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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/31445
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/31445
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

I'm doing some research into free and open source software for writers. The most promising candidates so far, in no particular order, are:

[yWriter](http://www.spacejock.com/yWriter5.html)

> yWriter is a word processor which breaks your novel into chapters and scenes, helping you keep track of your work while leaving your mind free to create.

[bibisco](http://www.bibisco.com/)

> Organize chapters and scenes, manage revisions, export novel in pdf or rtf. And, of course, write with a fully featured text editor.

[Manuskript](http://www.theologeek.ch/manuskript/)

> Manuskript is a perfect tool for those writer who like to organize and plan everything before writing. The snowflake method can help you grow your idea into a book, by leading you step by step and asking you questions to go deeper. While writing, keep track of notes about every characters, plot, event, place in your story.

[Plume Creator](http://plume-creator.eu/)

> This software gives you an outliner, a distraction-free mode, a note manager and much more!

[oStorybook](http://ostorybook.tuxfamily.org/?lng=en)

> open source software for writers, essayists, authors. Used from the draft to the final work, with oStorybook you can never lose the history of the field of view. oStorybook helps you to maintain control over the various developments of your story.

A comparison and more in-depth reviews can be found here [https://crawfordwriting.wordpress.com/2016/09/19/free-scrivener-alternatives/](https://crawfordwriting.wordpress.com/2016/09/19/free-scrivener-alternatives/)

I'm not sure yet which have in-built version control, but any of these in conjunction with a version control system might provide the solution you are after, before you embark on your own project.

Original score: 5