Image Source: (Darius Bashar / Unsplash)

LivingWriter is a new software that claims to be the best writing app for authors. But is it really better than Word, or other software? Word is the industry standard, but it isn't perfect, and other programs like Scrivener have attempted to fill the void but they all have their own issues. LivingWriter is more than a word processor—it also has features to help organize and plan out a manuscript. But is it worth the price?

There is a 14 day free trial which gives you time to play with it a bit. The subscription is $96 yearly (which works out to $8 a month) or $9.99 a month. They offer a mobile and desktop app, along with a browser version.

LivingWriter offers templates for nonfiction and fiction manuscripts, or the option to start with a blank slate or import manuscripts. There are genre-specific and organizational templates for romance, self-help, memoir, biography, the hero's journey, story circle (an adaptation of the hero's journey), 27 chapter method, 7 point story, 3 act structure, book proposal, and Ph.D. thesis. When using a template, each chapter is named with the main purpose or key event (i.e. in the hero's journey the first chapter is "Ordinary world"). The templates are based on what works—either historically or the approach of bestselling authors.

That said, the templates are limited. There are only 11, and there are certainly more ways to write a successful book. Using a template can be helpful, but it's not the only way to structure a narrative. The templates allow the user to add to or adjust the structure, so it is flexible.

Along with breaking out each chapter, there is a space to enter story elements, which are categorized as characters, settings, objects, and other. Each element has a name and description, with the option to add new sections and name them. Elements can also have an uploaded image and can be color-coded. The story elements are set to be purple while regular text is black, but each one can be set to any color. Story elements also autocomplete while typing, though you can turn that off.

The dialogue box for adding a new Story Element.

LivingWriter autosaves after every keystroke, so you don't have to worry about losing any progress. But you still have the option to look at previous versions, so if you accidentally delete something you can recover it. Since you have access to a mobile app, you can work on your manuscript on multiple devices which could be useful if you get an idea while you are away from your computer.

There is an option to add goals, deadlines, and days off, which could be very helpful for authors who struggle to stay motivated or on a schedule. You can set a goal for each chapter and the whole book. By setting a deadline and days off, a daily goal is generated that reflects the number of days you are actually planning to write.

The Story Goal menu, where you can set a deadline and days off.

LivingWriter integrates Canva for cover design. You can upload a predesigned cover, or design one with Canva. Canva offers predesigned covers that can be customized, but pro ones cost $1 to use. You can design a basic cover with free elements, but it's not going to be the same as a professionally designed cover. They are great as placeholders, but won't look professional or be very appealing to readers.

LivingWriter is pretty intuitive and easy to use. There is a quick tutorial for the basic parts of using the outline, story elements, and how to view previous versions. However, when you do have a question it can be difficult to find an answer. When I realized there was an option to add a cover to your book I wanted to see how Canva was integrated. You have to go to the main page and click the menu for the story—you cannot add a cover while working within the story. The help center didn't have any instructions for adding a cover, so after looking it up on google I was taken to their blog where they had a short video demonstrating how to access the menu. This was a bit annoying, since it wasn't a complicated question and there should be instructions in the help center.

LivingWriter is compatible with the Grammarly plug-in, which isn't as helpful as they advertise. Grammarly isn't built for creative writing and so a lot of the time suggestions aren't necessary or even correct. It also doesn't take the variations of style guides into account, especially CMOS (the standard for publishing).

Once you are done writing, you can export the manuscript as a docx or pdf. There is an option to export to Amazon Manuscript, which seems to be a word doc with the trim size you select. LivingWriter doesn't help with formatting or layout, so you will still have to use another program to create an ebook. LivingWriter also doesn't offer epub exporting, but even if they did you would still have to work on the layout.

One of the features LivingWriter offers that other programs lack is the ability to share your manuscript. Word has the best system for working with an editor—the track changes function is extremely helpful and shows every change an editor has made. LivingWriter offers the ability to share a manuscript with your editor, but it's not clear how an editor would be able to edit it. The biggest flaw is that the person you share your manuscript with must also have an account, and so must pay for the software. There is no function comparable to track changes, so an editor would have to leave comments. Leaving comments isn't as effective as just editing the text, especially for small edits like deleting an extra space.

Would I recommend LivingWriter? I can definitely see how it would be helpful in the early stages of writing, or for authors who like the organization and outlining aspects. But there isn't any option for editing and layout/formatting, which means you will have to use other software. I think just writing in Word would be easier, as there are plenty of free tools out there for organizing and planning manuscripts.

From Writer to Author

A Review of LivingWriter