Create a book: Use AI Coach vs Blank Workspace
Click "+ Create New Work" → the Create New Work modal pops up with 4 ways to start. The first two are the main "create a book" modes: Use AI Coach (guided) vs Blank Workspace (free-form). The other two are import-related (Import Existing Content, Restore .slima Backup — covered in their own articles).
At a glance
| Use AI Coach | Blank Workspace | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | First book / still figuring out structure | You know what you want |
| AI involvement | High (guided Q&A → chapter outline + first-chapter stub) | None during setup |
| Time | 5–10 min | < 30 sec |
| End state | Chapter skeleton + first-chapter stub + Coach has full context | One empty book + one empty file |
The difference isn't "AI or no AI" — after Blank Workspace, the Coach is one tap away. The difference is whether the setup itself is guided.
Use AI Coach (recommended for first-timers)
Click "Use AI Coach" — the Coach walks you through a few questions:
Step 1 · What you want to write
Open prompt: "I want to write a __ about __."
E.g. "A novella about memory and solitude."
The Coach confirms: "OK — a lighthouse keeper on the coast, theme of memory and solitude. Sound right?"
Step 2 · Genre / style / target
- Genre chip: Fiction / Biography / Business / Technical / Self-Help / General (same options as the Edit Work modal)
- Style reference (optional): e.g. "Haruki Murakami's atmosphere", "Sally Rooney's dialogue"
- Target word count (optional): e.g. 80,000
- Target date (optional): e.g. 2026-12-31
These go into the book's metadata; you can change them later via Edit Work.
Step 3 · Main characters (optional)
Drop in 1–2 leads + 1–2 supporting characters (name + one-line description). The Coach uses them when proposing chapters.
Haven't worked them out? Fine — the Coach starts with a typical lineup; you can replan later.
Step 4 · Chapter outline
Based on steps 1–3, the Coach proposes a chapter outline — 1–2 sentences per chapter.
You can:
- Accept → create the book and enter the editor
- Edit specific chapters: click a chapter, rewrite the summary or delete it
- Regenerate: give the Coach more guidance and let it redo
Step 5 · First-chapter stub
Once the outline is accepted, the Coach writes a short opening stub for Chapter 1 (about 5–10 lines) so you don't face a blank page.
From there:
- Just keep writing
- Delete the whole stub and start over
- Keep the stub at the top as an anchor and continue below
Blank Workspace (if you already know what you want)
Click "Blank Workspace" — a compact metadata dialog:
- Title (required)
- Genre (required): Fiction / Biography / Business / Technical / Self-Help / General
- Description (optional): one-line synopsis
- Target words (optional)
- Target date (optional)
Click Save and you're in the editor in about a second. One book + one empty file.
The Coach is always one tap away — Blank Workspace just means "no guided setup at creation time", not "no AI later".
Which should I pick?
| Your situation | Pick |
|---|---|
| First book, still figuring out subject | Use AI Coach |
| Already have an outline / lots of reference docs | Import Existing Content |
| Migrating from another device / restoring backup | Restore Backup |
| You know what you want, just need a file | Blank Workspace |
| Want to practice AI planning without committing | Use AI Coach (delete after) |
The other two options (not this article)
| See | |
|---|---|
| Import existing | Import an existing manuscript |
| Restore backup | Bulk-import from .slima backup |
Related
Was this helpful?