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Kindling Writer
Free Fiction Writing Software for Plotters & Pantsers·kindlingwriter.com
Kindling Writer is a free, open-source desktop writing application that keeps an outline visible while drafting. It is built for plotters and pantsers/plantsers who want structure without rigidity, letting users import outlines from Plottr, Scrivener, yWriter, or Obsidian, or start from scratch. It offers scene beats as expandable prompts, a references panel, and export to DOCX, Markdown, Scrivener, or EPUB. All data stays local on the user's machine.
What it's for
Outlining a novel or screenplayDrafting a first draft from an existing outlineImporting outlines from Plottr, yWriter, Scrivener, or Obsidian LongformTracking characters, locations, and items via a references panelWriting screenplays with sluglines and page count estimationExporting manuscripts to DOCX, Markdown, Scrivener, or EPUBCapturing mid-scene ideas via discovery notes
Features 19
- Automatic silent updates
- Beat Management: delete, reorder, split, merge beats with drag-and-drop
- Blank project creation without import
- Built with Rust and Tauri for fast, lightweight performance
- Command Palette (Cmd+K) for fuzzy search of actions
- Custom Fields & Tags with hierarchical tagging and saved filters
- Discovery Notes for capturing mid-scene ideas
- Distraction-free writing interface
- Export to DOCX, Scrivener, Markdown, or EPUB
- Full-Page Prose Editing toggle per scene
- Import from Plottr, Scrivener, yWriter, Obsidian, or Markdown
- Light and dark themes with system preference detection
- Local-first architecture using SQLite, no cloud or accounts
- Outline-Aware Drafting with scene beats as expandable prompts
- References Panel showing tagged characters and locations
- Rolling Outline Mode with Fixed, Flexible, Undefined planning states
- Screenplay Projects with slugline input, page count estimator, and templates (Save the Cat, Hero's Journey, etc.)
- Session persistence (cursor, scroll, active scene)
- Smart Reference Auto-Detection (non-AI pattern matching)
At a glance
free tieropen source
TypeDesktop app
DeploymentInstalled (local)
PlatformsWindows, macOS, Linux
Fornovelists, screenwriters, fiction writers, plotters, pantsers/plantsers
CompanyKindling
Integrations
PlottrScriveneryWriterObsidian
Resources
Pricing
Kindling is entirely free and open source; no paid plans are available.
KindlingFree
Single free version of the app; no paid tiers stated.