Fictionary

Fictionary is a web-based self-editing tool focused entirely on story structure. Where tools like AutoCrit or ProWritingAid analyze prose and grammar, Fictionary evaluates whether each scene in your novel is doing its structural job — advancing plot, deepening character, and maintaining momentum.

What You Get

• 38 Story Elements per scene: Each scene is evaluated across three dimensions — character, plot, and setting — using a framework developed from professional story editing principles. Elements include viewpoint character goal, conflict, resolution, tension level, and sensory detail.
• Story arc visualization: After filling in your scene data, Fictionary generates graphs showing your story arc, pacing curve, and character presence across the manuscript. See at a glance where momentum stalls or character threads drop off.
• Character tracking: Automatically identifies characters in your manuscript and maps their scene appearances. Spot secondary characters who disappear for 15 chapters or protagonists underrepresented in the middle act.
• Evaluate prompts: For each scene, Fictionary asks guided questions that prompt writers to think analytically about what the scene accomplishes — a structured alternative to vague "does this scene work?" self-questioning.
• Scene-by-scene reports: Exportable reports summarize structural issues across the full manuscript, useful for tracking revision progress.

Who It's For

• Authors who've finished a draft: Fictionary's value is in post-draft evaluation, not during writing. You need a completed (or substantially complete) manuscript to use the scene-by-scene framework meaningfully.
• Writers preparing for developmental editing: Using Fictionary before hiring a developmental editor helps you identify and fix structural issues yourself first — potentially reducing the editor's scope and cost.
• Authors who want objective structure feedback: The 38-element framework provides an external reference for what each scene should accomplish, which is more actionable than general reader feedback like "the middle dragged."

Pricing: Fictionary StoryTeller costs $19/month or $14/month on annual billing ($168/year). StoryTeller Premium (which includes live Fictionary training sessions and courses) costs $29/month or $21.58/month on annual billing ($259/year). A 7-day free trial is available with no credit card required. A StoryCoach plan ($49/month or $33.25/month annually) is available for professional editors.

Strengths

• Structural analysis no grammar tool provides: Fictionary fills a gap. No other self-editing tool asks "does this scene have a character goal, a conflict, and a resolution?" at scale across a 90-scene novel.
• Clean, uncluttered interface: The web app is well-designed and doesn't overwhelm new users. Built-in tutorials make the 38-element system learnable without external guidance.
• 7-day trial without a credit card: You can evaluate the tool on a real chapter before committing, with no payment info required to start.

Limitations

• Requires significant manual input: Fictionary does not analyze your manuscript automatically. You must read each scene and manually fill in the Story Elements. For a 30-chapter novel, this is a substantial time investment.
• No prose or grammar analysis: Fictionary will not flag a passive voice sentence or a repeated word. It's complementary to grammar tools, not a replacement.
• Fiction only: The framework is built around novel structure. Memoir, non-fiction, and short-form writing are not supported use cases.
• Web-only: No desktop app or offline access. All work is cloud-based, which could be a concern for writers with connectivity constraints or data privacy preferences.

Alternatives

AutoCrit ($30/month) addresses prose-level editing — pacing rhythm, word choice, dialogue — rather than story structure, and works well alongside Fictionary for authors who want both. Hiring a developmental editor provides more personalized feedback, but typically costs $1,000–$5,000+ for a full novel versus Fictionary's subscription.