Scrivener vs Word: Which One Suits You Better?

You’ve heard that Scrivener and Word are great ways to organise your novel elements. But which one is better for your needs?

In this blog, we’ll compare Scrivener and Word to determine which might be better for your writing needs.

We’ll also introduce you to an alternative tool, which might suit you even better!

Let’s start with the main differences between Scrivener and Word.

Scrivener vs. Word: The Main Differences

1. Organisation and Structure

The first difference is the organisation and structuring of writing tools.

Scrivener excels at helping you organise your work. It lets you break your manuscript into smaller sections, like chapters and scenes. You can easily drag and drop these sections to rearrange them.

Scrivener also has a corkboard view where you can see an overview of your project and move things around visually.

Word is more linear and doesn’t have the same level of organisational tools. While you can use headings and outlines to structure your document, it’s not as flexible as Scrivener. You might find it harder to keep track of all your notes and research within the same document.

2. Features and Customisation

With Scrivener, you’ll get features specifically designed for writers.

It includes tools for outlining, researching, and even tracking your writing goals. You can customie the interface to fit your workflow, making it a versatile choice for different writing projects.

Word is a powerful word processor but lacks the specialised features of Scrivener. It’s excellent for general writing and formatting but doesn’t offer the same level of customisation.

However, it integrates well with other Microsoft Office tools, which can be a plus for some users.

Later, we’ll dive deeper into these features.

3. Pricing

Scrivener is available for a one-time purchase.

It costs $59.99 for a Standard Licence for Mac and $50.99 for an Educational Licence for Mac. There are no subscription fees, and they also offer a 30-day free trial.

Word is part of the Microsoft Office suite, typically requiring a subscription. Office 365 costs around $69.99 per year for personal use or $99.99 per year for a family plan. The plan includes access to other Office apps like Excel and PowerPoint.

In summary, Scrivener offers superior organisational tools and features tailored for writers, with a one-time purchase cost.

Word provides a robust word-processing experience with seamless integration into the Office ecosystem, but it usually comes with a subscription fee.

Scrivener vs. Word: A Detailed Comparison

Overview

Scrivener

Scrivener is a powerful writing tool designed to help writers manage long and complex documents.

It was launched in 2007, and it’s considered the industry standard for many writers.

It helps you with:

• Organising Your Writing: Breaks your manuscript into manageable sections, like chapters and scenes, which you can easily rearrange.
• Research Management: Keeps all your research, notes, and references in one place. You’ll have easy access to everything you need.
• Outlining Tools: Provides tools to create detailed outlines and help you structure your work before you start writing.
• Corkboard View: Offers a corkboard view where you can see an overview of your project and move things around visually.
• Writing Goals: Allows you to set and track writing goals to keep you motivated and on track.

Strengths of Scrivener:

• Highly customisable to fit your workflow.
• Suitable for various types of writing, from novels to academic papers.
• Allows you to manage both writing and research in one place.
• Enables you to switch between your writing and notes easily, even viewing them side-by-side.

Who is Scrivener Best For?

• Novelists
• Nonfiction authors
• Journalists
• Academics
• Students

Scrivener’s versatility and comprehensive features make it ideal for anyone working on large, complex writing projects.

Word

Microsoft Word is a well-known word processor that has been a staple in the writing world for decades. It is part of the Microsoft Office suite, which you can use to create various types of documents.

It helps you with:

• Document Creation: Provides a robust platform for creating and formatting text documents.
• Templates: Offers a wide range of templates for different types of documents, from resumes to reports.
• Collaboration: Allows multiple users to collaborate on the same document in real time.
• Editing Tools: Includes various editing and proofreading tools to enhance your writing.
• Integration: Seamlessly integrates with other Microsoft Office tools, like Excel and PowerPoint.

Strengths of Word:

• Excellent for general writing and document formatting.
• Robust collaboration features for team projects.
• Integrates well with other Microsoft Office applications.
• User-friendly interface that’s easy to navigate.

Who is Word Best For?

• Professionals needing to create and format documents.
• Students for assignments and papers.
• Teams collaborating on documents.
• Anyone looking for a versatile and user-friendly word processor.

Word’s strengths are its ease of use, powerful general document creation, and collaboration features. It is a solid choice for simple writing tasks.

Features

Scrivener

Scrivener has many features to help writers organise and streamline their writing process.

Here are some of the detailed features that make Scrivener a powerful tool for novel writing:

Project Management

• Binder: The Binder feature lets you organise your manuscript into folders and subfolders for chapters, scenes, and notes. You can easily drag and drop items to rearrange them.
• Outliner: The Outliner allows you to view the structure of your manuscript at a glance. You can outline your entire project, assign word count targets, and track your progress.

Research Integration

• Research Folder: Keep all your research materials, such as documents, images, and web pages, in one place. You can access these resources without leaving Scrivener.
• Split Screen: View your writing alongside your research in split-screen mode. You can refer to your notes and research materials while writing.

Corkboard

• Index Cards: The Corkboard feature uses virtual index cards to represent sections of your manuscript. You can move these cards around to reorganise your scenes and chapters.
• Synopsis and Notes: Each index card can hold a synopsis and notes, making it easy to see an overview of your story and plan your plot.

Writing Tools

• Scrivenings Mode: This mode lets you view and edit multiple sections of your manuscript as a single document. It’s perfect for reviewing and revising your work.
• Writing Targets: Set daily writing goals and project targets. Scrivener tracks your progress and helps you stay motivated to reach your goals.

Customisation

• Templates: Scrivener has a variety of templates for different types of writing projects, including novels, screenplays, and academic papers. You can also create and save your own templates.
• Interface Customisation: Customise the interface to fit your workflow. You can adjust the layout, fonts, and colors to create a writing environment that suits your preferences.

Export and Compile

• Compile Tool: Scrivener’s Compile tool lets you export your manuscript in various formats, such as Word, PDF, and ePub. You can customise the formatting and include front and back matter.
• Preset Formatting Options: You can choose from a range of preset formatting options for your manuscript that meets submission guidelines or publication standards.

These features make Scrivener a versatile and powerful tool for writers. Scrivener can help you manage your manuscript, research, and notes all in one place.

Word

Microsoft Word is a versatile and powerful word processor used by millions of people around the world.

Here are some of the detailed features that make Word a go-to tool for many writers:

Document Creation and Formatting

• Text Formatting: Easily format text with different font styles, sizes, and colors. To enhance your document, you can use bold, italics, underline, and other text effects.
• Paragraph Formatting: Control alignment, line spacing, and indentation. Use bullets and numbering to organise lists.
• Styles: Apply pre-designed styles to quickly format headings, titles, and other parts of your document. You can also create and save custom styles for consistency.

Templates

• Built-in Templates: Access a variety of templates for different types of documents, such as resumes, reports, letters, and more. Templates provide a professional starting point and can save time.
• Custom Templates: Create and save your own templates for recurring document types to ensure consistency and efficiency.

Collaboration

• Real-Time Collaboration: Work on documents simultaneously with others. See changes in real-time, and use comments and track changes to review and discuss edits.
• Sharing Options: Share documents easily via email or cloud storage services like OneDrive. Set permissions to control who can view or edit your document.

Review and Editing Tools

• Spell Check and Grammar: Automatically check your document for spelling and grammatical errors. Suggestions are provided for corrections to help you produce polished text.
• Track Changes: Keep track of edits made to your document. View changes made by different collaborators and accept or reject modifications as needed.
• Comments: Add comments to specific parts of the document. Use comments to leave notes, suggestions, or questions for collaborators.

Layout and Design

• Page Layout: Customise the layout of your document with options for margins, orientation, size, and columns. Use section breaks to apply different layouts within the same document.
• Design Elements: You can insert tables, charts, images, shapes, and SmartArt to enhance your document. Use Word’s drawing tools to create custom graphics.
• Headers and Footers: Add headers and footers to include page numbers, titles, dates, and other information. Customise their appearance to match your document’s style.

Integration with Other Office Tools

• Office Suite Integration: You can easily integrate Word with other Microsoft Office applications like Excel and PowerPoint. Embed Excel charts and tables, or link PowerPoint slides into your document.
• OneDrive Integration: Save and access your documents from anywhere with OneDrive. Sync your work across devices and collaborate with others easily.

Accessibility Features

• Accessibility Checker: Use the built-in accessibility checker to ensure your document is accessible to all readers. Get recommendations for making your content more inclusive.
• Read Aloud: Have Word read your document aloud to help you catch errors or hear how your text flows.

Advanced Features

• Macros: Automate repetitive tasks with macros. Record a sequence of actions and play them back with a single click to save time and effort.
• Mail Merge: Create personalised letters, labels, and envelopes using the mail merge feature. Combine a template with a data source to produce multiple documents efficiently.

These features make Microsoft Word a comprehensive tool for creating, formatting, and sharing documents—whether you’re writing a novel, preparing a report, or collaborating on a project.

Usability

Scrivener may have a dated design, but you can completely customise and create whatever you want.

Scrivener also uses a sheet outlook to simplify navigation once you get the hang of it.

However, the interface can feel complex and intimidating at first. You might find yourself lost on how to perform various tasks within the software until you become well-versed in Scrivener. This steep learning curve is a known drawback.

However, once you master it, Scrivener’s rich features and customisation options will make it easier to manage large writing projects.

Microsoft Word is known for its ease of use and intuitive interface.

People use Word for various writing tasks, from drafting simple documents to creating complex reports and manuscripts. Its usability stands out due to the familiar layout and straightforward tools.

Compared to Scrivener, Word is much easier to learn and navigate. It immediately provides a user-friendly experience with clear instructions and helpful tips. The ribbon interface logically groups tools to find what you need quickly.

Word’s real-time collaboration features also enhance its usability. You can work on documents simultaneously with others. You can give feedback, get feedback, and act on feedback quickly.

Additionally, Word’s integration with other Microsoft Office tools adds to its convenience. You can incorporate data from Excel or visuals from PowerPoint seamlessly.

While Word lacks the specialised features of Scrivener, its simplicity and versatility make it a go-to choice for many writers. It’s especially suitable for those who need a reliable, easy-to-use word processor for everyday writing tasks.

Organisation

Scrivener excels in helping writers organise their work through its unique Binder feature, which acts like a digital file cabinet.

With easy drag-and-drop rearrangement, the Binder allows you to organise your manuscript into folders and subfolders for chapters, scenes, and notes.

The Outliner provides a structured view of your project, helping you manage the layout, set targets, and track progress.

The Corkboard feature displays sections as index cards and acts as visual reorganisation. Scrivener’s split-screen mode also lets you view and edit multiple sections simultaneously, and the Research Folder keeps all your materials in one place for easy access.

These advanced organisational tools make Scrivener ideal for managing complex projects.

Word organises content in a linear fashion, which is effective for accessible documents but can be limiting for more complex projects. Using headings and styles, you can create an outline of your document and navigate easily with the Navigation Pane.

The Outline View helps manage the structure, but it lacks the flexibility of Scrivener’s Binder. Sections and page breaks allow different formatting styles, while comments and track changes facilitate collaboration.

The Document Map offers an overview and quick navigation. Word’s organisational tools are straightforward and suitable for simpler projects and general document creation.

Pricing

Scrivener offers a straightforward pricing model with a one-time purchase. Here are the details:

• Educational Licence for Mac: $50.99
• Standard Licence for Mac: $59.99

Additionally, Scrivener offers a 30-day free trial to give you time to explore its features before committing to a purchase.

Microsoft Word typically requires a subscription as part of the Microsoft Office suite. The pricing options include:

• Office 365 Personal: $69.99 per year
• Office 365 Family: $99.99 per year

These subscriptions include access to other Office apps like Excel and PowerPoint. While there is an option to buy Word as a standalone product, it’s generally more expensive than Scrivener’s one-time purchase.

When comparing pricing, Scrivener’s one-time purchase can be more economical in the long run, especially for dedicated writers.

In contrast, Word’s subscription model may become costly over time, but it offers continuous updates and integration with other Microsoft Office tools.

Depending on your needs and budget, either option can provide good value, but Scrivener offers greater value for its features at a lower long-term cost.

Pros and Cons of Scrivener

Pros of Scriveners

• Organised Structure: Scrivener allows you to break your novel into chapters and scenes, making it easy to manage and rearrange sections.
• Research Integration: Keep all your research, notes, and references in one place. You can view your research alongside your writing.
• Corkboard View: The corkboard feature helps you visualise your novel’s structure and move scenes around with a simple drag-and-drop.
• Customisable Interface: You can tailor Scrivener’s interface to fit your workflow. It’s versatile for different writing styles and projects.
• Writing Goals: Set and track your writing goals to stay motivated and on track with your progress.

Cons of Scrivener

• Steep Learning Curve: Scrivener’s many features can overwhelm new users.  It will require time and effort to learn.
• Complex Interface: The interface can feel cluttered and confusing until you become familiar with it.
• Limited Collaboration: Unlike Word, Scrivener does not excel in real-time collaboration. If you work with many teams, this might be a deal-breaker.
• Formatting Challenges: Some users find Scrivener’s formatting options less intuitive and more difficult to manage than Word.
• Cost: While it’s a one-time purchase, the initial cost can be higher than other writing tools, especially for writers on a tight budget.

Pros and Cons of Word

Pros of Word

• User-Friendly Interface: Word’s interface is intuitive and easy to navigate. It’s accessible for writers of all skill levels.
• Formatting Flexibility: Offers different formatting options to style your manuscript professionally. You can format it as a PDF, Doc, Excel, and more.
• Real-Time Collaboration: Allows multiple users to work on the same document simultaneously, making it great for team projects or getting feedback.
• Template Variety: Provides many templates to help you start different types of documents, from manuscripts to reports.
• Integration with Office Suite: Easily integrates with other Microsoft Office tools like Excel and PowerPoint. You’ll have less time to edit and change formats.

Cons of Word

• Linear Structure: Lacks advanced organisational tools like Scrivener’s corkboard, making managing large projects with multiple sections harder.
• Limited Research Management: Does not have built-in tools for managing research and notes within the same document.
• Subscription Cost: A subscription to Office 365 can be expensive over time compared to one-time purchase options.
• Distraction Potential: The different features and options can be distracting for writers who need a more focused writing environment.
• Less Customisation: While flexible, Word does not offer the same level of customisation for the writing process as Scrivener, which can be a drawback for writers with big projects.

Scrivener vs Word: The Verdict

When choosing between Scrivener and Word, the decision largely depends on your specific writing needs.

Scrivener is the clear winner for complex and large-scale writing projects. Its advanced organisational tools—such as the Binder, Corkboard, and Outliner—give you unmatched flexibility and control over your manuscript’s structure.

You can manage your research, outlines, and writing all in one place. It’s ideal for novelists, academics, and anyone working on extensive projects.

On the flip side, Word shines in its simplicity. It’s perfect for general writing and document formatting, with strong real-time collaboration features and integration with other Microsoft Office tools.

Word is best suited for straightforward document creation and collaborative tasks, making it a great choice for professionals, students, and teams.

Scrivener is the better option if you need a powerful tool to organise and manage a large writing project. 

Word’s user-friendly interface and comprehensive features make it the more convenient choice for everyday writing tasks and collaboration.

Looking for a Worthy Alternative?

What if you’re looking for something that combines the best of both worlds?

That’s where The Novel Factory comes in. The Novel Factory is a tool designed to help seasoned writers and newcomers transition from ideation to a polished first draft.

The Novel Factory offers specialised features for novelists to make writing smoother and more efficient. Here are some highlights:

• The Roadmap Feature: A step-by-step guide to take you from your first draft to the final manuscript.
• Character Development: Prompts for creating great characters, with space to outline details like motivation, archetype, and physical description.
• Plot Manager: Helps you map out your plot, packed with templates for popular story genres.
• Simple Noteboard: Organises and keeps your ideas within reach.
• Locations Tab: Enables you to describe and keep track of all your story’s settings.
• Planning Section: Nudges you to develop your story’s premise using the five key story elements.

All these features and more are available for just $6.25 a month.

Plus, you can try The Novel Factory for FREE – no credit card required!

If you’re looking for a writing tool that offers robust features tailored for novelists, The Novel Factory is the perfect fit.