In the last week, I’ve had a ton of messages asking me about the technology I use to plot and write my books. My absolute favorite way to plot and write is longhand. But as a working writer, that’s not fast enough. So I thought I’d give a brief review of the systems I use.

But I want to make it clear that while these are the systems that I use, there are a ton more apps out there that people love. Many of these programs I have used for years so while I’m interested in learning new one, I don’t have the time right now.

Note: This list of tech is specifically for crafting novels. I do use other systems like Trello and Canva to help run other aspects of my business but this list is just for writing. And, while I’ve added links to this post, I am NOT selling these programs. If you decide you want to purchase any of these, please search the internet for coupon codes. There are ALWAYS coupon codes available for these systems. While I don’t have any codes, please do a quick search before purchasing. Some of the coupons can save you hundreds of dollars!


Microsoft Word 365: My editor and agent expect my manuscripts to be submitted in Word. I write on multiple machines, sometimes in different places other than home, and I keep some of my manuscripts in a cloud to ensure I am always working on the most recent version. Although I do download and save my work every night. Then I email the manuscript to myself so there’s always a copy on my email provider’s server.

Scrivener: I’m not even sure how to describe Scrivener. It’s part word processor, part indexer, part visual editor, and part story & plot designer. Imagine taking all of your writing notes (sticky notes, journal pages, jottings on napkins) and placing them in Scrivener so you can keep track of everything! You can build book worlds, develop character and setting sheets, and break down your manuscript into the smallest scene that can be moved around on a virtual bulletin board. It is a complicated program and takes some time to learn, but it’s worth the time. I’ve been using it for years so there are updates that I’m not even aware of yet! But after writing over 11 novels on Scrivener, I can’t imagine using any other program. Although, having said that, when my trad books are done and ready to submit, I reformat the book in Word 365 for my editor and agent. If It’s an indie book, I’ll move it to Word 365 before uploading it to Vellum (noted below). In Word, I’m able to strip out extra, hidden formatting that makes it easier to use Vellum. But the more I learn about Vellum, the less I need to take that extra step.

Plottr: Plottr is a visual planner and outlining tool that helps you plan out your story. There are timelines, character and setting sheets, and scene builders. I’ve been using this program for about a year and the more I use it, the more I like about it. There’s also a free YouTube channel with tutorials so you can check out the program and how to use it. This software is for visual learners. So if you’re a hardcore journal scribbler, this may not work for you. There’s also an ability to create a story bible. I’ve been keeping my story bible in Scrivener but I may move it over to Plottr next year.

ProWritingAid: This is a grammar checker and style editor software. You just dump your manuscript into the editor and it evaluates your writing and tells you everything you’ve done wrong. What I like most about this software is that it helps me identify reused phrases and word echoes. It also evaluates your writing style and gives you ideas to improve readability. This is an AI program that I use a lot, but it’s not perfect. It is not a replacement for proof reading or copy editing.

Adobe Acrobat Pro: My publisher uses Adobe Acrobat Pro for both copyedits and final galley proofs. While I hate paying the monthly fee, the software does make it very easy to read through the final versions of the manuscript (which, I believe, are designed with InDesign). For my indie books, I’ve yet to run into an editor who works with Adobe. But if you’re a trad author, or hope to become one, you may have to sign up. Luckily you can sign up month-to-month so during the months I’m drafting and revising, I turn it off. It’s easy to turn back on once I receive a final version of the manuscript.

Vellum: I use this software to format my indie books and get them ready to upload to vendors like Amazon and Barnes & Noble. It even has an option to load up paperback versions to KDP and IngramSpark. But if you’re not using it to publish right away, you don’t have to pay for it. I’ve used the free version of this software to read through early versions of my book because sometimes reading drafts in a book-style format helps me see grammatical errors and pacing issues.

Reedsy: I am just learning about Reedsy and their free formatters (similar to Vellum) and AI manuscript checking programs (similar to ProWritingAid). While I don’t use it yet, I wanted to list it because it’s worth looking into–especially since it’s free!

Google Docs: This is a free word processor that works great, and is cheaper than Word 365. But I don’t use it to write. I use it as a free spell check because their AI system is different from Scrivener, Word, and ProWritingAid. I just upload the finished draft into a google doc and then run the spell check. You’ll be amazed at what the other AI programs have missed!

Aeon Timeline: I used to use this visual editor to help lay out my books in the Deadly Force series but I recently switched to Plottr. Aeon Timeline is a beautiful app and offers a ton of options but it’s just too complicated for me. I’d rather spend my time writing. But if you are working on a large series, like a space opera or a huge epic fantasy series, this may work really well for you. It’s at least worth checking out.

A Note on Story Bibles: These software programs are for planning, plotting, and writing. But Scrivener, Aeon Timeline, and Plottr can also be used to build story bibles which is especially useful if you’re writing a series. A story/series bible is crucial if you’re writing a long series with a large world, like in the sci fi or fantasy genres. I’ll be honest–these all work okay as series bibles but I’ve yet to find a software that can be a plotting/planning tool and offer a full Wiki experience. I’ve seen videos that the productivity tool Notion can do this, but that seems super complicated as well. So I’m using what I have… until the next shiny app comes knocking on my inbox!



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