Question 1

How is Moondoggle different from Scrivener?

Accepted Answer

Scrivener is a powerful writing tool but it doesn't have AI features or a visual worldbuilding board, and it relies on Dropbox to sync your files—and this breaks just as often as it works. Moondoggle is built on the same 'project-based writing' philosophy but adds a manuscript-aware AI assistant that knows your entire manuscript, a freeform infinite canvas for mapping characters and plot, real-time cloud sync, and a modern interface that doesn't require a 750-page manual.

Solo starts at $8/mo for local-only writing with no AI, and Power ($15/mo) adds the AI assistant, cloud sync, editor access, and more.

Question 2

Does Moondoggle's AI write my book for me?

Accepted Answer

No. Moondoggle's AI is a thinking partner, not a ghostwriter. It critiques, researches, brainstorms, and answers questions about your manuscript or your research, but it never generates prose. Your words are always your own.

This is a deliberate choice: we believe AI should unleash your creativity, not replace it. Moondoggle also offers Creative Provenance, which is a cryptographically signed report proving your AI was used for feedback only and never for generation (with option to include an anti-plagiarism report from Pangram, the leading AI detection software).

Question 3

If my manuscript never leaves my computer, how does it get to the server so the AI can respond?

Accepted Answer

It doesn't, not in its entirety. Moondoggle uses retrieval augmented generation (or RAG) to break down the manuscript (or notes, or research) into 1,000 word "slices" that are divided logically and semantically. Depending on your question, 10-15 of these slices will be sent to the AI provider's servers, and they will live on the servers for the 5-10 seconds it takes to get an answer.

Question 4

Will the AI providers steal my writing?

Accepted Answer

No. We use Anthropic for the AI assistant, which has committed to never training on data from API calls (which is like a secure gateway to their servers), and we manage everything on AWS Bedrock which is the industry standard for security and privacy. Your writing will stay safe and will never be used for training.

Note: Every AI provider has different policies on whether they train on data sent to them through an API, so if you choose to use their models with bring-your-own-key (in the advanced settings), you should check the policies of Google, OpenAI, or Deepseek.

Question 5

I don't want to use AI, so how can I disable it?

Accepted Answer

Moondoggle's Solo tier has no AI at all, so there's nothing to disable and all of Moondoggle's other awesome features will work exactly the same.

Note: If you decide to try open beta, it is bring-your-own-key (BYOK) by default, so you can always skip that step if you want to test Moondoggle early but not use the AI features.

Question 6

Why doesn't Moondoggle run on Macs with Intel chips?

Accepted Answer

Moondoggle uses a large embeddings engine to help speed up answers from the AI assistant and parse through your manuscript to understand deeper meaning. Without it, the AI assistant would be searching on exact matches rather than understanding the surrounding context and subtle nuances. Unfortunately, this embeddings engine won't run on the Intel chips from before 2020. But don't worry! When we launch toward the end of 2026, it will run on all Macs without any issue.

Question 7

Do I have to subscribe to use Moondoggle?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Moondoggle is subscription-only with two different tiers to choose from. Solo ($8/mo early-bird) keeps everything local with no AI, and Power ($15/mo early-bird) adds the AI assistant, cloud sync, editor access, and more.

If you *really* want a single purchase with a bring-your-own-key option, let me know! Shoot an email over to keith@moondoggle.app, and if there is enough popular demand, I can look into offering a single standalone purchase.

Question 8

What file formats can I import into Moondoggle?

Accepted Answer

Moondoggle can import all standard document files (.docx, .rtf, .odt, .txt, .md), and Scrivener users can import their entire .scriv file with their binder structure intact. For your notes and research, Moondoggle also supports .pdf, .html, and .enex (Evernote) formats, as well as standard image types (.jpeg, .png, .webp).

Question 9

What does "BYOK" mean?

Accepted Answer

Bring Your Own Key. It's how the open beta works: you use your own AI provider API key, your manuscript goes directly from your machine to the AI provider, and we never see it.

Once the full version goes live in November 2026, Solo and Power **won't need BYOK**. Solo has no AI at all, and Power's AI will be fully managed by Moondoggle so there won't be any key to worry about. It will be 100% ready from the moment you download.

Question 10

Can I switch between Solo and Power later?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Power builds on top of Solo, so upgrading or downgrading later keeps everything you've already written and you will be able to use the app just like before. Your project will always live locally on your computer, but with Power it will also sync with any other devices where you have Moondoggle installed. You will also gain access to the AI assistant, editor access, manuscript drafts, and more.

Question 11

What happens when I join the waitlist?

Accepted Answer

You'll be first to know when Solo and Power launch, and you'll lock in today's early-bird pricing shown above. Meanwhile, you're invited to try the open beta to start writing with Moondoggle for free right now. No commitment required, but if you feel so inclined, please send me any bugs or ideas along the way!

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