Manuscript import

Bring your manuscript in and pick up where you left off

Import a Word (.docx) file of up to 200,000 words. You check the chapter split before anything is saved, and an optional AI pass fills in your characters and story bible. Importing is free.

Import your manuscript freeCount your words first

Four steps from file to book

Your file is read in your browser first, so you see the result before anything reaches your book.

  1. Choose the file

    Drop in a Word file of up to 25 MB and 200,000 words. Files from Google Docs work too, once downloaded as .docx.

  2. Check the split

    AIBookWriter picks the split that finds the most plausible chapters: at each Heading 1, at Heading 1 or 2, at lines that start with “Chapter”, or no split at all. Switch modes and the chapter list updates.

  3. Rename and tidy

    Edit chapter titles in the list, and leave out the front matter, such as a title page or dedication, if you don't want it as a chapter.

  4. Confirm the import

    Images are uploaded with their chapters, the original file is kept with the book, and the optional AI pass starts reading.

What comes across

The import keeps what a book needs and tells you up front about anything it has to change.

  • Chapters and headings

    Your chapter structure, headings and text formatting come in with the words.

  • Images

    Pictures in the manuscript are uploaded and stay in the chapters they came from.

  • Tables, as paragraphs

    Tables come in as plain paragraphs. The import tells you how many tables the file has before you confirm.

  • Footnotes

    Footnotes are kept as numbered notes at the end of the chapter they belong to.

  • Your original file

    The .docx you uploaded is stored with the book, so the version you started from is always there.

  • Story bible fill-in

    An optional free pass recaps every chapter and suggests the premise, genres, style and characters. Anything you've already filled in is kept.

Nothing is imported until you've checked it

A manuscript rarely arrives in perfect shape. Chapter titles might be styled as headings in one place and typed in bold in another. A prologue might sit before chapter one, and the title page and dedication are usually at the top.

That's why the import shows you the result before it saves anything. The file is read in your browser, the chapter list appears with word and image counts, and you can switch between split modes until the list looks right. Lines that begin with words like Chapter, Part, Prologue or Epilogue are recognized, in several languages. Anything before the first chapter becomes a Front matter section that you can keep or leave out.

If the book you're importing into already has chapters with text, the import won't replace them unless you confirm that you want it to.

The optional AI pass reads the imported chapters, writes a recap of each one, and suggests your premise, genres, style and characters for the story bible. It's free, and it leaves anything you've already filled in alone. The recaps matter later: new chapters are written against them, so the book you continue is the book you wrote.

What you can do once it's in

  • Finish a half-written book

    Add outline cards for the chapters still to come and write them with recaps of your existing chapters as context.

  • Get a whole-book edit

    Run the whole-book review for an editorial letter, pacing notes for each chapter and line edits you accept or reject one at a time. Plus plan and above.

  • Format for print and ebook

    Take the text to Format & export for a print-ready PDF and an EPUB on the Pro plan.

  • Translate or narrate it

    On Pro, translate the book into a new linked edition in another language, or narrate it in Audiobook Studio.

Free tools for an existing manuscript

All 45 free tools

Frequently asked questions

Is importing really free?

Yes. Importing a .docx costs no credits on any plan, including Free, and neither does the optional AI pass that fills in your story bible. Credits are only used for later work, such as writing chapters with AI, reviewing the book, generating a cover or formatting it for print.

How big a manuscript can I import?

Up to 200,000 words, in a .docx file of up to 25 MB. If a manuscript is longer, split it into volumes and import each one as its own book. Large images make files heavy, so removing or compressing a few can help if you reach the size limit.

What if the chapters are split in the wrong places?

Change the split mode before you import. You can split at every Heading 1, at Heading 1 or 2, at lines that start with “Chapter”, or not at all. The chapter list and word counts update as you switch, and you can rename any chapter in the list.

Will my formatting survive?

Headings, chapter breaks, paragraphs, emphasis and images come across. Tables become plain paragraphs, and you're told how many tables the file has before importing. Footnotes are kept as numbered notes at the end of their chapter, and your original file is stored with the book in case you need to check something.

What does the AI pass do?

It reads every imported chapter, writes a recap of each, and suggests the premise, genres, style and characters for your story bible. It's free and optional, and it keeps anything you've already filled in. The recaps help later, because new chapters are written against them.

Can I import from Google Docs or other programs?

The importer reads .docx files. In Google Docs, choose File, then Download, then Microsoft Word (.docx), and import that file. Other word processors can usually save or export a .docx the same way. Check the chapter split after converting, since heading styles sometimes change on the way.

Pick your manuscript back up

Import your .docx for free, check the chapters, and keep writing with your characters and story bible filled in.

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