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Importing Content

Supported Formats

Format Extension Best For
Microsoft Word .docx Manuscripts from Word, Google Docs exports
Markdown .md Files from other writing apps, plain text with formatting
Plain Text .txt Simple text files, notes
Atticus .json Projects exported from Atticus

Basic Import

Importing a File

  1. Open the book where you want to import content
  2. Go to File > Import
  3. Select the file type or choose All Supported Files
  4. Navigate to and select your file
  5. Click Import

Imported content creates new sections in your current book.

What Gets Imported

Element DOCX Markdown Plain Text
Text content Yes Yes Yes
Bold/Italic Yes Yes No
Headings Yes Yes No
Paragraphs Yes Yes Yes
Lists Yes Yes No
Images Yes Yes No

Word Documents (.docx)

Preparing Your Document

For best results:
- Use Word's built-in heading styles (Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.)
- Each Heading 1 becomes a separate section in Verkilo
- Remove track changes and accept all edits before importing
- Remove comments (or they'll import as text)

Import Behavior

  • Heading 1 → New section with that heading as title
  • Heading 2/3 → Subheadings within sections
  • Body text → Paragraph content
  • Bold/Italic → Preserved formatting
  • Images → Imported as attachments

From Google Docs

  1. In Google Docs, go to File > Download > Microsoft Word (.docx)
  2. Import the downloaded file into Verkilo

Markdown Files (.md)

Markdown Syntax Support

Verkilo recognizes standard Markdown:

# Heading 1 (becomes section title)
## Heading 2
### Heading 3

Regular paragraph text.

**Bold text** and *italic text*.

- Bullet list item
- Another item

1. Numbered list item
2. Another item

> Block quote

Import Behavior

  • # Heading → New section title
  • ## Heading / ### Heading → Subheadings within content
  • Standard formatting → Converted to rich text

From Other Writing Apps

Many writing apps export to Markdown:
- Ulysses → File > Export > Markdown
- iA Writer → File > Export > Markdown
- Obsidian → Files are already Markdown

Plain Text (.txt)

Plain text imports as unformatted content. Use this for:
- Simple notes
- Text copied from other sources
- Content where formatting doesn't matter

Import Behavior

  • All text becomes a single section
  • No formatting applied
  • Line breaks become paragraph breaks
  • You'll need to add formatting manually after import

Importing from Atticus

If you're migrating from Atticus, you can import your entire book structure.

Exporting from Atticus

  1. In Atticus, open your book
  2. Go to File > Export > JSON
  3. Save the exported file

Importing to Verkilo

  1. In Verkilo, go to File > Import > Atticus Project
  2. Select your exported JSON file
  3. Choose import options:
    • Create new book (recommended) or import into existing book
    • Include front/back matter sections
  4. Click Import

What Transfers

Atticus Element Verkilo Equivalent
Book title/author Book metadata
Chapters Sections
Front matter Front matter sections
Back matter Back matter sections
Text formatting Rich text content
Chapter types Matter type designation
Compile settings Compile targets

Atticus-Specific Features

Some Atticus features map differently:
- Themes → You'll select an Interior Designer template in Verkilo
- Cover → Use Verkilo's Cover Designer to recreate
- Images → Imported as attachments (if included in export)

Import Tips

Before Importing

  1. Create a backup of your Verkilo project
  2. Clean up source files - Fix formatting issues before import
  3. Organize files - Import related files together

After Importing

  1. Review structure - Check that sections divided correctly
  2. Check formatting - Verify bold, italic, headings transferred
  3. Add missing elements - Apply any formatting that didn't transfer
  4. Organize in binder - Arrange sections in the correct order

Large Imports

For books with many chapters:
- Consider importing one chapter at a time
- Review each import before continuing
- This gives you more control over the final structure

Troubleshooting

Formatting Lost

If formatting doesn't transfer:
- Check that source file uses proper styles (not manual formatting)
- Try exporting to a different format and importing that
- Apply formatting manually in Verkilo

Sections Not Splitting

If content imports as one large section:
- Check that source uses Heading 1 for chapter breaks
- Split sections manually using the editor's split feature
- Consider reformatting the source and re-importing

Images Missing

If images don't import:
- Check that images are embedded, not linked
- Import images separately using the editor's image insert
- Some image formats may not be supported

Character Encoding Issues

If you see strange characters:
- Ensure source file is saved as UTF-8
- Re-export from the source application with UTF-8 encoding
- Copy/paste content directly if import fails

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