What versions are (read this first)
A worldbuilding version is the state of an element at a point in your story. A character who is loyal in Chapter 1 and a traitor by Chapter 12 has two versions.
Versions are not backups, undo history or restore points. (For restore points on your manuscript text, see Manuscript Versioning.)
Each version belongs to a book and chapter, and the editor always shows the version that's true for the chapter you're writing.
Creating a new version
Note: every element starts with a Baseline version at the book and chapter you chose when you created it. See How to Create Worldbuilding Elements.
1. Open the element
In Worldbuilding, click the element you want to version.
2. Open the Version Timeline
Click the version button at the top of the canvas, after Save Template. It shows the name of the version you're viewing (such as Baseline), or its book and chapter, plus how many versions the element has.
3. Click Create New Version
It's at the bottom of the Version Timeline.
4. Say where the version applies
In Create New Version, set the Book Number and Chapter Number, and optionally a Version Name and a Note. Then click Create Version.
The new version starts as a copy of the most recent version before that chapter, so you never start from a blank element. For example, with versions at Chapters 1, 3, 4 and 7, a new Chapter 10 version starts as a copy of Chapter 7, and a new Chapter 2 version starts as a copy of Chapter 1.
5. Change only what's different
The new version opens on the canvas. Edit just the cards and fields that have changed; everything saves automatically.
6. Switch between versions
Open the Version Timeline any time and click a version to load it. Any unsaved changes are saved into the version you were viewing before the new one opens. Each version also has Duplicate version and Delete version buttons.
How the editor picks a version
While you write, the Notes Panel shows each element as it is at your current chapter:
If the element has a version for this chapter, that's the one shown.
If not, the most recent version before this chapter is shown.
Versions for later chapters are ignored, so nothing is spoiled early.
Writing chapter | Version shown (versions at 1, 3, 4, 7) |
|---|---|
Chapter 10 | Chapter 7 |
Chapter 6 | Chapter 4 |
Chapter 3 | Chapter 3 |
Tips
Create a version only when something meaningful changes. Many elements need just the Baseline.
A PDF export lists what changed in each version as the element's arc. See Exporting Worldbuilding to PDF.
Keep to one version per chapter for each element. That keeps the timeline easy to read.
The Free plan includes up to 10 versions across all your projects (the example project doesn't count). Paid plans have no limit.
On paid plans, AI Summaries at the bottom of the timeline writes a short, factual summary of each version.