First Launch

From installing to writing your first scene in a few minutes.

Install

Ravenburst runs on Windows 10 and 11, macOS 13 or later, and 64-bit Linux. Installers will be on the Download page at launch.

• Windows: run the .exe installer.
• macOS: open the .dmg and drag Ravenburst to Applications.
• Linux: make the .AppImage file executable and run it.

Your free trial

The first time Ravenburst opens with an internet connection, it starts a 7-day free trial on that computer. There's no account to create and no card to enter. A bar at the top of the window counts down the days.

If the computer is offline the first time, the bar says Connect to the internet once to start your free trial. You can write in the meantime; the trial starts the next time Ravenburst can reach the internet.

See License & Activation for what changes when the trial ends.

Create a project

A project holds one piece of work: a novel, a screenplay, a paper. Everything in it (chapters, notes, character sheets, research, snapshots) is saved in a single .ravenburst file.

1. Choose File → New Project… (Ctrl+Shift+N), or New Project on the start screen.
2. Pick a project type, for example Novel, Screenplay, Academic Paper (APA 7th) or Tabletop Adventure. See Project Templates for all 17.
3. Choose a name and a place to save it. Ravenburst suggests Documents/Ravenburst. Names can use letters, numbers, spaces, hyphens and underscores.

Ravenburst sets the project up for that kind of work: a first chapter and scene, front matter pages for the formats you're likely to export, and starter templates.

The window

• Navigator (left): every part of your project, from the manuscript to your trash. Click anything to open it. See Navigator & Structure.
• Editor (center): where you write, with the Format Bar above it. See The Editor.
• Inspector (right): details of the selected document: its status, word target, label color and synopsis. With nothing selected it shows Project Settings.
• Status bar (bottom): zoom, spellcheck, word counts, save status, backup status and the theme.

Show or hide any of these from View → Show / Hide. To put the Navigator on the right, use Window → Move Navigator Right.

Saving

Ravenburst saves by itself a few seconds after you stop typing (3 seconds unless you change it in Preferences). The status bar shows Saved, Saving… or Unsaved changes. File → Save (Ctrl+S) saves at once.

When you open Ravenburst again, it starts on the project picker: your projects, newest first, with a search box. Click the pin on a project to keep it at the top. If you'd rather go straight back to the project and document you were last working on, untick Show this when Ravenburst opens at the bottom of the picker.

Where next

• Organize your manuscript into parts, chapters and scenes.
• Compile your project into a manuscript, paperback or e-book.
• Set up a backup so your work is safe somewhere else too.
• Learn the shortcuts, or press Ctrl+Shift+/ in the app.

On a Mac, use ⌘ wherever these pages say Ctrl, and ⌥ Option for Alt.