Folian

Getting started with Folian

A calm path from waitlist to a useful writing project.

Folian is a writing OS for serious long-form work. The goal is not to rush you into AI. The goal is to help you build a project that can hold a manuscript, a story bible, canon, research and revision without losing its shape.

If you are waiting for early access, use this guide to understand what a healthy project looks like and what to prepare before the desktop app opens.

First steps

  1. 1. Join the waitlist

    Reserve early access and receive the Founder Writer Pack, including planning templates and story bible starters.

    Continue

  2. 2. Review the writing OS

    See how manuscript, story bible, canon, planning and optional AI fit together inside Folian.

    Continue

  3. 3. Prepare your project foundations

    Use the readiness checklist below to identify what your book already has and what still needs structure.

    Continue

  4. 4. Connect AI only if you want it

    Folian works without AI. When you are ready, follow the bring-your-own keys guides to connect a provider.

    Continue

Project readiness

A strong Folian project is not defined by how much AI you use. It is defined by whether the manuscript and the story memory around it are organised enough to support serious work.

Use this checklist to see what your book already has and what may still need structure. When Folian opens, these are the building blocks the workspace is designed around.

Core building blocks

  • Manuscript

    A working draft or structured starting point where scenes and chapters can grow without losing their place in the book.

  • Chapters and scenes

    Enough structure to know what belongs where, even if the outline is still evolving.

  • Characters

    Named people with motive, relationships and enough detail to keep behaviour consistent across the manuscript.

  • Story bible

    A shared place for characters, lore, world rules, timelines and the facts the book treats as true.

Supporting layers

  • Locations

    Places that matter to the story, with enough detail to avoid accidental contradiction as the draft expands.

  • Research

    Source notes, references and background material kept close to the manuscript instead of scattered across files.

  • Decisions

    A record of choices already made about plot, canon, structure, voice and revision direction.

Optional

  • AI provider connection

    Optional. Connect OpenAI or Claude only when you want AI support inside the writing workflow.

Ongoing practice

  • Export and backup

    Regular manuscript exports and project backups so the work remains portable and recoverable.

Export and backup

A serious writing project should never depend on a single place. Folian is being built with manuscript export, project backups and canon bundles so your work remains portable.

Even before the app is available, it is worth establishing a backup habit: keep dated exports of your manuscript, story bible notes and research in a folder you control.

Read about export and project control in Folian

Join the waitlist for early access

Get product updates, the Founder Writer Pack and invitations when the tester build opens.

Join the waitlist