Memoir writing software
Write your memoir in Novlr
Everyone has a story only they can tell. Novlr gives you a calm, distraction-free space to remember, organise, and write yours, with everything you need to publish it when you're ready.
Free. No credit card required.
"I'm always in a different place with a different device, and it is essential that I can just pick up where I left off. I wrote on my desktop, left home to get my kid and continued with my iPad."
@steveHNH
"I love Novlr because it just works from the get-go. I didn't need a huge, in-depth tutorial - I learned how to make a project, found the button to add a new chapter, and there it was: a place to write."
S. K. Eleton
Organise a lifetime of memories
Memories rarely arrive in order. With Novlr's notes, you can capture people, places, and moments the second they surface, keep them right beside your manuscript, and shape them into chapters when you're ready. No more scraps of paper, no more lost details.
"Love how @novlrtweets gives you encouraging little pop-ups as you write! I did well NaNo-ing this morning! Over 2k. So far..."
@jess_calla
"I appreciate the rare combination of form and function you folks have achieved. There are apps with more bells and whistles, but I found bells and whistles visually loud and distracting. Novlr is the opposite. It's the most immersive platform I've used."
Stephen A
Write your life story at your own pace
A memoir is written one memory at a time. Set a gentle daily or weekly goal, build a writing streak, and let Novlr cheer you on. A few hundred words a day becomes a finished book sooner than you think.
Start your streak
Your writing habit: 300 words a day
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Written in Novlr
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Finish it, publish it, hold it in your hands
When your memoir is done, Novlr helps it leave the page. Turn it into an ebook, or export a professionally formatted manuscript for printing and sharing. Your words are always yours to take anywhere.
Publish as an ebook
Export your finished memoir as an ebook, ready to upload to Kindle, Kobo, Apple Books, and every major self-publishing store.
Print-ready formats
Export a beautifully typeset PDF for traditional printing, or to hand a treasured copy to family and friends.
Manuscripts for agents
Need a manuscript for an editor, an agent, or a publisher? Export DOCX, ODT, or RTF files in seconds.
How to start writing a memoir
The hardest part of writing a memoir is starting. Here's the approach that works for the writers who finish.
- 1
Start with one memory, not chapter one.
Skip the intimidating blank first page. Write the story you tell most often, exactly as you remember it. Momentum matters more than order, and you can arrange chapters later.
- 2
Collect everything in notes.
Dates, names, places, photographs, half-remembered conversations. Keep a note for each person and each era of your life, so nothing slips away between writing sessions.
- 3
Write little and often.
Memoirs are finished in small, regular sessions, not marathons. Set a gentle daily goal and protect ten quiet minutes a day. At 300 words a day, you'll have a full-length memoir in under a year.
- 4
Don't edit while you remember.
Get the truth of the memory down first and tidy the prose later. Novlr keeps versions of your work as you write, so you can rewrite boldly without losing anything.
- 5
Share it your way.
Publish an ebook for the world, print copies for your family, or send a manuscript to agents. However your story goes out into the world, it starts with the first page.
Free. No credit card required.
Memoir writing questions, answered
What is the best software for writing a memoir?
The best memoir writing app stays out of your way. Look for a distraction-free editor, notes for organising memories, automatic saving and backup, and easy export when you're finished. Novlr was built by writers around exactly those needs, and it's free to start.
How do I start writing my memoir?
Start with a single vivid memory rather than your whole life in order. Write it down the way you would tell it aloud, then collect the people, places, and dates around it as notes. Chapters and structure can come later, once the memories are safely on the page.
Can I publish my memoir from Novlr?
Yes. When your memoir is finished you can turn it into an ebook directly from Novlr, ready for stores like Kindle, Kobo, and Apple Books. You can also export DOCX, PDF, ODT, and RTF files for self-publishing services, traditional printers, agents, or family copies.
How long should a memoir be?
Most published memoirs are between 60,000 and 90,000 words, but a personal or family memoir can be exactly as long as the story needs. Novlr's word counts and goals show your progress as the pages add up.
Do I need to be a writer to write a memoir?
No. If you can tell your story out loud, you can write it down. Write the way you speak, one memory at a time, and don't worry about perfect prose on the first pass. Honesty is what makes a memoir worth reading.
Is Novlr free?
Yes. You can write your whole memoir, and export it, on Novlr's free plan with no credit card required. Upgrading adds extras like advanced analytics, writing courses, and discounts on author services when you want them.
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Take the first step.
Start writing your story today. A memoir begins with a single memory, and yours is waiting.
Free. No credit card required.