How to Write a Novel Chapter in 20 Minutes with Sudowrite (Story Engine Protocol)

⚡ Workflow Specs

• Tools Required: Sudowrite (Professional Plan recommended for “Story Bible”)

• Time: 20–30 Minutes per Chapter

• Cost: Paid ($29/mo+)

• Difficulty: Intermediate

The Scenario

Most writers use AI like a slot machine pulling the lever and hoping for good prose. This fails because the AI lacks context. This workflow forces Sudowrite to act as a continuity engine. By architecting a “Story Bible” first, you ensure every word generated aligns with your plot, character arcs, and specific narrative voice, eliminating the “hallucinated” details that plague standard LLMs.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Phase 1:

The “Story Bible” Injection

Technical Insight: The Story Bible is the neural network’s long-term memory. If you skip this, the AI will forget your protagonist’s eye color by page 5.

1. Navigate to the “Story Bible” tab on the left sidebar.

2. Click “Braindump” and Type your raw, messy idea for the story.

3. Click “Generate Synopsis” to let the AI structure your idea into a cohesive summary. Edit this manually to correct any plot deviations.

4. Scroll to the “Style” section. Do not use the default presets.

5. Copy and Paste a 500-word sample of your own previous writing into the box.

   • Why? This creates a “Style Fingerprint” that overrides the generic “AI voice”.

Phase 2:

The “Beat” Architecture (Drafting)

Technical Insight: “Draft” (formerly Story Engine) works best when you guide it scene-by-scene. Never ask for a whole chapter at once without beats.

6. Open the “Draft” interface (typewriter icon).

7. Locate the “Scenes” box.

8. Type 3–4 specific “Beats” (narrative steps) for the chapter. Use this syntax for control:

   • [Opening Image]: Character X wakes up in [Location]. The mood is [Mood].

   • [Action]: Character X discovers [Object].

   • [Dialogue]: Character X argues with Character Y about [Topic].

   • [Climax]: Character Y reveals [Secret].

9. Click “Generate” to produce the raw chapter text.

Phase 3:

The Sensory Injection (“Describe” Tool)

Technical Insight: AI defaults to visual descriptions but ignores smell, touch, and taste. The “Describe” tool forces multisensory immersion.

10. Read the generated draft. Identify “flat” sentences (e.g., “The room was messy.”).

11. Highlight the phrase “The room was messy.”

12. Click the “Describe” button in the floating toolbar.

13. Select specific senses (e.g., Smell and Sound) from the dropdown menu to avoid generic visual fluff.

14. Insert the best sensory output directly into the prose.

    • Result: “The room smelled of stale coffee and old paper, the silence broken only by the hum of the radiator.”

Phase 4:

The “Show, Don’t Tell” Polish

15. Highlight a paragraph where the characters express emotion too directly (e.g., “He was angry.”).

16. Click the “Rewrite” button.

17. Select the preset “Show, Not Tell” from the dropdown menu.

18. Review the output. It should convert “He was angry” into “He slammed his fist on the table, his knuckles turning white.”

19. Click “Insert” to replace the weak prose.

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