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
Where ideas hatch into novels.
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
1The Call2,410
- Night shift
- The find
2The Archive1,860
- Lenz stays silent
- The second key
3Rain–
- Harbour warehouse
BIU“ ”* * *
The second key
The rain had washed the footprints away long ago, but Vogt knelt down anyway and ran a gloved hand over the wet concrete. Someone had been here before her. Someone who knew about the key.
Maybe Lenz – but how could he possibly know?
She straightened up. Behind the archive windows, a light was still on.
Dr. Lenz can’t know about the key yet
Tension 7/10
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. Autosave and automatic versions included.
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.
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. If Dr. Lenz mentions the second key in scene 4 but only learns about it in scene 6, 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 second key3 of 4 characters know it · 1 contradiction
Ch. 1
Ch. 2
Ch. 3
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Inspector Vogtfrom scene 2
Dr. Lenzfrom scene 6
Marlene Brandtfrom scene 9
Caretaker Kühnfrom scene 1
learns it hereknows itcan’t know it yetuses it
Dr. Lenz uses “The second key” in scene 4 – but only learns about it in scene 6.
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
DLDr. Lenz
broken
Culprit
MBMarlene Brandt
confirmed
cleared
HKCaretaker Kühn
unchecked
open
Fair-play check: passed4 incriminating clues before the reveal (minimum 2)Note: no red herring planted yet
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 curve of your structure and flags flat stretches, an early climax or a sagging middle.
- 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
14 of 14 scenes rated · avg 5.4 · high 10 · low 3
ActualTargetBeat
Scenes 8–10 sit 3.7 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.
- Zoom from millennia to minutes
- Eras as colored background bands
- Filter by character and plot thread
Story timeReading orderThursday, March 12
6 pm8 pm10 pm12 am2 am4 am
EventsEmergency callWarehouse fire
Vogt
Lenz
Brandt
Writing in flow
Just you and the text – and a goal worth celebrating.
The ferry left at 9:50 pm. Brandt stood at the rail and counted the harbour lights until only the water was left.
Two keys, the caretaker had said. There were only two. And yet the third one lay in his coat pocket.
Then he remembered the letter.
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.
1,240 / 1,500words todayDaily goal almost reached
12day streak
2,310Best day
Oct 27, 2026Forecast · 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
Check: character knowledge · Chapter 2Claude
SevereLenz knows about the key too early
In scene 4, Lenz mentions the second key. According to character knowledge, he only learns about it in scene 6.
“The second key? It’s been in the archive for ages.”
Suggestion: Cut the line or move Lenz’s knowledge up to scene 3.
Scene 4ModerateWorld rule broken
According to your rules the ferry stops at 10 pm, yet in scene 9 Brandt crosses at 11:10 pm.
“At ten past eleven the ferry pulled away.”
Suggestion: Change the time or note the exception in your rules.
Scene 9NoteSetup never paid off
The letter from chapter 1 never appears again after scene 3.
Suggestion: Choose a payoff scene or drop the setup.
Scene 3Your 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.
- Manuscript export as a Word file (standard pages)
- 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.
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 hatch your novel?
A short email is all it takes – for early access and for news when new features land.
Request early access