Glossary: Novel Production Explained.
The most important terms around SYMBAN and systematic novel production — explained simply.
Multi-Pass Pipeline
SYMBAN's core architecture: Every scene goes through multiple passes — writing, consistency-checking, style refinement, and memory extraction — plus internal preparation passes like briefing and recall that run as invisible intermediate steps.
WRITE Pass
The writing pass. Generates the raw scene text with full access to memory, concepts, character sheets, and style rules. The foundation all subsequent passes build upon.
QC Pass
The quality control pass. Deterministic rules check every scene for consistency, style errors, genre conventions, and plot holes. No guessing — rule-based verification.
POLISH Pass
The style pass. Tightens language, sharpens rhythm, eliminates repetitions, and intensifies imagery — without altering the narrative voice.
EXTRACT Pass
The final pass of the pipeline. Automatically extracts characters, objects, locations, and plot threads from the finished scene and updates the long-term memory.
BRIEFING Pass
Internal preparation pass before writing. Assembles the full context: character states, open threads, storyline compass, previous scene summaries.
Scene
The smallest production unit in SYMBAN. A scene is a coherent narrative section within a storyline. Every scene goes through the complete multi-pass pipeline.
Storyline (Strecke)
A continuous narrative section with a consistent POV perspective and its own narrative arc. Each storyline has its own compass and is automatically summarized at the end.
Volume (Band)
A standalone volume within a series. Each volume has its own chapters, storylines, and an automatically generated volume summary that serves as context for subsequent volumes.
Storyline Compass
A per-storyline configurable document that defines mode, tone, and a forbidden list for the current narrative section. Used as a HARD block in the WRITE pass.
Long-Term Memory (LZG)
SYMBAN's multi-layered memory system with 7 layers: RAG search, chapter summaries, storyline summaries, character facts, character knowledge, key passages, and keyword fallback.
Inventory
SYMBAN's character and object database. Tracks all characters, objects, and locations with their properties and state history. Automatically updated after every scene.
Logbook
A growing chronicle of your story — scene by scene. What happened, who was involved, what changed. Automatically created after every scene.
Character Facts
Persistent character properties: eye color, scars, relationships, abilities. Once set, they apply for the entire novel — until explicitly changed.
Character Knowledge
What a character knows at a given point in time (and what they don't). POV-filtered — a character can only access knowledge they've actually gained. Supports forgetting and invalidation.
Key Passages
Episodic memory: verbatim quotes from important scenes that serve as emotional anchors or reference points. Automatically detected and stored.
RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation)
Semantic search in memory. SYMBAN converts text into vectors and finds the most relevant passages — even when the wording is different. The basis for context-aware writing.
Cross-Volume Memory
Automatic summaries at the end of each volume that serve as context for subsequent volumes. Volume 5 knows what happened in volumes 1–4 — without loading the entire text.
Series Bible
The canon document of your series. Contains world rules, magic systems, political structures, and everything that must stay consistent across volumes. Has the highest priority in the canon hierarchy.
Blueprint
The book concept for a single volume: plot structure, chapter plan, scene sequence. Either automatically generated or manually uploaded.
Style Fingerprint
An automatic analysis of your writing style based on a text sample. Captures sentence length, dialogue ratio, vocabulary, sensory profile, and signature moves — so the AI reproduces your style.
Guardrails
Genre-specific rules that SYMBAN follows when writing. Defines narrative perspective, dialogue style, tension curve, and forbidden terms. Verified in the QC pass.
Genre Profile
A configurable set of guardrails for a specific genre. Crime, romance, fantasy, sci-fi, LitRPG, thriller — each genre has its own rules for style, structure, and conventions.
Canon Hierarchy
The ranking of information sources: Series Bible > Concept Documents > Storyline Compass > Previous Scenes > Genre Guardrails. In case of conflict, the higher-ranked source wins.
Prompt Editor
Allows you to customize the system prompts of individual pipeline passes. For advanced users who want full control over the writing process.
Chapter Quota
The billing unit in SYMBAN. Each plan includes a monthly chapter quota; extra chapters can be purchased as topups. A chapter contains multiple scenes, each running through the full multi-pass pipeline.
BYOK (Bring Your Own Key)
Use your own OpenAI API key. Available on the Pro plan: AI requests go directly to OpenAI from your account, independent of your chapter quota. Ideal for prolific writers who already have an API key.
Workshop Chat
A chat in your novel's context. Knows your characters, your world, and your story. Five modes: Freeform, Character Voice, Consistency Check, Scene Analysis, and Brainstorming.
Auto-Generate
Generates all open scenes sequentially — fully automatic. The pipeline organically creates additional storylines and scenes along the way. Ideal for fast first drafts.
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