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Working with Projects

Creating a Project​

  1. Click the "New Project" button on your dashboard
  2. Enter a project title and optional description
  3. Choose a project slug (URL-friendly name)
  4. Click "Create" to start your project

Your project is created with a default folder structure:

  • Chapters folder for your story content
  • Chapter 1 document to get you started

Project Structure​

Folders​

Organize your work with folders:

  • Right-click in the project tree to create new folders
  • Drag and drop to move folders and files
  • Nested folders for complex organization (e.g., Act 1 > Chapter 1 > Scenes)

Documents​

Create different types of documents:

  • Text documents - For chapters, scenes, and prose
  • Worldbuilding entries - Structured elements for your story world
  • Notes - For research, outlines, and planning

Editing Documents​

Rich Text Editor​

The editor supports:

  • Basic formatting: Bold, italic, underline
  • Headings: H1, H2, H3 for structure
  • Lists: Bulleted and numbered lists
  • Block quotes: For emphasis or citations
  • Markdown shortcuts: Type # for headings, * for bullets

Keyboard Shortcuts​

  • Ctrl/Cmd + B - Bold
  • Ctrl/Cmd + I - Italic
  • Ctrl/Cmd + S - Save (automatic in real-time)
  • Ctrl/Cmd + Z - Undo
  • Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + Z - Redo

Real-Time Collaboration​

When collaborators are editing:

  • See their cursor position and selections
  • Changes appear instantly as they type
  • Conflict-free editing - write simultaneously without issues
  • User indicators show who's currently active

Worldbuilding Elements​

Inkweld uses a flexible element system for worldbuilding. Elements are structured entries that you define to match your story's needs—characters, locations, factions, items, magic systems, or anything else your world requires.

Creating Elements​

  1. Right-click in your project tree
  2. Select "New Worldbuilding Entry"
  3. Choose a template or create a new one
  4. Fill in the structured fields
Element References

Once you've created elements, use @ mentions in your documents to link to them. See Element References for details.

Templates​

Every worldbuilding element uses a template that defines its structure. Templates are fully customizable:

  1. Go to Project Settings → Templates
  2. Click "Create Template"
  3. Define custom tabs and fields
  4. Use your template for new entries

Examples of templates you might create:

  • Character - Names, descriptions, personality, backstory
  • Location - Settings with descriptions, history, notable features
  • Faction - Organizations, governments, or groups
  • Item - Artifacts, weapons, or magical objects
  • Event - Historical moments or timeline entries
  • Species - Races, creatures, or beings in your world

Inkweld includes a few demo templates to help you get started, but you can modify these or create entirely new ones to match your story's unique needs.

Offline Work​

Working Offline​

Inkweld works without internet:

  1. Open your project while online (loads data to cache)
  2. Go offline - Continue writing as normal
  3. Changes save locally automatically
  4. Reconnect - Changes sync automatically

Sync Status​

Check your sync status:

  • Green indicator: All changes synced
  • Yellow indicator: Syncing in progress
  • Red indicator: Connection issue - working offline

Project Settings​

Access settings from the project menu:

  • Project details - Edit title, description, slug
  • Collaborators - Invite team members (coming soon)
  • Publishing - Configure and run export plans
  • Delete - Permanently remove the project

Publishing Your Work​

Export Formats​

Inkweld supports multiple export formats:

  • EPUB - E-book format for Kindle, Kobo, Apple Books, and more
  • PDF - Print-ready documents with professional formatting
  • HTML - Web-ready single-page exports
  • Markdown - Plain text format for maximum portability

Creating a Publish Plan​

  1. Open your project and go to the Home tab
  2. Click "New Publish Plan" in the Publishing section
  3. Configure your export:
    • Name: Give your plan a descriptive name
    • Format: Choose EPUB, PDF, HTML, or Markdown
    • Metadata: Set title, author, description, and language
    • Options: Configure table of contents, chapter numbering, and styling

Adding Content to Your Plan​

  1. Open your publish plan
  2. Use "Add Content" to include:
    • Documents: Add chapters and scenes from your project
    • Frontmatter: Title pages, copyright notices, dedications
    • Backmatter: Author bio, acknowledgments, appendices
    • Table of Contents: Auto-generated navigation
    • Separators: Scene breaks and chapter dividers
  3. Drag and drop to reorder items
  4. Save your plan for reuse

Generating Your Export​

  1. Open your publish plan
  2. Click "Generate"
  3. Wait for processing (happens in your browser)
  4. Download the finished file

All exports happen client-side—your content never leaves your device during generation.

Quick Export​

For simple exports without creating a plan:

  1. Go to the Home tab
  2. Click "Quick Export"
  3. Select documents to include
  4. Choose a format
  5. Download immediately

Tips for Organization​

Chapter Organization​

📁 Act 1
  📁 Chapter 1
    📄 Scene 1 - Opening
    📄 Scene 2 - Inciting Incident
  📁 Chapter 2
    📄 Scene 1 - Rising Action

Worldbuilding Organization​

📁 People
  📄 Protagonist
  📄 Antagonist
  📁 Supporting Cast
📁 Places
  📄 Main City
  📄 Wilderness
📁 Factions
  📄 The Guild
  📄 The Empire
📁 Timeline
  📄 Past Events
  📄 Story Timeline

Next Steps​