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As an author, ghostwriter, blogger, and social media manager..... it's pretty safe to say that I'm constantly writing something. I've been writing seriously since I was 13-years-old. I've used countless writing programs -- from Microsoft Word, to Jotterpad (a phone app), to PureWriter (a more complicated phone app) to Scrivener (the most complicated of writing software...) and pretty much everything in between. Still..... out of all of those options, nothing has fulfilled what I've wanted in a writing app.
Until recently.
But first, let's talk about what I used before Motif...
SCRIVENER:
Almost every author who has ever done research on writing software has heard of Scrivener. It truly is a power house. It can handle a LOT of documents, is fantastic for planning and organization of ideas, and (if you can figure out how to do it) is crazy customizable. (I format books and design images for a living.... I like things to look a certain way!)
But... as great as it is... there are a lot of limitations and issues that just became... too much after two years of strictly using Scrivener. It can handle A LOT of documents, but that means it can become this HUGE data pile than can really take a toll on your computer. I remember finding so many files deep in my storage that were from Scrivener, which were all full of things I actually never used. When you have multiple books with endless notes, things can get lost easily. The search option is great, and it's probably my favorite of the three apps (I compare it to Microsoft's Find & Replace tool, which is nice.) However, there is just so much going on with Scrivener, the interface can be a tad bit overwhelming, especially if you aren't used to the layout of more complicated software.
Despite all of the cons, I still loved Scrivener. Again, I wrote through them for two years before making the difficult decision to search for something else. Why did I make that decision? Well..... life started getting more busy, and sitting down at one computer to write wasn't always plausible. Sometimes, my mom and I would use each other's computers (she has a desktop, I have a laptop), and syncing my book to the other computer could be a pain. I also started writing on my phone a lot more, and not having the option to have my books on my phone was disappointing. I needed something that could be more versatile and multi-platform. Thus, about a year ago, I started searching for something better.
That's when I found:
DABBLE:
Dabble! Oh Dabble! I instantly fell in love with Dabble. It's similar to scrivener as far as notes, plotting, and chapter/scene layout goes, but it is definitely easier to use. Its sleek, modern interface makes it easy to just open, click your book, and immediately pick up where you left off. There's no long load, save, or back-up times. It's cloud-based, so it saves as you write and the best part??? You can access it from any computer, any device as long as you have internet (and it allows for offline writing as well. Once you have internet back, it syncs up and everyone's happy!)
But... in gaining simplicity, you do lose some of the customization options that you get with Scrivener. Fonts are limited to only a few options, and no ability to add your own fonts. Font size is, again, limited. The paragraph spacing option is nice, but you don't have the option to justify your text: meaning the right edge isn't a clean, straight line. (Compare the following paragraph to this one.) For many, that's not a super big deal, and the lack of customization... well, maybe that's a decent trade-off for its ease-of-use and access. It certainly was for me. I've been using Dabble for over a year now, and it has been wonderful!
Except......... the price. Now, I know -- authors should invest in good tools if they have the means to. As a self-employed formatter and self-published author, I have to be intentional with my funds. For a long time, I used the lowest Dabble plan ($9/month), and while it offered a lot of good features (writing platform, export to web for easy share, word counter, and timer) it was fairly limited. I didn't have planning options, notes (even chapter notes), character or worldbuilding options. All I could do was write (which, hey... it's great for just that.) However, my chaotic brain needs a place to dump all my random ideas and scenes that I chop and delete half a million times. The next plans were $19/month and $29/month. I do believe the Dabble plans are worth those prices, but for a lot of people, spending that kind of money may not be feasible or something they want prioritize. In a world of subscriptions after subscriptions, people are wanting to get more for less. And that, my friends, is what I recently found with a writing platform called, "Motif."
What Do You Want Most In A Writing Platform?
Simplicity
Organization
Customization
All Of Them!
MOTIF
After years of trying to find the perfect writing app, I was starting to believe that it didn't exist. Maybe I was just being too picky? Maybe I needed to invest more and simply deal with it? Or just stay on my basic plan and put my notes elsewhere? I had just made the decision to stay with Dabble when I was scrolling through Instagram and came across a review by @writer.s.k.lewis talking about this app called, "Motif."
She described it as a simpler version of Scrivener. This definitely caught my attention. After a quick glance at the website, I decided to try it out!
YOU GUYS!!!! I am SO glad that I did!
It is the definition of more for less! If you took the best parts of Scrivener (Organization, Planning, Customization) and the best parts of Dabble (Planning, Cloud Synchronization, Simple Design,) and put them together... you get Motif.
This is a cloud-based writing platform that offers planning templates (such as Three-Act-Structure, Hero's Journey, and more) and helps you to structure your drafts with ease. They even have a template for the SAVE THE CAT! Story structure, which I've NEVER seen in another place. SAVE THE CAT! is what I (loosely) use with my book, and I haven't found any good templates for how to break down my story. I found that with Motif (and I wasn't even expecting it!)
Right now, it's online-based only, but an offline option is in the works and is hopefully coming soon. It works just as well on your phone or tablet as it does on the computer, and syncing between devices is a smooth process. You can format the text with a lot more font and font size options, as well as justify paragraphs! (This makes my little formatter heart happy!)
The Boards feature in the planning tab is essentially your own personal Pinterest right in the platform. You don't have to leave to get that instant inspiration, and you won't get distracted scrolling through all the new images. (Hehe, been guilty of that a time or two...) The Story Elements tab is great for hammering out details about your characters, world, or story, and keeping them all nice and organized! You also have a Research tab where you can keep important links! When I saw that, my jaw DROPPED! I've never seen a designated space for links. It's never even something I thought of having! Again, Motif was made by an author who really thought about the things she wanted and saw other authors wanted.
And one of the best parts... the price is amazing. It is a bit more expensive than the basic $9 Dabble subscription, but for $12/month, you unlock every features. There's no limits or hidden fees. There is, however, a free option available with a few limitations (limited to 3 books and 30 documents--or chapters-- within the book.) And there is a 30-day free trial for the pro version.
I can't think of anything I'm disappointed in -- which is INSANE for me! I have a few feature requests (such as having separate document set ups for individual books, and having paragraph alignment and line spacing options in the document set up. Right now, it's just font and font size that you can apply to each document or chapter.) But... even that is a tiny request, and something I can live without.
The passion behind Motif is unmistakable! You can tell every inch was made by an author. It has given me everything I needed in a writing program, and it even includes features I didn't know I wanted. Now that I have them... there's no way I'm going back to anything else! It takes a lot to get me this excited about a writing app or platform. I'm not only going to chase, but catch my dreams... one sentence at a time, and I'll do it using Motif!
AT-A-GLANCE
CLOUD SYNC | OFFLINE AVAILABILITY | KEY FEATURES | PRICE | |
SCRIVENER | YES, but difficult to accomplish and mobile only available on apple. | YES | Organization, Customizable UI, Great Formatting Options | $59.99, OTP (Windows & Mac) $23.99 IOS |
DABBLE | YES | YES | Easy UI, Organization, Easy Export/Share Options + Co-Authoring | Plans Available At:$9.99/mo. $19.99/mo. or $29.99/mo. |
MOTIF | YES | NO, but offline option in works | Organization, Formatting Options, Planning/Outlining Options | Free Plan Available or $12.99/mo. |
USER FRIENDLY | ORGANIZATION | CUSTOMIZATION | OVERALL RATING | |
SCRIVENER | 2/5 | 3/5 | 5/5 | 3.6 ⭐ |
DABBLE | 4/5 | 4/5 | 2/5 | 3.3 ⭐ |
MOTIF | 5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 | 4.6 ⭐ |
Please Note: This was an unsolicited review and the above opinions are entirely my own.
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