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Importing Documents

Writers Room supports importing manuscripts in multiple formats to get you started quickly.

Supported Formats​

  • Microsoft Word (.docx) - Recommended for best formatting preservation
  • Plain Text - Via the paste text option

How to Import​

During Project Creation​

  1. Create a new project and give it a name
  2. Choose Upload Word Doc or Paste Text
  3. Drag and drop your file or click to browse (for Word docs)
  4. Click Import to begin processing

Adding Documents to Existing Projects​

  1. Open your project
  2. Use the Add Document option
  3. Choose to import a file or create a blank document

Import Progress​

When you import a document, you'll see real-time progress through two main stages:

Stage 1: Analyzing Structure​

  • Reading and parsing your document
  • Detecting chapters and sections
  • Shows how many chapters were found (e.g., "Found 24 chapters")

Stage 2: Understanding the Story​

  • Reading the story chapter by chapter
  • Extracting key information for insights
tip

For best results with chapter detection, use clear chapter headings in your manuscript (e.g., "Chapter 1" or "CHAPTER ONE").

Automatic Genre Detection​

During import, Writers Room automatically detects your manuscript's genre by analyzing your manuscript. You'll see the detection appear in the chat panel:

  • Primary genre: The main BISAC classification (e.g., "FICTION / Fantasy / Epic")
  • Secondary genres: Additional genre elements present in your work
  • Confidence level: How certain the detection is (high, medium, or low)
  • Rationale: A brief explanation of why this genre was detected

This happens in the background while your manuscript is being processed—no action required on your part!

info

Genre detection uses BISAC (Book Industry Standards and Communications) codes, the same system used by publishers and bookstores. Learn more in Genre Selection.

Chat During Import​

The chat panel opens automatically during import to keep you informed:

  1. A greeting message welcomes you to the import process
  2. When genre detection completes, a message shows what was detected
  3. You can start chatting about your manuscript even while import continues

Paste Text Import​

You can also paste text directly:

  1. During project creation, switch to the Paste Text tab
  2. Paste or type your content in the text area
  3. Click Import to process

Import Timing​

Import duration depends on manuscript length:

  • Short manuscripts (under 30,000 words): 2-3 minutes
  • Standard novels (60,000-100,000 words): 5-7 minutes
  • Long manuscripts (over 100,000 words): 7-10 minutes

The progress bar and stage indicators show real-time status throughout the process.

Cancelling an Import​

If you need to cancel:

  1. Click the Cancel Import button at the bottom of the progress screen
  2. Confirm the cancellation
  3. The project will be deleted and you'll return to the dashboard