There are a lot of AI tools out there, but only a select few that actually work for authors, whether you’re writing fiction, nonfiction, or something in between.

Scratch that…

There aren’t many that are genuinely good.

AI in the writing world is still a hot topic, but that’s not the debate we’re having here. This guide assumes you’re at least open to using AI somewhere in your process (brainstorming, research, outlining, character development, editing, or even early drafting).

Most authors dislike at least one part of the writing process. And the right AI tool can help reduce some of that friction.

If you prefer to write without AI, that’s completely fine. But if you’re curious (or just want a clearer sense of what’s worth your time), here are the best AI writing tools available today for both fiction and nonfiction authors.

AI Writing Tools vs AI Models: What Authors Need to Know

Before we get started, I want to talk about the difference between an AI model and specialist software tools that use AI models.

Large language models, or LLMs, are like the electricity that powers an appliance.

The software tools, on the other hand, are almost like a “wrapper” that harnesses the electricity of the LLM. It's the appliance.

These AI tools are particularly useful when you need to harness an LLM for a specialized task such as fiction or nonfiction writing. There are also other wrapper tools for applications such as coding, art, copywriting, etc.

I also make a distinction between most wrapper tools and AI chatbots, especially the AI chatbots that are officially offered by their respective companies. For instance, ChatGPT is the chatbot for OpenAI.

Generally speaking, for both fiction and nonfiction authors, I recommend using one specialist software tool that uses LLMs and one chatbot to act as a kind of catch-all for all other uses.

How This Guide is Organized

• The best specialist tools for fiction authors
• The best specialist tools for nonfiction authors
• The best chatbots

Best AI Writing Tools for Fiction Authors

Top AI Writing Tools for Fiction (Quick List)

I’ve created a list of 3 tools that I believe are the best for fiction authors (other than the chatbots above, which can serve as a catch-all for your fiction needs). These more specialized tools are:

1. Sudowrite
2. Novelcrafter
3. RaptorWrite

Additionally, I created a video explaining all the different tools for writing fiction with AI that you can watch here (this is a personal project, not directly associated with Kindlepreneur, and posted here with permission):

If you want more videos like this talking about the practical uses of AI in writing and marketing, be sure to subscribe to my channel.

1. Sudowrite: AI Writing Tool for Fiction Prose

Pricing: $22/month for the mid-level “Professional” tier I recommend

Pros:

• Comprehensive feature set
• Designed with fiction writers in mind
• A custom model for prose-writing
• Simple and elegant design

Cons:

• Limited flexibility
• Not my favorite pricing structure

The AI writing tool called Sudowrite is a tool that's gained a lot of traction among fiction writers. It's packed with features designed to help authors throughout their storytelling process. These features include writing, revision, and brainstorming tools that cater to various aspects of crafting a story. It's pretty impressive, despite having some flaws.

One thing that sets Sudowrite apart from other tools is that it has its own model specifically designed for writing fiction. As of this writing, it is absolutely the BEST model for writing natural sounding prose. And not only that, but it has an intuitive understanding of scene structure and blocking that most other AI tools don't seem to have.

Plus, it's completely uncensored, so if you're into writing erotic romance, gratuitous violence, or gore, this is almost certainly the tool you’ll want to use.

Although it has some drawbacks. For instance, I'm not a huge fan of its pricing structure, which is a little expensive. Additionally, it's not as flexible as other tools like Novelcrafter, like being able to integrate OpenRouter to get access to all of the models. Instead, you have to work only with the models that Sudowrite has selected and provides.

So, if you're looking for a writing tool specifically built for fiction, Sudowrite could be your best bet. I don't personally use it as my go-to tool for brainstorming, worldbuilding, character building, outlining, etc., but I do use it for writing actual prose, thanks to the amazingness that is their Muse model. 

And with our link (affiliate), you can get 10,000 200,000 bonus credits to try it out for yourself, which should be enough to see if it’s right for you. Give it a try and see if it works!

Check Out Sudowrite Here Our Review

2. Novelcrafter: Flexible AI Writing Tool

Pricing: $14/month for the Artisan tier, which is the one I recommend

Pros:

• An ultra-powerful codex to store all your information
• A seamless integration of AI wit
• Ultimate flexibility

Cons:

• A monthly fee AND pay-as-you-go
• Can be overwhelming for some

Novelcrafter is the Adobe Photoshop of AI writing tools. It is perhaps the most versatile tool on this list, but as such comes with a slight learning curve.

The most powerful feature is Novelcrafter's Codex, which is essentially an innovative database to store all of the information about your book, everything from characters to important lore. These are stored in such a way that it makes it easy for authors to access them and include them in the prompts, so the AI knows more information about those elements when writing.

Plus, it's by far the more flexible option, with the ability to clone or create new prompts for the writing, brainstorming, or editing process. I've found myself using Novelcrafter for wildly obscure prompts, such as one I used to create a modern-prose edition of a public domain book (it worked amazingly well).

To use Novelcrafter to write with AI, it needs to be connected to other AI-generating APIs, such as OpenRouter, which gives you access to virtually all of the AI models. You can also hook it up to LMStudios or Ollama, which allow you to use models running on your own computer with Novelcrafter.

Check Out Novelcrafter Here

3. Raptor Write: Free AI Writing Tool

Pricing: Free

Pros:

• Free and easy to use
• Simple design

Cons:

• Not as powerful or flexible

Raptor Write comes from the folks at Future Fiction Academy, known primarily as a platform for learning how to harness AI for writing. It has the biggest advantage of being free, and not only that, but it's very simple to use.

And if you do find it difficult to figure out at first, there's a free course that comes with it (in fact, you get Raptor Write when you sign up for the free course).

While it's not as capable as a program like Novelcrafter, it makes up for it in price and simplicity, which for some authors is all you need.

Check Out Raptor Write Here

Best AI Writing Tool for Fiction: Summary and Recommendations

Honestly, any one of these three would be fine to start with. I think all three work for at least one segment of the author audience. Here are my recommendations:

• Sudowrite: for those who want an easy solution with high-quality output
• Novelcrafter: for those who want absolute control over every tiny element
• RaptorWrite: for those who are just starting out with AI

Best AI Writing Tools for Nonfiction Authors

Top AI Tools for Nonfiction Writing (Quick List)

Nonfiction-based AI writing tools are everywhere these days. And it can be really hard to sort through the ocean of new tools popping up every day.

That’s why I’ve narrowed them down to the top 5 that I recommend for most authors of nonfiction:

1. Novelcrafter
2. CopyAI
3. WriteSonic
4. Frase IO
5. HubSpot Content Writer

1. Novelcrafter (For Longform and Creative Nonfiction)

Pricing: $14/month at the Artisan Tier, which is what I recommend

Pros:

• Works for nonfiction as well as for fiction
• Easy way to store research and other needed materials

Cons:

• Requires some adaptation to work for nonfiction

Yes, Novelcrafter, despite the name, works for nonfiction as well as fiction. There are just a few modifications you need to do to make it work.

For instance, the Codex, which works so well for inputting your characters and locations in a fiction book, can be adapted to work for nonfiction by using it to house your research.

Novelcrafter is best for long-form fiction and creative nonfiction (like a memoir). For other types of nonfiction writing, like online articles and copywriting, continue reading.

Check Out Novelcrafter Here

2. CopyAI (Best for Copywriting)

Pricing: $24/month (billed annually) for unlimited credits and projects

Pros:

• A lot of great templates
• Good, clean design
• Good at editing text

Cons:

• Not great for other uses other than copywriting.

CopyAI is a close competitor of Jasper’s, and many would call it equal in power. It has one particular advantage over Jasper, and that is its design. The overall flow of writing and software designed is one of the best in the industry.

Like many other similar tools, CopyAI has multiple templates that you can use, and utilizes some of the same AI models that other tools use. In fact, it is not all that different from many other AI tools.

Unlike some tools, it does have a few unique options like a grammar checker, a sentence simple fire, and a verb booster, which are all useful in the writing process. In fact, CopyAI is a really good option for those who want to improve their writing in the editing stage.

It's also priced far more reasonably than Jasper. This is the one we recommend if you want something cheaper than other competitors, like Jasper, with similar output.

Check Out CopyAI Here

3. WriteSonic (Best for Marketing)

Pricing: $39/month (billed annually) for the “Lite” plan

(Editor's Note: WriteSonic updated and restructured its pricing plans in 2025, which has made it pretty pricey compared to the earlier version of our review. Before, the “basic individual plan” was $16/month.)

Pros:

• Great for short-form social/marketing copy
• Has a long-form assistant
• Affordable

Cons:

• Not the cleanest output
• Not great for longer content
• Not the best layout

WriteSonic is another great AI tool that specializes in marketing copy. If you write a lot of marketing copy for your your job or in your author business, this might be one to look at.

For example, they have templates for a variety of purposes, anything from ad copy for Facebook, to an Instagram description, to the text of a LinkedIn profile. If it's social media or marketing related, they probably have a template for it.

The downsides that I found when working with WriteSonic are mostly due to the interface, which is not as clean as CopyAI or Jasper. And while it does have a longform assistant for writing longer articles or books, I found it to be less than ideal compared to Jasper or ChatGPT.

(Editor's Note: Another downside would be the aforementioned price point.)

So if you have the specific need around marketing, this is one to look at, otherwise I would use a different option.

Check Out WriteSonic Here

4. Frase IO (Best for SEO)

Pricing: $38/month for basic “Starter” plan (you'll have to scroll to the bottom of their pricing page to find it)

Pros:

• Great for SEO research
• All-in-one content creation
• Amazing optimization features

Cons:

• Expensive
• Clumsy interface
• Tries to do too much

Frase IO is a little bit different, because it is not primarily a writing program. Instead, Frase IO is a program to help Internet marketers with SEO.

As someone who does a lot of SEO writing himself, I highly appreciate this. Frase IO will scan the top search results of Google, and give you an AI -assisted analysis of those top results. This helps you identify topics that you should discuss in your article, makes sure you have all the right keywords you need, that your article is long enough, etc.

Frase IO is not the first software tool to do this, but it is one of the most effective because of its use of AI.

And while AI writing is not its focus, it does have some AI writing capabilities to help optimize an article.

Overall, this is a solid tool for Internet marketers, especially if you write content for websites that you want to rank on Google. It's just not going to do the writing for you.

Check Out Frase Here

5. HubSpot Content Writer (Best for Blogging and Multi-channel Promotion)

Pricing: Free, with paid plans starting at $9/user/month.

Pros:

• Handles blogs, web copy, emails, social media posts, and more
• Numerous sales and marketing automation tools are also available
• Solid free version included

Cons:

• Steep pricing plans between paid plans make scalability a challenge

HubSpot’s AI Content Writer stands out because of its versatility. You can use the platform to ideate, create, and edit content for blogs, web pages, emails, social media, and more for free. Extra features are available through HubSpot’s Content or Marketing Hub paid packages. 

That means you get access to numerous other tools to promote your content across multiple channels, some of which include SEO and mobile optimization, content repurposing tools, as well as personalized email sequences, for example.

HubSpot’s interface is super user-friendly, making it easy to work on content across multiple channels. As for downsides, there are steep differences in pricing between paid packages, which can make scalability a bit of a challenge.

Still, it's a solid choice that's packed with tools to promote your content across multiple networks within a unified workflow.

Check Out HubSpot Content Writer Here

Best AI Writing Tool for Nonfiction: Summary and Use Cases

The right tool for nonfiction authors depends on the type of nonfiction you write. If you write long-form nonfiction, I would just go with Novelcrafter or the use of a Chatbot like ChatGPT or Perplexity.

For those who want to do more copywriting, I'd go with CopyAI, or FraseIO for those who want to do SEO.

It really depends on your personal situation. Ultimately, there are many more tools that do something similar. If one of these doesn't work perfectly for your situation, one of them might.

Best AI Chatbots for Writing Fiction and Nonfiction

How AI Chatbots Fit Into an Author’s Writing Workflow

1. Claude Pro

Pricing: $17/month for the Pro version (when billed annually)

Pros:

• Exceptional quality of prose
• Can accept and read books up to 150,000 words in length with a massive context window
• Good all-around tool for any text-heavy AI needs

Cons:

• Lacks several features found in other tools like ChatGPT or Gemini
• Highly censored

Claude is a little newer than ChatGPT, but it has quickly become one of the most important tools for AI fiction and nonfiction writers.

It's not perfect, lacking some of the more advanced features you'd find in other chatbots, such as Deep Research, voice integration, image generation, etc. But it makes up for it with its minimalist interface and quality output.

Its biggest strength is its prose. As of this writing, the prose is better with Claude than almost any other model, especially if you are writing fiction. Its language tends to be much more natural and human-sounding than GPT models (in general), which makes Claude useful for other types of writing too (such as posting to social media, crafting content on Substack or your blog, etc).

Additionally, most of the models that it offers have a 200K token limit, which makes it really good for analyzing your current novel, generating marketing material, creating a wiki, having lengthy instructions, etc.

Some of the additionally features that I enjoy about Claude include:

• Claude Projects
• Google Drive integration
• The ability to create and edit styles

Overall, when it comes to pure text writing, Claude is my favorite chatbot. Although this, admittedly, is due mostly to the quality of the AI models for written prose. If any of the other chatbots had better prose, along with all of their other features, I would likely prefer them.

Check Out Claude Here Our Review

2. ChatGPT Plus

Pricing: $20/month for the Plus version, $200/month for the Pro version

Pros:

• The most powerful
• The most features
• Access to specialist reasoning models

Cons:

• Not the best in terms of human-sounding prose
• Somewhat censored

ChatGPT Plus is perhaps the most powerful of the chatbots, at least as of this writing. It has a large list of features, features some of the most powerful LLMs from OpenAI, and has some additional tools that are super valuable to authors.

The downsides are similar to what you'd see with most other chatbots, aka censorship of certain NSFW content types, so if you write erotica or excessive gore, you should probably look somewhere else.

Additionally, I've found the prose quality of most GPT models to be somewhat lacking in readability. It often comes out as too flowery, excessive, or over the top. Some of the models have made improvements to this (for instance the 11-20-2024 version of GPT-4o had a “creative writing update” that made it better for prose). But overall, I'd say the other models in other chatbots like Claude or Gemini are better than the GPT models found in ChatGPT, at least for creative writing.

Some of the additionally features that I enjoy about Claude include:

• ChatGPT Projects
• Advanced Voice Mode (like having your own personal Jarvis)
• Dall-E Image Generation
• The ability to create and share custom GPTs
• Canvas (to edit output directly in ChatGPT)

Check Out ChatGPT Here Our Review

3. Gemini Advanced

Pricing: $19.99/month for Google AI Pro, $249.99 for Google AI Ultra

Pros:

• Good for brainstorming
• Great at understanding the web
• Integrated with the Google ecosystem
• Comes with 2T of Google Drive storage

Cons:

• Doesn't have as many features

Gemini is a favorite of many authors, both for fiction and nonfiction. While I don't find myself using it as often as the others, that may change in the near future, as some of their more recent models have been much higher quality.

While it's a little thing, one of my favorite aspects of Gemini Advanced (the paid version) is the fact that I get 2 terabytes of Google Drive storage. As an author in need of a secure and cloud-based storage solution for all my high-rez book covers, audiobooks, and such, this is actually a great deal by itself, and even better that Gemini integrates into Google Drive as well.

In fact, this is possibly Gemini's greatest advantage: it's connected to the Google ecosystem, which means it can seamlessly search the web and YouTube videos, but more importantly it can integrate with my Google Workspace, giving Gemini the ability to help me in Google Docs, Gmail, and more.

And it doesn't hurt that the LLMs that Gemini offers are actually pretty good. The early ones were notable for being good for brainstorming, and more recent models have proven to be decent for natural-sounding prose as well.

It also has its own Deep Research feature, which is one of my favorite AI features for authors, and one that I think ALL authors should take advantage of.

The downside is that it doesn't have quite as many features as some of the others, such as Projects, voice integration, etc. However, it makes up for this by offering the integrations mentioned above, since those are features that neither Claude nor ChatGPT offer at the same level.

Check Out Gemini Here

4. Mistral's Le Chat

Pricing: Free

Pros:

• Best free option
• Has integrated Flux image generation

Cons:

• Doesn't have as many features

While simple, Mistral's le Chat, is possibly the best free chatbot out there. Not only is the text generation free (at least for now), but it also has features like Black Forest Lab's Flux AI image generation, which is one of the best image generators out there.

The downside is, of course, that it doesn't have as many features as other chatbots, but that is to be expected since this is not a paid service.

Check Out Mistral Here

5. OpenAI Playground (and other APIs)

Pricing: Depends on the chosen model, with a pay-as-you-go pricing structure.

Pros:

• Offers all features of ChatGPT
• Highly flexible
• Affordable for many users
• Allows editing of previous responses

Cons:

• Pay-as-you-go pricing model

OpenAI Playground and ChatGPT Plus share a close resemblance, as they are essentially built on the same foundation. However, there are some key differences between these two AI writing tools that make each more appealing to different types of users. 

One notable advantage of Playground is its ability to edit past responses, giving authors more control over their generated text. Nevertheless, there's a limit to how much memory it can retain, so users may need to delete past responses if they reach that threshold.

The pay-as-you-go model of Playground presents another challenge, as it may cause you to use AI less creatively and iteratively, since you'll be charged for each chat. However, the pricing of these models is generally quite low (except for some of the beefier models), which means that for the same amount of usage you get out of ChatGPT, you might even pay less.

But the good news is that OpenAI's Playground is a far more flexible option. Not only does it have most of the features you'll find in ChatGPT, but you also get access to some more advanced features, like the ability to modify the Temperature, Top P, etc. These are features that can significantly improve the creative ability of individual models, and are worth experimenting with if you're serious about writing.

Side note: While this section specifically highlights OpenAI's playground, it's worth noting that both Claude and Gemini have their own versions, and the same rules apply there. They are both worth checking out if you want a slightly more flexible, but pay-as-you-go version of the respective chatbots.

Check Out OpenAI's Playground Here Our Review

6. Perplexity

Pricing: $20/month for the Pro version, $200/month for the Max version

Pros:

• The ultimate research tool
• Stays up to date with current events
• Highly customizable

Cons:

• None

Perplexity is not a writing tool in the same way as other tools on this list. However, I consider it to be one of the most useful, for both fiction and nonfiction.

Perplexity is the ultimate research tool. I'm not lying when I say I now use it more than Google search.

Perplexity will essentially research the entire web when you ask a question, then give you a succinct answer that summarizes what it has found, and also gives the sources so you can double-check its accuracy (which is almost always very good).

For authors of both fiction and nonfiction, having a simple research tool like this is invaluable. I use it all the time to research my historical fantasy novels, but it's also good for everyday inquiries, like what exactly is ashwagandha and would a supplement be good idea (an actual query I made)?

Of all the AI subscriptions I have (and I have many) this is possibly the one I return to most often. It's definitely worth the cost for a Pro subscription.

Check Out Perplexity Here

Emerging AI Writing Tools Authors Should Watch

AI tools evolve quickly. We don’t have time to cover them in depth here, but a few emerging platforms worth watching are Squibler, Dibbly Create, and Notion AI.

Squibler is marketed as a fast, minimalist writing platform designed to help writers “get out of their own way.” It combines distraction-free writing with light AI assistance, helping you brainstorm ideas, overcome writer’s block, and generate content quickly. Some users love the streamlined interface and “flow mode,” which nudges you forward without overthinking. However, it's still early days. Feature depth is limited, and editing tools lag behind more established platforms.

To learn more about Squibler, check out Kindlepreneur's review.

Dibbly Create, on the other hand, takes a more ambitious approach. It attempts to guide users through full book creation with step-by-step suggestions and scene-by-scene drafting. While the premise is promising, reviews have been mixed. Some writers say it offers a strong planning system, but others report issues with narrative cohesion and over-reliance on AI-generated filler. Like many new tools, it may work better as a supplement than a standalone writing solution.

Dave wrote a deep-dive review on Dibbly Create a few months ago. Click here to check it out.

Notion AI has also gained momentum… not as a traditional writing app, but as an all-in-one workspace with surprisingly capable built-in AI. Many writers now use it for outlining, organizing research, drafting blog posts, and tidying up messy notes. Its biggest advantage is convenience: if you already plan chapters, store character sheets, or manage projects inside Notion, the AI tools are always right there. That said, its long-form drafting abilities are still limited, and it’s not a replacement for a dedicated book-writing tool.

As these platforms continue to evolve, we’ll keep an eye on them.

For now, they’re intriguing options, but not yet strong enough to replace the core tools featured in this guide.

Frequently Asked Questions About AI Writing Tools

Final Thoughts on Choosing AI Writing Tools

There are TONS of AI tools out there, and more are cropping up every day. Keep checking back to this article to see any updates, as this market is shifting constantly, and more AI tools are likely to rise and fall in the future. And if you're into AI, don't forget to check out our article on AI art for authors as well.

Additionally, I have an entire membership devoted to teaching AI to authors who are just starting out.

If you have no idea where to even start writing with AI, or even where to start publishing what you write, please check out my Story Hacker membership for more.