The First Draft Pro logo: a rainbow gradient over a book with text in charcoal.

Write & plan your

novel

story

thesis

essay

Finally finish that novel

A writing tool for fiction and non-fiction writers. From that first spark to a finished draft.

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Here's what people are saying

"It's easy to use. Unlike Google Docs it gives you access to specific parts of your work."
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Fiske Nyirongo

Writer

"I love the modularity of the sections, and it's great being able to see all my planning scroll past as I'm writing."
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Anya Venter

Writer & Academic

"I've been loving First Draft Pro. LOVE how simple and clean everything is. It's been a real delight to work in."
An image of a woman who is also a horror story writer. She's holding a knife. It's all very ominous.

Sam Beckbessigner

Novelist & Screenwriter

"I love that it's called a workspace and I can keep multiple projects on there. It's so helpful to have the daily word count goal. And it's cute!"
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Jessica Gregory

Writer

"I like how intuitive the app is. It's very comfortable to use. Love it."
An image of a man in a shirt, drinking coffee (or tea).

Andrew Hiatt

Writer

"It's easy to use. Unlike Google Docs it gives you access to specific parts of your work."
An image of a woman in a fashionable outfit, with her braids pulled back into a high ponytail.

Fiske Nyirongo

Writer

"I love the modularity of the sections, and it's great being able to see all my planning scroll past as I'm writing."
An image of a woman with cool hair and make-up, wearing a hoodie and leather jacket.

Anya Venter

Writer & Academic

"I've been loving First Draft Pro. LOVE how simple and clean everything is. It's been a real delight to work in."
An image of a woman who is also a horror story writer. She's holding a knife. It's all very ominous.

Sam Beckbessigner

Novelist & Screenwriter

"I love that it's called a workspace and I can keep multiple projects on there. It's so helpful to have the daily word count goal. And it's cute!"
An image of a woman in a cozy sweater.

Jessica Gregory

Writer

"I like how intuitive the app is. It's very comfortable to use. Love it."
An image of a man in a shirt, drinking coffee (or tea).

Andrew Hiatt

Writer

Meet your manuscript

Your clean, organized writing workspace keeps your focus on what matters: your masterpiece.

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Set writing goals and stay motivated

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Notes and outline alongside your manuscript

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Wordcount tracking per scene, chapter, project

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Write in focus mode and dark mode

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Outline your book

Your outline means you'll never lose the plot again! Drag and drop to reorder scenes as you write.

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Chapter outline and plot outline

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See scenes alongside your manuscript

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Auto-summarize scenes as you write

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Change colour of scene cards

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Drag and drop scenes to reorder

A screenshot of the first draft pro writing app, showing a view of the novel outline.

Manage multiple plots

Manage multiple plots in your novel using chapter-by-chapter plotting, and by tracking plotlines.

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Add multiple plotlines

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Allocate scenes to plotlines

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Change colour of scene cards by plot

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Minimize/expand scene cards

A screenshot of the first draft pro writing app, showing a view of the feature for managing multiple plotlines.

Keep notes organized

Ditch the wall of post-it notes and organize your ideas, research, and notes alongside your manuscript.

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Notes folder for each project

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Wiki-style linking between notes

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Link notes to specific scenes

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Pinned notes in your manuscript

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Sub-folders & drag and drop organization

A screenshot of the first draft pro writing app, showing a view of the notes folder for your novel.

Work with co-authors

Team up with co-authors and editors! Collaborating shouldn't feel like a slow game of 'pass the parcel.'

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Invite collaborators

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Shared source of truth for worldbuilding

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Comments and comment threads

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Synchronous co-authoring

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Share with readers

Share your work with friends, beta readers, or your mom. Select specific chapters, or share the whole thing.

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Create read-only sharing links

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Share single chapters or entire manuscripts

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Edit with ease

Whether you're working with an editor, or doing a solo edit, take your work from rough draft to a polished gem.

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Track changes

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Scene-by-scene version history

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Invite an editor

A screenshot of the first draft pro writing app, showing a view of the track changes feature with edits made in the manuscript.

Writing app features you'll love

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Write in dark mode

Reduce eye strain and fatigue, work in low-light conditions, or just look more hardcore. We got you. 🤘

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Track your changes

Track your changes as you write, review your progress and see how your story is evolving.

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Add images

From maps, to character illustrations, to charts and graphs — add images to your notes and manuscript.

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Manage versions

Easily manage different versions of your story, so you can review and compare drafts as you write.

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Worldbuilding notes

Save time and keep your creative process organized, so you can focus on writing your story.

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Stay on track

Write more efficiently by setting goals and using focus mode to minimize distractions.

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References & footnotes

Help readers identify sources with clear and concise attribution, or add additional information.

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Structure templates

Choose templates from different genres and styles to find the perfect structure for your story.

Start 100% free

There's no time-limit on our free plan. Start free, and upgrade once you're sure.

Free plan
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Free forever
Basic plan
$7/mo
or $70 yearly
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Premium plan
$18/mo
or $180 yearly
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The world needs your story

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