Kindling
Kindling is a desktop writing app for fiction writers who want to plan and draft with their outline in view.
What Kindling is
Kindling is a desktop writing app for fiction writers who want to plan and draft with their outline in view. Scene beats can open as prompts in the drafting screen, or writers can switch to a full-page prose editor. Planning states include Fixed, Flexible, and Undefined. Characters and locations tagged in a scene can appear in a side panel with descriptions, notes, and custom fields. Kindling imports projects from Plottr, Scrivener, yWriter, Obsidian Longform, novelWriter, and Markdown, and exports to DOCX, EPUB, HTML, plain text, Markdown, Scrivener, Longform, and novelWriter. For editorial review, writers can exchange .kindling-review files containing tracked suggestions and threaded comments, then import feedback and accept or reject changes. Screenplay projects include slugline input, page-count estimates, and one-page or five-page DOCX treatment exports. The app stores project data locally as SQLite files, works offline for writing and review, and does not require an account. It is free and open source under the MIT license. Kindling runs on Windows 10+, macOS 12+, and x86_64 Linux; there is no mobile version.
Good
- Expandable scene beats and full-page prose editing
- Imports and exports several writing-project formats
- Local SQLite storage; writing and review work offline
- Editorial review supports tracked suggestions and comments
- Free and open source under the MIT license
Watch out
- No mobile version
- No real-time collaboration
Who it suits
Kindling suits fiction writers who plan their stories, whether they outline tightly or take a more flexible approach. It may also suit writers who want screenplay tools, local project storage, or offline editorial review.
Verdict
Kindling combines outlining, drafting, reference notes, and review in a free desktop app. Its platform limits and lack of real-time collaboration are worth considering if you need mobile access or live co-writing.
Plans and prices
From Kindling's own pricing page, checked 5 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Kindling | Free | No premium tiers · no subscriptions · no feature gates · Free forever |
The facts
Each one read from Kindling's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- AI
- Kindling does not use AI to analyze or interact with writing, and its reference auto-detection is described as a non-AI pattern-matching engine.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Editorial review
- Writers can share a .kindling-review file for tracked suggestions and threaded comments, then import feedback and accept or reject changes.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Export formats
- Kindling exports to DOCX, EPUB, HTML, plain text, Markdown, Scrivener, Longform, and novelWriter.checked 5 Oct 2026
- For whom
- The maker describes it as built for fiction writers who plan, including plotters, pantsers, and writers between those approaches.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Import formats
- Kindling imports projects from Plottr, Scrivener, yWriter, Obsidian Longform, novelWriter, and Markdown.checked 5 Oct 2026
- License
- Kindling is open source under the MIT license, and its source code is public.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Offline use
- The maker says writing and editorial review work offline, while automatic updates and optional feedback submissions use the internet.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Outline-aware drafting
- Scene beats appear as expandable prompts in the drafting view, and writers can also switch to a full-page prose editor.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Privacy and storage
- The desktop app stores project data locally as SQLite files and does not require an account or include analytics, telemetry, or usage tracking.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Screenwriting
- Screenplay projects include slugline input, page-count estimates, and one-page or five-page DOCX treatment exports.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Story references
- Characters and locations tagged in a scene can surface in a side panel with descriptions, notes, and custom fields.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Support
- The maker links to GitHub Issues and Discord for questions and contributions.checked 5 Oct 2026
- What it does
- Kindling is a desktop writing app that keeps an outline visible while fiction writers draft.checked 5 Oct 2026
Where it runs
- Platform limits
- The maker lists Windows 10+, macOS 12+, and x86_64 Linux, and says there is no mobile version yet.checked 5 Oct 2026
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