Your words stay on your computer
Plain Markdown in a folder you own, with optional backup to your private GitHub repo. If Penflow disappeared tomorrow, your novel would still open anywhere.
Three things Penflow refuses to do to you.
Autosave keeps up with your draft
Autosave writes as you type, offline or not. Save points keep earlier versions of a scene or chapter for you to return to.
AI help, if you want it.
Ask about your story or request a rewrite of a passage. You review the suggestions and choose what to apply. AI is optional, with Supporter and your own OpenRouter key.
Four rooms, one writing desk.
Penflow is built around how novelists actually work. Keep your draft and story notes together, with optional AI help beside them.
01 Write
A reading editor, first.
Cardo serif, 62 characters wide, line height set for prose. A focus mode that fades the chrome when you want to disappear. Your codex on the right, your words in the middle.
02 Codex
Characters, places, lore.
Type @ in your manuscript and your cast appears. Everything linked, nothing fussed over.
03 Outline
Drag the shape of the book.
Chapters become columns, scenes become cards. Move them, color them by status, watch a whole manuscript breathe in one view.
04 Optional AI
Help with your own pages.
Discuss a scene with context from your manuscript and codex, or select a passage for rewrite suggestions. Proofreading helps you review spelling and grammar too.
Free to write. $4 a month for unlimited novels and optional AI.
Free
$0 forever
Write and export your first novel with a free account.
- One novel, unlimited chapters and scenes
- Write, Codex, Outline, and export
- Autosave and save points on your device
- EPUB and PDF export
Supporter
$4 a month
Keeps a solo-built app alive. Unlimited novels and the AI room come with it.
- Everything in Free, plus unlimited novels
- AI story chat, proofreading and optional rewrites
- Your own OpenRouter key, usage billed separately
- License recovery on a new computer
A free account is required. AI usage is billed separately by OpenRouter, with no Penflow markup. Cost depends on your models and usage, including background story-note checks.
The things writers ask.
How is this different from Novelcrafter? +
Penflow keeps your manuscript in plain Markdown files on your computer. A free account includes writing and export for one novel, with no time limit. Supporter adds unlimited novels and optional AI for $4 a month, with model usage billed separately by OpenRouter.
Do I need an account? +
Yes. A free account is required to use Penflow, including reading and exporting inside the app. You do not need a paid plan to write and export your first novel. Your local Markdown files remain readable in other editors even when you are signed out.
What does the AI actually cost? +
Supporter costs $4 a month. AI also uses your own OpenRouter key, and OpenRouter bills you separately for model usage. The total depends on the models you use, the amount of text they read and generate, and how often they run. Background story-note checks also use tokens. Penflow adds no markup to that usage.
What happens if Penflow crashes mid-sentence? +
Penflow autosaves to local files as you write. Recent changes may be lost if the app stops before a save finishes. Save points let you return to earlier versions, and optional GitHub backup gives you a copy away from your computer.
Can I work offline? +
Yes, while your sign-in is saved on the device. Writing and export use local files. You need an internet connection to sign in initially or again after signing out or losing your saved sign-in. AI, online backups and account services also need a connection.
What can the AI help me with? +
The optional AI can discuss your story and proofread your text. You can also select a passage and ask it to rephrase, expand or shorten it, or follow your own instructions. You review the suggestions and choose what to apply. Normal writing and export work without AI.
Does AI do anything in the background? +
In version 0.2.15, automatic story-note checks are off by default. You can enable them in Account with Supporter and an OpenRouter key. Checks send story notes, a book index and recent AI chats through Penflow to OpenRouter and a model provider, using your tokens. You review any proposed updates. Turn off the switch to stop future checks; manual AI stays available. On older versions, remove your key to stop all AI requests or update the app.
When is it out? +
Penflow is in private beta with a small group of novelists working on full-length books. To join the next wave, leave your email and we'll write back.
