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.
• Edwina, the built-in AI scene editor: An optional AI layer reads a scene and returns immediate, scene-specific feedback on goal, conflict, tension, and structure, surfacing the key Story Elements it detects. Fictionary positions Edwina as an evaluator, not a generator — it assesses what you wrote and won't suggest story ideas or draft prose for you.
• 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 on monthly billing, or $168/year annually — a $14/month equivalent that saves $60. StoryTeller Premium adds unlimited Fictionary Live! writing and editing courses taught by Certified StoryCoach instructors, plus track changes and comments, and costs $39/month or $348/year (a $29/month equivalent, saving $120). Be careful reading Fictionary's pricing page: it leads with the annual-equivalent rate, so the "$29" shown against Premium is the annual figure, not the monthly one. A 7-day free trial is available with no credit card required. StoryCoach, aimed at professional editors rather than authors, costs $49/month or $396/year (a $33/month equivalent, saving 33%).

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#

• Still expects real manual input: Even with Edwina, Fictionary is not a one-click analyzer. The AI evaluates a scene on demand, but the framework assumes you read each scene and confirm or complete the Story Elements yourself. For a 30-chapter novel, this remains a substantial time investment.
• Manuscript limits per plan: StoryTeller allows work on 3 manuscripts at a time; Premium raises the cap to 10. Series authors juggling more than three books concurrently will outgrow the standard plan.
• 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.