Building your manuscript structure

Building your manuscript structure

The manuscript rail organises a project into three nested levels, using labels suited to its project type.

Add structure

  1. Open the project’s manuscript workspace.
  2. Open the manuscript structure rail if it is collapsed.
  3. Select the add control beside the level where you want to work.
  4. Enter or edit the item’s title.
  5. Add the next level inside it, then add a scene or equivalent writing item.

For a Novel these levels are Act, Chapter and Scene. Other project types use their own labels.


Rename an item

  1. Use the pencil or rename control for the act, chapter or scene.
  2. Enter the new title.
  3. Press Enter or move focus away to save it.

Reorder or move items

  • Drag scenes or higher-level items using their drag handles.
  • Use available move controls when working without drag-and-drop.
  • A scene can be moved to another parent using the parent selection control.

Delete an item

  1. Select the delete control for the item.
  2. Read the confirmation carefully.
  3. Confirm only when you intend to remove it and any contained structure.

Project-specific structure

YOW changes structural terminology rather than forcing every format into Acts, Chapters and Scenes:

  • Novel: Acts → Chapters → Scenes
  • Novella: Parts → Chapters → Scenes
  • Short Story: Parts → Sections → Scenes
  • D&D Campaign: Story Arcs → Sessions → Encounters
  • Tabletop Campaign: Campaign Arcs → Sessions → Encounters
  • Comic: Volumes → Issues → Pages, with Panels inside each page

The outline planning room and manuscript rail use the same underlying project structure for prose and campaign projects. Changes made in one are reflected in the other.

Items marked as unplaced in the Outline need a valid parent before they appear in the intended hierarchy. Empty or automatically generated titles may be displayed using the project type’s standard label and number.

Deleting a parent may remove the items nested beneath it. Export or create a backup before reorganising a large manuscript if you may need to reverse broad changes.

  • Writing and editing a scene
  • Using Writing, Editing, Review and Finalised modes
  • Planning a Comic or Graphic Novel