Quick Start Guide
Create Your Workspace
After signing up, create a workspace for your pen name. Each workspace keeps your series, characters, and team separate.
Add Your First Novel
Click "Add Novel" from the dashboard. Enter title, genre, and status. You can organize novels into series later.
Build Your World & Timeline
Add characters with portraits, create world topics, map key timeline events, and attach research links or notes.
Invite Your Team
Go to Team → Invite Members. Add your editor, PA, or co-author with the right permission level.
Feature Guides
Novels & Series
Organize books, track word counts, group into series
Novels & Series
Organize books, track word counts, group into series
Creating a Novel
- From the Dashboard, click Add Novel
- Enter title, genre, and current status (Drafting, Editing, Published)
- Add a blurb and synopsis for your reference
- Upload a cover image from the Media Library
- Set word count goal and track progress
Organizing into Series
- Go to Series in the navigation
- Click Create Series and name it
- Add themes and tropes that define the series
- Edit any novel and select the series from the dropdown
Characters
Build detailed profiles with custom fields
Characters
Build detailed profiles with custom fields
Creating a Character
- Navigate to your novel and click Characters
- Click Add Character
- Fill in Quick Facts: role, age, occupation, etc.
- Upload a portrait image
- Use the rich text editor for detailed backstory
Custom Fields
- Scroll to the Custom Fields section
- Click Add Field
- Enter field name (e.g., "MBTI", "Magic Ability", "Secret")
- Add the value for this character
Character Relationships
Track directional relationships with presets and graph view
Character Relationships
Track directional relationships with presets and graph view
Creating Relationships
- Open your novel and click Relationships
- Click Add Relationship
- Select the source and target characters
- Choose a role preset (Family, Romantic, Ally, Enemy, etc.)
- Add notes for context and save
Graph View
- Filter the graph by relationship category
- Click a node to jump to the character page
Worldbuilding
Document magic systems, locations, cultures
Worldbuilding
Document magic systems, locations, cultures
Creating World Topics
- Navigate to your novel and click World
- Click Add Topic
- Name your topic (e.g., "Magic System", "Kingdom of Eldara")
- Use the rich text editor with tables and code blocks
- Link to related characters or other topics
Suggested Topics
- Magic/Technology: Rules, limitations, costs
- Geography: Maps, regions, climate
- Politics: Factions, rulers, conflicts
- Culture: Customs, religions, holidays
- History: Timeline, wars, founding myths
Story Chronology
Fictional timeline with eras, lanes, and filters
Story Chronology
Fictional timeline with eras, lanes, and filters
Creating Timeline Events
- Open a novel or series and click Timeline
- Click Add Event
- Set start year/sequence and optional end year for spans
- Add a display date for custom calendars (e.g., "500 BC")
- Assign an era or lane and link related characters/world topics
Views & Filters
- Use Canvas for the visual timeline with zoom controls
- Switch to List for quick edits and search
- Filter by lane, era, or character
Research Library
Collect links, files, and notes for each novel
Research Library
Collect links, files, and notes for each novel
Adding Items
- From a novel, open Research
- Click New Item
- Choose a type: Link, File, or Note
- Add tags and assign a folder (optional)
- Save, then open the card to view details
Organizing
- Filter by type or tag chips
- Search titles, URLs, and note text
- Use Manage Folders for long-term organization
Production Notes
Structured notes with status, visibility, and links
Production Notes
Structured notes with status, visibility, and links
Creating Notes
- Open a novel and click Production Notes
- Click Add Note
- Set category, status, and visibility
- Write content, add tags, and pin key notes
Linking Context
- Save the note, then use Add Link to connect it to characters, world topics, timeline events, research items, or media
- Private notes are visible only to the creator
Planning & Calendar
Kanban boards, deadlines, Google Calendar sync
Planning & Calendar
Kanban boards, deadlines, Google Calendar sync
Using the Task Board
- Click Board in the navigation
- Click Add Task to create a new task
- Set priority, assignee, and due date
- Drag tasks between columns: Backlog → To Do → In Progress → Review → Done
- Use Manage Labels to create tags like "Marketing" or "Editing"
Calendar Events
- Click Calendar in the navigation
- Click any date to add an event
- Choose event type: Release, Deadline, Editing, Marketing
- Link events to specific novels
Google Calendar Sync
- On the Calendar page, click Connect Google Calendar
- Authorize Story Signal to access your calendar
- Check "Sync to Google Calendar" when creating events
- Tasks with due dates automatically sync when connected
Team Collaboration
Invite editors, PAs, and co-authors
Team Collaboration
Invite editors, PAs, and co-authors
Inviting Team Members
- Click Team in the navigation
- Click Invite Member
- Enter their email address
- Select a role:
- Viewer: Can see everything, edit nothing
- Collaborator: Can edit content, manage tasks
- Owner: Full access including team management
- They'll receive an email invitation to join
Managing Team Members
- View all members on the Team page
- Change roles by clicking the role dropdown
- Remove members by clicking the remove button
Import & Export
Bring in existing content, export PDF bibles
Import & Export
Bring in existing content, export PDF bibles
Importing Markdown
- Navigate to your novel
- Click Import
- Select "Markdown" as the format
- Paste your content or upload a
.mdfile - Preview the import and confirm
Markdown Format Tips
- Use YAML frontmatter for metadata:
---\ntitle: Character Name\nrole: Protagonist\n--- - Use
# Headingfor sections - Use
**bold**and*italic*for emphasis
Exporting PDF Series Bible
- Navigate to your novel or series
- Click Export
- Select "PDF Series Bible"
- Choose what to include: characters, world topics, etc.
- Download the generated PDF
Social Media
Content scheduling, approval workflows, hashtag groups
Piracy Shield
DMCA monitoring, piracy scanning, takedown notices
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Action | Shortcut | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Bold text | Ctrl + B | Rich text editor |
| Italic text | Ctrl + I | Rich text editor |
| Underline text | Ctrl + U | Rich text editor |
| Create link | Ctrl + K | Rich text editor |
| Undo | Ctrl + Z | Everywhere |
| Redo | Ctrl + Shift + Z | Everywhere |
| Save form | Ctrl + Enter | Any form |
On Mac, use ⌘ Cmd instead of Ctrl
Troubleshooting
--- on its own line. Make sure the file encoding is UTF-8. Try pasting content directly instead of uploading.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my data safe from AI training?
Can I use Story Signal for multiple pen names?
What file formats can I import?
How do I export my data?
How is Story Chronology different from the Calendar?
Can I keep notes private from collaborators?
What's the storage limit?
Glossary
- Workspace
- A container for all your content under one pen name. Each workspace has its own novels, characters, team, and settings.
- Series
- A collection of related novels. Use series to group books in a reading order with shared themes and tropes.
- Series Bible
- A reference document containing all the details of your fictional world: characters, locations, timelines, and rules. Story Signal helps you build and export these.
- World Topic
- A page documenting an aspect of your world: magic systems, cultures, geography, politics, or history.
- Story Chronology
- A fictional timeline for in-world events, with eras and lanes. Separate from the production calendar.
- Research Item
- A link, file, or note attached to a novel, organized with tags and folders.
- Production Note
- A structured note with category, status, visibility, and links to related entities.
- Character Relationship
- A directional link between two characters with a role preset, shown in the relationships graph.
- Quick Facts
- Structured character data like age, occupation, and physical traits. These appear in a scannable format on character profiles.
- Custom Fields
- User-defined fields on characters for tracking anything: MBTI, magical abilities, relationship status, or book-specific details.
- Collaborator
- A team member who can edit content, manage tasks, and upload files, but cannot manage team membership or workspace settings.
- Viewer
- A team member with read-only access. Perfect for marketing team members or contractors who need reference but shouldn't edit.
Still need help?
We're in Beta and actively improving based on your feedback. Bug reports, feature requests, and questions are all welcome.
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