Write the chapters
Chapters and drafts
From spoken conversation to a chapter that is actually in the book.
What it is
Chapters are the parts of your finished manuscript. Prose drafted in the conversation does not become a chapter until you press Save to Chapter, which appends it to the chapter you are currently in. That chapter has a live draft you can read and edit while you work, a status, and a word count. Moving to a new chapter triggers a transition that summarises what came before, so the next stretch of writing starts with the story fresh in view rather than cold.
Where to find it: Workspace → chapter bar under the header. On phones: the Book tab in the bottom navigation.
What this covers
- Save to Chapter from any AI reply
- Live chapter draft panel
- Inline AI actions on selected text
- Chapter navigation with status badges
- Chapter transitions: minimal, guided or full
- Previous-chapter summary when you move on
- Gap warnings between chapters
- Editable word count goal
- Chapter split and merge
- Full-screen chapter reader
- Whole-book preview with page turns
- Marking a chapter complete
How to use it
- 1
Draft prose in the conversation
In Writing mode, ask for the scene. The prose appears as a reply, not yet in your book.
- 2
Save it to the chapter
Press Save to Chapter on that reply. It is appended to the current chapter and appears in the chapter draft.
- 3
Shape it in the draft panel
The Chapter Draft tab shows the live chapter. Select any passage for inline AI actions — improve, expand, shorten, rewrite — or edit it by hand.
- 4
Watch the word count
The header badge shows words against your goal. Click it to change the goal at any time.
- 5
Move to the next chapter
Use the chapter navigation. Depending on your transition setting you get an instant switch, a summary of what came before, or a full handover including open plot threads.
- 6
Finish the chapter when it is done
Press Finish Chapter to open the finalize flow — review, polish and mark it complete. Completed chapters show a green badge in the navigation.
What it gives you
Nothing enters your book by accident
Every word in the manuscript got there because you pressed Save. Conversation stays conversation until you decide otherwise.
You can see the chapter growing
The draft panel shows the real chapter as it accumulates, so you are never writing blind into a buffer you cannot see.
Starting a new chapter is not a cold start
Transitions carry a summary of the previous chapter and, in full mode, the plot threads still open — so chapter nine knows what chapter eight was doing.
It reads like a book while you write it
The full-book preview renders your manuscript with real book typography and page turns, which is a surprisingly good way to catch what reads badly.
Choosing a transition style
Settings → Writing offers three chapter transition modes. Minimal switches instantly and generates the summary in the background — best once you know the book well. Guided shows the previous chapter's summary, its status, and a warning if there is a gap. Full adds the plot threads still open from your question queue, which is the most useful when you are returning after a break.
Good to know
- Save to Chapter appends to the end of the current chapter. To place prose somewhere specific, save it and then move it in the editor.
- Marking a chapter complete moves its open editorial questions to the backlog rather than deleting them.
- Chapter summaries are generated when you transition or finalize. A chapter you never finish will have a rougher summary feeding later context.
- Splitting or merging chapters renumbers the ones after it.
Questions
Can I write a chapter by hand instead of dictating?
Yes. The chapter draft and the Smart Editor are both real editors. Anything you type there is your chapter — the AI is optional at every step.
What does marking a chapter complete do?
It sets the status, triggers a final-quality summary used by later context, and moves that chapter's open questions to the backlog. You can still edit it afterwards.
How do I reorder chapters?
Chapters are sequential and are renumbered by the split and merge tools in the Smart Editor. There is no free drag-and-drop reordering.
Where do I read the whole book so far?
The book preview, from the chapter bar or the Book tab on phones. It renders the manuscript with book typography and page-turn animation.
Start your first chapter
Every new account gets a free credit — enough to talk through a scene, have it drafted, and see how it reads.
Get started free