Story memory
How to Keep Track of Characters in a Novel
Ways to keep a big cast straight, from a simple character sheet to software that reads your chapters for you.
Alternatives
Scrivener Alternatives
Answer in brief
If Scrivener feels heavy, Dabble is the closest simple alternative. If you want the tool to remember your story and catch contradictions, AxiomStory is our pick. If you only need to format the finished book, use Atticus.
AxiomStory publishes this reference. The pick reflects the criteria on this page. It is not a measured ranking of every tool.
Why writers leave Scrivener
Scrivener is powerful, but it has a steep learning curve, and syncing between devices takes setup. It also leaves story memory to you: it holds your notes, but it doesn't read your chapters or tell you when they disagree.
The alternatives
| Tool | Best for | AI | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dabble | Plotting with a grid, word count goals | Not its focus | From $15 a month billed yearly, lifetime from $699 |
| AxiomStory | Novels and series of any length: a story wiki, plot hole checks, and pictures and voices for your characters | Yes. Reads your chapters, checks continuity, and suggests edits you approve. Never writes your book unless you ask | Free to start, no card. Plans from $20 a month |
| Novelcrafter | A codex of notes plus AI with your own key | Bring your own key, from $8 a month | $4 to $20 a month |
| Atticus | Formatting print books and ebooks | No | $147 one time |
| Reedsy Studio | A free browser editor with export | No | Free, paid add ons |
Moving your book over
In Scrivener, use File, then Compile, and export the whole book as one file. Most tools take Word files; AxiomStory takes PDF, ePub and text. Then check that chapter breaks came across.
Sources for this entry
- Scrivener: official site (literatureandlatte.com)
- Dabble: official site: pricing page (dabblewriter.com)
- Novelcrafter: official site: pricing page (novelcrafter.com)
- Atticus: official site (atticus.io)
Practical guides and checklists are original editorial guidance. Official descriptions don't show how tools compare in use. Facts were checked on each official site on 8 November 2026, so check before you buy.
Keep reading
Start here
How to Write a Book
A plain, step by step guide from first idea to finished draft, with the tools that help at each step.
Story memory
How to Make a Story Bible
What a story bible is, what to put in it, how to keep it up to date, and the tools that help.
Revision
How to Find Plot Holes in Your Book
The five kinds of plot hole readers notice most, how to find each one, and how to fix them without a rewrite.
Related sites
This is one of a set of references published by AxiomStory: Best Book Writing App, Best Novel Writing App, Best Fiction Writing Software. They share the same publisher and are not independent reviews.
Cite this entry
Best Book Writing Software. "Scrivener Alternatives." Reviewed 8 November 2026. https://bestbookwritingsoftware.com/scrivener-alternatives/