The Editor Interface
The editor consists of:
- Section Title - Editable title at the top
- Content Area - Main writing area
- Footer - Word count and status indicators
Writing Content
Simply click in the content area and start typing. Verkilo uses a rich text editor that supports:
- Multiple paragraphs
- Headings
- Bold and italic text
- Block quotes
- Lists (ordered and unordered)
- Horizontal rules (scene breaks)
Text Formatting
Basic Formatting
| Format | Shortcut | Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Bold | Cmd/Ctrl+B | Type **text** |
| Italic | Cmd/Ctrl+I | Type *text* |
| Strikethrough | - | Type ~~text~~ |
Headings
Create headings by typing # followed by a space:
- # - Heading 1
- ## - Heading 2
- ### - Heading 3
Lists
Ordered lists: Type 1. followed by a space
Unordered lists: Type - or * followed by a space
Block Quotes
Type > followed by a space to create a block quote.
Scene Breaks
Insert a scene break (horizontal rule) by pressing Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+- or by typing --- on a new line.
Context Menu
Right-click in the editor for additional options:
- Cut, Copy, Paste
- Select All
- Format submenu (Bold, Italic, Insert Scene Break, Insert Image)
- Split Section options
Working with the Title
The section title appears at the top of the editor:
- Click to edit the title
- Press Enter or click away to save
- The title updates in the binder automatically
Word Count
The word count displays in the editor footer:
- Updates in real-time as you type
- Shows count for the current section
- In Verkado mode, shows combined count
Autosave
Verkilo saves your work automatically:
- Saving appears briefly while saving
- Saved confirms your work is stored
- No manual save needed
The debounced save triggers approximately 1 second after you stop typing.
Undo and Redo
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Undo | Cmd/Ctrl+Z |
| Redo | Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+Z (Mac) or Cmd/Ctrl+Y (Windows) |
Each section maintains its own undo history. Switching sections clears the undo stack.
Images
Insert images into your content:
- Drag and drop an image file into the editor
- Click the image button in the toolbar (when available)
- Paste an image from your clipboard
Supported formats: PNG, JPEG, GIF, SVG
Images are stored in your project's attachments folder.
Splitting Sections
Split a section into two parts:
1. Position your cursor where you want to split
2. Right-click and choose Split at Selection
3. A new section is created with content after the cursor
To split and use selected text as the new section's title:
1. Select the text you want as the title
2. Right-click and choose Split with Selection as Title
Writing Modes
Three focus modes help you write without distractions:
Typewriter Mode (Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+T)
Keeps your cursor line vertically centered. Great for long writing sessions where you don't want to look at the bottom of the screen.
Distraction-Free Mode (Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+D)
Dims inactive paragraphs to 30% opacity, highlighting only the paragraph you're editing.
Composition Mode (Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+C)
Full-screen mode that hides all UI elements. Press Escape or the same shortcut to exit.
You can combine modes (e.g., Typewriter + Distraction-Free together).
Split Pane
View two sections side-by-side:
- Press *Cmd/Ctrl+\* to toggle split mode
- Right-click a section and choose Open in Split View
- Drag the divider to resize panes
Use split pane to reference notes while writing, or compare two versions of a scene.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Cmd/Ctrl+\ | Toggle split |
| Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+W | Close split pane |
| Cmd/Ctrl+Alt+Left/Right | Switch focus between panes |
Find and Replace
Find in Section (Cmd/Ctrl+F)
Search within the current section with match highlighting and navigation.
Find in Book (Shift+Cmd/Ctrl+F)
Search across all sections. Results grouped by section—click to jump to matches.
Options: Case-sensitive, whole word, regex.
Tips for Productive Writing
- Use headings to structure long sections
- Let autosave work - don't worry about saving manually
- Use Verkado mode to review flow across multiple sections
- Create snapshots before major edits (Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+S)
- Try writing modes - experiment with Typewriter and Distraction-Free
- Use split pane for reference material while writing