Story bible

A story bible is the reference a writer keeps beside the manuscript so the book agrees with itself: who the characters are, where and when things happen, how the world works, and every small fact a reader might notice if it changed (eye color, the dog's name, which hand was injured). By chapter thirty, nobody remembers chapter three.

A good bible starts thin and grows with the draft. This skill builds it from what the writer has and keeps it honest: it records what the text establishes, not what would be nice to know.

When to use it