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Six book types and folder templates
Last updated May 29, 2026 · 5 min read
When you create a book in Slima you pick a type. It's more than metadata — the type decides the starting folders the book ships with, and it's the lens the AI Coach analyses through.
The six types
| Type | Good for |
|---|---|
| Fiction | Novels, novellas, short-story collections |
| Biography | Autobiography, memoir, biography |
| Business | Business books, case studies, industry books |
| Technical | Technical books, manuals, how-to books |
| Self-Help | Self-help, personal growth, habit-building |
| General | Unsure / cross-genre / free-form |
The type chips appear in the "Use AI Coach" Work Settings form and later in the Edit Work dialog — changeable any time.
Default folders per type
On creation, Slima drops a set of top-level folders per type (siblings, not nested); names localise with your interface language. Each type (English UI names in parentheses):
| Type | Default folders |
|---|---|
| Fiction | Chapters, Characters, World Building, Notes |
| Biography | Chapters, People, Timeline, Sources |
| Business | Introduction, Chapters, Case Studies, Appendix |
| Technical | Introduction, Concepts, Tutorials, Reference |
| Self-Help | Introduction, Chapters, Exercises, Resources |
| General | Chapters, Notes |
For types that include a Chapters folder (Fiction / Biography / Business / Self-Help / General), that folder starts with one empty first chapter so you don't face a totally blank book. The Technical type has no Chapters folder (only Introduction / Concepts / Tutorials / Reference), so it gets no auto first chapter.
Which folders count toward word count
The type's folders fall into two roles:
- Counted (manuscript): files inside Chapters and Introduction
- Not counted (reference): every other folder (Characters, World Building, Notes, People, Timeline, Case Studies, Appendix, Concepts, Tutorials, Reference, Exercises, Resources…)
See Manuscript vs Reference for the distinction.
Writing Guidelines.md: the AI context file
When you create with Use AI Coach, Slima sets up a Writing Guidelines.md — the AI Coach reads it first when analysing or chatting. It comes with ready-made sections: synopsis, audience, writing style, and key rules (the template even hints "keep it under ~500 words for best results"). This file doesn't count toward word count, but it shapes how the AI understands the book. See Writing Guidelines.md.
Can I change it later?
Yes. The folder layout isn't a fixed schema — it's just a starting point:
- Add / delete any folder any time
- Drag files between folders
- Change the type in Edit Work (but it won't retro-fit folders already created)
What else the type affects
Beyond default folders:
- AI Coach default expectations — writing a novel vs a technical book steers the AI's advice differently
- AI chapter-analysis lens — the type decides which dimensions it prioritises
- Default export template — different types lay out exports differently