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Questions Novelists Actually Ask

These come from real conversations with writers — about privacy, importing a manuscript, AI setup, and cost. Straight answers, no hedging.

Last updated: July 2026

Your manuscript & privacy

Does my manuscript stay on my own device?

Yes. ProseEngine stores your books locally in your browser's database, on your machine. Manuscripts are never stored on ProseEngine's servers — the only things kept server-side are your account and subscription details.

Optional backups go to your own Google Drive, OneDrive, or Dropbox account, under your control. Deletion snapshots and an 80-step undo history protect against accidents locally.

Importing an existing book

Can I import a book I've already written?

Yes. ProseEngine imports .docx, .txt, .md, and zipped Scrivener projects. Chapters are detected from headings — Word heading styles, "Chapter 12", "Chapter One", Roman numerals, numbered titles like "12. The Storm", and Markdown # headings all work.

Before anything is saved, a review step shows every detected chapter with its word count. You can merge, split, and re-title chapters there until the structure matches your book.

Why do some tools only detect a few of my chapters?

Chapter detection relies on your manuscript's headings. If chapters are marked in an unusual way — decorative separators, images, or plain bold text instead of heading styles — any tool can miss them. The import preview shows exactly what was detected before you commit anything.

The fastest fix: apply Word's built-in Heading 1 style to your chapter titles, or use plain "Chapter N" lines in a .txt file. Both are detected reliably.

Does the AI build my story bible automatically, or do I re-enter everything?

You don't re-type what's already in your manuscript. Build-from-Book reads your imported chapters and proposes your story bible — characters, places, and story details — which you review and accept. From then on, that story bible travels with every AI request.

Consistency & voice

How do I stop the AI from forgetting my characters between chapters?

This is the core problem ProseEngine is built around. Your story bible — characters, places, established facts — is automatically included with AI requests, and canon enforcement checks generated scenes against it, flagging contradictions like a character knowing something they shouldn't yet, or an eye color changing between chapters.

General chat AIs lose this context between sessions — which is why writers end up doing archaeology on their own novel, re-explaining the world every time. A story bible that is enforced, not just stored, is the difference.

Will AI make my writing sound generic?

It can, if nothing pushes back. ProseEngine counters this three ways: Author Packs teach the AI your style rules, so it writes toward your voice rather than the internet's average; a voice check flags drift when it happens; and 14-metric quality scoring catches flat, filler-heavy prose and has the scene regenerated instead of accepted.

AI setup & cost

Do I need an API key to use the AI?

No. The built-in Managed AI needs no key and no setup — it runs on prepaid credits and works on any plan, including Free. Writer work, not developer work.

If you prefer, bring your own API key (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google Gemini, or OpenRouter) and pay the provider's raw rates — no markup added.

Do credits expire?

Prepaid credit packs (€5, €15, €40) never expire. The monthly credit allowance included with a paid plan ($10 on Writer, $20 on Author, $30 on Studio) lasts as long as the subscription does.

Is there a free plan, and what does the software cost?

The Free plan needs no credit card: 3 books, the full editor, daily AI chat, weekly scene scoring, and one free preview of each premium AI feature. Paid plans are €9 (Writer), €19 (Author), and €29 (Studio) per month, each with an AI-credit allowance included — and they bill from day 1. There's no trial period because the Free plan doesn't expire.

Full market comparison with competitor prices: how much AI novel writing software costs in 2026.

The answer to most questions: try it on your own book

Free plan, no credit card. Import your manuscript and see what the AI does with your story.

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