FAQ
A few things before you bring your book.
Your manuscript, the desk, and what happens to your work. Longer guides cover the series bible, the timeline, and taking your files with you. If your question isn't here, ask me directly.
- What is Maldric?
- A free writing app for novels and series, available on Mac, Windows and Linux. Keep your chapters, characters and notes together, then export your book when it is ready. See what is included.
- Can I bring the book I'm already writing?
- Yes. Import Word (.docx), EPUB or a PDF with selectable text locally, then check, rename and reorder chapters before creating a new book. Scanned PDFs need OCR first. Conversion can need tidying, especially from PDF. Import does not require AI or overwrite an existing book.
- Does it work for a standalone book?
- Yes. Keep one book on its own or group books into a series. Characters, places and lore belong to that book or series, so your notes stay together.
- Where do I use it?
- On your Mac, Windows or Linux computer. Mac requires an Apple chip and macOS 14 or later. Windows is available from the Microsoft Store. This website has the downloads, guides and blog.
- How do I start?
- Follow Getting Started to install Maldric, create a local library and add your first book and chapter. You do not need an account, payment card or AI connection.
- Is the desktop app free?
- Yes. Writing, import, spelling, series notes, revisions, library backups and EPUB, PDF and Word export are free. You do not need an account or subscription. Cloud and AI are optional.
- How does the editor work?
- Write in a scrolling manuscript, with a formatting toolbar when you need it. Source view shows the underlying Markdown. Settings → Editor lets you choose the font, text size, spacing and writing width. By default, two Returns create a scene break and three create a chapter; you can turn this off. Shift+Return always inserts a plain newline.
- How is my writing saved?
- Changes autosave about every five seconds. The footer shows Saved, Saving or Unsaved. Press Command-S on Mac or Ctrl-S on Windows and Linux to keep a revision. Open Revisions from Commands to read or restore an earlier draft. Saved means saved on this computer; keep a separate backup too.
- Can I check spelling without AI?
- Yes. Check spelling works offline with British or US English. Run it when you want a check, or turn on Check spelling as I type in Settings → Editor → Spelling. You can add names and other words to your personal dictionary.
- What is Bench?
- Bench holds passages you want to put aside. Select text, right-click and choose Move to Bench. The passage is saved before it leaves the draft. Undo restores the text without deleting the Bench copy, and Insert at cursor lets you use it again later.
- How do I back up or restore my library?
- Choose Settings → Library & backup → Save library backup… and save the ZIP outside your library folder, ideally on another drive. To restore it, extract the ZIP into a new folder and choose Open library…. Import book is a different tool for bringing in manuscripts; it does not restore a library backup.
- Do I have to use AI?
- No. Write, import, check spelling, keep series notes and arrange your timeline without AI. Export works without it too. Connect an AI provider only if you want help discussing or editing your work.
- Which AI providers can I connect?
- Codex, Cursor and Grok Build support chapter chat, proofreading and passage edits through your existing account. Full-book Review, timeline suggestions and AI interpretation in Pulse currently use Codex. Settings helps you install and sign in. Claude Code has setup support only. You do not need an API key.
- What does AI cost?
- Maldric does not charge for AI access or include AI usage. Your chosen provider sets its own prices, limits and terms. Check what your account includes before connecting.
- Can I write offline?
- Yes. Local writing and your saved library do not depend on Maldric Cloud or an AI service. Downloads, update checks, cloud sync and remote AI requests need a connection. If you enable Cloud, offline changes sync when you reconnect.
- How does AI assistance affect KDP disclosure?
- Retailer rules distinguish assistance with your writing from AI-generated text and images. Accepting an edit does not by itself decide the category. Read KDP’s current content guidelines and disclose the use that applies to your book. Maldric cannot guarantee a retailer’s classification or acceptance.
- What can I export?
- Export an EPUB, print PDF, editable Word document (.docx) or a pack of your book files. Choose fonts, page layout and front and back matter in the publishing workspace. Check the files before uploading them to your retailer. A complete library ZIP backup is separate and keeps your revisions and notes too. None of this needs AI.
- Do I own my books?
- Yes. Your local manuscripts, characters, lore and revisions remain yours. Cloud and AI subscriptions do not unlock local writing. Keep your own backups too.
- Where is my writing stored, and when does AI see it?
- Desktop books are stored on your computer. Enabling Cloud uploads your selected library for backup and sync. Connecting AI is separate: a request can send manuscript context, notes and prompts to your chosen provider or agent. Without an AI connection, Maldric does not send your writing to an AI provider. See the privacy policy.
- What does Maldric Cloud include?
- Maldric Cloud costs £2.99/month for backup and automatic sync between your computers. It needs an account with a confirmed email. Some publishing files cannot sync yet; Maldric tells you when a library has unsupported data. Local writing, export and ZIP backups stay free, and cancelling Cloud does not lock your local books.
- Who handles payments and cancellation?
- Stripe handles optional Cloud subscriptions and subscription management. AI providers bill you separately under their own terms.
- Do I need to sign up for emails?
- No account or email subscription is needed for local writing. Product news is optional and can be unsubscribed from.
- What happens when I check for updates or report a problem?
- Update checks and downloads contact our servers without uploading your manuscript. The app also offers anonymous error reports and usage counts. You can turn these off in the introduction or Settings → Privacy. If you contact support, send only the files you want us to see. Read the privacy policy for details.
- Who builds Maldric?
- I'm Chris Vanderplank, an indie author and software developer. I build Maldric through Intrepid Developer. Feedback reaches me at chris@intrepid-developer.com. Get in touch.