v0.22.0FreeWindows, macOS and Linux

Write the book.
Then make it one.

Vespertale is a writing studio for novelists. Draft your scenes, plan the timeline and keep track of your characters. Then typeset the pages and design the cover, all in one app that keeps your book on your own computer.

Download for your computer Take the tour

Phone and tablet apps are in the works.

The Write tab: the binder of chapters and scenes on the left, the scene Storm Season open in the editor, and the inspector with synopsis, status and timeline links on the right. The Write tab in dark mode, with the binder, the open scene and the inspector.
5 toolsWrite, Timeline, Codex, Format and Cover
One fileper book, saved on your computer
PDF · EPUB · Wordprint and ebook files from the same manuscript
No accountno subscription, works offline
The tour

From the first scene to a print-ready file

Each tab of Vespertale handles one stage of making a book. They all work from the same manuscript, so you never re-type or copy anything between them.

    Also included

    The things you'd otherwise need three more apps for

    Continuity checker

    Flags things that need a second look: events out of order, characters in two places at once, scenes that never made it onto the timeline.

    Series

    Group books into a series that shares one Codex. Line every book up on one timeline and see each character's arc across all of them.

    Bring your book in

    Import from Word, Markdown, plain text, RTF or a Scrivener project. Chapters and scenes land in the binder, ready to work on.

    Search everything

    One search covers scenes, synopses, Codex entries and timeline events. Use quotes for exact phrases and a minus sign to leave a word out. Ctrl Shift F

    Command palette

    Type to run any action or jump to any scene, character or event without leaving the keyboard. Ctrl K or ⌘ K

    Comments and revisions

    Leave notes on any passage. Revision mode colours each round of edits, red, blue, green and on, the way editors mark up a draft.

    Targets and streaks

    Set book and session word goals. A ring in the top bar fills as you write, and the stats page tracks your daily words and streaks.

    Focus mode

    Hide everything but the page, with optional typewriter scrolling and dimming of the paragraphs you're not writing.

    Updates and snapshots

    The app updates itself. Save a snapshot of a scene before a big rewrite and restore it with one click if you change your mind.

    Local-first

    Your book lives on your computer

    • One file per book.Each book is a single .vesper file in your Documents folder. You can copy it, back it up or move it like any other file.
    • Backups happen on their own.Vespertale saves a copy when you close a book and once a day, and keeps the newest ten (or up to 50, if you choose).
    • Sync without a new account.Point it at a folder that Dropbox, iCloud Drive, OneDrive or Syncthing already keeps in sync, and your books follow you between computers.
    In the works

    Vespertale for iPhone and Android

    Phone apps are being built now but aren't finished yet, so they aren't available to download. Held upright, a phone gets a layout made for your thumbs. Turned sideways, or on a tablet, you get the full desktop layout.

    • Touch layout for phones Designed
    • Android app In testing
    • iPhone and iPad app In progress
    • Google Play and App Store Not yet
    Phone layout: the binder with large rows and a menu button on each.
    Binder
    Phone layout: a scene open in the editor, with the tool bar at the bottom of the screen.
    Writing
    Phone layout: the timeline as a list of events grouped by day.
    Timeline list
    Download · v0.22.0

    Get Vespertale for your computer

    Free for Windows, macOS and Linux. Once installed, Vespertale updates itself.

    Windows

    Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit

    Installer .exe For managed PCs .msi
    Installing

    Run the installer. If Windows says "Windows protected your PC", choose More info, then Run anyway. This happens because the app isn't code-signed yet.

    macOS

    macOS 11 or later, Apple Silicon and Intel

    Universal app .dmg
    Installing

    Open the .dmg and drag Vespertale to Applications. The first time, right-click the app and choose Open, because it isn't notarized yet. If macOS says the app is damaged, run xattr -cr /Applications/Vespertale.app in Terminal.

    Phones and tablets: the Android and iOS apps aren't ready to download yet. They'll appear here when they are.

    Coming later
    What's new

    Recent releases

    v0.21

    A touch-first phone layout

    Menus on every binder row, a list view for the timeline, settings and preview one at a time in Format and Cover, and menus that slide up from the bottom.

    v0.19

    Sync between computers

    Choose a synced folder and your books follow you. Vespertale backs up your copy before taking a newer one.

    v0.18

    Palette, comments and stats

    A command palette, comments and revision colours, a reference pane beside the editor, and writing streaks.