Shape your idea into a story you believe in

Turn your story idea into a clear plan for your first draft with guided questions, idea feedback, and example outlines to get you writing.

Try Story Canvas

Build your story from the very beginning

Most stories don’t start finished—they start messy. Whether you’ve got a single spark or a half-formed plot, Story Canvas helps you turn it into something real.

Shape your story as you go

Work through simple, structured questions that help you explore your plot, characters, and world—without needing to “already know” the answers.

Get feedback while your idea is taking shape

Use Idea Feedback to help you expand underdeveloped ideas, explore what could happen next, and build a stronger foundation for your story.

Explore possible outlines

Once you’ve developed your canvas, Outline Crafter helps you imagine three alternative outlines so you can start thinking about the different directions your story could take.

Try Story Canvas

Discover the story inside your idea

You don’t need everything figured out. Story Canvas helps you develop your idea one step at a time.

Build your story step by step

Work through guided questions that help you develop your plot, characters, conflict, and world without feeling overwhelmed.

Start with what you have

Whether you’ve got a single scene, a character idea, or half a plot, Story Canvas helps you turn scattered thoughts into something clearer and more connected.

Develop your ideas with feedback

Not sure what’s missing? Idea Feedback gives you leading questions based on your answers, helping you think more deeply about your story and strengthen your canvas as you go.

Find new possibilities

Once your canvas has taken shape, Outline Crafter creates three example outlines based on your ideas. One stays close to what you’ve written, while two more explore different possibilities for where your story could go.

Shape stronger characters

Explore your characters’ motivations, relationships, and conflicts so they feel more believable and emotionally engaging.

Discover what your story is really about

Clarify your central conflict, themes, and emotional stakes as your story begins to take shape.

See your story come together

As you fill in your canvas, your idea evolves into a clearer story foundation you can actually build from.

Experiment before you commit

Try different possibilities, follow unexpected avenues, and see how your story might develop before you start drafting.

Start drafting with more confidence

By the time you begin writing, you’ll already have a stronger understanding of your story, your direction, and what comes next.

Try Story Canvas

Works in your writing app of choice

Story Canvas is currently available in our Web Editor and online extensions. It is coming soon to all our integrations.

Story Canvas FAQs

How does Story Canvas work?

Story Canvas helps you develop a story idea through guided questions, Idea Feedback, and Outline Crafter.

First, you answer a series of questions about your story’s key elements, including characters, setting, conflict, direction, and reader experience. You can then use Idea Feedback to get leading questions that help you develop your answers and strengthen your story foundation.

Once your Story Canvas has taken shape, Outline Crafter can turn your answers into three example outlines, giving you different possibilities for how your story could unfold.

What is Idea Feedback?

Idea Feedback helps you develop your Story Canvas responses. It looks at what you’ve written and gives you leading questions to help you expand your ideas, explore areas that need more thought, and build a stronger foundation for your story.

You can come back for additional rounds of feedback as your idea develops. Free users get 3 rounds of Idea Feedback. Paid users receive additional rounds depending on their plan.

What is Outline Crafter?

Outline Crafter uses your Story Canvas answers to create three example outlines for your story.

The first stays closest to your existing ideas, while the other two explore increasingly different directions. They’re intended to help you see the possible shape of your story, discover new avenues, and feel inspired to dive into your draft.

Is Story Canvas free?

Story Canvas is available to Free, Premium, and Premium Pro users. Free users get 3 rounds of Idea Feedback, while paid users get more.

Outline Crafter is available to Premium and Premium Pro subscribers.

How does Story Canvas use AI?

Story Canvas uses AI to analyze the information you share about your story and generate tailored feedback on your idea’s strengths, clarity, and development opportunities. All of our AI systems are built by our in-house teams, with direct input from real writers.

Does Story Canvas store my data?

Your data is safe with us. We use bank-level security to protect your work, and we never use your text to train our algorithms or AI systems.

Our approach to helping writers succeed

Craft grows through practice. Habit keeps that practice going. Mindset helps it last. Together, they form the ProWritingMethod—a complete approach to helping you succeed as a writer.

Hone your craft

Improve your writing with feedback on your real manuscript. As your craft grows, every writing session becomes more rewarding—making it easier to build lasting habits.