Write your novel. Keep everything on your machine.
The Novelist is a desktop writing workspace for authors — manuscripts, story bible, characters, locations, timeline, notes, and exports in one calm app. Your words stay on your computer, not in someone else's cloud.
What’s new in 0.1.13
- Library safety — finds your real library after an update instead of opening an empty one
- Recovery — open the right library, restore a backup, or confirm empty only when nothing remains
- Pre-update backups — protect every discovered library and abort if verification fails
- Non-mutating backups — never create an empty database just to back something up
- True first install — a new empty library only when there is no prior residue
What is The Novelist?
The Novelist is a local-first app for writers who want a dedicated place to draft books and manage story material — without renting server space or handing manuscripts to a SaaS platform. Open a workspace on your Mac, Windows, or Linux PC and everything lives in a folder you control.
Who it's for
Novelists, series authors, and worldbuilders who outgrow scattered docs and want manuscripts, characters, and research connected in one project.
What makes it different
No account required. No always-on internet. Optional AI runs through your own Ollama install or API keys you provide — never sent to us.
How it works
A simple workflow from first idea to export-ready manuscript.
Create a workspace
Pick a folder on your computer. The Novelist stores books, notes, media, and settings there — with backups and Recovery so updates don’t lose your library.
Write in the editor
Draft chapters in a focused editor with word goals, comments, images, document history, and links to characters, locations, and notes from your story bible.
Build your story bible
Track characters, places, events, organizations, secrets, authors, and research. See where entities appear across your book and jump between draft and reference in one click.
Export when ready
Early Access unlocks HTML, PDF, and ePUB export plus Stats & Journey. A Pro license also unlocks local AI, graph view, grammar checks, and AI manuscript analysis.
Features
Core writing tools are free. Early Access (included with Pro) unlocks Stats & Journey and HTML / PDF / ePUB export. Pro also unlocks local AI, graph view, grammar checks, and AI manuscript analysis.
Books & chapters Free
Structured manuscripts with front matter, parts, chapters, custom book types, covers, word goals, and a Home dashboard for streaks and continue-writing.
Images in the draft Free
Align left, center, right, or full; resize with presets or drag; wrap text beside left/right images; attach an image comment and jump to it from Comments.
Book Previewer Free
Print-faithful pages with trim sizes, auto table of contents, roman/arabic folios, mirrored gutters, and optional facing-page spreads — updates after you pause typing.
Story bible Free
Characters, locations, timeline events, organizations, secrets, authors, research, templates, and cross-linked notes.
Notes & media Free
Color-coded notes and image assets stored inside your workspace folder.
Entity links Free
Auto-link names in the draft to characters, places, and notes so context travels with your text.
Comments Free
Leave notes on selected text or images and jump back to them from the Comments panel.
Import & library Free
Import Markdown, text, and Word (.docx) files into your library alongside media and research.
Blog, newsletter & serial Free
Optional writing modes beyond novels — blog posts, newsletter issues, and serial fiction in the same workspace.
Style Analyzer Free
Build a local writing-style profile from your drafts — stays on your machine.
Library safety & Recovery Free
Discovers your real library after updates, backs up before installing, and opens Recovery when more than one library is found.
Activity history Free
Review recent actions in your workspace and restore earlier states when you need a second chance.
Stats & Author’s Journey Early Access
Writing analytics, author levels, a journey map, Living Bookshelf, missions, and earned themes. Progress still accumulates on Free and appears after you upgrade.
HTML export Early Access
Styled HTML export for sharing drafts or converting elsewhere — aligned with preview.
PDF & ePUB export Early Access
Print-ready PDF and e-reader packages with trim sizes, front matter, covers, and layout that matches preview.
Local AI (Ollama) Pro
Optional drafting and rewriting with models you run locally — or API keys you provide. Never sent through our servers.
Graph view Pro
Visual map of how characters, places, and documents connect in your project.
AI manuscript analysis Pro
Editorial suggestions across your full manuscript using your chosen AI provider.
Grammar & clarity Pro
Rule-based checks for grammar, clarity, and consistency while you write.
Download
Official installers for macOS, Windows, and Linux. Need step-by-step instructions? Read the install guide.
Early access downloads
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Early Access (included with a Pro license) unlocks Stats & Journey and HTML / PDF / ePUB export. Pro also unlocks local AI, graph view, grammar checks, and AI manuscript analysis. Activate a license under Settings → The Novelist Pro. Installed apps check for updates under Settings → Version & updates.