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No matter the type of writer, what brings us all together is our constant search for the perfect writing method. Whether our office furniture, notebooks, laptops, or the software we use, we're always trying to make the brain-to-page transition as painless as possible.
When it comes to screenwriting software, you have options. We will look at six significant players and discuss which ones are the most suitable for your screenwriting needs.
The screenwriting softwares listed below are the most popular ones.
Here are our top contenders:
We'll break down our top six screenwriting software contenders into a few different categories:
Let's dive in.
When it comes to industry-standard formatting, most screenwriting softwares available have you covered. Gone are the days of having to decide between an expensive subscription and doing all your tab indents yourself. Final Draft dominated the scene for years, but this is no longer the case. There are dozens of options when it comes to turning out a well-formatted script.
Probably not your best bet: CeltX is an often-used solution that doesn't focus on formatting as much, so depending on how much you're willing to take on yourself, your mileage may vary with it.
Great Versatility: Arc Studio Pro gives you options when it comes to advanced formatting. You can let it do the job for you, but you can also adjust many variables like dual dialogue, scene numbers, and custom elements.
Most writers want software that allows them to write with little distraction. What does that entail? Ideally, a sleek user interface, lots of comfortable shortcuts, minimal clicking, and, hopefully, a dedicated focus mode.
While the vast majority of apps will have good shortcuts, they aren't always ideal in terms of design. Lots of solutions either feel clunky or have a steep learning curve.
Best options: Two solutions focus on design and ease of use: Highland 2 and Arc Studio. Both have a sleek interface and a dedicated focus mode that allows you to zone into your writing and forget about the tools.
While not every writer is an outliner, those who love to plot and plan need a sound system that will help them organize their ideas, move beats around, experiment, and not feel hindered by the software they're using.
If you're used to whiteboards: Final Draft and WriterDuet have tools available that mimic a traditional whiteboard/corkboard. They're not feature-heavy but might be enough if all you need is a place to save your thoughts and shuffle them around.
Your best bet: If you're looking for the next level in terms of story building, Arc Studio Pro brings you an intuitive drag & drop system, easy tagging, automatic color coding, and a fully kitted beatbox that allows you to reference your material as you're writing your script.
If you've ever written any word processing software at all, you'll be familiar with that dreaded moment when you need to refer back to an older draft. Did you remember to save it? Is it in temporary files? Will you need a recovery team to go in after it?
These days, most apps have some version of revision tracking, even though it will require you to save versions manually in many cases. That's unfortunate because you're always going to run the risk of forgetting and losing work.
Luckily, Arc Studio has automatic history and revision tracking, meaning you don't have to manage your drafts manually and highlight changes in hindsight. You can rest easy knowing your drafts will save automatically.
There's nothing as applicable to honing your craft as getting feedback on your work. Thus, a good screenwriting solution should prioritize comfortable collaboration and easy comment management.
Your best bet: Depending on what you're after, there are a few options here.
Final Draft and Fade In both offer session-hosting-based collaboration.
On the other hand, WriterDuet, CeltX, and Arc Studio are all fully equipped for real-time collaboration.
Now, there is one problem. Historically, cloud-based services have often led to data loss. Technology is improving every day, but even so, there's never any guarantee. And cloud-based services are precisely what the majority of screenwriting solutions use when it comes to collaborative work.
Arc Studio Pro, however, built its system from the ground up to be a more reliable service for professional work. Receiving and managing feedback has never been easier or more stable. You can count on comments with intuitive tagging, fully-featured filtering, easy resolving, and many other features. Arc Studio Pro offers solutions for teams of writers, too.
In a perpetually mobile world, why wouldn't you want your writing software to be with you wherever you go? Mobile apps are a vital part of our lives as writers.
Namely, WriterDuet, Arc Studio, and Final Draft have dedicated resources to creating good quality mobile apps. But which of them is the superior tool?
Arc Studio is the only one of the three with shortcuts and a user interface designed specifically for mobile devices. That means you can get commands like double space to switch between Action and character.
Still unsure if Arc Studio is your best bet? Don't take my word for it. There's always an easy way to tell which apps are doing well with users: reading the reviews. Check them out!
Although there's no way to put a value on your comfort and productivity, it's still reasonable to consider the price when investing in software, especially since you may be early on in your career and not necessarily turning a profit just yet.
Free plans are a great way to figure out whether an offer is right for you before leaping, and you can use free plans from Highland, WriterDuet, and Arc Studio.
If you're looking for the bells and whistles versions of your favorite software, here's what you can expect them to charge:
Ready to write your first page?
There's rarely any one-size-fits-all solution, and you might have to take some free trials or experiment with the free versions of some of these programs to figure out what works for you.
For me, it's a mixture of handwriting first drafts coupled with the easy and beginner-friendly auto-formatting in Arc Studio Pro. Top that process off with feedback from your peers, and you've got a winning combination.
Alex is a professional editor and ghostwriter from Romania. She specializes in dark speculative fiction, compelling characters, and snappy dialogue, and loves nothing more than showing others the editorial tricks she's picked up along the way.
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Get an actionable guide for writing your first script from HBO writer David Wappel. He takes you to a fully written script, step-by-step.
Totally free for a limited time only.
Get an actionable guide for writing your first script from HBO writer David Wappel. He takes you to a fully written script, step-by-step.
Totally free for a limited time only.
The most efficient, elegant, intuitive, and all around user-friendly screenwriting software I've ever used — and I've used them all.
Arc Studio lets us collaborate across the entire season and manage incoming notes or changes without ever losing track of a single thing. Can’t imagine ever going back.
For decades I've been searching for a seamless screenwriting app and and everything has come up way short – until Arc Studio. Writing and collaborating is easier than ever and it gets better every week. Well done!
Get an actionable guide for writing your first script from HBO writer David Wappel. He takes you to a fully written script, step-by-step.
Totally free for a limited time only.
Arc Studio is the new industry standard in screenwriting.
We go beyond formatting, with next-generation story-building
and real-time collaboration.
