merged Createspace into KDP.

Kindle Create can now format not only ebooks but paperback books as well. But this latest option is still in beta.

It is so easy to format beautiful ebooks using Kindle Create.

Do you want more free book writing software?

Are you trying to find the best apps for writing your book?

Do you want the best novel writing tool that can help you work on individual chapters and scenes?

Here are seven choices for apps and free writing programs for you that are specifically designed for writing your book.

Read our review of nine free book writing programs for authors.

7 Free apps for bloggers

Are you a content writer or blogger? You need to work with ideas, keywords, data, headlines, and images all day long.

It pays to stay one step ahead of your competition. You are continually working on improving your content, search engine optimization (SEO), and SERP rankings.

There is no way you can do all this work without having the best tools for the job at hand.

Make your life a little easier with some of these blogging apps to help you write and rank better.

Here is a choice of seven of the best blogging tools for busy content writers and bloggers. All of them will save you hours of work every day.

1. Fyrebox – Free and Premium

You’re writing lots of content for your blog.

But wouldn’t it be great if you could engage your readers a little more in your post topics?

Well, you can with Fyrebox by creating a free interactive quiz.

All you need to do is create your free account, and then you can start designing your quiz in a few minutes.

There are templates to help you get started with pre-made quizzes for you to personalize.

A quiz is a great way to keep your readers on your blog for much longer by letting them participate in your blog post subject.

2. Hubspot Blog Ideas – Free

Hubspot’s blog topic generator is an old favorite for many writers.

All you need to do is enter a few nouns, and it will produce a list of blog title ideas for you.

It is such a handy tool to have when you are looking for new writing ideas.

3. Portent’s Idea Generator – Free

Do you need a cure for writer’s block?

I adore this blog topic generator app.

Portent is an easy and clever way to find new writing ideas.

It is an app primarily designed for bloggers to find headlines and titles and not a genuine headline analyzer. But writers can use it to discover new ideas for any piece of writing.

All you have to do is input your base word or words, and then you can select a working title for a new writing prompt.

4. ShareThough Headline Analyser – Free

How engaging is your article headline?

Sharethrough must be my absolute favorite little app. Once you have a blog or article title idea, run it through this app to see how effective it will be in attracting readers’ attention.

You can edit as you go, and the app keeps a record of your variations so you can choose the best one.

The app’s blurb says: “Like the lead paragraph in a news story or thesis in an essay, your headline is your one true sentence: the single most important asset for capturing attention in the feed.”

5. Website Grader – Free

Website Grader is a quick and easy app to help you improve your blog.

Checking and optimizing your blog’s performance is essential if you want to increase your site traffic.

You should make sure that your website is easy for users to discover and easy for search engines to understand.

It is a quick app to check your page titles, headings, and meta descriptions.

It only takes a few seconds to run this performance check of your blog to see if you need to make any improvements.

6. Privacy Policy Generator – Free

Privacy Policy Generator is an app to help you write your privacy policy page for your blog.

You don’t even need to register or give your email address.

It is a time and money saver for all bloggers.

Just add your basic information, and the app will create the full text for your privacy terms.

All blogs should have a policy page about privacy to make sure that your site is GDPR compliant.

7. Canva – Free and Premium

Now, this is not an app for writing articles. So it might not truly belong in a list of blog writing tools and programs.

But Canva is a fantastic tool for promoting your writing.

Canva is a free online tool for creating images.

Because using Internet images you find on Google images are very often copyright protected, it is a much better idea to create your own unique images.

You can find and use stock images to upload to Canva that you can then design and transform into a unique image.

You can use Canva to make images for social media promotion, images for your blog posts, Facebook headers, and even for quick and dirty ebook covers.

While there is a paid option, the free version offers more than enough images, graphics, icons, shapes, and backgrounds for almost any image creation project.

It’s so useful; I sometimes feel a bit guilty because I use this app almost every day.

10 Free productivity apps

There are so many facets to writing. It would be great if all you had to do were to write.

But we all know that a writer’s life consists of lots of tasks and distractions.

You have to be organized to be able to write. Just collecting and collating your ideas takes a lot of time in your day. Then there is your to-do list and probably a long list of pending items.

It would be great if there was an all-in-one help for a writer’s app. But until it ever eventuates, here is a selection of some of the best productivity apps for writers.

Hopefully, some of them will help you stay organized and perhaps save a little time that you can invest in writing.

1. Trello – Free and Premium

Trello must be one of the most popular apps for writers.

There is so much you can do to organize your writing projects, notes, and to-do lists. You can collaborate and assign tasks, start discussions, and so much more.

Trello is a beautiful as well as highly functional app. It is available for Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Internet Explorer, iOS, and Android.

2. Evernote – Free and Premium

Evernote is a popular application for lots of writers. It is one of the most popular note-taking apps, but it is much more.

Never let an idea escape when you are not at your keyboard. You can organize your thoughts, and create checklists and to-do lists.

There is also a handy web clipper that lets you save parts of web pages to help you with your writing research.

The free version comes with more than enough storage memory to suit most writers.

3. OneLook – Free

OneLook lets you describe a concept and get back a list of words and phrases related to that concept.

Your description can be anything at all: a single word, a few words, or even a whole sentence.

Type in your description and hit Enter to see all the related words.

This little writing app is a thesaurus on steroids.

4. Free Pomodoro Timer – Free

If you are a fan of the Pomodoro technique, to improve your productivity, you will need a Pomodoro timer .

There are many apps to choose from online.

But I like this one because it’s easy to set and to read. Nothing fancy, but effective.

5. Read-O-Meter – Free

How long will it take to read your article?

Find out with Read-O-Meter , and then you can add reading time to your blog post or article.

6. Wordcounter – Free

Wordcounter ranks the most frequently used words in your text.

You can use this browser app to see what words you are repeating too often and then make changes.

All you need to do is paste your text into the box. Then this little app will go to work and list all your repetitions.

7. Quetext – Free

Quetext is an online plagiarism checker.

Many paid apps feature checking plagiarism as a premium option.

But with this browser app, you can check your documents anytime you like.

8. Otter V0ice Notes – Free and Premium

Otter is a dictation-to-text app for iOS and Android.

All you need to do is hit the record button, start speaking, and watch your words appear in the app. It even adds in punctuation.

There are many paid and premium dictation apps, but Otter offers a generous free option of 600 minutes a month.

9. Freemind – Free

If you are into mind maps to develop story ideas, here is a software download for you.

Many authors use mind map apps to help write a book by keeping their ideas connected and logical.

Freemind is open-source mind-mapping software built in Java.

It is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

It has a wide variety of features, including location-based mind mapping, collaboration tools, restore sessions, and more.

10. DiffChecker – Free

Do you sometimes get into a tangle when editing different versions of a text?

What and when did you make a change? Is it nearly impossible to remember every edit you make?

Well, with DiffChecker , it is easy to compare two versions of a text and find the differences between them.

It is a browser app, but if you want to save your revisions (Diffs), you will need to create an account to log in.

8 Quick mentions

The following free writing software and writing apps are recent additions to our list.

They are not categorized. But all of them could be worth a look to see if they are a match for what you need in an app or program.

As they are quick mentions, you will need to investigate for yourself to see if they might be worthwhile.

1. Kindle Previewer – Free

The Kindle Previewer application is a free desktop program that lets authors preview how their ebooks will appear on all Kindle devices.

It makes it easy to check your ebooks for different screen sizes, display orientations, and text font sizes.

2. Zotero – Free

Zotero is a free and easy-to-use program to help you with sources and citations.

You can collect, organize, cite, and share your research.

You can create references and bibliographies for any text editor directly with Word, LibreOffice, and Google Docs.

3. Reedsy Book Editor – Free

It is also a writing program and editor.

4. NaturalReader – Free

It’s often a good idea to read aloud when you proofread a draft text.

But with NaturalReader , you can create mp3 files from your text and then play them back to you. It makes it much easier to check your text for accuracy as you listen.

There is a generous free daily limit of 20 minutes for access to premium voices.

But if you select free voices, there is no restriction.

5. Bubbl.Us – Free

When you want to mind map your ideas, it is easier with an app.

Bubbl.Us is a good choice if you want free mind mapping. You can share your maps with others and even on social media.

6. Pixabay – Free

You’re right; this is not free writing software. But I have to include Pixabay because I use it every day to find great free images for my blog.

There are a lot of free stock image sites, but this one is my favorite because the choice of images is enormous.

7. Pixlr – Free

Again, this is not a writing app. But when you need to edit an image for your blog or ebooks, then Pixlr might do the job for you.

There is a premium version, but you will find that the free version can do most of the basic photo editing tasks you would need to do.

8. DramaQueen – Free

If you are writing scripts, this program could be what you are looking for.

With DramaQueen , you can format your script yourself or according to the official rules of the Writers’ Guild.

3 Fun free writing apps

Writers can sometimes be a serious bunch of people. But everyone needs to have a bit of fun from time to time.

To end my long list of apps for writers, here are three little apps to put a smile on your face.

Have fun, and enjoy being a writer.

1. Hipster Sound – Free

Do you have time to go to a café to relax and write?

If you don’t, you can bring the sounds of a Texas or Paris café to you with this cute little app.

Go to Hipster Sound , click play, pop in your air pods, and you will have all the ambient sounds you need to get your creative juices flowing. As an extra bonus, your coffee is on the house!

2. FlipText – Free

Okay, you are not going to use Fliptext often. But it is a fun and funny little writing tool.

¡uoıʇuǝʇʇɐ ʇɔɐɹʇʇɐ oʇ ǝɹns sı ʇı ˙uʍop ǝpısdn buıʇıɹʍ ʎɹʇ ʇou ʎɥʍ ‘uoıʇuǝʇʇɐ ʇɔɐɹʇʇɐ ןןıʍ ʇɐɥʇ buıɥʇǝɯos op oʇ ʇuɐʍ noʎ uǝɥʍ

Yes, you can write upside down. Did you have to turn your screen upside down, or did you twist your neck in pain trying to read it?

3. The Most Dangerous Writing App – Free

The Most Dangerous Writing App is a fun little writing tool with a mean side to it.

You start by setting yourself a writing time of, say, five minutes. Then you start writing. But if you stop writing for more than five seconds, you lose everything you wrote.

However, if you get through your allotted time without stopping, your reward is that you can save your work.

Yes, that’s a seriously nasty little writing app. It is a brutal yet brilliant idea.

But if you treat it like a game, it is a fun challenge and maybe a clever way to help you overcome writer’s block.

Summary of free writing software

For all writers, there are plenty of free writing software, programs, publishing apps , and tools.

You can also find free book writing programs that work very well for any book project.

You don’t need to spend any money at all to get some of the best free writing software and apps.

There are so many open-source and free software alternatives for word processors, book writing, short story writing, and spelling and grammar correction tools.

Are you ready to write your book or get started as a content writer or blogger?

Then the writing tools in the list above will be more than enough to get you off on the right foot.

All of them are user-friendly and quick, and easy to learn how to use.

Make your choices based on what you need and want to achieve as a writer and what you think you will need to succeed.

Then head off to the coffee shop with your laptop, or pump up Hipster Sound at home and start writing.

Related reading: Choose Your Writing Apps For iPad To Write Anywhere

About The Author

Derek Haines

More articles.

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28 thoughts on “the best 50 free writing software and free writing apps”.

No Ywriter? Easy to set up and use. Takes around two minutes to learn from installation. More important it’s free.

I have noted yWriter in our article about free book writing software.

Thank you for this article. It’s very useful.

As an editor and writer for thirty years, I’m not at all fond of grammar and style programs. None of them work well at all for the people who need them most. Every one I’ve tied, including Grammarly, makes terrible mistakes, and if you follow the style these programs want you to follow, you’ll never be a good writer. I can tell in a page or two whether a writer has used and RELIED such a program, and it’s almost always an instant rejection.

These programs should only be used by writers who don’t really need them, except for those brain fart moments, or when a truly esoteric question of grammar pops up. As a writer, you MUST know grammar inside out, and you must know style inside out, or you won’t have a clue whether Grammarly, or any such program, be it for grammar or style, is lying to you.

At BEST, these programs produce cookie cutter style that may be technically correct, but that simply is not professional level writing. Such writing may make you a couple of dollars on a site such as Medium, and you may even sell a few copies of something on Amazon, but this is all you’ll do.

If you really want to be a professional writer, you MUST learn grammar inside and out. These programs can’t give you the grammar you need, and contrary to popular belief, it is NOT an editor’s job to correct a manuscript full of bad grammar. Ain’t gonna happen. Grammar is your job, not the job of a software program, and not the job of an editor. Period.

Nor can you leave style up to software, or to an editor. Software can’t give you professional level style, and an editor simply doesn’t have the time. An editor will correct minor mistakes here and there, overlooked brain farts, but that’s it.

If you really want to be a writer, forget such silly software. Plant your butt and learn grammar. For style, story, characterization, plot, and other such necessities, read five hundred novels and a thousand short stories, then write several novel or fifty short stories. If you have any talent at all, this will bring it out. If you lack talent, well, you need a new profession.

This era of digitization has changed the publishing industry completely and is still revamping it . The book writing software and industries are a true companion for writers and editors. They are just making our work more easy and accurate. Totally agree with your article.

I have a fixed income due to my disabilities. I plan to purchase a new computer but is Microsoft Home and Personal a very reputable writing program? Is a Dell computer highly recommended?

I write • plays • poetry • historical fiction • children’s picture books • essays • short fiction for children and adults

Thank you! :-)

Sorry, Tom. But I can’t help you with advice about buying a computer. You’d be better trying computer review sites.

Hi Derek, I hope someone is interested in my Scribis Project, a series o free online editors dedicated to those who want to work quickly moving between dictionaries, thesauri and databases of sentences selected from the great classics. Based on what you type in the editor, you will get synonyms, collocations, intermediate concepts, semantic fields, and dozens of sentences that contain analogies, similarities, emotions and images. With another tool, Scribis Matrix, you can generate word matrices from the same dictionaries and thesauri.

Why no YWriter? It does everything important that scrivener can do, but it is free.

We do feature yWriter in our listing of free book writing software. So, we haven’t missed it. https://justpublishingadvice.com/choose-your-free-book-writing-software-for-your-new-book/

PowerWritingAid and Grammarly are not free programs. You have to pay expensive monthly subscriptions.

StyleWriter will make you a better writer and does not get a mention in your reviews!

Prowritingaid and Grammarly both offer free versions. But I will investigate Stylewriter.

I use Grammarly on a daily basis and only the free version and I don’t feel I am missing out on anything. I also use the free version of pro writing aid, not as often but I’ve never encountered an instance where I have wished I had the paid version. A lot of paid apps have a really good free version of those apps too. This is a pretty perfectly crafted reply because of my free Grammarly lol

Very great article with many great Apps. Recently I discovered Neperos, it is very intuitive and gives you the possibility to style your article with multiple pictures.

I bought Prowritingaid for the Word add-in, but found one of the most important features, the ability to customise reports, doesn’t work. Contacting the Support team led to promises of an investigation followed by nothing. A reminder led to a promise the issue would be passed to a developer who,would be in touch, then nothing. If you want it work with Word, look elsewhere or you’ll pay for a non-functional product with no support!

Hi Peter, Lisa here from ProWritingAid. I’ve just been through our support inbox and can’t find any emails under the name Peter Caffrey.

So far, I am enjoying 3 out of your 10 recommendations. Your reviews seem honest and unscripted-thank you for that.

The only serious free option for desktop publishing right now is Scribus. It’s software, not web-based. I’ve used it a few times and it’s pretty decent. Of course, I also have QuarkXPress, which I prefer. Hope that helps!

It was informational and I liked it very much.

I found this article to be informative. In search of one thing, I happily stumbled upon much more. Thanks!

Generally in life you get what you pay for so you should expect limitations from anything free. If you’re serious about writing then Scrivener is what you need. Yes, you have to pay for it but it costs about the same as a couple of takeaways and once you learn how to use it you’ll wonder how you lived without it. I agree about Canva, but I wouldn’t bother with anything else on the list!

There is free Windows alternative for Scrivener named Quoll Writer. Of course, it has some limitations but is a lot easier to use and gives you all essential features writer or journalist needs. Chapters, characters, items, linking, tagging, annotating and more. It has Idea Board and stats and readability indexes. Text formatting is basic but hey, it’s software for writers not for editors. You can export your texts as .docx or .epub and format them with Sigil or Calibre. I’m using it for couple of years.

Good article, but you don’t mention StyleWriter – a powerful program to change the way y0u write. It shows you how to write and edit like a professional.

So thankful I found this site. All the info I need in one place and much simpler than what I was trying to work with. Especially great for a tech dummy like me.

Great post, informative and gives me some options to consider that I didn’t know about before. Thanks.

Great article, I love Canva, Couldn’t run my website without it! Thanks for this. I learned some things.

Thanks for this informative post. :) — Suzanne

This post is one of the best and most informative I have read in years on publishing for home-based writers. Through your post, I have discovered new resources that will make my writing life easier. Thanks!!!

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Privacy Overview

Creative Writing 4+

A course in inspiration, designed for ipad.

• 4.2 • 11 Ratings

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Description.

Want to be a writer? Or just love writing for fun? This app will help you develop your creative writing skills and unlock your natural creativity. DAILY WORKSHOP EXERCISES INCLUDE - Warm-up exercises to develop flow. - Story writing techniques - Poetry writing ideas - Visualization exercises HOW IT WORKS Each day you get presented with a set of writing exercises designed by international poet and workshop leader Emmanuel Williams. You can either follow these exercises or choose from a complete list of exercises. As you follow an exercise anything you write is saved so you can easily find it later. If you like what you've written you can email it to yourself or paste it into another app such as a word processor. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Emmanuel Williams is a qualified teacher with an MA in the Teaching of Creative Writing from Humboldt State University. He has taught all over the world and currently works as a poet-teacher for California Poets In The Schools. His poetry and writings have been published in numerous magazines both in the US and Europe including Pennwood Review, Snowy Egret, Staple, Penthouse and Penumbra, and featured on the BBC and NPR. Several collections of his original writings have been published.

Version 2.2

We've tidied up some annoying little bugs and optimized to work on the new iPhones so you can simply focus on being creative.

Ratings and Reviews

Love this app.

This app has really helped me to get creative. It's motivating. It's fun. Some of the prompts could be used repeatedly with different results. Some may be kind of limited for re use, but they are fun to work with at least once. I would like it even more if it were easier to access and use your writings. Right now, writings can be viewed in a list or emailed one at a time to be accessed through a word processor. It would be nice to be able to organize writings into groups or to stitch them together into projects without having to email them first.

Waste of money

I had no idea this app would not help me write chapter by chapter in fact it’s more of an idea app

Well done- worth more

I wasn't looking for a novel-writing app so I almost didn't buy this. I'm so glad I did. It is helpful for any kind of writing. It makes you think and gets you going. It is helpful with sentences, poems, dialogue, story, whatever you need with lots of prompts, and ideas. I believe it will be helpful for anyone at any level that is looking for help with writing. I love it!

App Privacy

The developer, MoodWorks , has not provided details about its privacy practices and handling of data to Apple. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

No Details Provided

The developer will be required to provide privacy details when they submit their next app update.

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Family Sharing

Up to six family members can use this app with family sharing enabled., more by this developer.

Tarot Daily

Tarot Meanings

Learn Tarot

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Your Home Magazine - Interiors

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*Available on iPhone, iPad and all Android devices

5 Star Rating

Scribble is the social platform for authors, readers, and publishing resources to connect and thrive together.

• Mission Statement – Connect the world’s creative minds to increase knowledge and opportunities.
• Vision Statement – Our vision is to create and foster an innovative environment for every member.

Scribble Library

Selling books is hard. You have worked diligently to perfect your work, through countless hours of revisions, editing, and going back and forth with contemplation. Now it is time to establish your audience. 

The Scribble Library is our database of books, created by you, easily searchable by our readers. Here at Scribble, we have you covered, so you can get back to doing what you do best — create.

From Our Users

Book Clubs & Readers

What makes scribble different.

In this creative writing app, the Scribble library gives you an opportunity to upload your book cover and synopsis for other people to see. This way, people can have access to the writing you are sharing with the world.

Another notable feature that makes this writing community app unique is ‘notes.’ It allows the users to save, store, and write their thoughts. This thoughtful addition makes this creative writing app user-friendly and engaging!

Social Networking

How can you meet other authors and build meaningful relations with them? Social networking is another feature of this creative writing app that helps users to connect and network. You can meet and establish relationships with other creative minds

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Scribble is availble for free on app store, testimonials, see what a few of our users are saying, join scribble newsletter, useful links, partnership, © copyright 2022 scribble. all rights reserved..

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11 Best Apps for Poetry Writing

Posted in Mobile App Ideas on April 24, 2024

Bookmark this article: https://bestmobileappawards.com/blog/11-best-apps-for-poetry-writing

The invention of apps tailored for poetry writing has transformed how poetry is created in the modern era. These apps serve as a platform for composing and saving poems and offer a wide range of features to improve the writing process. They include tools for finding rhymes and synonyms and connecting poets from around the world, catering to the needs of poets at all skill levels.

This article delves into eleven top tools for writing poetry, each with its distinctive qualities. Whether you want to capture sudden bursts of creativity, join worldwide writing contests, or explore a wide collection of poetry for inspiration, these apps cater to all poets. Moreover, if you are in a lack of time for your poetry creation and you are busy with homework, you can easily turn to DoMyEssay to write my dissertation request and put all your effort into a masterpiece.  They turn smartphones and tablets into effective platforms for expressing poetry, making it easier and more exciting than ever.

Poet Assistant

Poet Assistant is an app for Android and iOS users that provides various tools for creating poetry. The app includes:

• A built-in glossary.
• A feature for looking up definitions.
• Functions for counting characters and words.

Its text-to-speech function makes it easier for poets to listen to their work being read aloud. Suitable for poets of any level, the app aids creative writing by making finding the perfect words and phrases easier.

Miraquill (Formerly Mirakee)

Miraquill, formerly known as Mirakee, is a platform and app for creative writing and poetry accessible on both Android and iOS devices. It brings together writers, poets, and readers worldwide through creative prompts and the option to write, edit, and share their stories or poems. Users can customize their posts with images and different fonts, making it a central place for artistic self-expression. The platform promotes engagement and feedback, providing a lively environment for exploring poetry.

JotterPad, downloaded on Android devices, is designed for authors, scriptwriters, and bloggers. This adaptable application enables users to format their work and convert it into different forms easily. It is perfect for writers who must conform their content to different publishing requirements, offering a simple and intuitive interface. JotterPad streamlines the writing process, making it a valuable tool for professional writers and hobbyists.

The Poetry App created by the Poetry Foundation is accessible on Android and iOS devices. It contains a collection of poems covering a variety of genres, such as love, nature, and celebration. It is a writing aid and a source of inspiration and learning. With a wide selection of poetic works available, users can use it to explore various styles and themes in poetry.

Rhymer's Block

Designed specifically for iOS users, Rhymer's Block is a one-of-a-kind app that provides cloud storage, inspiration, and suggestions for rhyming words. It is specifically created for poets and lyricists, offering immediate help finding the right rhyme. The app's feature of storing and syncing work across different devices makes it a trustworthy tool for writers who are always on the go, guaranteeing their creativity flows smoothly.

Lyric Notepad

Lyric Notepad is a user-friendly app for writing songs, poems, and rap lyrics, available on Android and iOS platforms. It provides helpful tools such as rhyming words, synonyms, and efficient note-taking features. This app is designed to help lyricists and poets create verses with accuracy and creativity, making it an essential resource for those in the music and poetry industries.

The Writer App is a specialized tool for Android devices that streamlines the editing and storage of poetry and similar works. It offers a variety of options for formatting text, including different fonts, colors, and themes. The app arranges content chronologically, simplifying the management and retrieval of past writings. It is especially beneficial for taking notes, making it a valuable resource for poets and writers.

Blackout Bard

Blackout Bard is an innovative Android and iOS app that promotes poetry creativity. Users can generate unique and visually striking poems by blacking out words in a text. The app encourages users to explore different word combinations, fostering artistic expression in a visually stimulating manner.

For $1.99 on iOS, Poetics is a groundbreaking app that enhances the visual poetry experience. It allows poets to incorporate expressive graphics and images into their poems with various font, color, size, scale, and angle editing options. This app is perfect for modern poets who combine visual art with poetry, providing a flexible platform for creative and experimental expression.

Poetry Magazine App

The Poetry Magazine App offers many tools and resources for poets at all experience levels. It provides access to a diverse collection of poems, serving as a valuable source of inspiration and education. The app is perfect for poets exploring different styles and genres, expanding their creative horizons and inspiring fresh ideas in their writing.

Instant Poetry!

Instant Poetry is a user-friendly app available for Android devices that is ideal for poets who enjoy interactive wordplay and appreciate feedback from other users. Its category-based search feature allows users to easily find poems and share their compositions with a supportive community of fellow poets. This app is perfect for poets looking to connect with others and receive constructive criticism on their work, offering a platform for sharing and discovering new poetry

In conclusion, the poem-writing app plays a significant and transformative role for users.

The emergence of specialized apps has greatly improved the field of poetry writing. Each app mentioned in this article provides distinctive features that assist poets throughout the creative process, from generating ideas to sharing and receiving feedback. These apps have made poetry more accessible, offering poets the tools to improve their skills and reach a wider audience. Whether you are a beginner seeking inspiration or an experienced writer wanting to share your work, these apps offer valuable resources to support and enhance your poetry journey.

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Program Code: 233*/233B CIP Code: 23.0101

General Education Requirements (44 Hours)

• General Education Requirements  

Some general education requirements may be double-counted in the major with departmental approval. Please see your advisor for information.

Language Requirements (3 Hours)

Students are required to demonstrate intermediate-level proficiency in a language other than English. Intermediate-level proficiency is demonstrated by successful completion of a 4th-semester language course in one of the following:

• Intermediate Language Course II   * or
• Combined Intermediate Language Course   * or
• Higher level language courses     (A higher-level language course that requires one of the above listed courses as a prerequisite may also be used to fulfill the language requirement.)

Note: Beginning language course I & II or beginning combination language course and intermediate language course I are prerequisites for *intermediate level II course. Placement tests are designed for placement purposes only and a score on this test alone is not sufficient to demonstrate intermediate-level proficiency.

Language courses 1050 or 1060 may be used in General Education Liberal Studies Experience.

Major Requirements (39 Hours)

2.0 major GPA is required for graduation. Major GPA calculation will include all courses taken in the major discipline, plus any other courses under Major Requirements.

36 semester hours above the 2001 level; 24 semester hours must be at the 3000 level or above.  RC 1000     a prerequisite for all ENG & RC courses level 2001 and above.

Writing Courses (9 Hours)

At least three (but no more than five) of following : (+ course may be repeated for credit when content varies)

• ENG 3651 - Creative Writing: Poetry (3)
• ENG 3652 - Creative Writing: Prose (Fiction) (3)
• ENG 3661 - Advanced Poetry (3) +
• ENG 3662 - Advanced Fiction (3) +
• ENG 3663 - Advanced Creative Non-Fiction (3) +
• ENG 3670 - Playwriting (3) +
• THR 3670 - Playwriting (3) +
• ENG 3679 - Screenwriting (3)
• THR 3679 - Screenwriting (3)
• ENG 3680 - Literary Journalism (3)
• COM 3680 - Literary Journalism (3)
• ENG 4550 - Senior Seminar in Creative Writing (3) [CAP] +
• ENG 4815 - Distinguished Guest Seminar in Creative Writing (3) [CAP] +

Literature Courses (3 Hours)

Choose at least one of the following genre courses:

• ENG 3720 - Studies in the Short Story (3)
• ENG 3740 - Studies in Poetry (3)
• ENG 3750 - Studies in Drama (3)

Grammar (3 Hours)

• ENG 3300 - Applied Grammar (3)

Writing in the Discipline (3 Hours)

• ENG 3000 - Approaches to Literary Studies (3) [WID]

Senior Capstone (3 Hours)

Choose 3 hours. 

• ENG 4510 - Senior Honors Thesis (3) [CAP]
• ENG 4550 - Senior Seminar in Creative Writing (3) [CAP]
• ENG 4571 - Capstone in American Indian Literature (3) [CAP]
• ENG 4581 - Capstone in African-American Literature (3) [CAP]
• ENG 4586 - Capstone in Ethnic American Literature (3) [CAP]
• ENG 4592 - Capstone in Topics in World Literature (3) [CAP]
• ENG 4711 - Capstone in Women and Literature (3) [CAP]
• ENG 4721 - Capstone in Appalachian Literature (3) [CAP]
• ENG 4726 - Capstone in Southern Literature (3) [CAP]
• ENG 4731 - Capstone in the Novel (3) [CAP]
• ENG 4761 - Capstone in Literary Criticism (3) [CAP]
• ENG 4771 - Capstone in Early American Literature (3) [CAP]
• ENG 4781 - Capstone in American Literature: 1783-1865 (3) [CAP]
• ENG 4786 - Capstone in American Literature: 1865-1914 (3) [CAP]
• ENG 4791 - Capstone in Modern American Literature: 1914-1960 (3) [CAP]
• ENG 4796 - Capstone in Contemporary American Literature: 1960-present (3) [CAP]
• ENG 4811 - Capstone in Folklore (3) [CAP]
• ENG 4815 - Distinguished Guest Seminar in Creative Writing (3) [CAP]
• ENG 4821 - Capstone in Medieval British Literature (3) [CAP]
• ENG 4826 - Capstone in Literature of the Middle Ages (3) [CAP]
• ENG 4841 - Capstone in Shakespeare: Later Works (3) [CAP]
• ENG 4851 - Capstone in Renaissance Literature (3) [CAP]
• ENG 4861 - Capstone in Restoration and Eighteenth Century Literature (3) [CAP]
• ENG 4871 - Capstone in British Romantic Literature (3) [CAP]
• ENG 4881 - Capstone in Victorian Literature (3) [CAP]
• ENG 4891 - Capstone in Twentieth Century British Literature: 1900-1945 (3) [CAP]
• ENG 4896 - Capstone in Twentieth Century British Literature: 1945-present (3) [CAP]
• ENG 4899 - Capstone in Topics in Irish Literature (3) [CAP]

Foundation in Literacy History (18 Hours)

Honors courses are indicated by section number - 410 on the Schedule of Courses .

British Literature - Choose one (3 Hours)

• ENG 2010 - British Literature to 1789 (3)
• ENG 2020 - British Literature since 1789 (3)

World Literature - Choose one (3 Hours)

• ENG 2030 - World Literature to 1650 (3) [GenEd: LS]
• ENG 2040 - World Literature since 1650 (3) [GenEd: LS]

American Literature - Choose one (3 Hours)

• ENG 2310 - American Literature to 1865 (3)
• ENG 2320 - American Literature since 1865 (3)

4000 Level Literature Courses - Choose Two (6 Hours)

4000 level english elective - (3 hours).

If ENG 4550    taken to meet Writing Course above (not just Capstone) , then one 3000 level or higher course can be taken to meet this requirement

Minor Required (12-21 Hours)

• Minimum of 9 semester hours of courses taken to fulfill minor requirements must be courses offered by Appalachian

Electives (13-22 Hours)

Taken to total 120 hours for the degree

Total Required (120 Hours)

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Best Poetry Writing Apps in 2024

Showing 39 writing apps that match your search.

A minimalist writing zone, where you can block out all distractions and get to what's important. The writing! To get started, all you need to do is delete this text (seriously, just highlight it and hit delete), and fill the page with your own fantastic words. You can even change the title!

Platforms: Online, Chrome

Best for: Drafting, Book, Story, Poetry, Journal, Essay, and Free

Website: https://zenpen.io/

Base price:

Premium price:

★★★★★ Performance

★★★ Features

★★★ Accessibility

We’re more than a doc. Or a table. Customize Notion to work the way you do.

Platforms: Mac, iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows, Chrome, PC

Best for: Note-taking, Outlining, Journal, Book, Story, Essay, Poetry, Blog, and Free

Website: https://www.notion.so/product

★★★★ Performance

★★★★★ Features

★★★★★ Accessibility

★★★★★ Value

Also rated 4.0 ★ on TechRadar

Reedsy Studio

A powerful writing tool from Reedsy. Write and export a beautifully typeset book. This is the beloved app made for authors, by authors.

Best for: Outlining, Drafting, Editing, Proofreading, Publishing, Book, Poetry, Story, and Free

Website: https://reedsy.com/write-a-book

Also rated 4.6 ★ on Trustpilot

Learn more about Reedsy Studio .

Black Note is the black theme's notepad. It's the simple notes app.

Platforms: Android

Best for: Note-taking, Story, Book, Blog, Journal, Poetry, and Free

Website: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=notepad.not...

★★★★ Features

Also rated 4.8 ★ on Google Play

Apple Notes

Notes is the best place to jot down quick thoughts or to save longer notes filled with checklists, images, web links, scanned documents, handwritten notes, or sketches. And with iCloud, it's easy to keep all your devices in sync, so you’ll always have your notes with you.

Platforms: Mac, iPhone, iPad

Best for: Note-taking, Journal, Book, Story, Essay, Poetry, Blog, and Free

Website: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/notes/id1110145109

★★★ Performance

Also rated 3.3 ★ on the App Store

Werdsmith turns your iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch into a powerful writing studio that inspires you to write. With features to motivate you and help you break through writer‘s block, you‘ll find yourself writing more than ever.

Platforms: iPad, Mac, iPhone

Best for: Drafting, Book, Story, Poetry, and Free

Website: https://werdsmith.com/

★★ Accessibility

Also rated 4.7 ★ on the App Store

Writer is a writing application without the fuss and distraction of a traditional word processor. It's perfect for everything from taking notes to writing a novel on your phone or tablet.

Best for: Note-taking, Book, Story, Journal, Essay, Blog, Poetry, and Free

Website: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jamesmc...

Also rated 3.8 ★ on Google Play

FocusWriter

FocusWriter is a simple, distraction-free writing environment. It utilizes a hide-away interface that you access by moving your mouse to the edges of the screen, allowing the program to have a familiar look and feel to it while still getting out of the way so that you can immerse yourself in your work.

Platforms: Windows, PC

Best for: Drafting, Book, Essay, Journal, Poetry, Story, Blog, and Free

Website: https://gottcode.org/focuswriter/

From boardroom to lecture hall, project plan to daily diary, Nebo makes note-taking smarter, more efficient and more enjoyable.

Platforms: Android, iPhone, iPad

Best for: Note-taking, Journal, Poetry, and Blog

Website: https://www.nebo.app/

★★★★ Accessibility

Also rated 4.3 ★ on the App Store

Create beautiful handwritten notes, sketch your ideas, record audio, and organize your notes like never before.

Platforms: Mac, iPhone, iPad, Android

Best for: Note-taking, Journal, Book, Story, Essay, Poetry, and Blog

Website: https://www.noteshelf.net/

Also rated 4.4 ★ on the App Store

MindMeister

Mind mapping starts with a main idea in the center of your mind map. As your map takes shape, add context to topics with attachments, embedded media and more. MindMeister’s features guide you through your first mind maps onto maximum creativity.

Platforms: Online, iPhone, iPad, Android

Best for: Outlining, Journal, Poetry, and Free

Website: https://www.mindmeister.com/

Also rated 4.7 ★ on Capterra

You have a story to tell, article to publish, or class notes to take. Scrivo Pro can help you organize your writing, research, generate ideas, and remove distractions so you can focus on the most important thing: writing.

Best for: Outlining, Drafting, Journal, Book, Story, Essay, Poetry, and Blog

Website: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/scrivo-pro-for-scriveners-a...

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