Outline Expander — updated walkthrough
Actual app captures. Fictional example. Controlled demonstration responses. AI narration.

Meet your saved workspace
Outline Expander now gives you an editable workspace for the whole book. This walkthrough uses The Ash Door, a fictional example inside the updated app. The demonstration responses are controlled examples, so focus on the workflow rather than treating them as a promise of any model’s output. Start by naming your book. Each workspace keeps its own story brief, chapter cards, versions and reference material.

Build the story brief
Enter the major story turns, including the ending you want to preserve. Here, Mara’s attempt to recover a ledger puts Elias in danger, and she chooses to burn the evidence to save him. Add your point of view rules, genre and non-negotiable details. Choose a chapter count and an optional framework. AI generation uses the same provider and model controls as TeaserPro. Manual editing does not need an API key.

Generate and resume
Expand Outline first builds a plan for the whole story, then drafts scenes one chapter at a time. Completed chapters save as they finish. If a provider request is interrupted, the unfinished chapter stays clearly marked. Use Resume unfinished chapters to continue. Pause after current chapter waits for the response in progress to finish. Review every draft for story logic, especially any proposed details the model adds.

Edit an actual scene
Open a chapter, then open its scene card. You can edit the point of view, concrete goal, opposition, consequential choice and outcome. In this example, Mara gives up her forged key to protect Elias. That action changes her options and drives the next scene. Further down, refine the action, opening hook, pacing, sensory details, theme and target word count. These fields are editable, so your outline can evolve with the story.

Reorder and revise
Use the up and down buttons to reorder chapters or scenes. Move to chapter places a scene elsewhere while preserving its identity. Regenerate this scene revises only the selected card and keeps the other scenes. Before a major rewrite, save a version. A new full outline is a separate action: it retains the earlier outline in version history before replacing the current chapter plan.

Track setups and payoffs
Open Plot threads and promised payoffs. Add a question or promise, then link its setup and payoff scenes. Mark it unresolved, resolved or intentionally left open. Here we track who forged the key. If reordering puts the payoff before its setup, the register flags that order. This is a tracking system you control, not an automatic manuscript continuity check. Scene notes and the thread register work together.

Bring optional references
Under optional references, import an approved Character Weaver dossier or an approved canon export from Series Bible. The imported material stays visible as reference and does not automatically rewrite your outline. Neither companion tool is required. You can always work from your own brief. Review the imported character’s book-specific development and source facts before asking the model to use them.

Save, recover and export
Work autosaves in this browser. Save version keeps a named checkpoint, and Restore version lets you return to it. Download backup creates a portable file; importing a backup opens a separate book workspace. Copy Markdown or Export text gives you a drafting roadmap. Save to active Book DNA is a deliberate copy into the currently active project. Suite and VIP members use their existing app access. Standalone owners have the separate installable skill. Find the updated guide at darkling collective store dot com slash outline expander.