The Novel Factory review
A guided novel-writing workspace with strong planning tools and focused manuscript support.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
The Novel Factory is writing software for individual novelists who want guidance from initial planning through manuscript drafting. Its step-by-step roadmap, genre-specific Plot Manager templates, Subplot Manager, and tools for characters, locations, and items create a structured workspace for building a novel. Writers can work in a browser or use desktop versions for Windows and Mac, with offline desktop writing available. The product is also aimed at beginners and authors managing multiple projects, although Basic supports one novel.
Pricing is organized around Basic, Standard, and Lifetime access. Basic costs $8.25 per user per month or $82.50 per user per year and includes core features, one novel, the Plot Manager, character and location tools, the Manuscript Section, and Writing Statistics. Standard costs $22 per user per month or $220 per user per year, adding unlimited novels, Dark Mode, cross-novel character and location imports, and additional formatting features. The Lifetime plan costs $649 one time and includes lifetime access to Version 3.0, unlimited novels, and all features. A 30-day trial is available, with no card required.
For drafting and continuity management, The Novel Factory combines a manuscript editor with writing statistics, word-count goals, version history with restore capability, automatic saving, and cloud backups. Word export and Word manuscript import support a familiar document workflow, while the focused feature set keeps the product centered on novel development rather than broad publishing or team collaboration. Writers who want a guided planning system and organized project records should find the structure relevant; those seeking a free plan, collaboration, AI features, or a wider range of export options should consider another writing app.
The Novel Factory pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Step-by-step roadmap with genre-specific plot templates
- Character, location, item, and subplot management
- Version history, offline desktop writing, and automatic backups
- Where it doesn't
- No free plan
- Collaboration features are not included
- Export support is centered on Word
The Novel Factory fact sheet, pricing and score →
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