Novelcrafter 101: The Best AI Writing Platform?

The Nerdy Novelist
12 Feb 202425:58

TLDRNovelcrafter 101 is a comprehensive guide to using the Novelcrafter platform, an AI writing tool designed to assist authors in creating novels. The video transcript begins with the creation of a novel, including naming the book and author, and setting up a series. It emphasizes the importance of setting up AI API keys, particularly for OpenAI and Open Router, to access various AI models. The platform's interface is explored, highlighting the 'Plan', 'Write', and 'Review' tabs, with a focus on the 'Plan' tab for outlining and the 'Write' tab for drafting text with AI assistance. The 'Chat' feature is also discussed, which allows for brainstorming and character development using AI. The video provides a step-by-step guide on how to use the platform, from creating a novel outline to writing scenes with AI assistance, and concludes with a discussion on pricing and the benefits of different subscription levels. The presenter shares their preference for Novelcrafter over other tools like Pseudoright, due to its comprehensive features and potential for fine-tuned control over the writing process.

Takeaways

  • ๐Ÿ“š Start by logging into Novelcrafter and creating a new novel, including author name and series if applicable.
  • ๐Ÿ” Overwhelmed by options? Set up your AI API Keys for OpenAI and Open Router to access various AI models.
  • ๐Ÿ”— Follow the link to OpenAI to create an account and generate an API key, which is crucial for using OpenAI models within Novelcrafter.
  • ๐Ÿ“ Use the 'Plan' tab to create your novel outline, selecting from various structures like Derek Murphy's 24 chapters.
  • ๐Ÿค– Utilize the 'Chat' feature for brainstorming sessions, which can use different AI models to assist in generating ideas.
  • ๐Ÿ“ The 'Write' tab is where you'll do most of your writing, with the option to use AI for assistance through slash commands.
  • ๐Ÿงžโ€โ™‚๏ธ Customize your writing process with the 'Prompts' section, where you can create, edit, and delete prompts to refine your AI's output.
  • ๐Ÿ’ฐ Consider the pricing structure, starting from as low as $4 a month, and choose a plan that fits your needs, like Tinkerer or Artisan for additional features.
  • ๐Ÿ“ˆ Edit the AI-generated text to match your style, helping the AI learn and continue in a similar vein for subsequent writing.
  • ๐Ÿ“Š The 'Review' tab provides statistics on your book, which is more useful once you have substantial content.
  • ๐Ÿ‘ฅ Use the 'Codex' to store and organize information about characters, which the AI can use to maintain context throughout the novel.
  • โœ๏ธ Write in a scene-by-scene approach, giving you fine-tuned control over the output, which is especially useful for authors who like detailed control over their AI writing.

Q & A

  • What is the first step to start using Novelcrafter?

    -The first step is to log into Novelcrafter and create a new novel by providing a title, author or pen name, and selecting a series if applicable.

  • How can I connect my Novelcrafter account to OpenAI and Open Router?

    -To connect to OpenAI, you need to create an account on the OpenAI platform, generate an API key, and then add this key to Novelcrafter's settings. For Open Router, you create an account, manage your credits, and connect it to Novelcrafter through the provided button in the settings.

  • What are the main sections in Novelcrafter for planning and writing a novel?

    -The main sections are Plan, Write, and Review. Plan is for creating an outline, Write is where you actually write the novel, and Review provides statistics on your book.

  • How does the chat feature in Novelcrafter work?

    -The chat feature allows you to have a general-purpose chat that can be used for brainstorming. It uses different AI models, and you can select the model you want to interact with.

  • What is the purpose of the Codex in Novelcrafter?

    -The Codex is used to store and manage information about characters, settings, and other elements of your novel. It helps the AI to understand the context of your story when generating text.

  • How can I use the AI to help write a chapter in Novelcrafter?

    -You can use the AI by entering a scene beat description, selecting a point of view (POV), choosing a character, and then using the 'scene be' slash command to generate text.

  • What is the 'make it Jason' button for in Novelcrafter?

    -The 'make it Jason' button is a special fine-tune model that rewrites the generated text in the user's style, which can be particularly useful for refining the AI's output.

  • How do I create a new prompt in Novelcrafter?

    -You can create a new prompt by going to the Prompts section, selecting a template or starting from scratch, and customizing the prompt with instructions and system tags to guide the AI.

  • What are the different subscription plans available for Novelcrafter?

    -Novelcrafter offers the Scribe, Tinkerer, and Artisan plans. Scribe is the basic plan, Tinkerer allows you to use your own AI keys, and Artisan gives you access to workshop features including the chat tool.

  • Why might someone choose the Artisan plan over the Tinkerer?

    -The Artisan plan is chosen over the Tinkerer if the user wants access to the chat tool and other workshop features, which provide additional context and character simulation capabilities within Novelcrafter.

  • What is the advantage of using Novelcrafter over other writing tools like Pseudorite?

    -Novelcrafter offers more features that authors need to write a good book, such as advanced AI integration, character management through the Codex, and a more fine-tuned control over the output, despite having a slightly steeper learning curve.

Outlines

00:00

๐Ÿš€ Getting Started with Novel Crafter

The video begins with an introduction to Novel Crafter, a tool designed to assist in writing novels. The presenter guides viewers through the initial login process, creating a new novel titled 'The Fall of the Fairy', and selecting an existing series for the book. The importance of setting up AI API keys for OpenAI and Open Router is emphasized, as these are crucial for accessing various AI models within the platform. Detailed instructions are provided for connecting to OpenAI, including creating an account and generating an API key. The presenter also explains the process of setting up Open Router, which offers access to a broader range of models.

05:01

๐Ÿ“š Navigating the Novel Crafter Interface

The presenter discusses the different tabs and functionalities available in Novel Crafter, such as the 'Plan', 'Write', 'Chat', and 'Review' tabs. The 'Plan' tab is used for creating outlines, while the 'Chat' tab allows for brainstorming and casual discussions with AI models. The video demonstrates how to use the 'Chat' feature to generate a chapter outline based on provided information. The 'Codex' is also introduced as a way to store and manage character information, which can be used to enhance the context for AI writing.

10:01

โœ๏ธ Writing with Novel Crafter and AI

The video continues with a demonstration of writing a novel using Novel Crafter's AI features. The presenter explains how to use slash commands to generate scenes and how to provide context to the AI using the Codex. The process of selecting a point of view (POV) and a character for the scene is shown, along with how the AI uses this information to generate text. The presenter also discusses the importance of editing the AI-generated text to match the author's style before proceeding to the next scene.

15:03

๐Ÿ” Exploring Advanced Features and Prompts

The presenter delves into more advanced features of Novel Crafter, such as the ability to fine-tune AI models to match the author's writing style. The 'Prompts' section is explored, showing how to create, clone, and customize prompts for various writing tasks. The video also touches on the potential for future updates to the tool and the presenter's personal preference for using Novel Crafter over other writing tools.

20:04

๐Ÿ’ฐ Pricing and Subscription Options

The pricing structure for Novel Crafter is discussed, with the presenter outlining the different subscription tiers: Scribe, Tinkerer, and Artisan. The benefits of each tier are explained, such as the ability to use personal AI keys and access to workshop features. The presenter recommends starting with the Tinkerer or Artisan tier for most users and suggests waiting for more features to be released before opting for the Specialist tier.

25:05

๐Ÿ“ˆ Novel Crafter as the Top Choice for Fiction Writing

The presenter concludes by reiterating that Novel Crafter is currently their preferred tool for writing fiction, despite acknowledging the learning curve associated with it. They compare Novel Crafter to other tools like Pseudorite, noting that while the latter might be easier for less technically inclined authors, Novel Crafter offers more comprehensive features for serious writing. The presenter also mentions a video comparing Novel Crafter and Pseudorite for those interested in a side-by-side analysis.

Mindmap

Keywords

๐Ÿ’กNovelcrafter

Novelcrafter is an AI writing platform designed to assist authors in creating novels. It is the central focus of the video, where the host demonstrates how to use the platform to start a writing project, set up AI API keys, and utilize various features for outlining, writing, and brainstorming. The platform integrates with different AI models to enhance the writing process.

๐Ÿ’กAI API Keys

AI API Keys are essential for connecting Novelcrafter to external AI services like OpenAI and Open Router. In the video, the host guides viewers on setting up these keys to access AI models, which is crucial for leveraging the full capabilities of Novelcrafter for writing.

๐Ÿ’กOpenAI

OpenAI is an AI research lab that provides models like GPT-3.5 and GPT-4, which are used within Novelcrafter to assist in writing. The host explains how to connect OpenAI to Novelcrafter by creating a new secret key on the OpenAI platform and adding it to the Novelcrafter settings.

๐Ÿ’กOpen Router

Open Router serves as a catch-all for various AI models, complementing OpenAI by providing access to a broader range of models. The video discusses how to connect Open Router to Novelcrafter, which allows users to utilize different AI models for their writing projects.

๐Ÿ’กChapter Outline

Creating a chapter outline is a key step in planning a novel within Novelcrafter. The host demonstrates using the platform's chat feature to generate a 24-chapter outline based on provided information, showcasing how the tool can assist in structuring a novel.

๐Ÿ’กCodex

The Codex in Novelcrafter is a feature that allows authors to store and manage character information. The host explains how to add character details to the Codex, which can then be used by the AI to maintain consistency and context throughout the novel.

๐Ÿ’กScene Beat

A scene beat is a unit of action within a scene. The host uses the term to describe how Novelcrafter can generate text for a specific scene beat, providing a structured approach to writing scenes by breaking them down into beats.

๐Ÿ’กThird Person Limited

This is a point of view (POV) option in Novelcrafter, where the narrative is told from the perspective of a single character. The host selects this POV for the novel, which informs the AI how to write the scenes with the appropriate perspective.

๐Ÿ’กSlash Commands

Slash commands are shortcuts used in Novelcrafter to trigger specific actions like writing a scene beat. The host demonstrates using a slash command to initiate the AI writing process within the platform.

๐Ÿ’กFine-Tune Model

A fine-tune model is an AI feature that allows rewriting text in a specific style, as demonstrated by the host using a 'make it Jason' button to rewrite AI-generated text in the host's personal style. This customization helps authors maintain a consistent voice throughout their novel.

๐Ÿ’กPrompts

Prompts are instructions given to the AI to guide the generation of text. The video covers how to create, modify, and use prompts within Novelcrafter to expand, refine, and control the AI's output during the writing process.

Highlights

Novelcrafter is introduced as a comprehensive AI writing platform.

The platform allows users to create novels and select series for organization.

Users can set up AI API Keys for OpenAI and Open Router to access various AI models.

OpenAI API key grants access to models like GPT 3.5 and GPT 4.

Open Router serves as a catch-all for other models and integrates with Novelcrafter.

The platform provides a chat feature for brainstorming and writing assistance.

Novelcrafter enables the creation of a novel outline using AI, with options like Derek Murphy's 24 chapters.

The Codex feature stores and manages character information to provide context for AI writing.

Users can write with AI using slash commands and scene beats for detailed narrative generation.

The platform offers a fine-tune model to rewrite text in the user's unique style.

Prompts can be customized and categorized for different writing needs within the platform.

Editing generated text helps AI learn and continue in a similar style.

Pricing starts as low as $4 a month, with different tiers offering various features.

The Artisan tier provides access to chat and workshop features for more interactive use.

Novelcrafter is currently the presenter's favorite tool for writing fiction, offering a good balance of ease of use and functionality.

The platform is suitable for authors who want fine-tuned control over AI-generated content.

Updates and new features are expected, with potential changes to the recommended tier offerings.

A comparison video between Novelcrafter and other tools like Pseudoright is available for further insights.