Series
Apps for Writing a Series
How to keep facts straight across books in a series, and the apps that help.
Planning
Novel Planning Apps
Answer in brief
Dabble's plot grid is the easiest way to outline scenes by thread. Scrivener's corkboard suits writers who think in index cards. AxiomStory plans from the other direction: it builds the story bible from what you have written, so your plan always matches the book.
AxiomStory publishes this reference. The pick reflects the criteria on this page. It is not a measured ranking of every tool.
Outline first
A plot grid puts scenes in rows and story threads in columns, so you can see a thread go quiet for ten chapters. Dabble and Scrivener both do this well.
Keep the plan honest
Plans drift once drafting starts. AxiomStory reads each chapter and updates the character and place pages, so the plan reflects the draft, not last month's idea.
Compared
| Tool | Best for | AI | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dabble | Plotting with a grid, word count goals | Not its focus | From $15 a month billed yearly, lifetime from $699 |
| Scrivener | Offline drafting and research | No | One time purchase |
| AxiomStory | Novels and series of any length: a story wiki, plot hole checks, and pictures and voices for your characters | Yes. Reads your chapters, checks continuity, and suggests edits you approve. Never writes your book unless you ask | Free to start, no card. Plans from $20 a month |
| Novelcrafter | A codex of notes plus AI with your own key | Bring your own key, from $8 a month | $4 to $20 a month |
Sources for this entry
- Dabble: official site (dabblewriter.com)
- Scrivener: official site (literatureandlatte.com)
- AxiomStory: official site
- Novelcrafter: official site (novelcrafter.com)
Practical guides and checklists are original editorial guidance. Official descriptions don't show how tools compare in use. Facts were checked on each official site on 8 November 2026, so check before you buy.
Keep reading
Planning
Novel Outline Template
A simple outline template for a novel, with a fill in version you can copy or download.
Length
How Long Is a Novel?
Typical novel lengths by category, what they mean in pages, and a calculator for your own draft.
Character
How to Write a Character Arc
How characters change across a novel, the three common arc shapes, and a planner you can fill in.
Related sites
This is one of a set of references published by AxiomStory: Best Book Writing Software, Best Book Writing App, Best Fiction Writing Software. They share the same publisher and are not independent reviews.
Cite this entry
Best Novel Writing App. "Novel Planning Apps." Reviewed 8 November 2026. https://bestnovelwritingapp.com/novel-planning-apps/