Interface and Navigation
Skribane organizes your workspace into four main zones. Each has a clear purpose, and you can show or hide the side panels as needed.
Interface Zones
Top Bar
The top bar shows your project name on the left and the work modes in the center:
- Plan — Organize your novel's structure (acts, chapters, scenes).
- Write — The text editor where you draft your scenes.
- Statistics — Writing goals, streaks, charts, and projections.
- AI — Free-form chat with the AI about your novel.
- File — Import Word documents and export your manuscript (DOCX/PDF).
On the right you'll find the manuscript search button and the light/dark theme toggle.
Left Sidebar
The left sidebar is your navigation hub:
- + New entry — Create a new Codex entry.
- Universe — Quick access to Codex categories (Characters, Locations, Objects, Factions, Systems, Timeline), with entry counts.
- Projects — Switch between novels or create a new one.
- Options — Interface language and narrative settings (POV, tense).
- Config — AI providers, models, budget, and backups.
- Skribane v1.0.0 — Opens the "About" panel with version info and updates.
Main Area
The central content changes based on the active mode. In Plan mode you see scene cards, in Write mode you see the editor, etc.
Right Panel
The right panel has four tabs:
- Statistics — Daily goal with progress bar, writing streak, weekly/monthly activity, total progress with estimated completion date.
- AI — Generation buttons (Generate, Continue, Improve, Summarize), coherence review, and character detection.
- Directives — Instructions to guide the AI for the current scene (what tone to use, what to avoid, what to emphasize).
- Notes — Project information.
Show and Hide Panels
You can hide the sidebar and right panel for more writing space:
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Show/hide sidebar | Ctrl+B |
| Show/hide right panel | Ctrl+. |
Skribane remembers your preference: if you hid a panel, it stays hidden next time you open the app.
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
Ctrl+1 | Go to Plan mode |
Ctrl+2 | Go to Write mode |
Ctrl+3 | Go to Statistics |
Ctrl+4 | Go to AI (Chat) |
Ctrl+5 | Go to File (Import/Export) |
Ctrl+B | Show/hide sidebar |
Ctrl+. | Show/hide right panel |
Ctrl+N | Create new Codex entry |
Ctrl+Shift+F | Toggle Focus mode |
Escape | Exit Focus mode |
TIP
Keyboard shortcuts don't activate when you're typing in a text field or in the editor, so they won't interfere with your writing.
Light and Dark Theme
Click the sun/moon icon in the upper right corner of the top bar to switch between light and dark theme. Skribane remembers your preference.
If you haven't changed the theme manually, Skribane follows your operating system preference.
Navigating Between Plan and Editor
To open a scene in the editor, double-click its card in Plan mode. To return to Plan from the editor, click the ← arrow in the upper left corner of the editor.
The editor shows a breadcrumb at the top: Act › Chapter › Scene, so you always know where you are.
Context Menu (Right-Click)
In Plan mode, you can right-click on an act, chapter, or scene to see additional options like rename or delete. Deletion always asks for confirmation.