Who knows what – and since when?
See scene by scene what each character can already know. If someone uses a secret too early, Inkcubator raises a flag.
See the matrixWriting tool for novels · built for crime fiction
You have a story. Tell it.
Inkcubator keeps characters, settings, timeline and manuscript together in one place – so you can focus on telling the story instead of hunting for notes.
- Runs in your browser – nothing to install
- Interface in German and English
- Export any project as a file, any time
Outline
1High Water6,644
- Áine
- Low Water
- Bait Digger
2Mud5,927
- Monsignor
- The View of the River
- Step Nine
3The American–
- A Child from St Columba’s
BIU“ ”* * *
The View of the River
On the back of her right hand there was a plaster, neat, skin-coloured.
“Where were you last night, Mrs Barry?” asked Caroline. Question seven.
“Me?” A short, surprised laugh. “Here. On my own. I watched the nine o’clock news, then I did the ironing. I was in bed by half eleven.”
Caroline wrote: 23:30 bed. Precise, she thought. Exact.
Bernadette Barry can’t know the time of death yet
Tension 6/10
Three questions
A crime novel is clockwork. Inkcubator keeps an eye on every cog.
Does the mystery play fair?
Suspects, clues and red herrings at a glance – plus a check on whether readers had a real chance to solve it before the reveal.
See the fair-play checkIs the tension building?
Rate each scene and see the curve across the whole book – with a warning when the middle sags.
See the tension curveEverything in one place
From the first idea to the final scene.
Instead of sticky notes, spreadsheets and five different programs: one workspace for your entire book.
Manuscript
Arrange chapters and scenes by drag and drop and write in a calm, book-style editor that reopens right where you left off. Autosave, versions and export as Word, PDF or plain text included – in standard manuscript format if you like.
Characters
Portrait cards, profiles with custom fields, relationships and every appearance of a character at a glance.
World & pinboard
Places, organizations and rules as a reference. Pin photos and finds from your phone – tagged and searchable.
Timeline
Scenes and events on a time axis – by story time or reading order, from millennia down to the minute.
Plot & structure
A plot-thread grid that spots gaps, plus beat templates: three-act, Save the Cat, hero’s journey and a crime-novel grid.
Setups & payoffs
Clues, red herrings, foreshadowing: plant them, pay them off – and see what is still open.
Outliner & search
All scenes as an editable table, quick search with Ctrl + K and full-text search with find and replace.
Annotations
Highlight, comment and grey out doubtful passages as ghost text – it doesn’t count toward your word total.
Side panel
Open a character, a place or an earlier scene next to your text without leaving the page.
Crime-fiction tools
Find plot holes before a reader does.
These tools work with your own data – no AI, no extra cost. Every view here comes from the sample crime novel “What the Tide Leaves Behind” that every new account starts with.
Who knows what
A character can’t use what they don’t know yet.
Pick a topic – an event, a clue, a place in your world – and see in a matrix which character knows it from which scene on. In the sample novel, Bernadette Barry names the time of death in scene 2.2, though the press only makes it public in scene 3.2 – Inkcubator flags the cell in red.
- One click changes who learns what, and when
- Contradictions across all topics at a glance
- Rule-based: instant and free, no AI needed
Topic: The time of death: 23:418 characters know it · 1 contradiction
Ch. 1
Ch. 2
Ch. 3
Ch. 4
1.1
1.2
1.3
2.1
2.2
2.3
3.1
3.2
4.1
4.2
Dermot Ahernfrom scene 2.1
Caroline Murphyfrom scene 2.1
Bernadette Barryfrom scene 3.2
Ryan Kavanaghfrom scene 3.1
learns it hereknows itcan’t know it yetuses it
Bernadette Barry uses “The time of death: 23:41” in scene 2.2 – but only learns it in scene 3.2.
Fair play
Did the reader get a fair chance?
Record motive, means, opportunity and alibi for every suspect. The clue board shows when readers see which clue. The fair-play check tells you whether enough incriminating clues come before the reveal – and whether any arrive too late.
- Suspect matrix with strength ratings for motive, means and opportunity
- Clue board showing each clue’s place in the book
- Fair-play check: rule-based, with clear findings
SuspectMotiveMeansOpportunityAlibiStatus
RKRyan Kavanagh
unchecked
open
CBConor Barry
broken
open
GKGerard Keohane
confirmed
cleared
Fair-play check: no violation9 incriminating clues before the solution in scene 12.1 (minimum 2)2 red herrings: Ryan’s prints, Conor’s empty rack
Tension
See where your book sags.
Give each scene a tension rating from 1 to 10 and a mood. Inkcubator draws the curve across your whole book, overlays the target corridor of your structure and flags flat stretches, an early climax or a sagging middle. In the sample novel, chapter 5 sags – right where the first red herring falls apart.
- Target curve from your beat sheet
- The curve stays in view while you rate, a click jumps to the scene
- Each scene’s mood as a color band with a legend
26 of 26 scenes ratedØ 6.6Max. 10Min. 31 warning
Scene tensionTarget corridor (± 3)Well below target
Unease 8Grief 6Fear 4Shock 3Anger 2Longing 1Relief 1Hope 1
2 scenes in a row (5.1–5.2) are 3.2 points below the target curve on average.
Timeline
Time under control – even with flashbacks.
Show scenes and events on a time axis, colored by character or plot thread. Switch between story time (when does it happen?) and reading order (when does the reader find out?) – cards glide smoothly to their new place. In the sample novel, scene 1.3 starts before scene 1.2 in story time: Caroline is already running along the Marina before the body is found.
- Zoom from millennia to minutes – the sample spans 1922 to 2002
- Eras as colored background bands
- Filter by character and plot thread
Story timeReading orderTuesday, 12 November 2002
5:306:006:307:007:308:00
EventsFigure in the mudChristy finds the body
Caroline
Ahern
Writing in flow
Just you and the text – and a goal worth celebrating.
The river was breathing.
Twice a day it drew breath, and twice a day it let it go.
It had taken Maura Dineen two years to understand that.
Focus mode
One click hides everything but your text. Typewriter mode keeps your line in the middle of the screen. Choose background, typeface and column width yourself – light or dark.
938 / 750words todayDaily goal reached
6day streak
2,310Best day
Apr 5, 2027Forecast · On track
Goals, streaks and confetti
Target word count, deadline and daily goal – plus a forecast: “At this pace you’ll finish on …”. The writing calendar shows your streak. And when you hit your daily goal, confetti rains down.
- Automatic scene versions: the state before each writing session stays within reach
- A trash bin instead of data loss – for scenes, characters and whole projects
- Ambient sounds of rain, thunder, wind and fire – only on click, with your own mix
- Your browser’s spell checker, in your book’s language
AI – optional
An editor who never tires – and only reads when you ask.
Check a scene, a chapter or the whole book for logic, consistency, plot holes, character knowledge, open setups and world rules – or for language and style. Findings come with severity, a quote, a suggested fix and a link to the scene.
- Claude (Anthropic) or OpenAI – bring your own API key
- Keys are stored encrypted and never exported
- AI runs only when you press the button, never in the background
- Research and fact-check with web search, sources as links
Review: character knowledge · Chapter 2Claude
SevereBernie knows the time of death too early
Bernie volunteers “half eleven”. On 12 November only the Gardaí know the time of death; according to character knowledge Bernie only learns it on 13 November.
“I was in bed by half eleven. I didn’t even hear the midnight news.”
Suggestion: Keep it if it is meant as a clue – then make sure Caroline picks it up in chapter 9.
The View of the RiverMinorDoes Ahern hear the alibi?
Ahern stands at the window and doesn’t react. An investigator this experienced ought to pause – or the text should show why he doesn’t.
“At the glass, Ahern didn’t move.”
Suggestion: Add half a sentence showing where Ahern’s mind is.
The View of the RiverNoteHow does Ahern know the cat’s name?
Consistently explained by Maura’s photos at the meetings, but it shows early how well he knew her.
Suggestion: No change needed.
Low WaterYour data
Your story belongs to you.
Complete export
Every project as a ZIP: all data as a readable JSON file plus every image. Re-import any time.
Nothing gets lost
Scene versions, a trash bin for scenes, characters and whole projects, autosave while you write.
In your browser, anywhere
No installation, no file chaos. The pinboard even works on your phone – camera included.
Keys stay secret
AI keys are stored encrypted, never sent back to the browser and never exported.
Coming up
On the wish list.
- Project start assistant with AI
- Alibi timeline
- Cold reader: the AI guesses the culprit
- Read-only link for beta readers
- Evidence board: a cork wall with red strings
No promises – the order follows what writers actually need.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Who is Inkcubator for?
Anyone who plans and writes novels – especially crime and thriller authors. The building blocks (characters, world, timeline, setups) are genre-neutral and work just as well for fantasy, science fiction or romance.
Can I try Inkcubator without setting anything up myself?
Yes. On your first visit the sample crime novel “What the Tide Leaves Behind” is waiting: Cork in November 2002, a night nurse battered to death on her houseboat and a secret from 1977. Two chapters are written, ten more are planned as scenes, and every tool is filled in – with a few stumbling blocks built in on purpose. You can keep writing it, load it again in English or German, or hide it.
Do I need to install anything?
No. Inkcubator runs in your browser – at your desk or on your laptop.
Do I need AI to use Inkcubator?
No. The who-knows-what matrix, fair-play check, tension curve and all planning tools work without AI. AI review is an optional extra.
What happens to my text when I use AI?
When you start a review, Inkcubator sends the part of your project it needs to the provider whose key you saved (Anthropic or OpenAI). Without a review, Inkcubator sends nothing to an AI provider.
Can I take my data with me?
Yes. Every project can be exported completely as a ZIP – all data as JSON plus every image – and imported again.
Which languages does Inkcubator support?
The interface is available in German and English. You can set up books in German, English, French, Spanish or Italian; your browser’s spell checker follows the book’s language.
What does Inkcubator cost?
Inkcubator is still in development and pricing isn’t set yet. Everyone who requests early access will hear about it first.
How do I get access?
Currently on request: send a short email using the “Request early access” button.
Ready to tell your story?
A short email is all it takes – for early access and for news when new features land.
Request early access