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Write distraction-free novels in a local-first Electron app with no subscription, plain-file storage, and export to EPUB, DOCX, and PDF.
NEO organizes a complete novel as a bookshelf of books divided into chapters, with automatic numbering and section breaks triggered by keyboard shortcuts. Writers who want a clean page and a structured chapter list without switching between apps will find this workflow direct.
Skip if you write collaboratively or need to share drafts with an editor in real time. NEO has no collaboration or commenting features.
NEO exports EPUB 3 files built to KDP's table-of-contents guidelines, so the output is ready for upload without post-processing. The PDF export also works for print-on-demand workflows.
Skip if your publisher requires a specific manuscript format like Times New Roman double-spaced with an address block. That format is on the roadmap but not yet available.
Every file lives on your local disk in a readable format. There are no accounts, no telemetry, and no third-party servers involved. Daily zip backups give an offline safety net.
Skip if you need cross-device access from multiple machines or mobile. NEO does not sync natively, and the iCloud workaround is unofficial.
NEO includes a NaNoWriMo-style progress chart, daily word goals, and word sprints. Progress bars on bookshelf covers show how far you are from your target, giving a visible motivator during high-output writing months.
Skip if you track progress through an external app or spreadsheet and do not want redundant goal-tracking tools.
Writing apps built for everyone tend to serve novelists poorly. Generic word processors like Microsoft Word have no concept of chapters or acts: you end up with one enormous file, manual formatting, and no structural overview. Dedicated tools like Ulysses and Dabble charge recurring subscriptions and tie your manuscripts to proprietary formats, making it painful to switch tools once you are deep into a project.
Fiction writers also struggle with flow interruptions. Spelling red squiggles appear mid-sentence just as you find your rhythm. There is no built-in way to stash a passage you cut but might use later. Placeholder names and facts you have not decided on yet have no home, so you break focus to leave notes in comment bubbles or separate files.
Your manuscript library appears as a visual bookshelf with labeled shelves, cover art, and progress bars showing how far you are from your word goal. Shelves and books are drag-and-drop sortable, so you can organize by series, status, or pen name.
One Enter creates a new paragraph. Two Enters insert a section break marked with ***. Three Enters open a new chapter. Chapters number and renumber automatically as you add, delete, or reorder them, so you never adjust numbering by hand.
Drag any passage you cut from the manuscript onto the Darlings tab. It leaves the manuscript but is not deleted. When you want it back, Darlings restores it to the exact position it came from, so cut material stays recoverable without cluttering the main text.
Press Command-Shift-X anywhere in the manuscript to drop a placeholder mark and sticky note for a name, date, or fact you have not decided yet. A red dot appears on every chapter with an open placeholder, and the right panel lists all of them so nothing slips through.
Export to EPUB 3 with a proper table of contents built to Kindle Direct Publishing guidelines, Word .docx, PDF, HTML, markdown, and plain text. You can also email a timestamped PDF snapshot to yourself, with a SHA-256 fingerprint of the text included in the email body.
Every change is saved continuously. Daily zip backups are kept for two weeks. All files live in ~/Documents/NEO Library as one folder per book, with chapters stored as readable HTML and metadata as JSON, so any text editor can open them independently.
Ulysses is a subscription writing app for macOS and iOS that organizes writing into sheets and groups, with iCloud sync and a recurring fee. NEO is MIT licensed, free, and local-first, with no subscription model.
| Feature | NEO | Ulysses |
|---|---|---|
| License | MIT (free) | Proprietary |
| Self-hosting | Local-only, no server needed | Cloud-backed (iCloud) |
| Subscription | None | Paid subscription |
| Platforms | macOS, Windows | macOS, iOS |
| File format | Readable HTML + JSON | Proprietary database |
NEO is the better choice for writers who want to own their files in a readable format and pay nothing. Ulysses' iCloud sync and iOS app are meaningful advantages for writers who move between Mac and iPhone and are willing to pay for that convenience.
iA Writer is a paid Markdown editor focused on distraction-free writing with a clean interface. NEO targets novelists specifically, adding chapter management, a bookshelf library, and fiction-focused features that iA Writer does not offer.
| Feature | NEO | iA Writer |
|---|---|---|
| License | MIT (free) | Proprietary |
| Purchase model | Free | One-time purchase |
| Chapter management | Yes (auto-numbering) | No native concept |
| Bookshelf library | Yes | No |
| Export | EPUB, DOCX, PDF, markdown | Markdown, DOCX, PDF |
If you are writing long-form fiction with multiple chapters, NEO's structural features make it more suited to novels than iA Writer's document-centric model. iA Writer remains the stronger choice for essays, articles, and non-fiction writing where Markdown-native formatting and multi-device sync matter.
Dabble is a subscription cloud writing app designed for novelists, with plot grids, goal tracking, and sync across devices. NEO covers similar fiction-focused territory at no cost but without the cloud features.
| Feature | NEO | Dabble |
|---|---|---|
| License | MIT (free) | Proprietary |
| Subscription | None | Paid subscription |
| Cloud sync | None (local files) | Yes |
| Plot grid | No | Yes |
NEO wins on cost and data ownership. Dabble wins on cross-device access and its plot-planning grid. Writers who need to draft from both a laptop and a phone will find Dabble's sync more practical. Writers who draft on one machine and want zero recurring cost will prefer NEO.
Build from source using Node.js and npm install, or download a pre-built installer from the GitHub releases page for macOS or Windows.
```bash
git clone https://github.com/hughhowey/neo.git
cd neo
npm install
npm start
```Yes. NEO is MIT licensed and free to download, use, and modify. There are no paid tiers, no subscription, and no account required. The installer is available from the GitHub releases page for macOS and Windows.
Not natively. NEO stores files locally in ~/Documents/NEO Library. The README suggests putting that folder in iCloud for macOS users who want a backup, but there is no built-in cross-device sync. Writers working on multiple machines need to manage file transfer themselves.
NEO exports to EPUB 3 (with a table of contents built to KDP guidelines), Word .docx, PDF, HTML, markdown, and plain text. You can also email a timestamped PDF snapshot to yourself, with a SHA-256 fingerprint of the text included in the email body.
NEO imports .docx, .txt, and .md files, with automatic detection of chapters and scene breaks. The README notes this feature is 'still a bit rough' and may require manual cleanup for manuscripts with complex formatting. Simple chapter-based documents import cleanly.
No. NEO currently ships installers for macOS (Intel and Apple Silicon .dmg files) and Windows (.exe). There is no Linux package. Users who want to run it on Linux would need to build from source using Node.js, but there is no official Linux support or packaging.
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