# Plottr Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra

> Is Plottr the right Note-Taking solution for you? Explore 237 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice.

Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/264561/Plottr/reviews

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Plottr

4.8 (237)

[View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/264561/Plottr/alternatives/)

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Last updated June 3rd, 2026

# Reviews of Plottr

Ease of use

4.7

Customer Service

4.9

## Pros and Cons in Reviews

MG

Mollie G

AuthorWriting and Editing, Self-employedUsed the software for: More than 2 years.

“I love the tagging feature that allows me at a click to see if I have spread minor characters or subplots evenly across my story.“

September 8, 2024

MR

Malina R

AuthorWriting and Editing, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: Less than 6 months.

“Dealing with this company is like Customer Service used to be, before everything became automated.“

March 5, 2026

JF

Joni F

AuthorPublishing, Self-employedUsed the software for: 1-2 years.

“It worked brilliantly to create a timeline that carried over through my series and keep the character details within easy access.“

March 3, 2025

LB

Liz B

WriterWriting and Editing, Self-employedUsed the software for: 1-2 years.

“I have trouble using the Search feature, as it will bring up documents with the keyword, but not show me where the actual word is in the document (and some of my documents are a couple thousand words!).“

June 23, 2023

MR

Malina R

AuthorWriting and Editing, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: Less than 6 months.

“The people behind Plottr, the techs, the help desk, and the newsletters are so fantastic.“

March 5, 2026

FF

Fain F

OwnerEntertainment, Self-employedUsed the software for: More than 2 years.

“So, if you're on a writing roll, be prepared to lose all your work with no help for up to 2 days.“

April 23, 2025

SM

Stevi M

Teacher and freelance writerWriting and Editing, Self-employedUsed the software for: Less than 6 months.

“The outline / templates available with a click has been one of my favorite features of this software - it has opened my eyes to ideas for betting my structure and story beats according to the book I want to write appropriately.“

August 3, 2023

KR

Karen R

Artist and WriterArts and Crafts, Self-employedUsed the software for: Less than 6 months.

“I had to get rid of a lot of the text in the cards which was inconvenient.“

December 24, 2024

## Showing most helpful reviews

Showing 1-25 of 237 Reviews

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Most Helpful

Rating

Company Size

Reviewer's Role

Length of Use

Frequency of Use

Don T.  
Owner and Consultant  
Computer Software  
Used the software for: 6-12 months

### "An Essential Tool"

April 19, 2023

4.0

After having used Plottr for about a year, I now regard it as an essential writing tool. I keep it up on a second screen as I write on my primary screen.

Pros

The timeline itself is essential and easy to use. But the feature I found most surprisingly valuable is the ability to tag character descriptions with photos. Having a photo for each character helps me remember their physical characteristics and I find myself referring back to them often. I also use the Notes capability to brainstorm plot directions and keep track of background information and research.

Cons

I have experienced two cases of lost data, but to be clear, these were both in earlier versions of the product than I am now using. In both cases, the software crashed and all data was lost. After the first such loss, I began archiving backup copies every few days. I'm aware of one other user having a data loss problem, but that occurred when she was exporting data to Word. Her version of the product is more recent than mine.

Reason for choosing Plottr

Excel was an ad hoc solution that only very roughly served the purpose, not having been designed for structuring a book.

Review Source

JAG

J. A. G.  
Owner  
Writing and Editing  
Used the software for: 1-2 years

### "The Best Plotting Software"

February 13, 2025

5.0

Plottr has made my writing life easier, and I don't know what I'd do without it. There are other programs out there, but this one is by far my favorite.

Pros

I really love the flexibility of Plottr. Not only is it a great way to organize all my random thoughts into a cohesive plot, it has space for the entire story bible as well.

Cons

There are occasional bugs, but customer support is very responsive. Sometimes they contact me before I even realize there might be a problem!

Switched from

[Scrivener](https://www.capterra.com/p/180597/Scrivener/)

I still use Scrivener for writing, but I do all my plotting and story bible entries in Plottr because it's so much easier to work with and more attractive.

Review Source

Response from Fictional Devices

April 28, 2025

Hi J.A., thank you for taking the time to share this great feedback. We love that we've helped make your writing life easier. Happy plotting, Team Plottr

FF

Fain F.  
Owner  
Entertainment  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Buggy and unusable"

April 23, 2025

1.0

Overall pretty good. However, if at any point a software can fail to allow you to continue working, it's a non-starter.

Pros

Lots of great options and ways of working. Very flexible and intuitive to use. Well thought out.

Cons

It's super buggy. You'll be working on a project and then be suddenly unable to view any of your files that they save in the cloud. Customer service doesn't respond for 24-48 hours. So, if you're on a writing roll, be prepared to lose all your work with no help for up to 2 days. It's unusable.

Switched from

[Final Draft](https://www.capterra.com/p/210729/Final-Draft/)

Ease of use and ability to better visualize.

Review Source

Response from Fictional Devices

April 28, 2025

Hi Fain, We're sorry to hear that you had this experience. Sometimes support has longer queues over holidays or the weekend. We aim to resolve every support ticket in 24 to 48 hours. We're glad we could resolve the issue you shared. Thank you for using Plottr and sharing your feedback. Team Plottr

MR

Malina R.  
Author  
Writing and Editing  
Used the software for: Less than 6 months

### "If You Are A Writer, You Need This"

March 5, 2026

5.0

The people behind Plottr, the techs, the help desk, and the newsletters are so fantastic. Dealing with this company is like Customer Service used to be, before everything became automated. You actually get a live person, and they are extremely prompt.

Pros

I love this software so much that I purchased a lifetime license. I was a pantser, and I would always hit the 25K mark, sit back, and think, 'Now what?' Plotting my novel out with the entire journey of the main character, the next main character, the antagonist, and a second antagonist has made this so much more productive. I can fill in the blanks. I know what chapters go where, and I am getting it done. I am taking my MFA in Creative Writitng and have recommended this software to the entire cohort.

Cons

The learning curve was awkward for me, but six months later, I have it all sorted, so I cannot really call that a con. Just a minor setback.

Review Source

MG

Mollie G.  
Author  
Writing and Editing  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "I recommend Plottr to all my author friends"

September 8, 2024

5.0

Pros

The ability to visually lay out my plot has been incredibly helpful. With drag and drop functionality, I can move things around easily. Built-in templates help prompt ideas for scenes and characters. I love the tagging feature that allows me at a click to see if I have spread minor characters or subplots evenly across my story. I switched from using Scrivener to using Plottr for my series bible for characters and places, because I prefer the way it is set up. For some stories I have plotted by chapter, in others by scene. Plottr allows me this flexibility. Plottr is constantly being updated and the developers are responsive to user feedback. There is a Facebook community group for asking questions, as well as a lot of training available on YouTube.

Cons

Plottr has a bit of a learning curve because it has so many features.

Switched from

[Scrivener](https://www.capterra.com/p/180597/Scrivener/)

I still use Scrivener for writing text but for plot, character, and locations management, I find Plottr better due to its visual layout, as well as the ability to have one spot to maintain a series bible of characters and places.

Review Source

SZ

Stacey Z.  
Author and Editor  
Writing and Editing  
Used the software for: 1-2 years

### "Makes outlining so much easier!"

July 14, 2023

5.0

I’ve been very happy with it. It allows me to easily outline my books and even keep a series of books all together, which I love, because I don’t have to recreate all the characters and settings and notes, it’s just all there. It also gives me a quick and easy tool when I’m editing for someone to input the basic plot and see where things are landing and we need to move things around a bit.

Pros

Plottr allows me to lay things out the way my brain processes information. I like how easy it is to make changes and move things around. I had a novel that I was struggling to balance where I had a pivotal character coming in and out. I added a plotline for them and easily tracked where they were appearing and it helped figure out where else I needed to add them in so their arc didn’t get lost. It was fantastic.

Cons

The new ability to add acts/phases I still haven’t figured out. It wasn’t as easy as I thought it’d be and I haven’t devoted much time to trying to sort it all out. I think it’ll be useful once I dig into it, but it could be a little more intuitive to use.

Reason for choosing Plottr

It came down to ease of use. Plottr felt more intuitive to me.

Review Source

JL

Joed L.  
Writer  
Writing and Editing  
Used the software for: 1-2 years

### "Lost my entire book draft - all plot outlines "

July 10, 2024

1.0

Probably outsourced development - because we were told that regardless of "buying" a subscription through the app store - that technically didn't "count" for having an account....so when they randomly stopped supporting the app - all the data was lost.

Pros

Interface / structure, but doesn't mean much if it loses your data

Cons

It lost our data without explanation or word from the company.

Switched from

[Scrivener](https://www.capterra.com/p/180597/Scrivener/)

Established history of it WORKING! and Saving data. See \[sensitive content hidden\] reviews.

Review Source

DC

Dannis C.  
Author and Artist  
Publishing  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Plottr Is Very Helpful For Writers"

May 7, 2024

5.0

I love it. When I plot a new project, I create a new file. I write many series and interconnected stories, and Plottr helps me keep track of characters and scenes very well. I would like a feature where I can use one template's answers to build on the next, such as Snowflake Pro's ability to display my Step 1 tagline for Step 2's expanding it to multiple sentences, etc. I would like the ability to copy features between characters easily, such as characters that share an Enneagram type. I would also love to see integration with websites such as Pexels.com \[public domain stock photos\] and Canva.com \[graphic design\], to take a character photo into Canva maybe to edit or add border, or an interface to GIMP for editing.

Pros

Ease of Use Customizable For My Needs Fun Interface Useful Parts Collaboration between other software, i.e. Snowflake Method and Randy Ingersson Learning Curve is small Lots of Tutorials Versatile!

Cons

I wish it had more of the features I liked in Snowflake Pro, such as displaying my previous step for me to write the next. But, it is very hard to find anything to dislike about this software!

Switched from

[Snowflake](https://www.capterra.com/p/148267/Snowflake/)

Plottr is more customizable, and the ability to associate pictures with my characters and places is unmatched! I would like to see more export options such as .txt and possibly database or spreadsheet.

Review Source

SM

Stevi M.  
Teacher and freelance writer  
Writing and Editing  
Used the software for: Less than 6 months

### "An Intuitive outlining machine!"

August 3, 2023

5.0

I am a new writer, but also an English high school teacher. Holy smokes, this program has given me so many ideas to help not only myself write better, but also coach my students to do the same. Being able to see structure and break it down is so valuable to understanding why great stories just work.

Pros

The ability to visibly see the work easily in one spot (and the ability to move things around on the fly both online and in-between the computer and mobile versions of the Pro Account) has been a God-send.I never thought I would enjoy outlining or planning a book from a skeleton template but once I was able to see where key events needed to be and had guiding questions to help me push along my narrative, I thoroughly got excited in the planning process. What usually takes me months to plan-out in my old method took mere days with this program. The outline / templates available with a click has been one of my favorite features of this software - it has opened my eyes to ideas for betting my structure and story beats according to the book I want to write appropriately. Absolutely worth the price.

Cons

I am a note taker and love writing random ideas. I wish the notes section could be a bit more compartmentalized cause I have like 60 different tabs of notes for various things.Sometimes I find the program lags when I am copying and pasting text from one place to the next. If I try to paste a bunch of text between two paragraphs sometimes it won't paste in the place I desire, but pastes on the very top. Not a bit thing, but there's been a few scary moments where I got the "uh-oh something happened!" warning.I'd like to be able to register favorite colors and have them placed at the top for faster access.

Switched from

[Google Docs](https://www.capterra.com/p/160756/Google-Docs/)[Microsoft Excel](https://www.capterra.com/p/176574/Excel/)

I wanted a better way to visually see my book and have a program to help me outline structure better.

Review Source

JF

Joni F.  
Author  
Publishing  
Used the software for: 1-2 years

### "Easier to use than a storyboard"

March 3, 2025

5.0

I've used Plottr to plan and document three novels. It worked brilliantly to create a timeline that carried over through my series and keep the character details within easy access. I used to plot with 5X7 cards, a research folder, photos, and such on a giant easel. Plottr organizes all I need.

Pros

Plottr is intuitive and easy to use. It has many features and layers for creating timelines, outlines, notes, and character profiles. Compared to other plotting programs, Plottr can be used immediately without hours of instruction. I don't want to spend weeks learning a technology tool. I just want to put everything I need to refer to in one place.

Cons

At first, I wanted to create my own scene cards so I used one of the scene templates in Plottr. Now, there are many more templates to use with some based on the genre of the story. Other templates match popular workshop models.

Review Source

Response from Fictional Devices

April 28, 2025

Hi Joni, Thank you for taking the time to share this great feedback! Wishing you success with your three novels (and your next). Team Plottr

KR

Karen R.  
Artist and Writer  
Arts and Crafts  
Used the software for: Less than 6 months

### "Great Program for your Plotting Needs"

December 24, 2024

5.0

This program has helped me out substantially with my plotting needs. Although there are a couple of things which I’m not a fan of, overall I’m bet satisfied with my purchase and am looking forward to using the program for a long time.

Pros

I like the way the program is set up. It’s easy to learn and use. There are several ways you can organize the cards on the timeline which I really appreciate. The tag system is also very useful.

Cons

The fact that it did start slowing down one I reached a certain number of cards on the timeline with text. I had to get rid of a lot of the text in the cards which was inconvenient.

Review Source

Response from Fictional Devices

April 29, 2025

Hi Karen, thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We have improvements in the pipeline for the timeline view so stay tuned. Happy plotting! Team Plottr

RR

Roger R.  
Owner-Janitor  
Writing and Editing  
Used the software for: Less than 6 months

### "Plotter is just what I needed"

November 18, 2022

5.0

In creating the main plot for my novel, I am plotting the stories of each of my characters. Plottr lets me weave these stories around a main plot that links them logically.

Pros

What I liked best about this software was the concept, the idea itself, of a collection of tools that would make creating the structure of a story easy and fast. As far as I know, no other software does what Plottr does the way that it does it. It finally brings to the computer all of the aspects of plotting a story that I have been doing by hand for most of my writing life.

Cons

There is really nothing about this software that I didn't like.

Reason for choosing Plottr

I did not choose Plottr over any of the other software that I use, even though those others might have a few things in common with it. I chose Plottr in addition to those others because it does things they cannot do. It facilitates the quick construction of a detailed and annotated skeletal structure that is easy to follow and change and, more importantly, easy to write from.

Review Source

SP

Suzanne P.  
Graphic Designer  
Design  
Used the software for: Less than 6 months

### "Recommended for those needed help with Plotting"

November 15, 2022

5.0

I have used / purchased a lot of methods / programs from index cards to a large white board to Excel spreadsheets as well as four other paid programs (which I found confusing, complicated or just not right for me). I signed up for Plottr's 30-day trial, and honestly, expected the same results: a semi-viable product that just wasn't the right fit. However, not only was I impressed that the trial was the "full" program -- with no limitations -- it was exactly what I was looking for. Finally, I felt like I had a partner in my writing journey.In less than a week, I'd concluded this was the right program for my career. It is effective, easy to use, and very cost effective. It also works with programs I already use: Scrivener, Word and DropBox. Now, I am organized and back to writing full-time -- never getting lost, nor losing any past work.

Pros

PLOTTING can be confusing for some writers who have a great story to tell. I am one of those writers when it comes to fiction. Here's why:ORGANIZATION- this program allows to organize all my plots in one place. I am secure in knowing that my hard work will not be lost due to the automatic daily backups. Also, I can switch between my DESKTOP, LAPTOP or IPAD using the latest version that is saved to my DropBox.The various TEMPLATES, which offer precise details regarding Acts, Beats, etc, are immensely helpful in getting me through the Muddy Middle of my plot. Particularly if I have multiple characters and plot lines.PROJECTS can be a single book or a "series." I use them for similar writing, such as Short Story Horror. While the books are not part of a chronological series, they are grouped together under one umbrella.CHARACTERS, even in the "series" option of the project, can be assigned to a particular book, along with TAGS or LOCATIONS. The VIDEO and online TIPS are extremely helpful. It's like having a mentor at the click of a button.BACKUPS and EXPORTING are a tremendous plus. The program automatically backs up the daily work, and the ability to export to Word or Scrivener is a huge plus.

Cons

Honestly, I can't find one CON, Except that the product is new and improving, so at this time (11-2022), I'd like to see more YA, MG and Children's templates and/or specific Videos.

Reason for choosing Plottr

Plottr is far easier to use and understand than other programs I have tried.

Review Source

DM

David M.  
Author  
Arts and Crafts  
Used the software for: 1-2 years

### "Plottr is a lifesaver!"

February 10, 2023

5.0

I use Plottr to bring my story together. It's my research lab.

Pros

The Timeline and the tagging are essential to my workflow.

Cons

I don't really use the outlining feature as much. I use Plottr to help me outline. It's my idea board. I'm sure it's helpful for those who do plotting offline though.

Review Source

BC

Bill C.  
Creative Director  
Marketing and Advertising  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Goodbye index cards and corkboard!"

May 19, 2023

5.0

Plottr's intuitive interface and robust features are without parallel among all the other programs and platforms I'm aware or or have experimented with. However, the thing that impresses me most is the team you've assembled and how hands-on, responsive and dedicated they are. I routinely check for updates because chances are, there's one available. The software has grown and evolved at light speed since I started using it in the very early days, and at this point, I can't think of any major feature or function it lacks. You can really tell this is a product that was developed by writers for writers.

Pros

As I write this, I'm looking at the giant corkboard across the room, scattered with multi-colored index cards. I haven't touched it in months because the Plottr interface makes the process so much easier. Plottr is much MUCH more than a digital corkboard--it's full of features and tools that I didn't know I needed until they were available. It's got absolutely everything I need to plan your story and I keep it open on my secondary monitor at all times.

Cons

I'm still not completely clear on "series view" vs. viewing the project itself. Most of the projects I've created so far are not part of a series, so it feels like an extra layer that confuses me when I don't need it. Also, I'd like to be able to change the default font for ALL instances of text, not just within the cards themselves (this might be possible already, but if so, I'm unaware of how to change it). The current default font is elegant, but a little too "thin" to stand out for me. Keep in mind that I'm in my 50s, so it might be an issue unique to me.

Review Source

TS

Tauna S.  
WRITER-ARTIST  
Writing and Editing  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Storing books, series, characters, information"

May 12, 2023

4.0

I have used three or four other programs. Each of which does some portion of what Plottr does. They are no easier for me to use because nothing is intended for people who have disabilities, or even take that possibility into consideration. Frankly, with all of us writers out there getting older, and older, more programs need to take an aging population into consideration.

Pros

I like that I am able to include pictures with names and information in one spot. I also enjoyed being able to put titles and pictures on specific blocks, to show me how many books in the series I had planned with tentative covers. And I started plotting out the scenes of a book which helped in writing it in order. I usually don't plot, but this is a mystery and certain things have to come first, so it was good to have a place to keep that information in the right order like when you need to drop a clue so that no one knows that's what it is but it's there Etc.

Cons

Because I have visual issues, little token marks are totally lost for me when trying to find my way around any program. I need large readable words that say, this is what this does, you dummy. I like the idea of templates. I used a couple of them, changing them slightly from what they were intended. But I would really like to import my style of template, which isn't based on any of the current programs.

Reason for choosing Plottr

Not over, in addition to.

Review Source

Mary Y.  
Owner/Designer  
Graphic Design  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Plottr keeps my worlds aligned"

June 15, 2023

5.0

Overall, it's been a great experience. Before plottr, I always had to refer to a bunch of documents or hand-written notes which meant things weren't consistent in stories. Now everything is all in one handy place and simplifies my operations.

Pros

Being able to view my entire written world in one place from timelines, to characters, and more. It's very important to me and makes life so much easier to manage, both real and the written imaginary ones. Helps me to keep facts straight without dragging out other docs or books.

Cons

Don't feel as if anything is missing at this time.

Review Source

FB

Flossie B.  
Author  
Writing and Editing  
Used the software for: 1-2 years

### "Plottr Rocks"

January 26, 2023

5.0

Plottr has cut down on paper notes and notebooks and is more fun to use. It makes writing a book easier and more flowing.

Pros

The aspects of Plottr that are most wonderful to me include that it enables me to be more organized in writing my books, there are numerous genre templates from which to choose, the beats generally have added information and are not just top tier outlines, inspirational pictures can be added almost anywhere--a sparkling feature, I love seeing the characters lined up, I really like how additional information can be added to the Outline, the beats are flexible drag and drop, help questions are responded to immediately, how to videos are phenomenal.

Cons

Some of the functions are still a mystery to me--just haven't figured them out yet or watched the matching video. I'd like to be able to incorporate chapters over the beats to see which chapters the beats should be in. Pictures can be dragged but not repositioned so if a person's face is not close to the left side, it's chopped off. I like the drag and drop of the Timeline but have not perfected its use yet, made mistake and can’t undo or get back to previous.

Review Source

DB

Deborah B.  
Owner  
Publishing  
Used the software for: 1-2 years

### "MORE than a Plotting Tool"

January 3, 2023

5.0

Plottr helped me solve a MAJOR book organizing problem. I was overwhelmed with all the notes and ideas I had in physical notebooks, on my computer files, and as bookmarks. I tend to think visually so Plttr's format was the perfect solution! Yet, what makes Plttr great is how easy it is to create categories, attributes, tags and notes as a way to better organize my ideas. I also LOVE that Plttr was designed with the writer in mind. The templates and categories for "Location" and "Character" for example make it user friendly for writers. They get it! And they are always improving and listening to customer feedback to make their product even better.

Pros

What I love most about this software, aside from the excellent customer support and enthusiasm of the founders, is how multi-faceted Plttr is. I can use it for my writing projects AND for planning and organizing. Because of this, I now use Plttr more than any other program on my computer.

Cons

Plottr needs to fix the "undo" feature for the desktop version and improve that cut and paste feature as well. Whenever I try to cut and paste larger sections there can be delays.

Reason for choosing Plottr

I love to use Plttr more than Scrivener because I can visually see and physically move notes around easier. I can use Plttr not only for plotting (which it does a great job of, especially with their amazing templates) but also for planning and coordinating on so many levels. This feature is GOLDEN, because I can do more things in ONE place.

Review Source

ZJ

Zoe J.  
Author  
Writing and Editing  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Amazing Software for Novel Planning"

February 10, 2023

5.0

This is helping store my plot. It will also help with my editing process as each scene can be tagged, characters, places added so I can see the big picture.

Pros

As a writer who likes to plan, this software is easy to use and apply. The freedom to move boxes around, drag and drop means changes can be simply and quickly applied. Change streams can be altered to be shown in parallel, so you can easily keep track of story changes and how they will fit in. Character templates and ability to store external data like photos and links is priceless. Series link although I have yet to try it will be brilliant

Cons

It has taken me a long time to find a template that works for me and how to set it up. Now I have, I’m never going back.

Review Source

Zara A.  
Authro  
Arts and Crafts  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Plan, Organize, Personalize"

February 15, 2023

5.0

Pros

Plottr is a fabulous tool for collecting and organizing the information (data) that goes into creating a book. It's much more than an outlining tool. For fiction, you can create character backgrounds including context for each character. Templates create a story foundation which you can then customize adding timelines for character roles, events, etc. Notes captures and stores research. Everything is in one place. Easily export what you need to MSWord, Scrivener, and, for me, Ulysses. For non-fiction, Plottr helps create an outline that leads your reader toward the desired result you want them to achieve.Support is responsive and helpful. Awesome tool for writers!

Cons

Issues I had were removed with Plottr Pro. Highly recommend jumping in and using the Pro version.

Review Source

JA

Jessica A.  
Writer  
Writing and Editing  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Great product for authors"

June 28, 2023

5.0

Plottr has been a great tool in mapping out stories. Customer service has been very responsive and helpful when I've needed them too.

Pros

I like seeing a visual progression of my plots and being able to track what's happening as I build my stories. I also really enjoy the character feature. I use it as a mini story bible to collect key details about each character, which is especially helpful in developing a series with recurring characters.

Cons

I wish I could switch plot templates in an existing project. This would be nice if one wasn't working. It's definitely not a deal-breaker, though.

Review Source

SM

Steven M.  
Author  
Publishing  
Used the software for: 6-12 months

### "I'm a fan of Plottr!"

January 18, 2023

5.0

Plottr not only helps with the outline that precedes the first page I write, but provides a way to edit the outline after I complete a rough draft. I then have a way to easily track my narrative timelines, check for inconsistencies, and either delete tangential material or fill in narrative gaps. E.g. in the former case, if I bog down in composing, I pull up my Plottr outline to provide a prompt. As I write and the story takes on its own life, I can revise the Plottr outline so that chapters still to be written will connect to what's already done. In the latter case, once I'm done with a rough draft, I use Plottr to create a more detailed outline in order to check my timeline and interior logic.

Pros

As a writer, I have always begun a new book with an outline. However, Plottr provides a way to organize it to create a better visual schematic. It also reminds me not to forget things as I build and gives me places to toss in notes I might or might not use, placing them in relevant categories (rather than sticking them in the margins of a traditional outline),

Cons

There's nothing I don't like. However, I've not used all the tools (e.g. Templates).

Review Source

Frank C.  
Senior Consultant  
Information Technology and Services  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "A very clever way to work with story planning"

January 3, 2023

5.0

On the whole this software has really helped me visualise and play with my story ideas which has greatly strengthened and improved the result.

Pros

Plottr is very easy to get started with, particularly when starting from one of the many customisable templates, and makes it easy to visualise and experiment with story structure, while also providing tools to get words "in the can"

Cons

The structure options are still inherently timeline-based and could benefit from features such as stacking or manually re-arranging cards (see Scrivener) or alternative layouts such as a multi-row layout for a single sequence (See Save The Cat)

Reason for choosing Plottr

The flexible timeline-based approach and the wealth of immediately-usable templates

Review Source

Response from Fictional Devices

January 4, 2023

Thanks for the review! Unless you mean something else, you can already stack and rearrange cards – see here: https://docs.plottr.com/article/283-timeline-scene-cards

JR

Joanne R.  
Writer  
Computer Software  
Used the software for: I used a free trial

### "Perfect for this Pantser Who Needs to Outline"

November 2, 2022

5.0

I've been trying to write fiction for years and every time I started with a vague idea and began to scribble along, I ended up feeling lost. The look and feel of Plottr is restful and it seems to put an extra layer of creativity between my brain and the blank page. For example, I read many books on outlining and I have tried to outline a dozen times and each time I came up with a fancy plot outline I ended up stuck. It's one thing to know where to fill in all the turning points but it's another thing to keep the flow going. So I always felt constricted. Maybe it was just trying to use an outline that threw me off. When I try beginning and just telling the story as it appeared in my head, I also felt constricted. It was like traveling without a road map. A lot of the time, I questioned whether or not writing fiction was even a good idea because I couldn't do it as a pantser and I couldn't do it as an outliner. In Plottr, I can tell the snippets of the story as they blossom and I don’t have to care know that they're all out of order and out of sync and out of synchronicity. Basically, in Plottr, I don't feel like I'm working an algebraic equation. I am creating my story stroke by stroke.

Pros

What I like best about Plottr is that I can write a scene and not fret over where to place it because it's so easy to shuffle it to another more pertinent part of the story. Oh yeah, I can also flip from one project to another.

Cons

It all seems easy to use. I have no additional expectations or requirements of my writing program.

Review Source

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