There are numerous novel planning software programs offered for sale. These include NewNovelist, WriteItNow, NovelPlanner and many others. They are essentially souped-up word processor programs that allow writers to keep the various parts of the novel in modules that are easily organized and moved around, much like index cards. Some have built-in questionnaires to help develop character or plot. Some function as text management systems that put together various elements, such as rendering chapter descriptions as a synopsis. You can also write the actual text in the program, though some writers prefer to use Word or another standard program for this and use the software just for organization. Most of these commercial products offer a demo download and a trial period with a money-back guarantee.
As in other fields, novel planning has attracted some software writers willing to make their programs available for free. One popular program developed by Simon Haynes, a software programmer who is himself a novelist, is yWriter, which has gone through several versions. It offers such features as a timer, so that you can enter the time of each scene, and you can make sure a day has only 24 hours or two scenes don’t overlap in time. It tracks point of view so that the novelist can see if there is a balance through the book. Writers who have used it claim it is very user-friendly and every bit as functional as commercial programs, according to the yWriter website.
One novelist with a Ph.D. in physics has popularized the “snowflake method” of novel planning and written a software program to help writers with it. Randy Ingermanson, author of the book “Writing Fiction for Dummies,” applies a layering method used by programmers to develop the characters and plot of a novel. This expert says it is better to design the novel before writing, rather than wasting time with a rambling first draft, and building up the level of detail in successive stages is the best way to do that.