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Importing Files

Written By Michael Stewart

Last updated 9 months ago

Sudowrite offers several different ways to import your existing work or works-in-progress. Each method serves a different purpose and has its own unique features. Let’s explore the available options to help you choose the best one for your needs.

1. Import Novel

Do you have a work-in-progress that you’re excited to bring into Sudowrite to continue? Or perhaps you're gearing up to write a sequel and need a comprehensive Story Bible based on your previous work? The Import Novel feature is perfect for these scenarios. It's a one-stop solution that brings your entire manuscript into Sudowrite and fills in your Story Bible for you in the process.

Import Novel Purpose: Create an entirely new project with a pre-populated Story Bible based on your partial or complete manuscript (or even a less-than-organized pile of notes).

How to use Import Novel:

  1. Click the "Import" button in the upper left corner of your Sudowrite home page.

  2. Drag a file into the Import modal or click "Browse" to select a file from your computer.

  3. Wait for the import process to complete (typically a few minutes, but may take up to 10 minutes for complex manuscripts).

Import Novel Features:

  • Automatically creates a new Sudowrite project

  • Populates the Story Bible with the essential components, including characters, world-building elements, and a detailed outline

  • Optimized for documents up to 120,000 words

  • Focuses on importing 5-7 primary characters

  • Supports .txt, .doc, .docx, .rtf, and .odt file types

Import Novel Limitations:

  • Always creates a new project to avoid conflicts with existing Story Bible data

  • May generate placeholder names for unnamed characters

  • Very long outlines may be saved as separate documents (though we’re working on improving the Outline section of Story Bible to better support long outlines)

2. Import Scrivener

You can now import your Scrivener projects directly into Sudowrite! Your documents and folder structure will be preserved, making it easy to pick up right where you left off.

Bringing in your work is simple:

  1. In Scrivener, go to File → Back Up → Back Up To… and save your project as a .zip file.

  2. In Sudowrite, click Import Novel from the homepage and select Import Scrivener.

  3. Select your .zip file and let Sudowrite do the rest.

Your entire project structure—folders, documents, and organization—will be recreated in Sudowrite, ready for you to start writing with all the powerful AI tools you know and love.

3. Document Import

Sometimes all you need is to get your document into an existing Sudowrite project so you can get straight to work. Maybe you've written a few chapters already, or just want to use Sudowrite for the powerful editing tools. The simple Document Import is ideal for these situations, allowing you to bring in content without affecting your existing Story Bible or project structure.

Document Import Purpose: Add an existing document to your project without affecting the Story Bible.

How to use:

  1. In an existing project, click the "Import" button in the editor's left bar.

  2. Select the file you want to import.

Features:

  • Creates a single document in your project containing the full imported text

  • No limit on document size

  • Preserves any existing Story Bible content

  • Allows for manual Story Bible creation or editing after import

By choosing the appropriate import method, you can efficiently bring your existing work into Sudowrite while maintaining control over how it integrates with your project structure and Story Bible. Whether you're starting fresh with a completed manuscript, populating your character list, or simply adding content to an existing project, Sudowrite has an import option tailored to your needs.

4. Outline Import

Already have a full or partial Outline for your book? The Outline section of Story Bible allows you to bring that Outline in—whether it’s formatted tidily or not.

Outline Import Purpose: Bring in a pre-existing Outline to your Story Bible.

How to use Outline Import:

  1. Navigate to the Outline section of your Story Bible.

  2. Click the three dots (•••) menu in the right corner of the header and select "Import Outline".

  3. Paste in your Outline or select a file. The default Outline Import will pull in what you provide as closely as possible, only making light changes required to fit Story Bible’s requirements.

Outline Import Features:

  • Accepts text input or file upload

  • Supports .txt, .doc, .docx, .rtf, .odt, and .csv file types

  • Does not use credits

CSV Import Option

If you want to bring in your Outline exactly as-is, and ensure the AI does not make any tweaks in the process, you can download the Outline CSV template and fill it out. Simply title Chapters as desired in the left column, and provide chapter details in the right. This rigid structure ensures that Sudowrite will take in your Outline without making any edits.

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