Writing a novel and losing track of which scene goes where? The free yWriter splits a book into chapters and scenes, shows them on a storyboard you can rearrange, and gives each scene fields for its point-of-view character, goal, conflict and outcome.
How do chapters and scenes fit together?
A project contains chapters, which can hold multiple scenes. Write the draft in those scene records, then drag scenes within a chapter or between chapters to change the order. yWriter renumbers chapters automatically when their order changes.
Scenes can be marked unused when a passage is set aside. Their text remains in the project, but the scene is excluded from the word count and exports.
What story details can you track?
Link characters, locations, and items to individual scenes. The point-of-view, goal, conflict and outcome fields keep those details alongside the relevant passage. A project also displays word counts for individual files and a total, with a daily log recording progress.
- Storyboard view gives the project a visual scene layout.
- Drag and drop works for rearranging chapters and scenes as well as the lists of characters, places and objects.
Which formats can you export?
yWriter exports books to EPUB and MOBI, and can export work to LaTeX for typesetting. Selected chapters can also be exported as RTF for proofreading and then imported back into the project.
How does yWriter preserve earlier work?
Automatic backups can run at intervals you choose, and yWriter keeps sequential scene snapshots. Those snapshots let you retrieve an earlier version of a scene if a revision needs to be undone. Project data is stored on the computer, and an internet connection is not needed for ordinary writing.
Pros
- Storyboard view supports visual scene reordering
- Scene records connect characters, locations, and items to the draft
- Exports include EPUB, MOBI, RTF, and LaTeX
- Automatic backups preserve earlier scene versions
System requirements: Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Windows 11
Can scenes be moved between chapters?
Yes. Drag scenes to reorder them within a chapter or move them to another chapter.
Can a discarded scene stay in the project without appearing in exports?
Yes. Mark it unused; its content remains, while it is left out of word counts and exports.
What export formats does yWriter support?
It exports to EPUB, MOBI, LaTeX, and RTF. RTF export can be limited to selected chapters.