Writing several books at once

While writing one book, another book idea sometimes comes up. book-studio is built to run several books at once on one channel. Each book is isolated in its own folder, so one book’s work doesn’t mix into another.

One folder per book

Each book is separated into a _workspace/{book_slug}/ folder. Inside it are that book’s direction brief, outline, chapters, continuity index, and progress record. The root _workspace/books.json is the index holding the book list.

_workspace/
├── books.json                 index (book list + active_slug)
├── novel-magic-cost-01/       one novel
└── practical-ai-collab/       one practical book

With a novel’s folder and a practical book’s folder separated, the novel’s character setup doesn’t leak into the practical book.

Switching the active book

books.json’s active_slug points at the book you’re working on now. All work applies to this active book. Say “write chapter 3” and it writes the active book’s Chapter 3.

To move to another book, say it explicitly.

continue with practical-ai-collab

Or “I’ll work on the AI collaboration book.” Then only the active book changes, and the existing book’s work is preserved. To come back, say “continue with novel-magic-cost-01.”

Starting a new book

To start a new book while already writing one, call it explicitly.

new book — with slug essay-child-raising-01

Since /start enters only one book at a time, a new book is called like this with the slug named. The new book gets registered in books.json and set as the active book.

Checking which book you’re on

If you’re confused, ask “which book am I working on?” or “show me the book list.” It reads books.json and tells you the book list and each book’s progress (which Tier, how many chapters done). To see only one book’s progress, “how far did I get on the AI collaboration book?” checks that book’s state without changing the active book.

Even if a session breaks

The session-start hook pulls the active book’s progress.md automatically. Reopen days later and “which book, up to which chapter” attaches to the context. Even if you forgot which book is active while running several, the hook points at the active book.

Next

The spots gates and hooks handle automatically are in automated-safety-net.