# NovelWeave - AI-Powered Novel Writing VSCode Extension [English](#) | [įŽ€äŊ“中文](README.zh-CN.md) > 🌟 Transform your novel writing experience with AI-powered assistance, structured methodology, and seamless VSCode integration. > > Built on the proven [novel-writer](https://github.com/wordflowlab/novel-writer) methodology, NovelWeave brings professional novel creation tools directly into your VSCode workflow. ## ✨ Key Features - 📝 **Seven-Step Methodology** - Specification-driven novel creation workflow - 🎨 **Visual Interface** - Intuitive sidebar, webview panels, and integrated AI chat - 🤖 **Multi-AI Support** - Claude 4, GPT-4, Gemini Pro, and 400+ AI models - 🧠 **Agent Skills** - Modular AI knowledge system for specialized writing expertise - 📊 **Project Management** - Chapter tracking, character profiles, plot threads - 🔌 **Slash Commands** - Full support for novel-writer command system - ✅ **Quality Assurance** - Plot tracking, timeline management, consistency validation - 🌐 **Cross-Platform** - Works on Windows, macOS, and Linux ## 🚀 Quick Start ### 1. Installation Install NovelWeave from the VSCode Marketplace: ```bash # Search "NovelWeave" in VSCode Extensions # Or install via command: code --install-extension novelweave.novelweave ``` ### 2. Create Your First Novel Project 1. Open VSCode and click the NovelWeave icon in the activity bar 2. Click "New Project" to initialize a novel project 3. Choose your AI model and configure settings 4. Start writing with AI assistance! ### 3. Use the Seven-Step Methodology NovelWeave implements the proven seven-step novel creation methodology: ``` 1. /constitution → Establish core creative principles 2. /specify → Define story requirements 3. /clarify → Resolve ambiguities through Q&A 4. /plan → Design technical implementation 5. /tasks → Break down into actionable steps 6. /write → Execute the actual writing 7. /analyze → Validate quality and consistency ``` ## 📚 Seven-Step Methodology ### Step 1: `/constitution` - Creative Constitution Define your uncompromisable writing principles, style guidelines, and core values that will guide your entire novel. ### Step 2: `/specify` - Story Specification Like a product requirements document (PRD), define exactly what story you want to create, target audience, and success criteria. ### Step 3: `/clarify` - Critical Clarifications AI identifies ambiguities in your specification and generates up to 5 key questions to eliminate confusion before writing. ### Step 4: `/plan` - Creative Plan Transform abstract requirements into concrete technical solutions: chapter structure, character arcs, world-building, and plot timeline. ### Step 5: `/tasks` - Task Breakdown Break down the plan into executable writing tasks with clear priorities and dependencies. ### Step 6: `/write` - Execute Writing Write based on your tasks list, following your constitution principles and creative plan. ### Step 7: `/analyze` - Comprehensive Validation Validate plot consistency, timeline accuracy, character development, and adherence to your creative principles. > 📖 **Detailed Methodology**: Learn more from [novel-writer documentation](https://github.com/wordflowlab/novel-writer) ## 🔧 NovelWeave vs novel-writer CLI | Feature | novel-writer CLI | NovelWeave VSCode | | ---------------------- | ---------------------- | ------------------------------------ | | **Interface** | Command-line | Graphical UI | | **Installation** | `npm install -g` | VSCode Marketplace | | **AI Integration** | Basic | Full AI chat & assistance | | **Project Management** | File system | VSCode Workspace + UI panels | | **Slash Commands** | ✅ | ✅ | | **Visual Tracking** | ❌ | ✅ (Plot, characters, timeline) | | **Learning Curve** | CLI familiarity needed | Intuitive UI | | **Best For** | Tech-savvy writers | All writers, especially VSCode users | **They work together!** Use novel-writer CLI for automation and scripts, while NovelWeave provides the visual interface and AI interaction. ## đŸŽ¯ Use Cases - **Long-form Novels** - Manage complex plots with 100+ chapters - **Web Serial Writing** - Consistent daily updates with AI assistance - **Screenplay & Scripts** - Structured storytelling with scene management - **Fan Fiction** - Maintain consistency with source material - **Creative Writing** - Any narrative project benefits from structured methodology ## 📖 Features in Detail ### Agent Skills System NovelWeave's innovative **Agent Skills** system provides your AI assistant with specialized knowledge modules that can be activated on-demand: - **Built-in Skills** - Professional writing expertise including: - Genre knowledge (Romance, Mystery, Fantasy) - Writing techniques (Dialogue, Scene Structure) - Quality assurance (Consistency checking, Requirement detection) - **Project Skills** - Share team-specific guidelines in `.agent/skills/` - **Personal Skills** - Your own reusable knowledge library - **Smart Activation** - AI automatically selects relevant skills based on your task - **Custom Skills** - Create your own expertise modules with simple Markdown > 📖 **Learn More**: See the [Agent Skills User Guide](docs/agent-skills-user-guide.md) for detailed usage instructions. ### AI-Powered Writing Assistant - **Smart Continuation** - AI suggests next paragraphs based on your style - **Character Voice** - Maintain consistent character personalities - **Plot Suggestions** - AI helps resolve plot holes and pacing issues - **Style Analysis** - Feedback on writing style and readability ### Project Organization - **Chapter Management** - Navigate and organize chapters in sidebar - **Character Profiles** - Track character development and relationships - **World Building** - Manage settings, rules, and lore - **Plot Threads** - Visualize and track multiple storylines ### Quality Assurance - **Consistency Checks** - Validate character traits, timeline, and facts - **Plot Tracking** - Ensure all plot threads are resolved - **Timeline Management** - Chronological accuracy validation - **Style Consistency** - Maintain your unique writing voice ## 🆕 What's New ### v0.13.0 (Latest) - 🧠 **Agent Skills System** - Modular AI knowledge architecture - 14 built-in professional writing skills - Three-tier system: Extension, Project, and Personal skills - Smart auto-activation based on task context - Full UI for browsing, managing, and creating custom skills - ✅ Enhanced quality assurance tools - 📚 Comprehensive documentation and best practices guides ### v1.0 - ✅ Complete seven-step methodology implementation - ✅ Multi-AI model support (400+ models) - ✅ Visual project management interface - ✅ Integrated plot and character tracking - ✅ Real-time AI writing assistance - ✅ Full novel-writer slash command compatibility ## 💡 Best Practices 1. **Start with Constitution** - Define your principles before writing 2. **Use Clarify Liberally** - Resolve ambiguities early to avoid rewrites 3. **Trust the Process** - Follow all seven steps for best results 4. **Iterate** - Return to earlier steps as your story evolves 5. **Track Consistently** - Update trackers after each major chapter ## 🔗 Related Resources ### Documentation - 📖 [Agent Skills User Guide](docs/agent-skills-user-guide.md) - Learn how to use and create Skills - 🛠ī¸ [Agent Skills Developer Guide](docs/agent-skills-developer-guide.md) - Technical architecture and API - ✍ī¸ [Skills Writing Best Practices](docs/writing-skills-best-practices.md) - Create high-quality Skills ### Community & Tools - đŸ“Ļ [novel-writer CLI Tool](https://github.com/wordflowlab/novel-writer) - Command-line companion - 📖 [Seven-Step Methodology](https://github.com/wordflowlab/novel-writer/blob/main/METHODOLOGY.md) - Detailed methodology guide - đŸ’Ŧ [Community Discord](#) - Join other writers using NovelWeave - đŸ“ē [Video Tutorials](#) - Watch step-by-step guides ## 🤝 Contributing We welcome contributions! Please see our [Contributing Guide](CONTRIBUTING.md) for details. ## 📄 License MIT License - see [LICENSE](LICENSE) file for details. ## 🙏 Acknowledgments - Built on the [NovelWeave](https://github.com/NovelWeave-Org/novelweave) architecture - Methodology from [novel-writer](https://github.com/wordflowlab/novel-writer) - Inspired by [Spec Kit](https://github.com/sublayerapp/spec-kit) principles --- **NovelWeave** - Where AI meets storytelling mastery ✨📚 Made with ❤ī¸ for writers everywhere