Your First Project
Let's create your first book project together. By the end of this guide, you'll have a complete project set up and ready for writing.
Tip
If you already have a manuscript, you might want to import it instead of starting from scratch.
Before You Begin
Make sure you have completed the initial setup wizard. You should have at least one pen name created.
For this guide, you will need:
- A working title for your book (you can change it later)
- An idea of what genre it falls into
- A few minutes to set things up
Step 1: Go to Project Studio
Click Project Studio in the left sidebar. This takes you to the project overview where you can see all your creative work.
Step 2: Create a New Title
- Click Titles in the Project Studio menu
- Click the + New button in the top right
- You will see a form to enter your book details
Step 3: Fill in Basic Details
The only required field is the title. Everything else can be added later:
| Field | What to Enter |
|---|---|
| Title | Your book's working title |
| Pen Name | Select which author identity this book belongs to |
| Series | Optional — link to a series if this is part of one |
| Genre | Primary genre (Romance, Fantasy, Mystery, etc.) |
| Status | Where you are in the process (Planning, Drafting, Editing, etc.) |
Tip
Do not worry about getting everything perfect. You can edit all of these details later. The goal right now is just to create the project.
Step 4: Click Create
Click the Create button. You will be taken to your new project's detail page.
Step 5: Explore Your Project
Your project page shows several tabs and options:
- Overview — Basic information and quick stats
- Chapters — Where you will organize your manuscript
- Characters — People in your story
- Outline — Your plot structure
- Write — The writing interface
Adding Your First Chapter
To start organizing your manuscript:
- Click the Chapters tab
- Click + Add Chapter
- Enter a chapter title (or just "Chapter 1")
- Click Create
You can add scenes within chapters to break them into smaller pieces. This is especially useful for longer chapters or when you want to track specific moments.
Adding Characters
Characters help you keep track of the people in your story:
- Click the Characters tab on your book page
- Click + Add Character
- Enter the character's name
- Select their role (Protagonist, Antagonist, Supporting, etc.)
- Add as much or as little detail as you want
Note
You can also create characters from the main Characters section and link them to multiple books if they appear in a series.
Start Writing
When you are ready to write:
- Click the Write tab
- Select a chapter or scene
- Start typing!
Your work is automatically saved to GitHub, giving you complete version history and backup.
What You Have Learned
- How to create a new book project
- What the essential fields mean
- How to add chapters and characters
- Where to start writing
Next Steps
- Set up your pen name profile with brand voice and writing style
- Learn more about character building withGMC and backstories
- Create a series if you are planning multiple connected books
- Import existing manuscripts if you have work in Word or other formats
Congratulations!
You have created your first project in StorytellerOS. The Project Studio has many more features to explore, but you now have everything you need to start writing.