Creating a New Project
- Launch Verkilo
- On the Welcome screen, click New Project
- Choose a location to save your project
- Enter a name for your project folder
- Click Create
Your project is now created and ready for writing.
Understanding Projects
A Verkilo project is a folder on your computer that contains:
- A database file (verkilo.db) with all your content
- An attachments folder for images and media
- Automatic backups
You can have multiple projects for different writing endeavors (e.g., one for fiction, one for non-fiction).
Creating Your First Book
- After creating a project, you'll see the Books page
- Click New Book or the + button
- Enter a title for your book
- Click Create
Your book appears as a card in the Books view.
Creating Your First Section
- Click on your book card to open it
- The Binder appears on the left, showing your book's structure
- Click Add Section at the bottom of the binder
- Enter a title for your section (e.g.,
Chapter 1
) - Click Create
Start Writing
- Click on your section in the binder
- The editor opens with your section
- Start typing in the editor area
- Your work saves automatically as you type
The word count appears in the footer, updating in real-time.
Basic Formatting
Use keyboard shortcuts or the context menu for formatting:
| Format | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Bold | Cmd+B / Ctrl+B |
| Italic | Cmd+I / Ctrl+I |
| Heading | Type # then space |
Organizing Your Work
As you write, you can:
- Add more sections for additional chapters
- Reorder sections by dragging in the binder
- Create nested sections for scenes within chapters
Saving Your Work
Verkilo saves automatically:
- Every few seconds while typing
- Immediately when you switch sections
- When you close the application
Look for Saved
in the footer to confirm your work is safe.
What's Next?
Now that you have a project set up:
- Learn the Interface - Understand all parts of Verkilo
- Editor Basics - Master the writing tools
- Managing Sections - Organize your content