Plottr Reviews

Great. I've bought lots of bits of software, but this is one I open up EVERY TIME I sit down to write.

Plottr is really helping me finish my novel. I find plotting tricky and I need a powerful visual to help me organise my thoughts.

I use Scrivener to write in. I know it has a corkboard but I find Scrivener too difficult to use, (I still can't compile properly). Plottr is easy and I find they work well in combination with scenes and chapters in Scrivener and a colour-coded visual map of my plot in Plottr.

I can add chapter text to the plot points and I really like that fact that I can colour code as I have flashbacks for some characters.

It's simple, straightforward and motivating, as I like to change the colour to green when each scene is completed. I can easily see at a glance how far I am progressing.

If you need colour and a visual map of where each character is heading - this is for you!

Need to spend some time understanding how to do multiple character timelines effectively. I just focus on my main character for now.

Plottr is easy to use right from the beginning. It gave me a big jump start to outlining my story when I was struggling.

I love being able to visualize all of the moving parts of my novel. Organize everything from acts to beats. Track POVs. Create a timeline. It's great.

No major cons at this time. They are always improving.

Plottr's relational foundation coupled with its ease of use and ability to create and/or import custom templates makes this a necessary tool in my creative arsenal.

What drew me initially to Plottr was its visual design and functionality. I"d spent so much time trying to create a useful, visual-based outline for my manuscripts, even going so far as to custom-code a solution. But then Plottr had already done it for me. Its Tag feature, specifically, and the ability to create filtered views of your scenes has been key in creating more consistency when checking for theme, voice, and plot elements. I've also utilized Plottr in my day job, creating wireframes and workflow diagrams on the fly.

My con is no longer a con because Plottr solved it. I wanted more more robust structuring capabilities to create a true Act / Chapter / Scene structure. With its new Act feature, and nesting/tab views, Plottr gave me exactly what I wanted.

Easy to use with lots of available genre outlines. Updated at decent intervals. Responsive to user questions.

I am addicted to trying and using all kinds of software related to writing. I have used Plottr and I find it useful and very easy to learn. They also add to it frequently. I mainly use it now as a reference rather than consulting it frequently. I am revising and the layout on Plottr is great for referring me back to make sure I'm hitting the plot points in the various paradigms. My advice: definitely worth using if you enjoy software and very user friendly.

I have no complaints about the software. It's not complex or sophisticated, but it doesn't need to be.

Overall, I have loved it, and I highly recommend getting the lifetime desktop versions! It has helped me greatly organize my ideas and even see the flaws in my previous planning.

Some of my favorite aspect of Plottr is the amount of features it has; specifically my favorite of them all is the timeline since I'm a very visual person.

Personally, I think some of the features aren't very intuitive and so I had to look at the tutorial videos to get ideas on how to use them. I think nowadays having more intuitive features really helps apps become more usable and user-friendly. For writers, this is important because we don't want to waste much time learning how to use the features, we just want to write more!

Since purchasing my lifetime license, the developers have added one feature after another that continue to improve my experience. And much like a Tesla, these upgrades are FREE! Definitely, the Tesla of apps for writers.

I'm not really a planner, but I tend to want to organize my thoughts before I start and at regular intervals during writing. Plottr has been a lifesaver for that. And now that there are a variety of templates, the app helps organize thoughts and improve scenes even more. I love it and think it's the best writer's bargain out there!

I do not yet have the export feature figured out. While it exports to Word and Scrivener, I'm missing something in the process. They do offer great tutorials; I just haven't watched all of them yet.

Instantly loved feeling a part of the Plottr family, I feel supported in my writing by both the product and the team. I'm excited to see my project take form after years of not knowing how to grapple with my ideas.

I'm able to get a view of my entire memoir in one place, and I'm using it to help develop story arcs, timelines, and themes.
Great people behind this product, very genuine and helpful.

Different windows meant I lost my work on one occasion by closing the main window when I shouldn't have.

Really helps get your thoughts together early in either the writing process or the editing process. Usable on all devices but limited visuals on the smaller screens.

This is great tool to organize your thoughts and get them setup for writing! The timeline feature on a computer work well to show a lot of information all together.

The timeline does not work on the phone app as well due to the small screen size.

Good but just be wary. Seems to still be in working phases. For what I lost, not worth cost but there are so many features I haven't taken advantage of that would probably help that cost feel more worth it.

Accessible, easy to understand, simple design, makes plotting fun! there's a lot you can do to help yourself make solid plot lines, just really wish there was a way to make the timelines converge into one.

Wiped out an entire doc of mine, no recovery. I was disappointed but didn't know where to go to ask for help, or even if i could receive help. That's the only issue I've had in the year I've been using it.

I used to plot all my stories and worldbuilding timelines using note cards and whiteboards and sticky notes all over my walls (because I'm a very visual planner), but Plottr makes it easy to accomplish that visual planning in a more streamlined way AND have it all saved in one place so I can reference it anywhere and don't have to worry about losing any of it. It's truly been such a helpful tool for my story planning!

I love the visual nature of Plottr. I write a lot of multi-POV stories, and it is SO helpful to be able to create color-coded, visual timelines of my different story arcs and see them all in one place. I also love the built-in outlines with pre-set Beats--I don't always stick exactly to them, but I use them for brainstorming and initial outlines, and that's been a game-changer for my story planning. It's SO much quicker than it used to be, now that I can line up different beat structures, customize them to my story's needs, and see everything at one glance. It's also so versatile... For example, for one of my projects, I renamed the "Beats" into time periods for my story timeline, and was easily able to use the same plotting features to create a whole historical timeline for my story, tracking different characters and groups of characters over time so I can keep my worldbuilding consistent.

I had some technical issues early on, but those have been resolved. No complaints, currently!

I can't image working on a new writing project without Plottr. I've used it for novels, short stories and as a series bible--it does it all.

Easily spot plot holes, brainstorm your stories, and avoid going down plot rabbit holes! Updates and tutorials that help you apply new and existing features. Great webinars too.

I can't think of anything I don't like about this product!

Novels length editing is overwhelming me. Now I have the tool that can get me across the finish line.

Easy to move content around (lots of storytelling structures or a custom one). Great visual tools!!

No export to PDF/print to help w/large structures!

Since I tend to plan out my stories to its finest detail, including word counts, dates, time, and characters involved, having a tool to put that all together efficiently made things a lot easier.

The ability to plan out story threads to the last detail.
Separate bars for things like characters and locations.
Creating different lines for different story arcs.

There is a learning curve to working out how to make things work
Was extremely buggy for the first year, but most of those bugs have been fixed.

My overall experience is fantastic, honestly better than I could have ever expected. Plus, it's not only easy, it's fun to use!

I am so happy I found out about this plotting program! It is fairly intuitive to use, so you can practically hit the ground running with this one. Despite the ease of use, it offers amazing tools for helping you plan, plot and visualize your story.
The preset story and scene template options are a game changer, and the ability to craft your own templates means you have the freedom to craft your story YOUR WAY.
I've had this program for less than a month and I already feel confident using it. It's already helped me find places I need more information in my current project.
The only thing I wish is that I got this sooner.

Honestly? Very few.
My first issue was that the Story Circle isn't included as a preset for the scenes like it is for the overall plot. I like plotting my scenes with this method as well as the overarching story.
The only other issue is that you have to leave a scene to set up a new character, place or tag.
These are both really minor inconveniences, and don't really take away from the experience once you get used to it.

Overall, Plottr has gotten me through the first phase of my novel plan and I am currently working on part 2. I do not doubt that the process would be a lot longer if I didn't have this great tool. So far so good.

Very easy to use. I can get right into plotting my manuscript without having to go through a lot of tutorials. All you need is a quick overview and you can be on your way.

The Timeline is super easy to navigate and there are plenty of options to work with.
There are still a few things I need to learn, but I can do that as time goes on. Right now I am enjoying the ease of getting my novel plotted.

I like the character feature and have my photos and info all set up and the same is true with the places section.
Great overall.

At this point, there isn't anything I would change. I'm fairly new to Plottr. If I come across anything as I go, I will add it to a comment section.

I’ve unlocked the power of my stories with the Plottr Plotting App! A revolutionary storytelling platform assistant designed to create and edit story structure. View your story in three different view modes, or focus in on one chapter at a time. Plottr extends the capability to revise or create from a plethora of story structure templates in various genres. The story building and character building features are abundant, but revise them to suit your style. It boasts capabilities of helping you discover and fill-in plot holes, export to Scrivener, and eBook exporting. This software is rife with useful bells, whistles, and features that even pansters could use. Maintain your writing autonomy and check out this software. You owe it to your story!

The story structure templates and ability to revise, or develop my own templates;
The three view modes;
The ability to view everything exactly the way I write a story;
Once learned, it's smooth sailing!!

I only have two concerns:
1. It was a little difficult to begin using when first starting out. Needs clearer instructions.
2. Offline mode needs to be offered with both pricing plans.

I like using this system for the plotting stages. It allows me to see my scene outline in a visual manner, so I can balance multiple POVs and Acts.

I liked that I was able to approach the software at any stage. I could move around cards to see different orders of events (without my cat stepping all over my physical notecards). I could have simple cards with just a title, or complex cards color-coded and tagged.
I liked the different templates available.

I wish there was a split screen feature so I could consult my notes/character sheets while also looking at the visual outline.
I also with there was a more freeform whiteboard, so I could have floating extra cards before I plunk them down on a specific line.
Small nitpick: I wish the card sizes adjusted so words wouldn't be cut to the next line (displaying "Tournament" on one line instead of Tourname-nt) in medium size mode.

Plotting my books in Plottr saves me time, and enhances the creative experience. The existing timeline templates mark the critical plot points, making it easy to map my story's pacing to reader expectations in my genre. I especially like that I can view and develop different characters' journeys against a primary story template. Plottr lets me add in additional templates for secondary plotlines, or edit an existing template to meet the story's needs. The new character development templates are a great enhancement. Truly a pleasure to use.

Plottr's dashboard is clean and easy to navigate. The list of starter templates and timeline notes make it easy to plot out a story. The project window helps keep track of books within a series that share the same characters and settings. Customer service has been great, although I've rarely needed to use it.

This tool is largely confined to developing plots and characters. Although it allows the writer to take notes on settings, these notes only serve as references for developing the plot(s). It would be great to see these aspects of the software expanded to offer setting templates similar to the plotting and character templates.

Plottr is, from what I can tell, the ultimate story-mapping tool. It's flexible enough to store all your accompanying notes on characters, lore, and plot elements, then plug them into your scenes. Plottr wasn't designed to replace your wordprocessor, but with some creativity it could do so anyway.
Visually, I enjoy the timeline feature a lot, while the other tabs can look bare-bones by comparison. As a visual person, the other tabs leave something to be desired in that department, but are still totally usable, and even pleasant to use--just not as fun to look at. I suppose this could be helpful, enabling you to focus on function, rather than form. Though I admit I'm not a designer, I wouldn't mind seeing some subtle visual improvements added to these other corners of the app.
So far, my main frustrations with this software have been due to my own impatience, and slowness in using tutorials when I need to. Coupled with the fact that I can be slow to pick up on new things. But if you're like me, it is well worth learning how to use this powerful tool. Just use the instructional materials they provide you instead of trying to jump straight in.

This review was provided in exchange for a $10 gift card by the provider of this product.

- On mobile and desktop
- Visually appealing
- Places to track things such as places and characters
- Notes section with the flexibility to categorize things such as important items or lore for the story
- Good-looking and flexible timeline layout for your outline
- Built-in templates to help you stay on track if you want to try a specific storytelling model
- Opportunities to learn more about writing, through bonus webinars

- There's a bit of a learning curve, but this is because of the flexibility the tool offers: it just requires some effort up front.
- While the timeline tab has nice visual flare, the rest of the app can be a little bland. While still functioning and being "readable" as an interface, it's just not as visually exciting.

I love it and wouldn't know what to do without it. Love the helpful videos when new functions launch.

All my plot is in one easy place. I use it daily and am so glad I moved away from an Excel sheet.

Doesn't automatically save all the time. If I cut and paste, it freezes and won't let me paste. Not all issues have been sorted for Mac.