novelWriter is a plain text editor designed for writing novels assembled from many smaller text documents.
It uses a minimal formatting syntax inspired by Markdown, and adds a meta data syntax for comments, synopsis, and cross-referencing. It is designed to be a simple text editor that allows for easy organisation of text and notes, using human readable text files as storage for robustness.
novelWriter is free and open source software. It sports a Qt5 GUI using PyQt5.
Key Features
- Supports a minimal markdown syntax for formatting text that is useful for the specific task of writing novels.
- All text is saved as plain text files with a meta data header. The core project structure is stored in a single project XML file. Other meta data is primarily saved as JSON files.
- Export formats – Open Document and HTML5.
- Colour themes – syntax highlighting for the features it supports, and includes a set of different syntax highlighting themes. Optional GUI themes are also available, including dark themes.
- Easy organising of project files.
- Project notes – supporting notes can be added for the story plot, characters, locations, story timeline, etc.
- Visualization of story elements.
Website: novelwriter.io
Support: Documentation, GitHub Code Repository
Developer: Veronica Berglyd Olsen
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
novelWriter is written in Python. Learn Python with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
Related Software
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|---|---|
| FocusWriter | Simple, distraction-free word processor |
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| novelWriter | Plain text editor designed for writing novels |
| CherryTree | Hierarchical note taking application packed with features |
| Zettlr | Markdown editor for the 21st Century |
| oStorybook | Offers authors a complete and well integrated tool |
| Twine | Visual tool for creating interactive stories |
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| Quoll Writer | Java tool to help you focus on writing and your words |
| Joplin | Note taking and to-do application with synchronisation capabilities |
| Hammer | Simple tool for building stories |
| Bibisco | Write your story, in a simple way |
| WareWoolf | Minimalist novel-writing system built specifically for fiction writing |
| Scriptorium | Write short stories and novels |
| Skribisto | Born from the ashes of Plume Creator |
| novelibre | Novel organizer for writers who use LibreOffice or OpenOffice |
| Plume Creator | Project manager and rich text editor for writers |
| NovProg | Graphs your progress when writing a novel |
Read our verdict in the software roundup.
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