What is Nexus Writer?

Nexus Writer is a comprehensive Integrated Creative Environment (ICE) designed for storytellers who need more than just a word processor.

Who is Nexus Writer For?

• Novelists & Authors – Craft long-form fiction with chapter organization and tracking
• Screenwriters – Write properly formatted screenplays with beat boards
• Game Designers – Build complex narratives and manage interactive story branches
• TTRPG Game Masters – Organize campaigns, NPCs, and session notes
• World-builders – Track relationships and lore across complex universes

Installation

From Source (Developers)

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/your-username/NexusWrite.git
cd NexusWrite

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Run in development mode
npm run dev

Pre-built Binaries

Pre-built installers for Windows, macOS, and Linux will be available on the official website.

System Requirements

First Launch

When you first open NexusWrite, you'll see the Welcome Screen with options to:

• Create New Project – Start fresh with a blank project
• Open Project – Browse to an existing .nexus file
• Recent Projects – Quick access to your recent work

Creating Your First Project

Let's walk through creating a simple story project from scratch.

Manuscript Editor

The heart of NexusWrite is its distraction-free rich text editor, powered by TipTap.

Rich Text Formatting

Slash Commands

Type / anywhere in the editor to bring up the quick-insert menu:

Typewriter Mode

Enable Typewriter Mode in the View menu to keep your cursor centered vertically on the screen. This creates a more focused writing experience.

Focus Mode / Zen Mode

Press F11 or go to View → Focus Mode to enter full-screen distraction-free writing:

• Hides the Ribbon and sidebars
• Only shows the editor
• Press Esc to exit

Cast (Characters)

Build a comprehensive database of your characters with detailed profiles and visual elements.

Creating a Character

1. Open the Cast tab
2. Click "New Character"
3. Fill in the profile:

Mentioned In Tracking

NexusWrite automatically tracks where you reference each character. Type a character's name in a chapter, then open their Cast entry to see the "Mentioned In" section listing all chapters.

Atlas (Locations)

Map out your world with comprehensive location entries.

Creating a Location

1. Open the Atlas tab
2. Click "New Location"
3. Fill in the details:

Location Relationships

• Part of – Link to parent location
• Connected to – Neighboring locations
• Inhabitants – Link to Cast entries

Timeline

Master your story's chronology with a powerful drag-and-drop timeline system.

Use Cases

• Tracking story chronology
• Managing flashbacks and flash-forwards
• Coordinating multiple character storylines
• Planning story pacing

Creating Events

1. Open Tools → Timeline
2. Click "Add Event"
3. Set event title, date/time, and optionally link to a chapter
4. Drag events horizontally to adjust timing

Boards (Infinite Canvas)

An infinite canvas for brainstorming, like Miro or Obsidian Canvas.

Use Cases

• Brainstorming plot ideas
• Character relationship maps
• Scene planning
• Research organization

Using Boards

1. Open Tools → Boards
2. Double-click to create a sticky note
3. Drag notes around freely
4. Hold Shift and drag between notes to draw arrows
5. Right-click for color options

Navigation

• Click and drag background to pan
• Scroll to zoom
• Ctrl+0 to reset view

Matrix

A high-level outlining tool for tracking multiple plot threads.

Use Cases

• Tracking multiple plot threads
• Ensemble cast management
• Act/chapter structure planning

Setting Up a Matrix

1. Open Tools → Matrix
2. Define rows (e.g., character names or plot threads)
3. Define columns (e.g., chapter numbers or acts)
4. Fill in cells with plot beats
5. Color-code by importance or theme

AI Creative Assistant

Nexus Writer includes 100% private, local AI powered by WebLLM and Google's Gemma 2 2B model.

Magic Polish

1. Highlight any text in your manuscript
2. Right-click and choose "Magic Polish"
3. AI instantly refines the text: fixes grammar, adds detail, or shortens verbose passages

Tone Matching – AI automatically detects your writing style and maintains it.

Brainstorm Panel

• Chat with the AI to develop plot ideas
• Ask questions like "What would motivate [character] to betray [character]?"
• Context-Aware RAG – The AI knows about your characters and locations automatically

AI Model Info

• Model size: ~1.2GB (one-time download)
• Uses GPU acceleration if available (much faster)
• Can run in background while writing

Grammar & Style Tools

Built-in Harper.js style checker provides real-time writing assistance.

Features

• Real-time detection of passive voice, weak adjectives, and weasel words
• Click-to-apply auto-fixes for common issues
• Configurable rules (enable/disable specific grammar checks)
• Spell checking with custom dictionary support

Script Mode

For screenwriters, Nexus Writer offers a dedicated Screenplay Editor.

Screenplay Elements

• Scene Headings – Proper INT/EXT formatting
• Action Lines – Standard screenplay action blocks
• Dialogue – Character names and speech
• Parentheticals – Actor direction

Additional Features

• Beat Board – Visual beat sheet that syncs with timeline
• Export – Final Draft and Fountain format support

Toggle freely between novel and script modes for hybrid projects.

Version Control & Snapshots

Never lose work with Nexus Writer's built-in version control.

Snapshots

• Create snapshots of individual chapters at any time
• Name snapshots (e.g., "Draft 1", "After Beta Reader Feedback")
• Restore previous versions instantly

Time Travel Compare

• Visual diff view showing exactly what changed between snapshots
• Side-by-side comparison with added/removed content highlighted

Automated Backups

Your project is automatically zipped and backed up on exit. Configurable backup location for peace of mind.

Export Options

Export your work in multiple professional formats.

Export Workflow

1. Go to File → Export
2. Choose your format (PDF, DOCX, HTML, EPUB)
3. Select a preset or customize settings
4. Choose which chapters to include
5. Click "Export"

Supported Formats

Screenplay Export

When in Script Mode, export to:

• Final Draft (.fdx) – Industry-standard professional format
• Fountain (.fountain) – Plain-text screenplay format

EPUB Publishing

Create publication-ready eBooks with Nexus Writer's visual EPUB editor.

Visual eBook Editor

Before exporting to EPUB, you can:

• Set book title, author name, and description
• Upload a custom cover image (recommended: 1600x2400px)
• Add ISBN and publisher information

Keyboard Shortcuts

Global

Editor

Navigation

Tips & Best Practices

Writing Workflow

1. Start with Structure – Outline chapters in the Matrix or Boards first. Create Cast/Atlas entries before deep writing.
2. Use Snapshots Regularly – Before major revisions, after completing each chapter, before risky changes.
3. Set Realistic Goals – 500-1000 words/day is sustainable for most writers. Use the Statistics Dashboard to track progress.
4. Leverage AI Wisely – Use Magic Polish for stuck sentences, not entire chapters. AI suggestions are starting points.
5. Organize with Tags – Tag characters by faction, role, or POV. Use tags to filter large projects.

Performance Tips

Troubleshooting

Getting Help

• Bug Reports: Open an issue on GitHub with OS version, NexusWrite version, steps to reproduce, and expected vs. actual behavior
• Feature Requests: Submit via GitHub Discussions
• Community: Join the Discord server (link coming soon)