Reference
How to use Subtextor
Plain-language notes on the editor, story bible, AI-assisted tools, and keyboard shortcuts. Built for people who live in the manuscript.
Getting started
Account. Use Get Started on the home page, then sign in with email or your provider.
Project. From the dashboard, create a project. A project holds documents, characters, and settings for one work.
Document. Open a project, add a document from the Documents tab, then open it to write.
The editor
The manuscript surface supports headings (H1–H3), bold and italic, bullet and numbered lists, and block quotes. Use the toolbar or standard shortcuts. Work saves automatically a few seconds after you stop typing.
Cursor position is restored when you return to a document so you can pick up where you left off.
Outline sidebar
The left sidebar lists headings from your document. Click a heading to jump there. When the Enhancement panel is open, the outline collapses to make room.
Word count & stats
The word count control at the bottom opens detailed stats: words, characters, paragraphs, sentences, unique words, estimated reading time (about 200 words per minute), and approximate pages (about 250 words per page). Press Escape to close the popover.
Keyboard shortcuts
Text formatting (standard in the editor)
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+B (Cmd+B) | Bold |
| Ctrl+I (Cmd+I) | Italic |
| Ctrl+Z (Cmd+Z) | Undo |
| Ctrl+Shift+Z (Cmd+Shift+Z) | Redo |
AI and writing tools
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+E (Cmd+E) | Open the drafting modal (Enhance) on the current selection; if nothing is selected, the current block. Settings live in the right sidebar Settings tab. |
| Ctrl+J (Cmd+J) | Request a one-sentence flow continuation (when manual continuation is enabled). |
| Ctrl+Shift+J (Cmd+Shift+J) | Open the drafting modal to type the next beat at the cursor (set POV, characters, and settings in the sidebar Settings tab first). |
| Tab | Insert a visible flow continuation suggestion. |
| Ctrl+Enter (Cmd+Enter) | Accept the current enhancement result. |
| Ctrl+Shift+G (Cmd+Shift+G) — generate or regenerate (browsers take Ctrl+Shift+R for hard reload) | Regenerate the enhancement. |
| Escape | Dismiss flow continuation, reject enhancement, or close popovers and context menus. |
Beats sidebar
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Alt+. | Mark the next incomplete beat done. |
| Alt+, | Undo the last completed beat. |
| Alt+Q | Open Quick Draft modal from all incomplete beats (scene from beats). |
| Ctrl+Alt+Q | Quick Draft modal for the next incomplete beat only. |
| Ctrl+Shift+J | Freeform beat modal at the cursor (configure POV, characters, and settings in the sidebar Settings tab first). |
Elsewhere
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Enter | Confirm renames, submit new document or project, or commit beat label edits. |
| Escape | Cancel rename or inline edit. |
Enhance
Enhance rewrites or expands a passage with AI, using your writing style, story bible, and configured rules. Select text (or place the cursor in a paragraph), then Ctrl+E or the Enhance control. Review the result in the centered drafting modal; accept, regenerate, or dismiss with the shortcuts above. Toggle Enhance or Rewrite in the modal header when applicable.
Drafting settings. Use the right sidebar Settings tab for length, story bible, instructions, rules, quality mode, and auto-generate. Changes apply to the next generation in the modal.
Flow continuation & nudges
Continuation. Ctrl+J (or the Continue control) asks for a single suggested sentence at the cursor. Tab inserts it; Escape dismisses it.
Freeform beat. Ctrl+Shift+J opens a small dialog at the cursor: describe the next beat in your own words, pick a length (Short by default), and generate prose into the Quick Draft panel. If POV, characters, or settings are missing, the panel opens automatically so you can set them first.
Nudges. While you edit, the app can surface repetition, rule violations, and mismatched quotes. Use the nudge tray near the toolbar to inspect them.
Story bible
Under Characters and Settings in a project, maintain who and where matters. Link entities to documents so tools know what applies. Settings support a hierarchy you can reorder by drag and drop.
Quick add speeds up entry; Suggest entities runs AI against your text to propose additions. Right-click in the editor for a context menu tied to the bible.
Writing style & rules
Set project-level style from the project hub (writing style settings). Paste a sample so the system can analyze voice. Per-document overrides live under the editor's more menu → Writing settings.
Writing rules (voice, pacing, constraints you define) inform Enhance and related tools.
Outline dashboard (pop-out)
The Dashboard control opens a separate window with the outline editor, scene context, suggested beats, and beat progress against prose. It stays in sync with the manuscript; clicking a heading can jump the main editor. You can import Markdown into the outline surface.
Beats sidebar
When beats are available from the dashboard workflow, they appear along the right edge. Mark them complete as you draft (Alt+. / Alt+,). Progress is kept per document locally.
Export
From the editor more menu (⋯), export the document as Markdown or DOCX.
Analyze continuity
The same menu offers continuity analysis: the model extracts story events from the manuscript and stores them on the project for reference and consistency checks.
Pop-out windows
The outline dashboard can run in its own browser window, synced with the editor—useful on a second display or when you want the manuscript full screen.
Theme
Use the theme control in the app header to switch light and dark mode.
Tips
- Configure style and rules early; the assistant tools track your intent better.
- A maintained story bible improves every feature that reads context.
- Consistent headings power the outline, scene tooling, and beat alignment.
- Pop out the dashboard when you want planning material visible while drafting.