Sudowrite

Brainstorm fiction, expand scenes, inspect story context, and generate constrained prose suggestions

KINDA · partial replacement
price variesestimated build time one sittingreplaced by 0 people

The core loop is buildable, but a dependable replacement becomes a real weekend or multi-day project. For Sudowrite, brainstorm fiction, expand scenes, inspect story context, and generate constrained prose suggestions. The hard boundary is its fiction-tuned workflows, context handling, and model orchestration, plus polish, integrations, and proprietary language models.

Build verification: not recorded. How we judge buildability

What you give up

  • its fiction-tuned workflows, context handling, and model orchestration
  • cross-device sync
  • large proprietary style models
  • browser and office-suite extensions
  • team style guides

Why people still pay

People still pay for Sudowrite because the paid tool is already present everywhere they write and its suggestions have been tuned across millions of documents. The recurring cost buys model quality, extension compatibility, dictionaries, releases, and sync, not just the visible interface.

Your build guide

The stack, security requirements, and agent rules for a focused replacement.

Before you start

  • A supported Node release, a writable local data directory and a separate backup location. Bind to localhost; remote use requires authentication and HTTPS first. Optional AI generation needs a provider key, a usage budget and approval to send the selected material.
  • Implementation components: Node.js, TypeScript and Express with server-rendered HTML and small browser modules. SQLite through better-sqlite3 with migrations, prepared statements and a single background worker. A single provider SDK with a configured supported model, schema-validated responses and revisioned prompt templates.
  • Scope boundary: its fiction-tuned workflows, context handling, and model orchestration; cross-device sync
01
Node.js, TypeScript and Express with server-rendered HTML and small browser modules.
02
SQLite through better-sqlite3 with migrations, prepared statements and a single background worker.
03
A single provider SDK with a configured supported model, schema-validated responses and revisioned prompt templates.
04
Domain model: story projects, character/world notes, selected prose spans, generation constraints and accepted revisions
engineering roadmap

Implementation plan

1

Phase 1

Scope and fixtures. Implement this bounded workflow: Draft fiction with a scene editor, approved story context and optional brainstorming or expansion requests. Show suggestions beside the current passage and let the author accept individual changes. Record prerequisites, select representative user-owned fixtures and document the unsupported features: its fiction-tuned workflows, context handling, and model orchestration; cross-device sync

2

Phase 2

Durable model. Model story projects, character/world notes, selected prose spans, generation constraints and accepted revisions Add migrations or a versioned document format, explicit validation, stable IDs and a visible import-error report. Preserve this rule: The model cannot overwrite the manuscript or treat a speculative story idea as approved canon; sensitive manuscripts are sent only with consent.

3

Phase 3

Complete the first useful path. Implement the workflow's input, review and output interface, with clear controls and explicit empty/error states. Use short SQLite transactions and persist job state before starting work. Give retries stable operation IDs; report incomplete or unknown results instead of silently repeating them.

4

Phase 4

Permissions and integration failure. Reject unexpected origins and unbounded request bodies even on localhost. Keep credentials outside the database export and redact sensitive text from logs. Treat source documents as untrusted data, prevent them from changing tool permissions, and require review of factual claims before publication. Request integration credentials and permissions only for the enabled feature; show a disconnected state instead of mock results.

5

Phase 5

Portable handoff. Use a consistent SQLite backup and an attachment manifest. Export portable JSON/CSV, then restore to a new directory without overwriting the original data. Include setup, operating limits, fixture walkthrough and shutdown/restart instructions in the README.

6

Phase 6

Acceptance scenarios. Reject an expansion and retain the source passage; changing a character fact marks dependent generation context for review rather than rewriting existing chapters. Repeat the workflow after restart and with a denied permission or unavailable dependency; show recoverable failure rather than a success placeholder.

the pro prompt
download AGENTS.md
WORKING SLICE
Draft fiction with a scene editor, approved story context and optional brainstorming or expansion requests. Show suggestions beside the current passage and let the author accept individual changes.

Build this scoped Sudowrite-inspired workflow with a documented data model and visible failure states.

Architecture
- Node.js, TypeScript and Express with server-rendered HTML and small browser modules.
- SQLite through better-sqlite3 with migrations, prepared statements and a single background worker.
- A single provider SDK with a configured supported model, schema-validated responses and revisioned prompt templates.

Prerequisites and limits
A supported Node release, a writable local data directory and a separate backup location. Bind to localhost; remote use requires authentication and HTTPS first. Optional AI generation needs a provider key, a usage budget and approval to send the selected material.
Outside this release: its fiction-tuned workflows, context handling, and model orchestration; cross-device sync

Data model and correctness
story projects, character/world notes, selected prose spans, generation constraints and accepted revisions
Invariant: The model cannot overwrite the manuscript or treat a speculative story idea as approved canon; sensitive manuscripts are sent only with consent.
Use short SQLite transactions and persist job state before starting work. Give retries stable operation IDs; report incomplete or unknown results instead of silently repeating them.

Security and privacy
Reject unexpected origins and unbounded request bodies even on localhost. Keep credentials outside the database export and redact sensitive text from logs. Treat source documents as untrusted data, prevent them from changing tool permissions, and require review of factual claims before publication.

Recovery and export
Use a consistent SQLite backup and an attachment manifest. Export portable JSON/CSV, then restore to a new directory without overwriting the original data.

Implementation order
1. Phase 1 — Scope and fixtures. Implement this bounded workflow: Draft fiction with a scene editor, approved story context and optional brainstorming or expansion requests. Show suggestions beside the current passage and let the author accept individual changes. Record prerequisites, select representative user-owned fixtures and document the unsupported features: its fiction-tuned workflows, context handling, and model orchestration; cross-device sync
2. Phase 2 — Durable model. Model story projects, character/world notes, selected prose spans, generation constraints and accepted revisions Add migrations or a versioned document format, explicit validation, stable IDs and a visible import-error report. Preserve this rule: The model cannot overwrite the manuscript or treat a speculative story idea as approved canon; sensitive manuscripts are sent only with consent.
3. Phase 3 — Complete the first useful path. Implement the workflow's input, review and output interface, with clear controls and explicit empty/error states. Use short SQLite transactions and persist job state before starting work. Give retries stable operation IDs; report incomplete or unknown results instead of silently repeating them.
4. Phase 4 — Permissions and integration failure. Reject unexpected origins and unbounded request bodies even on localhost. Keep credentials outside the database export and redact sensitive text from logs. Treat source documents as untrusted data, prevent them from changing tool permissions, and require review of factual claims before publication. Request integration credentials and permissions only for the enabled feature; show a disconnected state instead of mock results.
5. Phase 5 — Portable handoff. Use a consistent SQLite backup and an attachment manifest. Export portable JSON/CSV, then restore to a new directory without overwriting the original data. Include setup, operating limits, fixture walkthrough and shutdown/restart instructions in the README.
6. Phase 6 — Acceptance scenarios. Reject an expansion and retain the source passage; changing a character fact marks dependent generation context for review rather than rewriting existing chapters. Repeat the workflow after restart and with a denied permission or unavailable dependency; show recoverable failure rather than a success placeholder.

Acceptance
Reject an expansion and retain the source passage; changing a character fact marks dependent generation context for review rather than rewriting existing chapters.
Use real source data or clearly labeled fixtures. Explain unsupported input and provider failures; do not fabricate analytics, delivery receipts, accuracy claims or security guarantees.

Optional agent guidance
Optional external skill: [copywriting](https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills/blob/main/skills/copywriting/SKILL.md) — Write landing pages and product copy grounded in the intended audience, product value and a clear next action. Review its instructions and compatibility before use; it does not grant deployment, data-access or publication permission.
Optional external skill: [web-design-guidelines](https://github.com/vercel-labs/agent-skills/blob/main/skills/web-design-guidelines/SKILL.md) — Review web interfaces for accessibility, keyboard focus, forms, navigation and interaction quality. Review its instructions and compatibility before use; it does not grant deployment, data-access or publication permission.
Optional external skill: [sharp-edges](https://github.com/trailofbits/skills/blob/main/plugins/sharp-edges/skills/sharp-edges/SKILL.md) — Review security-sensitive APIs and configuration for dangerous defaults and easy-to-misuse interfaces. Review its instructions and compatibility before use; it does not grant deployment, data-access or publication permission.
Project rule — data model: story projects, character/world notes, selected prose spans, generation constraints and accepted revisions
Project rule — preserve this invariant: The model cannot overwrite the manuscript or treat a speculative story idea as approved canon; sensitive manuscripts are sent only with consent.
Project rule — acceptance evidence: Reject an expansion and retain the source passage; changing a character fact marks dependent generation context for review rather than rewriting existing chapters.

$ open in your agent (prompt prefilled, you press enter), copy the prompt or copy or download AGENTS.md · generated from this app's build plan

share on X ↗

Alternatives to building your own

KoboldCppOne executable plus a model download gets you story continuation, memory, world info and author’s notes; elegance was not bundled.11kaug 2026open source↗

no votes, no pay-to-list · just what's real

Sudowrite pricing

planmonthlyannual (per mo)what you get
hobby & student$19/user$10/user225,000 credits/monthUnused included credits expire at each monthly refresh; annual total is $120.
professional$29/user$22/user1,000,000 credits/monthUnused included credits expire at each monthly refresh; annual total is $264.
max$59/user$44/user2,000,000 credits/month; unused included credits roll over for up to 12 monthsRollover requires an active Max subscription; annual total is $528.
enterprise——Custom limits and termsContact sales.

free tierno free tier

billingmonthly + annual (up to 50% lower); no-card free trial; subscriptions auto-renew

hidden costsHobby and Professional included credits expire every monthly refresh; Max rollover lasts at most 12 months. Extra credits can be purchased, never expire, but can only be used while a subscription is active.

pricing sources checked 2026-08-12 · pricing source ↗

Questions about Sudowrite

Can you build your own Sudowrite with AI?

Partly. The core loop is buildable, but a dependable replacement becomes a real weekend or multi-day project. For Sudowrite, brainstorm fiction, expand scenes, inspect story context, and generate constrained prose suggestions. The hard boundary is its fiction-tuned workflows, context handling, and model orchestration, plus polish, integrations, and proprietary language models.

What does the Sudowrite build prompt cover?

The prompt starts with this scope: Draft fiction with a scene editor, approved story context and optional brainstorming or expansion requests. Show suggestions beside the current passage and let the author accept individual changes. Full-product capabilities excluded from the comparison include: its fiction-tuned workflows, context handling, and model orchestration; cross-device sync; large proprietary style models. Follow the implementation plan and its prerequisites before expanding the build.

How do I use the prompt, AGENTS.md and agent skills?

Start with the Sudowrite prerequisites and stack, then copy the prompt into your coding agent. Save the project rules as AGENTS.md in the project root. Linked skills are optional packages or source instructions for specific tasks; review their current contents and install only those matching the chosen stack. A skill does not supply API credentials or verify the finished app.

How long will this Sudowrite project take?

The catalogue estimate is one sitting for the limited scope. Setup, integration approvals, debugging, deployment and ongoing maintenance can add time. This is an estimate, not a delivery guarantee.

What would I give up by replacing Sudowrite?

its fiction-tuned workflows, context handling, and model orchestration; cross-device sync; large proprietary style models; browser and office-suite extensions; team style guides. People still pay for Sudowrite because the paid tool is already present everywhere they write and its suggestions have been tuned across millions of documents. The recurring cost buys model quality, extension compatibility, dictionaries, releases, and sync, not just the visible interface.

What can I use instead of building Sudowrite?

KoboldCpp: One executable plus a model download gets you story continuation, memory, world info and author’s notes; elegance was not bundled. Check each option's license, hosting needs and feature limits.

Every week, more subscriptions die.

New verdicts, new prompts, the week's most-doomed apps.
One email. Unsubscribe in one click.

last week:100 Questions · KINDA1of10 · KINDA1Password · KINDA+1090 more

free forever · no scanner spam · the prompt stays on the site, the deaths come to you

$weekly: what got a verdict, what died.