justin lesieur dot com slash blog slash writing software

May 10, 2026

Every once in a while, someone asks what software I use to write my books. I've tried writing in Word. I've tried Google Docs. I've tried the "minimalist" apps that swear you'll become a literary genius if you stare at a blank page long enough. I finally landed on and still use Scrivener.

Let me get this out of the way upfront: this post is not sponsored. I'm not getting a discount code, and Scrivener has no idea who I am. I'm just sharing what I use because it's the tool that works best for my brain. Here's why I like it:

First off, dark mode. Most of my writing happens early in the morning, and I don't need a blinding screen waking up the entire neighborhood. Dark mode keeps things easy on the eyes and lets me sink into the work. All software should come with a dark mode option.

Then there's the way Scrivener handles scenes. If I want to move a chapter from the middle to somewhere else, I just drag and drop it. No copy-paste disasters. No breaking the whole document. It's simple, and it fits the way I think.

One of my favorite features is the corkboard view. Imagine a digital corkboard covered in index cards, each representing a scene. You can shuffle them around, rearrange the story, and see the structure at a glance. It's perfect for visual thinkers or anyone who outlines by spreading papers or index cards across your desk.

Scrivener also gives me dedicated spots for research, notes, character details, timelines, reference images; all the stuff that usually ends up scattered across random folders. Instead of digging through computer files or handwritten notes, everything lives in one place.

And when the draft is finally ready, Scrivener can compile the whole thing into a print-ready manuscript or an ebook file. It's not a one-click miracle, but it gets you most of the way there.

One last thing I think is cool: they offer a free 30-day trial, which is actually 30 days of use, not 30 calendar days. If you only open it twice a week, that's all it counts. It's the most generous trial I've seen.

So again, not an ad. Not a pitch. Just sharing the tool that keeps my writing life organized and (mostly) sane. If you're working on a book or thinking about starting one, Scrivener might be worth a look.