Overview
@Mentions let you:
- Reference characters inline while writing
- Automatically associate characters with sections
- Navigate quickly to character profiles
- Track character appearances across your book
Creating a Mention
As You Type
- Type
@in the editor - Start typing a character name
- A dropdown appears with matching characters
- Select a character or press Enter for the top match
Example
@Sarah walked into the room, surprised to see @Marcus waiting.
As you type @Sar, the dropdown shows matching characters. Select Sarah
to insert the mention.
The Mention Dropdown
When you type @:
- A popup appears below your cursor
- Shows characters matching what you've typed
- Updates as you continue typing
- Keyboard navigation: Up/Down arrows to select, Enter to confirm
Filtering
The dropdown filters by:
- Character name (first match)
- Partial matches anywhere in the name
Type more characters to narrow the results.
Mention Appearance
Inserted mentions appear as styled text:
- Visually distinct from regular text
- Shows the character's name
- Clickable to navigate
Character Association
When you mention a character:
- They're automatically associated with that section
- The association appears in the Inspector's Associations panel
- Helps track which characters appear where
Viewing Associations
- Open a section in the editor
- Click the Associations panel in the Inspector
- See all characters mentioned in this section
Navigating from Mentions
Click a mention to:
- View character details in a quick popover
- Jump to the character's full profile
Managing Mentions
Removing a Mention
To remove a mention but keep the text:
1. Select the mention
2. Delete and retype as plain text
Or simply delete the mention entirely.
Updating Character Names
If you rename a character:
- Existing mentions update automatically
- The link to the character is preserved
Use Cases
Tracking POV Scenes
Mention characters in their POV scenes:
@Elena couldn't shake the feeling she was being watched.
Character Introductions
Mark when characters first appear:
The door opened to reveal @Detective_Chen, badge already in hand.
Scene Planning
Use mentions in synopses to plan character appearances:
Synopsis: @Hero confronts @Villain about the stolen artifact.
Dialogue Attribution
Reference speakers in complex scenes:
"I disagree," @Marcus said, turning to @Sarah. "What do you think?"
Characters Panel
View all characters in your project:
1. Click Characters in the binder
2. See the full character list
3. Characters with mentions show which sections reference them
Tips
- Use consistently - mention characters when they appear significantly
- Don't over-mention - one mention per scene is usually enough
- Check associations - use the Inspector to verify character links
- Create characters first - mentions only work for existing characters
- Use for tracking - great for ensuring characters appear as planned
Limitations
- Only works with existing characters (create them first)
- One mention per character per position (no duplicates at same spot)
- Mentions are per-section, not cross-referenced globally
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Action | Key |
|---|---|
| Start mention | Type @ |
| Navigate dropdown | Up/Down arrows |
| Select character | Enter |
| Cancel | Escape |