Overview
The Outliner displays sections in a table format showing:
- Section titles (with hierarchy indentation)
- Synopsis
- Word count
- Status
- Other metadata columns
Opening Outliner View
- Press Cmd/Ctrl+Alt+O
- Or go to View > Outliner
- Or click the Outliner icon in the view switcher
The Table Layout
Columns
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Title | Section name with hierarchy indent |
| Synopsis | Brief description |
| Words | Word count |
| Status | Workflow status |
| POV | Point-of-view character |
| Target | Compile target (all/ebook/print) |
Row Hierarchy
Sections with children are indented to show structure:
- Parent sections can be collapsed/expanded
- Click the disclosure triangle to toggle
- Hierarchy reflects your binder organization
Working with the Outliner
Inline Editing
Click any editable cell to modify it:
- Title: Click and type to rename
- Synopsis: Click to add/edit synopsis text
- Status: Click to select from dropdown
Press Tab to move to the next cell, or click away to save.
Selecting Sections
- Click a row to select it
- The selected section can be opened in the editor
Reordering
Drag rows to reorder sections:
1. Click and hold a row
2. Drag to the new position
3. Drop to place
The hierarchy is maintained during reordering.
Navigation
Opening a Section
Double-click a row to open that section in the editor.
Keyboard Navigation
- Up/Down arrows: Move selection
- Enter: Open selected section
- Tab: Move to next editable cell
Sorting
Click column headers to sort:
- Click once for ascending order
- Click again for descending
- Click a third time to return to default order
Sorting is temporary and doesn't change actual section order.
Use Cases
Metadata Review
Review and edit metadata across all sections:
- Scan word counts for pacing
- Check POV assignments
- Verify compile targets
- Update status as you work
Progress Tracking
Track your writing progress:
- See word counts at a glance
- Identify unwritten sections (0 words)
- Compare actual vs. planned lengths
Synopsis Writing
Write synopses efficiently:
- Tab through the synopsis column
- Write brief descriptions for each section
- Build your outline without leaving the view
Status Management
Update section status in bulk:
- Mark sections as Draft, Revision, or Complete
- Quickly see which sections need work
- Track progress through your workflow
Comparison with Other Views
| View | Best For |
|---|---|
| Editor | Writing and editing content |
| Corkboard | Visual overview, drag reordering |
| Outliner | Metadata editing, detailed information |
The Outliner excels at showing data across many sections simultaneously.
Column Customization
The visible columns are fixed in the current version. Future updates may allow column selection.
Tips
- Use Tab to move quickly through cells when editing metadata
- Sort by word count to find short or long sections
- Check POV column to verify character distribution
- Write synopses here if you prefer typing to the Corkboard's cards
- Collapse parent sections to focus on specific parts of your book