You have a Draft Bench project with content - chapters, scenes, maybe sub-scenes - and you want to produce a manuscript file you can share. The Manuscript Builder is where this happens. By the end you’ll have a compile preset configured, a live preview verifying it looks right, and an exported file (Markdown, DOCX, PDF, or ODT) sitting in your vault.
What you’ll need#
- A Draft Bench project with at least one scene that has content. Empty scenes compile to empty sections; you’ll see them in Preview.
- 5-10 minutes for a first compile. Subsequent compiles of the same preset are one click.
Steps#
1. Open the Manuscript Builder#
Three ways in:
- Compile button in the Manuscript view’s toolbar (most common; opens the Builder scoped to the project you’re already viewing).
- Command palette: Draft Bench: Build manuscript.
- Right-click the project note in the file explorer -> Build manuscript.
The Builder opens as a modal by default. If you’d rather keep the Preview tab pinned while you edit a scene in another pane, click the dock button in the modal’s header to convert it to a workspace leaf.
2. Create a compile preset#
If this is the project’s first preset, the Builder shows a + New preset button. Click it. You’ll be prompted for:
- Name - what you’ll see in the preset picker. Use something descriptive (“Workshop draft,” “Submission DOCX,” “Galley PDF”) because you’ll likely have multiple presets per project over time.
- Project - pre-filled to the active project.
- Output format - Markdown, PDF, ODT, or DOCX. Pick the one that matches where this output is going (Markdown for export to another tool; DOCX for editors and most submission portals; PDF for read-only sharing; ODT for LibreOffice/OpenOffice users).
The preset is saved as a note inside the project’s Compile Presets/ folder. You can edit its frontmatter directly later if you want to fine-tune anything not exposed in the Builder’s form.
3. Configure the preset on the Build tab#
The Builder’s body has two tabs in the header: Build (form fields) and Preview (rendered output). On Build:
- Verify the output format and the output file path (where the compiled file lands in your vault).
- Adjust scene-separator settings, page-break behavior between chapters, and any per-format options (DOCX style mappings, PDF page size, etc.) as needed.
- Defaults are sensible for typical fiction-manuscript output. You can ship a first compile without changing anything.
4. Preview the output#
Click the Preview tab. The rendered manuscript appears, including chapter headings, scenes, and any draft material. If the Builder is in leaf form (docked), Preview updates as you save edits to scenes (debounced ~400ms; only fires while Preview is the active tab).
Use the Preview to verify: scene order is right, chapter headings render as expected, no scenes are missing, draft material that should/shouldn’t appear is correct.
5. Run compile#
Click Run compile in the Builder’s header (visible from both tabs). The compile runs end to end. You’ll see a status indicator, then the output file appears at the path configured in your preset.
Open the output file from your file manager (or via the file explorer in Obsidian, depending on format). For DOCX/PDF/ODT, Obsidian opens these in your system’s default viewer.
Variations#
If you want multiple compile profiles for the same project (a quick-share Markdown export plus a polished DOCX submission, for example): create a second preset via + New preset in the same Builder. Each preset is a separate note in
Compile Presets/; switch between them via the preset picker in the Builder header.If you want to compile the project from outside the Builder: run Draft Bench: Compile current project from the command palette. It runs the project’s most-recently-used preset without opening the Builder. Useful for binding a hotkey for one-click recompile after editing.
If your output looks off (missing scenes, wrong order, unexpected formatting): switch back to the Build tab and check the scene-list filter and ordering settings. The Manuscript view’s scene-order is what the Builder uses by default; reordering there flows through to the next compile.
Related guides#
- I want to start a writing project from scratch - prerequisite if you don’t have a project yet.
- I want to work with drafts of a scene - the revision loop. Drafts can be selectively included in compiles via preset filters.
- I want to view my project in a Bases table - useful for verifying scene status / completeness before a final compile.
Reference#
- Wiki: Manuscript Builder - full Builder reference including modal vs leaf trade-offs, every form field, per-format options, and compile-preset frontmatter for hand-tuning.
Found something wrong or unclear? Suggest an edit - opens a pre-filled issue with the guides label.