Writing Software

Designed for Writers | Helpers & Alternatives | Free Alternatives to Microsoft Office

Designed for Writers

Writing & Editing

AutoCrit Editing Wizard shows you the weaknesses in your manuscript.
Final Draft includes all the features that screenwriters require.
Idea Tracker () offers an easy, customizable and effective method to organize, sort, filter, and print your ideas, thoughts and/or notes.
Liquid Story Binder () is a word processor designed for authors, poets, and screenwriters and includes a document tracking system.
Wizards for Word is a writer's software tool suite for Microsoft Word.
WriteItNow novel writing software for PCs and Macs.
Writer's Café is a set of power tools for fiction writers.
Writers Software Supercenter includes a variety of writing software products.

Tracking Your Ideas

Idea Tracker () offers an easy, customizable and effective method to organize, sort, filter, and print your ideas, thoughts and/or notes.

Submission Tracking

Agent Wizard generates simultaneous submission packages to multiple literary agents.
The Working Writer () manuscript tracking software would be of real benefit to any writer who regularly tries to place a lot of freelance work.
Write Again! is an affordable and powerful writing management and submission tracking software for professional writers and freelancers.

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Helpers & Alternatives

Word & Name Databases

MuseNames is probably the largest database of names and meanings you'll find commercially available.

Free Alternatives to Microsoft Office

Although Microsoft Word is the standard format for submissions it doesn't mean that you have to use Microsoft Office. There are alternatives, including some free ones.

OpenOffice

OpenOffice is a free office suite that is compatible with all other major office suites, including Microsoft Office. This open-source product is free to download, use, and distribute.

OpenOffice is more than just a word processor. It includes a spreadsheet, database and presentation software. There are quite a number of extras and an alternative version that writers will find useful:

Using Open Office for Novel Writing is a blog entry that may help you evaluate using OpenOffice for writing (based upon the older 2.3 version).
OpenOffice Templates include book, screenwriting and invoices to name a few.
OpenOffice Extensions add functionality or slight tweaks.
Writer's Tools is a set of utilities designed to help OpenOffice users back up documents, look up and translate words and phrases, manage text snippets, keep tabs on document statistics and more.

OxygenOffice Professional is an enhanced version of OpenOffice containing more extras like templates, clipart, samples, fonts and VBA support. This open-source product is free to download, use, and distribute.

AbiWord

AbiWord is another free word processing program similar to Microsoft Word.

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www.canauthors.org/links/tools.html
Updated: October 28, 2010