Manuscript vs Reference: word count + AI reading

Not every file has the same status — files inside "Chapters" are manuscript, files inside "Notes" are reference. They're treated differently.

At a glance

	Manuscript	Reference
Default folder	Chapters	Notes
Counts toward word total	✅	❌
Counts toward today's words	✅	❌
Counts toward goal progress	✅	❌
AI Coach reads as	Primary text — analyses, suggests on	Context — supports
AI chapter analysis	Target	Not analysed
Export to EPUB / Word	Included	Excluded (configurable)
Export to Markdown	Included	Optional

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Tag a file as manuscript vs reference

Two ways:

1 · By folder (automatic)

• In "Chapters" → manuscript
• In "Notes" → reference

90% of the time, enough.

2 · Manual override

Right-click a file → "Mark as manuscript / reference" — works in any folder.

E.g. you want an "Appendix" inside Notes but counted in word total → mark as "manuscript."

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How the AI uses each

When you ask the Coach:

• Manuscript = "the thing to analyse / revise / suggest on"
• Reference = "background knowledge"

If you ask "smooth out this paragraph", the Coach:

1. Primary = the passage you selected (manuscript)
2. Context = other passages in the same chapter (manuscript) + other chapters (manuscript)
3. Background = characters / worldbuilding / spec in notes

The Coach never treats notes as "the thing to revise."

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Custom folders — manuscript or reference?

A new folder is created and named inline — there's no type prompt. A folder follows the manuscript / reference convention of where it lives (under Chapters vs Notes), and you can change it any time.

Right-click the folder → "Mark as manuscript" / "Mark as reference."

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Related

• File tree overview
• Writing Guidelines.md
• AI Coach