Best Word Processor for Writers

Best Word Processor for Writers [5 Recommendations]

​Are you looking to write a book? You can get your project done faster with a great word processor. So, what's the best word processor for writers? I give you my top overall recommendation first, followed by four more high-quality options. For each, find an overview, pros and cons, pricing, and a link to start using it.

What's the best word processor for writers?

The overall best word processor for writers is Scrivener. Even though others have many powerful features, too, they're generalized to all types of writing, whereas Scrivener was designed specifically for authors. It helps you create a book outline, organize research, re-arrange chapters, and more.

​To learn more, and start your free trial of Scrivener, just visit their website:   

Visit Scrivener

Scrivener features for authors

Plan out your book's scenes/sections before you begin writing.

Outline your story in folders and sub-holders. Easily move around scenes/sections via drag and drop.

Store your research material (notes, documents, images, etc) inside Scrivener, and view it side by side with your manuscript, as you write.

Scrivener pricing

• Scrivener gives you a 30-day free trial
• After the trial is over, you can get lifetime access with a one-time purchase of $59.99
• You can download Scrivener for Mac or Windows

Scrivener pros and cons

Pros

• Various features designed specifically for authors, such as the corkboard, outliner, and research view
• Automatic formatting for book manuscripts

Cons

• Scrivener is a bit more expensive than other options, however, still very affordable
• To collaborate with an editor, you'll need to export your manuscript into another program, like Word

Try Scrivener free

Unsure if Scrivener is right for you? Start the free trial - you have nothing to lose. Or, does Scrivener seem like the word processor for you? Get it today. You can do either from their website:

Visit Scrivener

Microsoft Word for writers

Though Microsoft Word lacks the author-specific feature set of Scrivener, it's still a great word processor. Many authors use both tools in combination:

• They take advantage of Scrivener's feature set to plan and write their manuscript
• When they're done, they export it to Microsoft Word
• They take advantage of Word's collaboration capabilities while working with a book editor  

Microsoft Word pricing

• The web-only version of Word is free
• For $6.99 per month, you can get the fully featured package, including the downloadable version

Microsoft Word pros and cons

​Pros

• Free web version
• ​Can be used in combination with Scrivener

Cons

• Lacks author-specific features
• The full version isn't free

Get Word

Google Docs for writers

Google Docs is Google's word processor. It has many excellent features, similar to Microsoft Word's. However, it doesn't offer a downloadable version, just a web-based one. 

Google Docs pricing

• ​Google Docs is free
• If you have a Google account (ex, via Gmail), you can use Google Docs anytime you'd like

Google Docs pros and cons

Pros

• It's free
• ​You may already have an account

Cons

• Lacks author-specific features
• ​Only works via the web

Get Google Docs

Apples Pages for writers

​Apples Pages is a high-quality word processor that comes with Apple devices, like Macs. ​It has some good graphic-design features, but they're not particularly useful for books. If an author wants to apply a design to a manuscript before publishing, I'd recommend Vellum, a tool specifically made for formatting e-books and paperbacks.   

Apple Pages pricing

• Apple Pages is free
• It's built for Apple devices - using it elsewhere can be complicated

Apples Pages pros and cons

Pros

• It's free
• ​If you have a Mac, you can use it anytime you'd like

Cons

• Lacks author-specific features
• ​Using it on non-Apple devices can be complicated

Get Apple Pages

LibreOffice for writers

LibreOffice is a downloadable word processor for Mac and Windows. Though it can handle basic word processing, it lacks the feature range of any other program on this list.

LibreOffice pricing

• LibreOffice is free
• You can download it for Mac or Windows

LibreOffice pros and cons

Pros

• It's free
• ​You can use it on a Mac or Windows computer

Cons

• Lacks author-specific features
• ​Lacks collaboration features

Get LibreOffice

Frequently asked questions about word processors for writers

Which word processor do writers use?

The choice of word processor varies from writer to writer, however, a common combination is an author using Scrivener to plan and compose a manuscript, then exporting the document to Microsoft Word for collaboration with an editor.

What computer program should I use to write a book?

If you have a Mac, Apple Pages should already be on it. If you have a Windows computer, Microsoft Word is likely on it. Though both writing programs are good, they're not specifically designed for books. Scrivener, however, is. You should also consider a tool like ProWritingAid.

Is Microsoft Word good for writing books?

Yes, however, it lacks the author-specific features of Scrivener, another word processor. Microsoft Word is great for collaborating on a manuscript with an editor. You can easily export a Scrivener document to Word for collaboration.

Is Scrivener better than Word?

Scrivener has author-specific features that Word lacks, such as the ability to break your manuscript into acts and scenes, which is helpful for outlining. But, writers often export their Scrivener documents into Word before collaborating with an editor. Scrivener and Word can be used together.

Is Apples Pages good for writing a book?

​Yes, however, it lacks the author-specific features of the word processor Scrivener. As for an author collaborating with an editor, though Apple Pages enables this, Microsoft Word is the more frequent choice. Many authors write in Scrivener, then export to Word for the editing process.

How much does Scrivener cost?

Scrivener offers a 30-day free trial, then it costs $59.99, a one-time purchase for lifetime access. It's downloadable for Mac or Windows. If you're part of an academic institution, the price is $50.99. For $95.98, you can get it for Mac and Windows, and for $23.99, you can get it for just iOS.

Is Google Docs or Word better for writing a novel?

Google Docs and Word have similar features, but they're for writing in general, whereas Scrivener was made for writing a novel. Google Docs and Word are great for collaborating with an editor, with Word used more often. Many authors write in Scrivener, then export to Word for the editing stage.


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