As an author, should you use the free Novlr writing app to publish your books? Although a “good” app is subjective to the user, Novlr has quite a few pros and cons that you might want to consider. A couple of these drawbacks are dealbreakers for me in general.
That’s not to say that Novlr isn’t a good writing app. The platform has a lot of elements that are ideal, especially for new authors.
As with most apps available on the internet, it comes down to personal preferences. Some apps just work better than others for the needs of the one. To put things into perspective, I know an author who uses LibreOffice to write and publish his books.
What is Novlr?
Novlr is a web-based writing app that aims to help authors put together their stories. The platform gives you everything you need to get started writing the manuscript immediately, while also offering a community mindset.
Although the free version is useful enough, you can upgrade to Plus and Pro versions to unlock a lot more practical functionality. Or, you can invest a couple of hundred dollars and become a co-owner of the platform.
Novlr is one of the very few that is truly owned and operated by writers.
The free version of Novlr is a bit limited compared to other writing apps out there. However, it has a nice layout and provides a wealth of personal and professional information directly from the dashboard…especially if you pay to upgrade your account.
15 Pros and Cons of the Free Novlr Writing App
PROS
- Clean Writing Layout
- At-a-Glance Dashboard
- Minor Text Formatting
- Built-in Dark Mode
- Daily and Monthly Goals
- Planning Board
- Indents and Margins
- Sharing with Others
- Lots of Writing Resources
CONS
- No ePub Conversion
- Only 5 Saved Projects
- No Live Collaborations
- No image support
- No page templates
- No Proofreader
Clean Writing Layout
The first thing that stands out to me in Novlr is the writing screen itself. The layout is simplistic, easy to use, and is free of diversions. In fact, it has a built-in function to quickly shift to and from full-screen mode.
Though, you can already do that in Google Chrome by hitting F11.
Nonetheless, the layout of Novlr has a great feel to it while writing and setting up manuscripts. While it doesn’t have the page templates of something like Reedsy (I’ll go more into that in a moment), it’s easy enough to add more chapters and custom pages for various needs.
At-a-Glance Dashboard
When logging in and setting up your account, you’ll notice the dashboard for Novlr and the features it presents. This provides a lot of your information at a glance, such as writing goals, progressive word counts, writing streaks, the most recent blog posts from The Reading Room, and even courses you might like.
It kind of reminds me of the admin dashboard in WordPress. Each block highlights things about your account while displaying useful information.
I can see this as being a decent replacement for NaNoWriMo shutting down, in that you can track your progress throughout the month while keeping on track to finish writing your novel. And since the goals collect data from all of your projects, you can build up that word count in more than one manuscript.
Minor Text Formatting
Novlr has a couple of settings for changing the typeface as you write. You can choose between Serif, Sans, and Mono, and have a range of font sizes from 10 to 24 pt. You can also choose between Curly quotes and indent paragraphs.
While you write, you can also select text to launch the formatting window. This will give you options like bold, italicize, underline, and more. You can also split the chapter from the same cursor location.
Although it doesn’t have a lot of options available, Novlr is one of the few novel writing apps I’ve seen where you can change the text and font size directly from the manuscript without exporting.
Built-In Dark Mode
In the settings screen, you can choose between light, dark, and system modes for display. This function is not locked behind a paywall, and it means you don’t have to install a dark mode plugin for your web browser.
This is a useful feature for those who are bothered by the brightness of their monitors. I know I prefer writing with dark mode enabled, as I am prone to headaches if I stare at a screen for too long.
Daily and Monthly Goals
From the Novlr dashboard, you can set daily and monthly goals. These goals are general, meaning that any writing on any manuscript will rack up the numbers. Unfortunately, individual projects do not have their own goals built-in-manuscript goals.
Also, the goals only record the text that you write into the manuscript. So, if you copy and paste a chunk of text, it will not trigger the word-count tracking. That’s actually a decent idea, as copy and paste isn’t the same as writing.
I’m just a bit disappointed that individual stories don’t have their own goal and deadline capabilities.
Planning Board
The planning board for Novlr is a bit different than other apps. Each section you add essentially creates a new chapter. Then, you can drag and drop those sections to re-arrange them in the manuscript or nest them together.
I suppose this lets you keep track of ideas for each chapter, such as scenes you’d like to write or other developments in the story. But it also means you have to click back and forth to see the ideas in Novlr as you write.
For the most part, the planning board reminds me of using Post-it notes on your computer. Just minor reminders regarding the different sections of your book, which could be quite helpful, especially if you have a memory issue like mine.
Indents and Margins
One feature I look for in all writing apps is how well they handle indents and margins. Some apps out there (Atticus and AutoCrit) don’t implement either of these functions while writing your manuscript. Novlr feels like you’re actually writing your book, as everything is justified and indented.
Well, that is after you change the settings to include indents, anyway.
Novlr has a clean interface that simulates your book as you write. In fact, you can click the “Full Screen” function on the top right to create a distraction-free layout, should you want.
Sharing with Others
Novlr lets you share your manuscript with others using a link. You can choose to share the entire manuscript or select specific chapters you want others to access.
You can then copy and paste the link anywhere you could normally place a URL. Anyone using the link can read the manuscript, whether they have a Novlr account or not.
This is a function I used in the past for Buy Me a Coffee memberships while using Reedsy. Members would get to read the first draft of the book I was working on. It’s a fun addition if you plan on using it to boost engagement. So, it’s something I look for in a new writing app.
In any case, you can use this link for beta reading and other needs.
Lots of Writing Resources
If you need resources for writing, Novlr has a lot available. From the dashboard, you can access the community section, which displays the Novlr Discord links and live participants, joining upcoming writing sprints, and see top playlists on Spotify for writing.
Novlr also has a relatively rich blog that is full of useful information. But what probably stands out most is the Academy resources. There are several free courses you can take, ranging from a creative writing bootcamp to a beginner’s guide to publicity.
It reminds me a bit of the courses that AutoCrit has available for free. Unlike AutoCrit, though, Novlr doesn’t appear to change these courses monthly. From what I could tell, they are integrated into the platform.
Nonetheless, there are a lot of resources for writing throughout Novlr’s site.
No ePub in Free Version
Novlr doesn’t allow for ePub conversions in its free version. You can only export your books as Docx, PDF, or ODT files. These are usually the most common, but a lot of eBook readers out there will require the ePub version of the manuscript.
Luckily, there are a few free platforms on the Internet that will make ePub conversions for you.
I find it odd that an online writing app would lock ePubs behind a paywall, especially when so many other writing apps give this ability to you for free. Still, this isn’t necessarily a deal breaker, as you can find other ways to convert files. It’s just an extra step you need to consider.
Can Only Save 5 Projects
As opposed to other writing apps out there, Novlr only allows you to save up to five projects at a time in its free version. If you want to save more than that, you’ll have to upgrade to the Pro version.
If you’re vigilant about exporting your books, you can get around not being able to save more than five projects. It just takes an extra couple of steps to export the book, delete it from Novlr, and then start another.
No Live Collaborations
Unfortunately, you’re unable to collaborate through the Novlr writing app. This means no live co-writing or editing of your story. This might not be much of a deal breaker for some, but it’s one of my most sought-after functions in writing apps.
Collaborations allow you to write with others or bring on an editor to help tighten your manuscript. It’s a shame that Novlr doesn’t support this feature.
No Image Support
Novlr does not support adding images to the manuscript. That may be a major deal-breaker for some, as images could play a huge role in the project.
For instance, I plan on adding maps to the Witcham series within the book. If I used Novlr, I would have to export the book to another platform just to add the images. In this case, why wouldn’t I just use the other writing app?
Not everyone is going to add images to their books. And for me, it’s going to be a rare instance. But having the ability on hand for specific novels would be more ideal.
No Page Templates
If you need specific pages created for your novel, you’ll have to create them manually, as Novlr does not have built-in page templates. For some authors, this might not be a big deal. But if you’re unsure what to add, making sure you have them all can be difficult.
I suppose I could have been spoiled by Reedsy, which has most templates built into the free version of Studio. Even Atticus has templates with explanation sentences of how the pages are used.
Personally, adding the page templates makes setting up a novel so much easier without a lot of guesswork. It’s a shame Novlr didn’t include them.
Proofreader Locked Behind Pro Account
The proofreading feature is locked behind the upgrade. Unfortunately, that means no spellcheck system while you write unless you upgrade.
It’s not often that I come across a writing app without some kind of built-in spellcheck. So, I was surprised to see that Novlr decided to lock it into the upgrade.
You can get around this by using the Grammarly extension through your browser. In fact, the Grammarly extension works with most web-based writing apps.
Would I Continue to Use Novlr for Free?
While I like the interface and the layout of the dashboard, Novlr is lacking a few features that would prompt me to use it on a regular basis. Novlr isn’t a bad system, mind you, but there is something to be said about personal preference.
For instance, I don’t like how the goals are separated and combined as a whole. You can’t see the goals while writing the manuscript, meaning you have to open a secondary tab to view your progress.
Another drawback for me is the fact that you can only save five manuscripts at a time. As I pointed out, it’s easy enough to get around by downloading and then deleting projects that are finished. It’s just useful to have them available for future reference.
Since Novlr doesn’t support ePub files unless you upgrade, that’s another turn-off. A lot of what I do is in eBook format, so hiding that feature behind the more expensive paywall is a red flag.
The bottom line is that there are a lot of downsides to using the free version of Novlr compared to other writing apps you can use.
Perhaps a saving grace of Novlr is the dashboard and quick access to the community and informational posts. You can join the Discord server and attend writing sprints with hundreds of other people. This makes Novlr a great platform for networking and growing with other authors.
If I had to pick a single flaw that stops me from using Novlr more extensively, it’s probably the lack of ePub support. Sure, you can use PDF files in just about any eReader and publishing platform. But that still limits you in terms of getting your book widely available as an eBook.
What About Upgrading Novlr?
Novlr has several interesting elements for upgrading. A few of them you get for free on other writing platforms, such as commenting (available for free in Reedsy) and a 30-day version history.
What sets Novlr aside from a lot of writing apps is the addition of building and publishing your author website. Using a WYSIWYG editor, you can build an author website relatively easily.
I prefer using self-hosted WordPress and having absolute control over my site. Then again, I’ve been using WordPress since 2008.
The “Plus” plan for getting your own site starts at $72 per year. Or, you can pay the $168 per year for the “Pro” plan, which includes ProWritingAid integration, backups to online services like Dropbox, and ePub support.
So, you don’t have access to a basic proofreader or spellchecker unless you upgrade to “Pro.”
What about the Lifetime Pro account features for a one-time fee of $499? Essentially, you get all of the functions of Pro permanently, and you become a co-owner. As far as I can tell, the co-owners split the profits each month.
However, I have an issue investing hundreds of dollars into online apps. I’ve seen a lot of great programs and platforms come and go over the years. And it’s difficult to say with certainty what has staying power. If Novlr shuts down, that money is gone.
While I do appreciate the writing analytics Novlr provides, because I’m a dork, I just don’t see it as worth upgrading for my situation. Some of the platforms I use right now are well beyond Novlr’s current state to suit my needs.
Yet, I suggest giving it a try. As I said earlier, it’s not a bad system. Novlr has a lot of great features for those who just want to write a book. It’s just not for me.
Novlr Has Potential…
There’s no doubt that there are quite a few benefits to using the free version of Novlr. In my specific case, though, the drawbacks are some of the more serious that are dealbreakers.
For instance, I’ve grown quite accustomed to Reedsy’s collaboration feature, upgraded planning board, and access to live goals and stats from the manuscript. Not to mention that the free version of Reedsy converts manuscripts to ePub formats.
Nonetheless, I like the layout and dashboard of Novlr, and the site is great for community engagement.
The best writing app for you is the one that checks the most boxes for your needs. Try a few before settling on a favorite; since Novlr is free, it might be worth checking into for yourself.
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