8 of the Best Book Editing Software Options
As a self-published author or someone who’s trying to get published through conventional channels, it’s natural that you want the best book editing software you can afford.
Whether you’re confident in your ability to earn income from your book and willing to invest some funds in that, or you want the best free book editing software, we can help.
The list below covers some of the most popular editing software (both paid and free) and highlights some features that make them so popular.
Grammarly
Grammarly is probably one of the best-known editing applications. Commonly used as the first line of defense in editing a book article or other piece of literature, this tool is surprisingly versatile for a basic editor.
Not only does it perform standard functions like checking punctuation and spelling, but it also allows you to check your readability level, whether you have used any verbose language, and whether your content is easy to understand.
It’s worth noting that the Grammarly application has two potential uses. You can either use the standalone online or desktop editing platform or the browser extension, which makes Grammarly available in your browser. The extension works on writing tools like Google Docs and work platforms like Slack.
Another thing worth mentioning is that Grammarly has both free and paid plans. The premium version is required to fully take advantage of the platform’s capabilities. If you’re looking for a comprehensive tool that not only checks grammar and punctuation but also improves your writing style, consider upgrading to Grammarly Premium. It provides advanced suggestions that can elevate the quality of your writing, making it perfect for book editing. However, if you simply wish to check basic grammar, punctuation, and clarity, the free version will do just fine.
When using the paid version, you can access an AI-powered automated writing tool.
Price Range: While you won’t need to pay for the free version of this application, the premium version costs $12 per month.
Hemingway App
If you’re looking for the best free book editing software that can help you simplify your writing and take note of any recurring mistakes, the Hemingway app is well worth considering.
Unlike tools like Grammarly, this application does not focus on spelling and punctuation. Instead, it focuses on readability, clarity, and other subtle forms of language use.
For example, if you paste the first chapter of your book into the Hemingway app, it will highlight all the sentences over a certain length that it considers difficult to read. It will also highlight things like passive voice and adjectives.
Writers often overuse adjectives, and seeing how many you have used within your writing enables you to improve.
This tool is a standalone online application and is 100% free to use. The paid version is also available and includes the use of AI tools. To make your writing clearer and more concise, consider using Hemingway App Pro. This version offers additional features that highlight complex sentences and suggest ways to make your text more readable, which is invaluable for authors.
Price Range: While this is a free service, the pro version starts from $10 per month if you wish to use the AI tools and more advanced features.
Fictionary
If you are busy creating a novel or other fictional book, Fictionary is a paid tool that you may wish to consider. Though you can access a 30-day free trial when you start using the tool, this is a paid service.
However, it gives you access to a range of tools that many other applications on this page do not cover. For example, you have access to an entire array of different tools that you can use to plan, organize, and do research for your book.
This tool analyzes your book’s structure, conflict, plot, and key elements. It also creates an editing timeline to streamline the process. For novelists looking for a structured editing approach that goes beyond grammar and style, Fictionary offers specialized tools for analyzing story structure, plot, and character development.
Price Range: This software will cost you $19 per month.
Autocrit
Autocrit is another fully online editing software. As with many of the other best book editing software options, it allows you to comprehensively check spelling and grammar. However, it also offers an array of other tools.
For instance, it will identify any words duplicated in sentences or overused in general. It will also help you to identify any non-descriptive or uninteresting adjectives.
If you purchase a paid plan for the software, you get access to an additional 30 editing tools. The paid version also has access to Advanced reports about your story’s writing, pacing, and even dialogue. For authors aiming to enhance their storytelling craft, Autocrit goes beyond basic grammar checks. It provides deep insights into your narrative’s pacing, character dialogue, and overall story structure. This comprehensive analysis helps you identify and refine weak points, ensuring your book is compelling and professionally polished from start to finish.
Price Range: You can use the free version of the software or choose between a monthly and annual subscription. If you pay monthly, expect a bill of $30 per month. If you take the annual plan, you’ll only pay $15 a month, but the entire value will be due once a year ($450).
Scrivener
Scrivener is well worth considering if you’re looking for all-in-one book editing software. This application goes beyond standard spell check and grammar tools, giving you complete control over the plotting and writing process.
This tool does it all, from creating and storing rewrite notes for different sections of your book to allowing you to move scenes and chapters around.
It even has a feature that allows you to keep track of how many words you’ve used and how many times you’ve used different words. For example, it’s easy to overuse a word like alien in a fantasy novel featuring Martians. Scrivener will track exactly how often you use these kinds of words and inform you about them. This allows you to make changes to your vocabulary use as needed.
Price Range: The software will cost you $59.99.
SmartEdit
Generally considered one of the best book editing software options, most writers know SmartEdit mainly for its Word plugin. This compact, easy-to-use tool allows you to review your book within Word itself.
However, SmartEdit for Word isn’t the only option available. While the basic plugin is a wonderful tool for editing your book, you can also get a more advanced version. Created specifically for professional book editors, this plugin is merely somewhat more advanced than the basic version.
However, despite the 30-day free trial when you sign up, both of the plugins are paid services. If you’re looking for something free, you may want to consider the SmartEdit Writer application. For more advanced editing needs, the SmartEdit Pro plugin offers a powerful suite of tools directly within Microsoft Word, perfect for catching complex errors and refining your prose.
Created to be similar to Microsoft Word, this software gives you all of the basic and advanced editing tools you might require. This tool is a full package, from identifying words that have been used too often to finding cliches and identifying overly long sentences.
Price Range: This tool offers two pricing options: the basic plug-in costs $77, and the professional version costs $135. However, the SmartEdit Writer tool is 100% free.
ProWritingAid
This is another popular option for the best book editing software tools. ProWritingAid offers both paid and free services, giving you the flexibility you need to get your book edited.
There are three main options here. One is the Chrome plugin, which allows you to use the tool alongside writing programs like Google Docs. It takes the form of a sidebar and continuously generates suggestions as you write.
You can also choose to download the Windows app, which allows you to use the tool on apps like Microsoft Word.
Finally, you can use the Standalone online application, which is 100% free. Just upload or paste your text into the editor, and it will help you identify areas that need editing. What’s nice about this tool is that it uses AI-powered technology to help you identify spelling mistakes, grammar problems, and areas where your book can be improved. It will even give you insights into how to make your writing more visual and less explanatory.
Price Range: When using the free version of the software, there are no hidden fees. If you want to use the more advanced plugins, the price starts from as little as S10 per month.
Voxtury
While it may not be as well known as some of the other tools on this list, if you’re looking for the best free book editing software, Voxtury offers some great tools at no cost.
For instance, you can use the duplicate word finder if you need to find words you have used too often in a chapter, paragraph, or scene. It will help you to identify all of the problematic words that have been overused within the designated text.
Or perhaps you’ve decided that you’d like to change the case of certain segments of text. Perhaps you want to use caps for certain characters’ dialogue, or you’d like to use a title case for all your chapter headings, but you didn’t do that initially. In these instances, you can use the case-changing tool.
Either way, if you’re looking for free tools with minimal distractions that you can quickly and easily learn to use for the best effects, you should definitely try Voxtury.
Price Range: Voxtury tools are 100% free.
Final Thoughts
With so many options, you won’t struggle to find the best book editing software. Whether you require a free option or are willing to invest some of your money into paying for a more advanced application, there is no reason you can’t successfully edit your book.
