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Quill AI is Inkwell’s integrated AI assistant designed specifically for screenwriters. This guide covers everything you need to know to use Quill effectively.

Open Quill AI

Access Quill from anywhere in Inkwell: Keyboard shortcut (fastest):
  • macOS: Cmd+L
  • Windows: Ctrl+L
Menu:
  • Go to View → Quill AI
First time: The Quill panel slides in from the right side of your screen.

The Quill Interface

The Quill panel includes: Top section:
  • Thread selector: Switch between conversations
  • New thread button (+): Start fresh conversation
  • Model selector: Choose which AI model to use
  • Close button (×): Hide the panel
Middle section:
  • Conversation history: Your messages and Quill’s responses
  • Auto-scrolls to latest message
Bottom section:
  • Text input: Type your prompts here
  • Credit counter: Shows remaining credits
  • Send button (or press Enter): Submit your message
Press Shift+Enter to add a line break in your message. Press Enter alone to send.

Start a Conversation

1

Open Quill

Press Cmd/Ctrl+L to open the Quill panel
2

Type your request

Enter what you need help with in plain language:
  • “Help me brainstorm a cold open for a thriller”
  • “Rewrite this dialogue to be more tense”
  • “Suggest three ways this scene could end”
3

Send

Press Enter to send. Quill responds in seconds.
4

Continue the conversation

Ask follow-ups, request changes, or explore alternatives. Quill remembers the conversation context.

What Quill Can Do

Brainstorming & Ideation

Ask Quill to help generate ideas:
  • Plot developments: “What if Alice discovers Bob is lying? Give me 5 directions this could go.”
  • Character arcs: “How could I develop Alice’s character over three acts?”
  • Scene concepts: “I need a tense confrontation scene between Alice and Bob in a coffee shop.”
  • Loglines: “Help me write a logline for a sci-fi thriller about AI consciousness.”

Dialogue Improvement

Get help refining dialogue:
  • Rewrite for tone: “Make this dialogue more sarcastic”
  • Sharpen exchanges: “Tighten this conversation to under 5 lines”
  • Add subtext: “Rewrite this so Bob’s hiding something”
  • Character voice: “Make Alice sound more confident here”

Scene Editing

Improve existing scenes:
  • Pacing: “This scene feels slow. Suggest cuts.”
  • Conflict: “Add more tension to this argument”
  • Description: “Rewrite this action to be more visual and cinematic”
  • Structure: “Should I split this into two scenes?”

Story Development

Work through story problems:
  • Plot holes: “Alice gets to the warehouse too quickly. How can I fix the timeline?”
  • Character motivation: “Why would Bob risk everything here?”
  • Theme: “How can I strengthen the theme of betrayal in this act?”
  • Beats: “What’s missing between the midpoint and the climax?”

Format & Craft

Get technical help:
  • Formatting questions: “How do I format a phone conversation?”
  • Industry standards: “Should I include camera directions?”
  • Page count: “This scene is 8 pages. Too long?”
  • Structure advice: “Does this follow standard three-act structure?”

Conversations & Threads

Quill organizes your conversations into threads. Each thread is a separate conversation with its own history.

Why Use Threads

Keep topics separate:
  • Thread 1: Brainstorming Act 2
  • Thread 2: Fixing dialogue in Scene 12
  • Thread 3: Character development for Bob
Context matters:
  • Quill remembers the conversation within each thread
  • Earlier messages inform later responses
  • Switching threads starts fresh context

Manage Threads

Create a new thread:
  1. Click the + button at the top of the Quill panel
  2. Start typing in the fresh conversation
Switch threads:
  1. Click the thread selector dropdown
  2. Choose from your recent conversations
  3. The conversation history loads
Thread naming:
  • Quill automatically names threads based on your first message
  • Example: “Help me with Act 2” becomes “Act 2 assistance”
Threads are saved locally in your .ink file. They persist across sessions.

Context Awareness

Quill has access to your script’s context and current state to provide relevant, informed help.

What Quill Knows

Your complete script:
  • Full script content in Fountain format
  • All scenes, dialogue, and action
  • Scene headings and structure
  • Character names and dialogue patterns
Script statistics:
  • Scene count
  • Total elements (lines)
  • Estimated page count
  • Word count
  • Whether script changed since last request
Character information (from Project Panel → Characters):
  • Character names and aliases
  • Bios and descriptions
  • Gender and age
  • Dialogue count per character
Project metadata:
  • Script title
  • Logline (from Project Panel → Project Info)
Your current editor state:
  • Currently selected text (if any)
  • Line numbers of selection
  • Cursor position
Conversation history:
  • All messages in the active thread
  • Your previous requests and Quill’s responses
  • Context updates (script changes, statistics)
Temporal context:
  • Current date and time
  • Time zone information

What Quill Doesn’t Know

Content from other scripts: Quill only sees the currently open script ❌ Internet data: No web searches or real-time information ❌ Your files: Can’t access files outside Inkwell ❌ Other threads: Each thread is isolated ❌ Version history: Only sees current state, not past versions

How to Leverage Context

Reference your script:
  • “Look at Scene 5. How can I foreshadow the twist?”
  • “Based on Alice’s character bio, how would she react here?”
  • “Given my logline, does this scene fit the story?”
Be specific:
  • ✅ “Rewrite the dialogue between Alice and Bob in Scene 12”
  • ❌ “Rewrite this” (Quill doesn’t know which scene you mean)
Build on conversation:
  • First: “Help me brainstorm endings”
  • Then: “I like option 2. Expand on that”
  • Then: “Now make it more ambiguous”
Set your logline in Project Panel → Project Info before using Quill. It helps Quill understand your story’s premise.

Inline Collaboration

When Quill suggests changes to your script, it shows them inline with accept and reject options.

How It Works

  1. You ask for changes: “Rewrite Scene 12’s dialogue to be more tense”
  2. Quill proposes edits: Changes appear highlighted in your script
  3. You review: Read the proposed changes
  4. You decide: Click Accept (checkmark) or Reject (X) for each change
Quill never modifies your script without your approval. You are always in control.

Review Changes Carefully

Before accepting:
  • Read the full change: Don’t just accept blindly
  • Check character voice: Does it sound like your characters?
  • Verify continuity: Does it match earlier scenes?
  • Test the tone: Is it right for your story?
You can:
  • Accept some changes and reject others
  • Edit Quill’s suggestions manually before accepting
  • Ask Quill to revise: “Make it less dramatic”

Effective Prompting Tips

Be Specific

Vague: “Make this better” ✅ Specific: “Make this dialogue sharper by cutting unnecessary words” Vague: “Help with my script” ✅ Specific: “The midpoint feels weak. How can I raise the stakes?”

Provide Context

If Quill doesn’t have the context, give it:
"Alice just discovered Bob's secret. She's angry but trying to hide it. 
Rewrite this confrontation to show her restraint breaking."

Iterate

Don’t expect perfection on the first try:
  1. “Give me 3 scene ending options”
  2. “I like #2 but make it less obvious”
  3. “Perfect, now write it in full”

Ask for Options

Get variety before committing:
  • “Give me 5 different openings for this scene”
  • “Suggest 3 ways this could go wrong”
  • “Show me both a hopeful and dark version”

Quill’s Philosophy

Quill is designed with core principles:

You’re in Control

  • Quill suggests, you decide: Every change requires your approval
  • Non-intrusive: Appears when you call it, never interrupts
  • Your voice, your story: Quill assists, but you’re the writer

Collaboration, Not Replacement

  • Brainstorming partner: Bounces ideas back and forth
  • Second pair of eyes: Spots issues you might miss
  • Craft assistant: Handles technical details so you focus on story

Transparent

  • Credit costs are clear: You always know what each request costs
  • No hidden changes: All edits are visible and reviewable
  • Your data stays yours: Scripts are stored locally, not on cloud servers
Quill is a tool, not a substitute for your creative judgment. Use it to amplify your skills, not replace them.

Privacy & Data

Your scripts stay local:
  • Scripts are stored on your computer in .ink files
  • Quill conversations are saved locally with your script
  • Nothing is automatically uploaded to cloud storage
What gets sent to AI providers:
  • Your prompt and conversation history (within the thread)
  • Relevant script content (if Quill needs it for context)
  • Project metadata (logline, character info) when relevant
What doesn’t get sent:
  • Your entire script (only relevant portions)
  • Other scripts you’ve written
  • Personal information beyond what’s in your script
If you’re working on sensitive material, avoid including real names or confidential details in your prompts.

Common Questions

Technically yes, but that’s not what it’s designed for. Quill works best as a collaborative partner for specific tasks—brainstorming, editing, problem-solving. Writing a full script requires your unique voice, vision, and creative decisions.
Not permanently. Quill uses context from your current script and conversation to inform responses, but doesn’t retain learning across sessions or scripts. Each conversation starts fresh.
Yes! Use Cmd/Ctrl+Z immediately after accepting to undo. Or restore from version history if you accepted and kept writing.
Common reasons:
  • Vague prompt (be more specific)
  • Lacks context (provide background)
  • Model limitation (try a higher-reasoning model)
  • Random AI variation (try rephrasing your request)
No. Quill requires an internet connection to access AI models. Your scripts work offline, but Quill features require connectivity.
No more than using spell-check, a thesaurus, or getting feedback from a writing partner. You conceive the story, make creative decisions, and choose what to keep or discard. Quill is a tool that assists your process.

Next Steps