Fictionary vs The Novel Factory

Fictionary

• Novelists revising a first draft for structure before line editing
• Genre fiction writers who want an outline template to follow
• Freelance editors delivering structural edits to several clients

The Novel Factory

• First-time novelists who want a guided, step-by-step process
• Writers who plan characters, locations and plot before drafting
• Authors who want writing software with no AI in it

Fictionary

• There is no free plan: after the 7-day trial every plan is a paid subscription.
• The support FAQ says it works in Safari or Chrome on a laptop or desktop, and that phones and tablets are not supported yet.
• Manuscripts are imported only as Microsoft Word .docx files, and StoryTeller holds 3 manuscripts at a time unless you move to Premium.

The Novel Factory

• There is no free plan: after the 30-day trial it needs a subscription or the $649 lifetime license.
• Basic is limited to one novel and leaves out dark mode and importing characters and locations between novels.
• The lifetime license covers Version 3 only, for as long as that version lasts.
• Offline work needs the desktop app on a PC or Mac. The browser version, which phones and tablets use, requires a stable internet connection.

Fictionary

Scene-by-scene story evaluation

A manuscript is assessed one scene at a time for character, plot and setting, covering points such as the scene goal, tension, conflict and point-of-view goals.

Story arc and 15 visualizations

Fifteen visualizations, including an automated Story Arc and a Story Goal Tracker, show where the structure has problems, and a Story Map gives an overview of the whole book.

AI feedback on every scene

A built-in AI writing instructor the company calls Edwina gives immediate, scene-specific feedback as you write or revise.

Genre-based outlining templates

Templates for different genres lay out a story arc to outline against, and the outline stays alongside the manuscript while you write.

Story Editing Journey

A step-by-step editing process tracks progress by scene and by story element, with explanations of terms such as entry hooks on hand as you edit.

StoryCoach for editors

The editor plan adds a client dashboard, editing notes shown beside each scene, track changes and a library of hundreds of prewritten suggestions.

The Novel Factory

Novel Writing Roadmap

A built-in guide of fifteen steps takes a novel from first idea to final manuscript, with a practical task at each step that can be checked off in the software.

Plot Manager and plot templates

Scenes sit on drag-and-drop index cards that give an overview of the story's structure, and genre-specific plot templates set out the beats to hit.

Characters, locations and items

Dedicated sections hold character profiles built from development prompts, locations with sensory details and images, and items. Characters and locations can be linked to scenes.

Manuscript with related notes

A sidebar beside the text shows the scene synopsis, the linked characters and locations, and the plot points that happen in that scene.

Writing statistics and goals

A Statistics tab tracks word counts and writing rates against custom goals, with progress graphs and a weekly average word count.

Version history and Word export

Turn Back Time restores earlier versions of the work. The manuscript and its supporting data export to Word, and a Word manuscript can be imported.

Fictionary

• StoryTeller$14

  per month, billed annually ($168); $19 billed monthly

  For writers working alone: genre-specific templates, the step-by-step editing journey, story insights and AI scene feedback. Up to 3 manuscripts at a time.

• StoryTeller Premium$29

  per month, billed annually ($348); $39 billed monthly

  All StoryTeller features plus track changes and comments, up to 10 manuscripts at a time and support for writing a series.

• StoryCoach$33

  per month, billed annually ($396); $49 billed monthly

  For professional editors: all Premium features, a client dashboard, prewritten comments and support for 20 clients at a time.

The Novel Factory

• Basic$82.50

  per year, or $8.25 per month billed monthly

  One novel with the core features: Plot Manager, characters, items and locations, the manuscript section and writing statistics.

• Standard$220

  per year, or $22 per month billed monthly

  Unlimited novels, plus dark mode, importing characters and locations between novels and additional formatting features.

• Lifetime$649

  one-time payment

  Access to Version 3.0 for as long as that version lasts, with unlimited novels and all features. Equivalent to Standard.

Fictionary

• Annual discount

  Save over 25% with annual billing

  The pricing page advertises more than 25% off for annual plans: $168 against $228 a year for StoryTeller, $348 against $468 for Premium and $396 against $588 for StoryCoach.

The Novel Factory

• Annual discount

  Two months free with annual billing

  Annual plans cost ten times the monthly price: $82.50 against $8.25 a month for Basic and $220 against $22 a month for Standard.

• Lifetime license

  Lifetime license to Version 3 for $649

  A one-off payment gives Standard-level access to The Novel Factory Version 3 for the life of that version, with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

• Other savings

  Hardship licenses and discounts

  The company says it offers hardship licenses and discounts for people with low incomes or disabilities. No amounts are published.

• Other savings

  Credit for original Windows Desktop licenses

  Owners of the original Windows desktop version can ask for a discount on a subscription equal to what they paid for that license.