Atticus Writing App: Is it Worth the Money?

[@WriterSanctuary]

It's a decent platform. Still trying to justify the price, though. What do you think?

[@HelenaCross]

It is cheaper then Vellum which is a similar formatting program.

[@WriterSanctuary]

@@HelenaCross Vellum is about $50 more than Atticus at $199 and Atticus is $149. Both are one-time fees, so that's good. However, Vellum is also limited to Mac computers only, where as Atticus is web-based, meaning it should work on any operating system that has a web browser.

[@HelenaCross]

@@WriterSanctuary There’s also an additional cost if you want to do both ebook and paperback in Vellum. Which in total makes Vellum about 200 or so to be able to format both versions of a project. I looked into Vellum and didn’t like the idea of paying extra to just have another format of a file.

[@WriterSanctuary]

@@HelenaCross Yeah, that doesn't sound great. I hate it when companies do that. Recently, I used Reedsy to produce the eBook and Paperback version of my latest book for free. But Atticus has way better formatting options. I'm debating using it for the hardcover version.

[@SG-wu2zy]

From my perspective, it's definitely worth the money, Michael. I spent more than $200 on a formatter. Admittedly, it was my error in having to re-do parts of the book a few times, so I ended up re-submitting the manuscript to format it multiple times, which was the reason for my high cost. In hindsight, if I had this product it would have paid for itself in one use lol. Thus, I think the cost is justified.

[@hdtravel1]

A BIG advantage to Atticus is that because it is a Website ( cloud based ) it works on any operating system ( Windows - MacOS - Linux - iOS - Android ) - no software to install and if your laptop gets run over by a semi - no biggie because all your work is in the cloud. Downside could be - Atticus goes out of business so more more service ( hope you are exporting regular backups as you write ) or their server gets hacked and your work is stolen or corrupted. It's a very compelling product.

[@WriterSanctuary]

Agreed. You can work from literally anywhere on anything. I prefer installable products like Scrivener, but this one might have some staying power.

[@user-sp6qz5po3y]

I am VERY happy with Atticus. Their support is excellent and very prompt.

[@WriterSanctuary]

It has a lot of nice functionality. I'm glad it's working out for you.

[@user-dv1nn2gq9d]

I love Scrivener for the formatting while writing,(can't write in wraparound mode) double screen, and more professional writing options, but I love Atticus for the user-friendly formatting. So, I have both. I write in Scrivener and format in Atticus.

[@WriterSanctuary]

I agree, Scrivener just has so many things you can do for writing just about anything you want. But being able to customize your book's formatting with the preview screen next to it is so helpful. It would have saved me a lot of headaches when I uploaded my first book to KDP for print. 😁

[@vultureiraq1168]

I should use Atticus for formatting as well ❤

[@adrianvanleeuwen]

I agree that having both Atticus and Scrivener apps would be a good choice, especially if you write multiple books or ebooks. I like your idea of write in Scrivener with notes and split screens and format in Atticus to see print previews. Considering these are one time costs on these apps, I don not think that it is too expensive. Which one has the best cover designer to calculate the spine size based on how many pages? Where do you create covers, in Photoshop, or in one of these programs?

[@ferguskidd]

The background music doesn't add anything to your content. It's only a distraction. Please consider future videos without this distraction. By the way, your content is great. Thanks!

[@WriterSanctuary]

Thank you...I think? 🙂

[@davidstewart8796]

I use Word for my Non-Fiction and currently am six months into using Atticus for my fiction. Like all software it takes a little getting used to and some features are hard to find at first but on the whole for ebooks I think it is a great tool. Scrivener is a long time software for me but it has a very steep learning curve and I could never get a export document to be how I wanted, hence the reason for Atticus. At the end of the day whatever software works for you that's fine. As to cost Atticus is about 4 x the price of Scrivener but it is lifetime, no more to pay. With Scrivener it is cheaper and you get a lot for your buck but when a major update comes along, not very often, a fee is due. The other thig I do like about Atticus it works with any browser and any device, phone, Ipad, tablet computer.

[@WriterSanctuary]

That's perhaps one of the highest selling points for me on Atticus. I haven't come across a better formatting tool for books. There are a lot of options available and being able to customize the layout is nice for those who want a unique appearance.

[@neosoulwriter]

I love the journals and notebooks in the background. very fitting.

[@WriterSanctuary]

Yep...I may have a problem with notebooks. lol

[@neosoulwriter]

@@WriterSanctuary cleaned out mine a few weeks ago. I can't buy any more until I use up what I have from cover to cover. lol

[@WriterSanctuary]

@@neosoulwriter Heh...I'll keep buying them. I especially have an affinity for leather-bound books at Barnes & Noble. :D

[@lilith3953]

I write in Microsoft word, because it doesn't force me to use US English, and has access to French letters (things that neither Scrivegner nor Atticus will allow me to do). It's also extremely easy to search and replace (though you can do this on Atticus now, it's just more clunky then Microsoft). I use scrivenger to store my copious research notes. And I use Atticus to format my novels, for which it works brilliantly. Formatting your novel properly so that it looks like a professional product (along with having a professionally designed cover) is a very very important part of inducing people to actually want to buy your work, and it's a lot cheaper then either Vellum (which also requires you to purchase an overpriced Mac computer) or than paying for a professional to do it for you. So, I would say, if you want to self publish without spending a fortune, then Atticus is invaluable for formatting your novel.

[@WriterSanctuary]

No doubt about that. I haven't come across a writing app specifically for authors that even comes close to the flexibility Atticus has for formatting. I just wish it had a better platform for writing.

[@legiontheatregroup]

New subscriber, really like your style of presentation and content. Thanks so much.

[@WriterSanctuary]

Welcome to the channel. 🙂

[@TheHourofWitchery]

May I ask out of the writing apps, what app/program is best for printed books? I want to publish printed books specifically and would like your opinion. I assume maybe Atticus? But what about Scrivegner? Is it as good for printed books?

[@WriterSanctuary]

Personally, I am a big fan of Reedsy. It doesn't have the formatting options of Atticus, but is a better option for actual writing. In fact, I created both paperback and hardcover versions of my last book using Reedsy. Scrivener is also a good option, but it has A LOT of moving parts, which can feel overwhelming at first. There's a bit of a learning curve to it, so it's not the best option for beginners; too many things can go wrong with it. I have a blog post covering my favorite writing apps if you'd like to check out the different tools I've used. writersanctuary.com/best-writing-apps-authors-self-publishing/ I'm always on the lookout for more writing apps that don't require MacOS. I hope that helps. :)

[@neosoulwriter]

For editing, I would be okay with the wrap-around.

[@WriterSanctuary]

It's not a bad way to write, I just prefer real-time formatting. Once you get the hang of putting in the paragraph spacing and such, Atticus works really well.

[@neosoulwriter]

@@WriterSanctuary maybe not at this time, but I am still open to buying Atticus (not the mental health app) next year.

[@WriterSanctuary]

@@neosoulwriter lol...yeah...Even Google's Bard AI can't distinguish between the two. In any case, I am writing Fury in Reedsy still and will use Atticus to spiffy up Skeletal before putting it on the site. Maybe it'll wind up being my go-to. Gotta get my money's worth out of it somehow.

[@Atom.Storm.]

I am tired of the amount of feature creep and bloat in scrivener and their compile feature is a nightmare to use. I am looking for something this simple. I want to write and get ready to publish, everything else is a waste of time for me.

[@WriterSanctuary]

I think that's one of the problems with Scrivener. It has a lot of available options and such that too much can go wrong with it. I used Reedsy to write and publish Kingmaker, my last book, for free. Perhaps you can give that a try?

[@somrajdutta8366]

hmm...but does scrivner have the formatting option as per KDP and Ingram standards...that could be a game changer when it comes to Atticus. Yes its expensive

[@WriterSanctuary]

There's no doubt that Atticus has a lot of functionality for formatting. Scrivener has a lot going for it as well, but is far more difficult to manage as a beginner. Atticus is expensive in comparison, but takes a lot of the headache out of formatting, that is for sure.

[@loveiseverything6568]

I'm also looking at Vellum. I know it's more expensive but I can download it and know for sure it's forever. Also, wondering from your writing experience and through your sales, is ipad really a device most people use or kindle? I want to be informed before purchasing/buying into any writer's software. You know? Thank you for your video- I'm doing research now re: writing tools/apps/software programs

[@WriterSanctuary]

@@loveiseverything6568 Actually, I've had more paperback sales than ebooks. Probably because I push them more often. A lot of folks seem to have great luck with Kindle Unlimited, but I'd rather not tether my book exclusively to Amazon. In the end, it all comes down to your audience preferences and where you want to market. I have a growing list of self-publishing tools on WriterSanctuary.com if you're interested.

[@loveiseverything6568]

@@WriterSanctuary Thank you! Wishing you a wonderful rest of your day :)

[@WriterSanctuary]

@@loveiseverything6568 You're welcome. And to you, as well. 🙂

[@sab6261]

I don't know what you mean by wraparound text. Ragged right vs right-justified?

[@WriterSanctuary]

I probably used the wrong term. The text continues across the entire length of the screen regardless of its size instead of having proper margins as you would find in something like Word, Reedsy, Scrivener, LibreOffice, or other writing apps. For some, that might not be a big deal, but I prefer having the margins by default.

[@lilith3953]

@@WriterSanctuary There are various different screens that you can use when you write in Atticus. One of them is a wraparound text, which I also find distracting. But there is also a split screen view that you can use where you see a print preview of your completed novel on the right side and write on your left side, and that is not wraparound.

[@WriterSanctuary]

@@lilith3953 That is an interesting prospect. I'll have to look into it. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. I didn't see a feature like that when I made the video, is it new to Atticus?

[@adrianvanleeuwen]

I like using Grammarly to catch spelling and grammar errors in my chapters. So far just using MS Word for this. Wondering if Grammarly would work inside of Atticus or Scrivener? Perhaps I should run some of the chapters through Word and Grammarly before copying into one of these formatting programs. What do you think makes the most sense. My english is fairly good as I am born here and did okay in High School English classes, however I am prone to some spelling and some grammar errors which makes Grammarly useful.

[@WriterSanctuary]

Yes, the Grammarly Chrome Extension works in Atticus, but not Scrivener. Atticus is a browser-based app, which means pretty much anything you can use in your browser should work in Atticus. In fact, I use the Dark mode extension in Atticus as well. As for Scrivener, it's a stand-alone program but does come with basic spellchecking built in, as well as a few other tools. I hope that helps. :)

[@davidstewart8796]

@@WriterSanctuary I use ProwritingAid and that integrates with Atticus, I am not sure if it is the same for Grammarly

[@WriterSanctuary]

@@davidstewart8796 It is. I haven't found a text field in a browser that doesn't utilize the Grammarly Chrome extension. It's saved me from all kinds of embarrassing writing mistakes on social media. lol

[@elaineash1557]

Dark mode is too foreign for me. I couldn't understand the video in that mode, and it was hard on the eyes.

[@WriterSanctuary]

@@elaineash1557 Sorry it wasn't bright enough for you. I find that I suffer far fewer headaches and eye strain with dark mode enabled.

[@jrustyshaffer5438]

Great video but I have a question. When writing in Atticus, how do I write dialog? Let's two people are talking. Do I hit return and indent when the other person speaks? Or, do I simply slam the end quote and the next quote together and will Atticus separate that onto another line and indent? Thanks.

[@WriterSanctuary]

@@jrustyshaffer5438 When I write dialogue, I'll hit enter, and then start and end with the quotes. It looks a bit odd, but Atticus puts it together nicely in the formatting. There was also an option in the settings for Atticus to indent automatically for new paragraphs, but I'm not at my desk at the moment to point you to where it is. I hope that helps.

[@jrustyshaffer5438]

@@WriterSanctuary Hi Michael, Thanks, that's a huge help - I know it's maybe an elementary question but I'm trying to import my word doc and get it into Atticus and Atticus is simply word wrapping the whole book. Huge hassle. Yes, I did follow their import guidelines. I want to like this program! But they need to fix/explain just a few things better. Anyway, even though your video is 11 months old and Atticus has just had an update, it was still very relevant and good and has helped as has your reply. Thanks so much.

[@WriterSanctuary]

@@jrustyshaffer5438 You're very welcome. I plan on doing a few more Atticus-related videos in the near future. In fact, I'm formatting my latest book in a video as soon as the edits are done. Anyway, it's no problem at all. And I agree...I wish the writing part of Atticus was more like Reedsy. Atticus can be quite fickle when it comes to how certain docs are formatted.

[@jrustyshaffer5438]

@@WriterSanctuary I can only hope that $147 will stretched by welcoming new features soon. It's got potential for sure. Word was no picnic and importing into Atticus is not (yet) as easy as they claim, but I'm going to remain positive and keep working with it and their support team. I subscribed to your channel, so I'll get the notifications about your experience with it also - all the best!!!!

[@WriterSanctuary]

@@jrustyshaffer5438 Thank you. That was one of my hangups as well. $147 is a bit spendy compared to alternatives. However, Atticus has one of the most elaborate formatting systems I've seen for setting up books. We'll just cross our fingers and hope for the best. lol Have a great week.

[@RockyMountainCritters]

Can you add pictures?

[@WriterSanctuary]

Yes. But it really depends on what you're trying to accomplish. For instance, it doesn't work well for something like an image collage unless you make it in Photoshop first and upload the entire image. So, Atticus wouldn't work all that great for a magazine-type layout. However, you can easily upload images to Atticus from the navigation bar at the top. I hope this helps.

[@RockyMountainCritters]

Can you do a video on making a book cover with Atticus?

[@WriterSanctuary]

@@RockyMountainCritters Unfortunately, Atticus doesn't have book cover capability. It only helps with writing and formatting the book. You'll have to use other apps such as Canva, Photoshop, Gimp, Book Brush, or any other graphic design program. If you're publishing through Amazon, you can use the free "Cover Creator," but it is a bit of a pain to use.

[@neosoulwriter]

That sucks that Book Brush doesn't come with the paid version.

[@WriterSanctuary]

Well, you get 15 free images when you sign up. But I prefer using Photoshop or Canva anyway.

[@neosoulwriter]

@@WriterSanctuary I am using Canva at the moment. I am trying to get into Photoshop.

[@WriterSanctuary]

@@neosoulwriter I love Canva. Been using it for a VERY long time. But, I've been using Photoshop since 1995, so there is that. Still, you gotta find what works best for your needs.

[@davidstewart8796]

Book Brush is a different company but it integrates with Atticus. I use Book Brush a lot and so it works for me. The down side to Book Brush is that it is a yearly licence, Atticus is a one off fee.

[@AndrewRusherLDS]

Are there any good free programs that I can download? I'm looking for one that I can use offline & online.

[@WriterSanctuary]

Unfortunately, I haven't come across a "good" writing app that is offline and free. Well, there's LibreOffice, but it's just a Word clone. I'm still looking, though. Always adding more to my list of tools. 🙂

[@AndrewRusherLDS]

@@WriterSanctuary I believe I watched a video about a program that had an online & offline option but I think it was pay for what you want so you could buy everything or just the stuff that you needed. I can't remember the video or what the program was called but I have been looking.

[@WriterSanctuary]

@@AndrewRusherLDS I know of several web-based apps that have a similar set up. Just none that are installable that are free to use. I'd be interested to know if you can find it again, though.

[@AndrewRusherLDS]

@@WriterSanctuary I think it is called Campfire. It seems to fit what I remembered & it has a free version which is what I was looking for.

[@WriterSanctuary]

@@AndrewRusherLDS I published a First Look of Campfire recently: kzbin.info/www/bejne/o4fahqV3osd4orM I don't recall it having more than the web-based platform though. It is kind of neat that you can pay for what you use, and it's great for those who love fantasy writing or creating RPG modules. I'll have to look into it closer if it has a standalone, offline application. That would make a bit of a difference for how I feel about it. I haven't published a full-on review video yet, but it's on my to-do list. :)

[@katendress6142]

KITTY!

[@WriterSanctuary]

Yeah, I'm often her co-host. 🙂

[@ThatsJustMyBabyDaddy]

It has no dark mode. 😢

[@WriterSanctuary]

Luckily, you can use the Dark mode extension for Chrome. There should be similar add-ons for other browsers, though. I use the same dark mode extension for Atticus as I use for Wattpad.

[@davidstewart8796]

Atticus is a web browser program so use your browser settings to change to dark mode.

[@haroldgoodman130]

The background noise you have used is very disturbing. A reason i will not subscribe.

[@WriterSanctuary]

And that is your right. Have a great weekend.