yWriter
Free Windows novel writer organized by chapters and scenes
- #10 of 10 in best novel and long-form writing apps
- Free
- Free to use
- Windows
Ranked 10 of 10 in best novel and long-form writing apps
Free for Windows, with chapters, scenes and per-scene conflict fields. The Mac version is still in progress, and print PDFs need an external TeX step.
Best for Free scene-based drafting on Windows
About yWriter
yWriter is a word processor built around a project of chapters, scenes, characters and locations. Scenes can be reordered by drag and drop, and each scene has fields for its viewpoint character, goal, conflict and outcome. Every file shows its word count with a project total, and automatic history lets you roll a scene back to an earlier version.
The program is free to download and use on Windows 7 and later, and the author encourages registration without making it required. The site says the Mac version is still in progress, and the mobile and Mac versions sold by another developer are separate products. Print PDFs need an external TeX step, and the author describes the program as a word processor rather than a writing assistant.
Key features
- Chapters and scenes
- Goal and conflict fields
- Automatic scene history
- Word counts per file
- EPUB and MOBI export in version 7
Strengths
- Free to download and use on Windows
- Scene fields for goal, conflict and outcome
- Automatic scene history with rollback
Limits
- Windows only, with the Mac version still in progress
- Print PDFs need an external TeX step
Where yWriter ranks
How yWriter compares
| Product | Score | Price | Platforms | Planning tools | Export formats | Storage and sync |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
#6 Vellum | 87.5 | Paid | macOS | Imports a finished manuscript | EPUB 2 and 3, print PDF/X-1a | Local Mac app |
#7 Novelcrafter | 86.5 | Subscription | Web | Codex wiki and single-page outline | Export included; formats not listed | Browser app, nothing to install |
#8 Dabble | 85.5 | Paid | WebiOSAndroid | Plot grid and drag-and-drop chapters | Word and text file | Browser, iOS and Android apps |
#9 novelWriter | 83.5 | Free and open source | LinuxWindowsmacOS | Synopsis and cross-reference metadata | Plain text files with Markdown-like markup | Local plain text files |
| #10yWriter | 76.5 | Free | Windows | Scenes with goal and conflict fields | RTF, EPUB and MOBI | Local project files; FTP backups |
The full comparison table for best novel and long-form writing apps has all 10 products.
Related rankings
Questions about yWriter
- Is yWriter free?
- yWriter can be used without paying: Free to download and use; registration is optional. Check the vendor’s pricing page for current limits.
- Is yWriter open source?
- No. yWriter is proprietary software; its source code is not public.
- Which platforms does yWriter support?
- yWriter is available on: Windows.
- What is yWriter best for?
- Free scene-based drafting on Windows. In our ranking of novel and long-form writing apps it is number 10 of 10 with a score of 76.5.
- What are the best alternatives to yWriter?
- The highest-ranked alternatives on listme.name are Scrivener, Atticus, Ulysses, Reedsy Studio.
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