A private copy beyond your computer
Publish your project to a private GitHub repository so a lost laptop does not have to mean a lost book.
macOS · Windows · Linux
Your book deserves more than a folder full of drafts.
PugWriter turns every chapter, character, clue, and revision into an organized writing system—then gives you the safety of GitHub without making you learn GitHub.
$99 USD one time · 14-day trial, no card · 30-day money-back guarantee
One-time desktop purchase Works offline Your files stay yours
THE ROOKERY — PUGWRITER
NovelsMemoirsNon-fictionScreenplaysPoetryShort stories
GitHub, translated for authors
The safest draft is the one with a memory.
GitHub is not just for programmers. At heart, it is a remarkably good answer to three writer problems: losing work, losing track of versions, and being afraid to change the draft. PugWriter handles the technical vocabulary so you can use the protection.
Milestones you can return to
Commit a clean restore point before the rewrite, then compare what changed instead of naming another file FINAL-final-3.
Protection from your own bold ideas
Experiment knowing the earlier draft still exists. Git remembers the history; PugWriter gives it writer-friendly controls.
Portable, private, ordinary files
Your chapters are Markdown and project knowledge is readable JSON. Your book is not trapped in a mystery database.
What the workflow feels like
Four clear actions. Zero command line.
PugWriter initializes the project history and puts the useful Git actions where an author expects them. You decide when a draft becomes a milestone and when it goes to GitHub.
- 1
Write
Your work saves to ordinary files on your computer.
- 2
Review
PugWriter shows exactly which project files changed.
- 3
Commit
Give that writing milestone a plain-language note.
- 4
Publish
Send it to a private GitHub repository when you choose.
The desktop app, not a mockup
See the writing system come together.
Real screens from the current PugWriter Electron app: the writing desk, source control, and character workshop.
One home for the whole project
Fewer open loops. More words that belong in the book.
Productivity is not just typing faster. It is spending less time hunting for the note, reconstructing a character, second-guessing the latest draft, or rebuilding the book at export time.
A manuscript that stays navigable
Arrange parts, chapters, scenes, folders, and revision notes in one living structure. Move the story without losing the story.
Characters you can actually remember
Keep goals, fears, relationships, appearance, background, and portraits beside the draft instead of scattered across documents.
A world bible with a pulse
Track places, factions, rules, and events in a searchable reference that stays close while you write.
Ideas with somewhere to go
Use outlines, brainstorm canvases, research, interviews, and chapter notes to turn loose sparks into usable story decisions.
Find anything across the whole book
Search every project file at once and jump straight back to the passage, character, or detail you need.
From draft to useful deliverables
Compile to DOCX, EPUB, print-ready PDF, or Markdown without rebuilding your manuscript in another tool.
A closer look
Your draft and your thinking, side by side.
AI is optional. Completely.
PugWriter is a complete writing studio without AI. Turn AI off to remove every AI feature and control from the app. If you want assistance, connect your own Anthropic or OpenAI key. The choice is always yours.
No AI? Your choice
Hide all traces of AI with a single setting. Write, plan, and revise with your full writing toolkit and no AI in sight.
Plot and character interviews
Have a focused conversation that teases out decisions before you draft.
Project-aware context
Attach chapters, characters, outlines, notes, and memories to the conversation.
You stay the author
AI proposes. You review. Nothing silently rewrites the project behind your back.
Roadmap
Desktop first. Online where it earns its place.
The desktop app is a one-time purchase. Online access and hosted AI will be optional subscriptions, added without turning your local writing desk into a rental.
Planned subscription
PugWriter Online
Open your GitHub-backed projects in a browser—starting with comfortable online viewing, followed by editing from anywhere.
Planned subscription
Hosted AI credits
Use PugWriter’s AI tools without bringing provider keys. Purchase a simple credit allowance only when you want it.
In development
Guided collaboration
Review, merge, and resolve parallel contributions through author-friendly workflows built on GitHub’s proven history model.
PugWriter Desktop
Buy the writing desk. Keep the writing.
One family license for macOS, Windows, and Linux. Use it on all your household computers, with no desktop subscription. Optional online services will be separate when they launch.
$99 USDone time
Version 1 updates included. Optional discounted upgrade to version 2. How our licensing works
- 14-day free trial. No card required.
- 30-day money-back guarantee
See pricing and purchase details
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Checkout will be provided by Paddle, our merchant of record. Applicable taxes and the final currency and total are shown before payment.
Purchases and trial downloads open soon.
Included today
- macOS, Windows, and Linux desktop app
- Local-first projects and offline writing
- Git history, diffs, commits, branches, and GitHub publishing
- Manuscript, characters, world bible, outlines, research, and canvases
- Offline spellcheck, autocorrect, and grammar feedback
- Track changes, notes, word counts, and manuscript statistics
- DOCX, EPUB, print PDF, and Markdown export
- Optional bring-your-own-key Anthropic and OpenAI features
Room to find your rhythm
14 days to make it your writing desk.
No card. No automatic charge. Try PugWriter with your own writing, then decide whether it belongs in your routine.
01 · Sign in
Verify your email
Your first verified sign-in starts the 14-day trial. No payment details are needed.
02 · Settle in
Work on something real
Try the desktop writing tools with your own projects. We’ll remind you how much trial time remains and make help easy to reach.
03 · Make your choice
Buy only when you’re ready
Pay $99 USD once to keep paid access. If the trial ends first, your local files remain yours and you are not charged.
Trial downloads will be available when the desktop release opens.
Questions, answered plainly
Before you trust it with a book.
Can my family use one license on all our computers?+
Yes. One license covers you and family members living in your household, on all the computers you own and use. macOS, Windows, and Linux are included in the same purchase, with no fixed computer limit. Family members in another household need their own license.
Are updates and version 2 included?+
Your purchase includes a perpetual license for version 1 and all updates released within version 1. Version 2 will be an optional paid upgrade at a reduced price for version 1 owners. The upgrade price will be announced before release, and you can keep using version 1 without upgrading.
How does the 14-day free trial work?+
Your trial starts on your first verified email sign-in. You get 14 days to try the desktop app, with no payment card and no automatic charge. At the end, paid editing features require a purchase; your existing local projects remain yours. Trial downloads open with the desktop release.
Is the desktop license a subscription?+
No. PugWriter Desktop is $99 USD as a one-time purchase for macOS, Windows, and Linux, with no recurring desktop charge. Any applicable taxes and final currency are shown before payment. Optional online services and hosted AI are separate products when they launch.
What if PugWriter is not right for me?+
Request a full refund within 30 days of your completed desktop purchase, for any reason. Email support@pugwriter.com with your purchase email and order number if available. Trying or using the app does not remove the guarantee. See the Refund Policy linked below for details.
Do I need to understand Git or GitHub?+
No. PugWriter turns the useful parts into normal actions—review changes, save a milestone, and publish. You can learn the underlying terms later, or never.
Does PugWriter require an internet connection?+
Your writing stays on your computer. Internet is required for email sign-in, activation, and periodic license checks. An activated paid license can work offline for up to ten days between successful checks. Renewal is attempted after seven days, with a reconnect reminder if it fails. GitHub publishing and AI requests also need an internet connection.
Where is my writing stored?+
In a normal folder on your computer. Chapters are Markdown and structured project information is stored in readable JSON, so you retain a portable copy of your work.
Is AI required?+
Never. PugWriter is a complete writing studio with AI turned off. Today’s optional AI features use your Anthropic or OpenAI key; hosted PugWriter AI credits are on the roadmap.
Stop managing files. Start managing the book.
Give your next writing session a structure—and every session after it a reliable history.
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