Scrivener vs. Plottr:

How to choose the right novel writing software for your process

Are you wrestling with which novel writing software to choose? I’ve been a professional author for more than 20 years, and I have some thoughts…

You’re probably familiar with the buzz around Scrivener and Plottr. (Others are available, but these are the two key players for me, so they’re the ones I’m going to look at here.)

These are both powerful tools with significant functionality designed by and for writers, but each bring their own set of strengths to the (writing) table.

Whether you’re dreaming up your first novel or deep into your tenth manuscript, I’m going to go out on a limb and argue that one or both of these tools has something to support your creative path. Think of them as different types of creative workspaces – each designed to nurture your storytelling in its own special way.

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Overview of Scrivener

Full disclosure: I’ve been using Scrivener for almost as long as I’ve been published. I absolutely adore this tool and it will always be my first love among novel writing software.

I’m a plotter through and through, and I find Scrivener works very well with my writing process: the interface favours breaking stories down into bite-sized units, which maps very easily onto the scene-by-scene breakdown that I have in place before I start to write. Having said that, the corkboard feature lets you reposition scenes, chapters, sequences, and ideas very easily, so it also adapts to fit more fluid writing processes than mine.

Scrivener is designed primarily for long-form writing projects such as novels, research papers, and screenplays. I used it to write my doctoral thesis and all of my novels. I’ve also used it to write short stories, though, so it’s adaptable — though I’ll be the first to admit that the interface doesn’t look as pretty when I use it for a short-form project.

Scrivener is developed and sold by Literature and Latte, and it offers a range of features that facilitate project organisation and in-depth writing.

Key Features:

Corkboard View: Allows users to visualise their project through virtual index cards, which can be moved and repositioned to facilitate reorganisation of the story timeline.
Research Storage: Integrates a space for storing research materials like PDFs, images, and web pages.
Customisable Templates: Provides templates for different genres and formats.
Distraction-Free Mode: Focus on writing with minimal distractions (this feature is worth its weight in gold, if you ask me).
Snapshot tool: One of my favourite features. This allows you to capture your document (or part thereof) as it exists before you start to edit, so if the edits don’t work, you can revert to the original with the click of a button.

Overview of Plottr

Plottr is a relatively newer platform, and it’s aimed specifically at helping writers plot (hence the name) and visualise their stories in advance. It’s an absolutely stellar tool for authors who want to have a solid narrative structure mapped out before they start writing, but who may not be familiar with the key structuring frameworks available to them or sure of which will be the best fit for their process. Plottr’s got you covered there with a range of templates to choose from, broken down by methodology, genre, detail, and so on.

I find Plottr’s interface a lot more intuitive than Scrivener’s (though there’s a bit of a learning here as well). And, while it’s definitely geared towards writers who plot in advance, some discovery writers may find it helpful as a kind of dynamic story development companion, helping you organise your thoughts without constraining creativity.

Key Features:

Timeline view: Enables users to create a visual timeline for their story arcs.
Character development tools: Helps build detailed profiles for characters.
Plot points management: Facilitates tracking key plot points and scenes.
Visual Storyboarding: Offers a drag-and-drop interface to arrange scenes visually.
Export Options: Allows users to export outlines into various formats suitable for other writing tools.

“Plottr is an absolutely stellar tool for authors who want to have a solid narrative structure mapped out before they start writing, but may not be familiar with the key structuring frameworks or sure which will fit their process.”

Comparing features: Scrivener vs. Plottr

Organisation:

Scrivener excels in organisation. Scrivener’s interface is based around its ability to break down projects into manageable sections. For writers like me who start with a detailed outline, this is a user-friendly way to keep the story aligned with the plan. Plus, if you need to, you can easily rearrange chapters or scenes using the corkboard or outline views, which is incredibly helpful in the editing process.
Plottr also offers organisational tools, but the emphasis is more firmly on visual storytelling through its timeline and storyboard features. This makes it a good choice for writers who prefer seeing their story’s progression at a glance.

Plotting vs. writing:

For writers who thrive on planning before they write, Plottr is a solid choice. This holds true whether you’re just dipping your toe in the water of the world of narrative structure, or you’re more familiar with established frameworks such as Freytag’s Pyramid and The Hero’s Journey. Plottr’s designed to guide you through the planning process that serves you best.
Scrivener is more suited for writers ready to dive into the drafting phase. Like I say, my process involves extensive outlining and plotting in advance—but I do this outside of Scrivener. The Outline View and Binder are great features for helping you use your outline to keep an eye on the structure and the big-picture view of your novel as a whole, but, unlike Plottr, Scrivener is much less focused on supporting you in creating that outline from scratch.

User interface:

Scrivener… oh my. Cards on the table: even after so many years of use, I wouldn’t say I’m confident in my ability to use all of Scrivener’s myriad features. It is a powerful tool with a tonne of functionality… but how helpful that is when the learning curve is so steep is… a question I have asked myself a few times.
Plottr’s user interface isn’t as shiny and sleek as some tools on the market — and looks (to this harsh critic’s eyes) unpleasantly like MS Word in some respects, but it’s unquestionably more user-friendly than Scrivener’s, especially for those new to digital planning tools.

Integration of research:

If your writing involves significant research (think historical fiction, SFF, academic work, and so on), Scrivener’s integrated research folder allows you to keep everything in one project file. When I tell you how many times this has saved my sanity… Downside? With so much multimedia content stored inside, the document file can be huge and unwieldy. My elderly laptop is not a fan.
While Plottr does allow some research integration through notes tied to characters or scenes, it’s just not a patch on Scrivener. Sorry, Plottr, but it’s true.

Collaboration features:

Neither tool is inherently collaborative; however, Scrivener allows exporting in various formats that can be easily shared with others. Screenwriters, it also exports to Final Draft, the industry standard screenwriting software that costs an arm and a leg to install. While you won’t be able to read the file if you don’t own Final Draft (always a risk if you’re sending it on sight unseen), it’s a cost-effective way to make sure you’re producing work in the expected format.
Plottr primarily focuses on individual use but does allow exporting outlines that can be shared with collaborators who may use different software.

When to choose Scrivener

You’re working on a long-form project (novel, screenplay, or thesis).
You need robust organisational tools that support complex structures.
You prefer a comprehensive suite that combines writing and research management.
You’re writing to find the story and expect to shuffle scenes/sequences around during editing.

Ideal Users: Novelists, researchers, screenwriters who need detailed organisation and drafting capabilities.

When to choose Plottr

You’re in the planning phase of your writing process.
You prefer a visual approach to plotting and want to see your story’s timeline at a glance.
You know you need some structure but you’re not sure what that looks like or how to apply it.
You want to develop character arcs and relationships visually alongside the plot (this feature makes Plottr a particularly useful tool for series writers who’ll be developing character arcs and relationships across multiple narratives).
You’re looking for an intuitive tool with a shorter learning curve and a user-friendly interface.

Ideal Users: Plot-driven writers, those who enjoy outlining, screenwriters, and anyone who needs to visualise their narrative structure before writing.

Scrivener or Plottr: Making your choice

Both Scrivener and Plottr have their unique strengths that cater to different aspects of the writing process. The choice between the two largely depends on your individual workflow and what stage you find yourself in as a writer.

If your focus is on writing, drafting, and managing extensive research, then Scrivener is likely the better option. Its powerful suite of tools allows you to weave together complex narratives while keeping all your notes and references easily accessible.

If you’re more inclined towards planning and visualising your story’s structure, then Plottr is likely to serve you best. It provides you with support and easy-to-use tools to map out your ideas, so that you have a clear path before you begin writing.

A few additional considerations to take into account:

Budget:

Scrivener has a one-time purchase fee (with discounts for students), while Plottr operates on a subscription model or one-time payment depending on the version chosen. Both are more expensive than Scrivener’s one-time purchase cost.

Compatibility:

Both applications are available on multiple platforms (Windows, macOS), but Scrivener also has mobile options for iOS. If you often write on-the-go, this could be a significant factor. (Personally, I’m waiting for the day when Scrivener develops a cloud-based option, but we’re not there yet, it seems.)

Community and support:

Scrivener has been around longer and boasts a large community with plentiful online resources including forums, tutorials, and user-generated templates. Plottr, while newer, is growing its community rapidly with focused support tailored specifically for plotters. Anecdotally? I’ve had great support from both, but Plottr’s was slightly faster and… I don’t know… I want to say friendlier? Not that the support from Scrivener was unfriendly in any way, but the Plottr folks had a warmth about them that I didn’t feel from the Scriveners. Make of that what you will.

Trial versions:

Both tools offer free 30-day trials. Taking advantage of these trials can help you better understand which software resonates with your writing style before making a commitment.

User reviews for Scrivener

As you’d expect, the testimonials on Scrivener’s website are all glowing. What stands out is the calibre of authors singing the platform’s praises: Zoe Margolis, bestselling author of Girl With a One-Track Mind, says, “Scrivener is worth every penny: quite simply, it’s the best writers tool there is.” New York Times bestselling author Tobias S Buckell calls it, “the most amazing piece of software for a writer,” while crime writer Tatjana Kruse says it’s “an excellent writers tool […] I wonder how I could ever have written a book without it.”

Digging into the Literature and Latte forums, though, we can find some dissenting opinions: “This software is inscrutable and damn near unusable,” says user mslilly. They continue: “If your software user manual rivals War and Peace in length, your software is not user friendly,” and… I can’t really argue with that last part, to be honest.

User reviews for Plottr

Plottr is, unsurprisingly, also placing their best and brightest front and centre. What really strikes me about these reviews, though, is how many pantsers are using and loving Plottr, despite it being ostensibly geared towards the plottier processes.

Author Regina P has this to say: “I absolutely love the Plottr platform. It has everything that I need to keep all of the details of a standalone novel or a series in one place. It’s not overwhelming with a lot of graphics and worksheets. It’s to the point and you can make it as complex or minimal as you want to. I’ve always largely been a pantser, but to be honest with you, the key for me to getting anything done is having a decent roadmap from beginning to end. This platform speaks to that part of me that doesn’t want to be working on an eternal outline: I just want to nail down my major plot points, and then go.”

Honestly? I struggled to find anyone with a serious gripe about Plottr. I’m sure they’re out there, and I’ll update this article if I come across a negative review, but for now? Everyone seems to be pretty happy with it.

Final thoughts…

The bottom line is this: I’m a huge fan of Scrivener, and I’ve never yet missed an opportunity to shout about it to my students and clients, but I’m also the first person to acknowledge that it’s not the best fit for every writer. I know writers who hate it. (I also know writers who are just as fannishly obsessed with it as I am, but as many who tried it once and refused to use it ever again.)

I tried Plottr out of curiosity more than anything, because I was convinced I’d never love a writing tool the way I love Scrivener, but, as a planner who gets overly excited about narrative structure, the appeal was immediate. It’s quite simply one of the most straightforward and accessible approaches to structuring your novel that I’ve ever worked with. I wish I’d had Plottr available to me when I was just beginning to learn how I like to work with narrative. It would have saved me a lot of time.

Ultimately, whether you choose Scrivener or Plottr will depend on your personal writing style and what stage of the writing journey you’re currently in. And remember: both tools can coexist in your writing arsenal. I have both and I use them in different ways and at different points in my process. I’m not alone, either—many writers find value in starting with Plottr for planning before transitioning into Scrivener for drafting.

Or, I mean, you could just use MS Word, I suppose, but… why would anyone want to torture themselves like that?

Are you a Plottr-phile or a Scrivener Superfan? Let me know in the comments!

Scrivener vs. Plottr:

How to choose the right novel writing software for your process

Table of Contents

Overview of Scrivener

Overview of Plottr