illusions

Product Introduction

Definition: illusions is a specialized, cross-platform fiction writing editor engineered specifically for the Japanese language. It is a technical writing tool that combines a modern, distraction-free drafting environment with advanced Japanese typesetting, proofreading, and manuscript export capabilities.

Core Value Proposition: illusions exists to provide Japanese novelists and writers with a single, unified environment that supports the entire creative workflow—from uninterrupted drafting in vertical or horizontal writing modes to professional-grade proofreading and final export for print, e-books, or online publication platforms. Its core value is eliminating the friction of using multiple, non-specialized tools (like generic word processors or markdown editors) for Japanese fiction, which requires specific formatting like ruby text (furigana) and vertical writing.

Main Features

1. Vertical & Horizontal Writing with Advanced Japanese Typesetting: illusions treats vertical writing not as an afterthought but as a primary editing mode. It allows seamless switching between vertical (縦書き) and horizontal (横書き) text orientation within the same editing interface. It natively supports complex Japanese typographic elements crucial for novels: ruby annotations (ルビ) for pronunciation guides, tatechuyoko (縦中横) for horizontal numbers/letters within vertical text, emphasis dots (傍点), indentation (字下げ), and manual page breaks. This is built on a custom editing engine that understands Japanese compositional rules.

2. Source-Based Japanese Proofreading Engine: Unlike basic spell-checkers, illusions implements a sophisticated, rule-based proofreading system. It references seven distinct, authoritative Japanese style guide rule sets (including JTF Japanese Standard Style Guide and guidelines for modern kana usage). Users can select from five context-aware proofreading modes (小説, 公用文, ブログ, 学術, SNS) to tailor suggestions. Each suggestion is linked to its source rule, allowing writers to make informed decisions on whether to accept, ignore, or add exceptions to a user dictionary.

3. Automatic Version History & Project-Aware Safety Net: The editor implements a robust data protection system. It automatically takes snapshots of the manuscript at configurable intervals (default every 5 seconds) and upon manual command, creating a granular version history. This system tracks word count deltas per version and allows for visual diff comparison between any two historical states. Combined with session recovery for unsaved work and detection of external file changes, it ensures no writing is ever lost.

4. Multi-Format Export with Automated Typesetting: illusions features a powerful, customizable export engine. From a single manuscript, writers can generate professionally formatted PDFs (with automatic layout adjustment for margins, fonts, page numbers), EPUB 3 e-books (with configurable metadata, cover, and chapter splitting), DOCX for further editing, and HTML. It also includes one-click conversion filters for major Japanese novel posting sites like Shousetsuka ni Narou (小説家になろう), Kakuyomu (カクヨム), Aozora Bunko (青空文庫), and note.com.

Problems Solved

1. Pain Point: The fragmentation of the Japanese fiction writing workflow. Writers often draft in one app (lacking proper typesetting), proofread in another, and struggle to format manuscripts correctly for submission or self-publishing, leading to wasted time and formatting errors.
2. Target Audience: The primary user personas are Japanese fiction authors (professional and amateur), light novel writers, web novelists posting to platforms like Kakuyomu, and students or researchers writing long-form Japanese text. It also serves bilingual writers creating content for a Japanese audience.
3. Use Cases: Drafting a vertical-writing light novel with complex ruby text; proofreading a manuscript against formal publication standards before submission to a contest; managing a long-form novel with multiple chapters using split-view and project navigation; converting a finished work into a print-ready PDF and an EPUB for Amazon KDP simultaneously; seamlessly editing a manuscript across an iPhone, Windows PC, and Linux laptop.

Unique Advantages

1. Differentiation: Compared to general word processors (MS Word, Google Docs) or markdown editors (Obsidian, Typora), illusions is purpose-built for Japanese fiction, offering native vertical writing and ruby support that others lack or implement poorly. Versus dedicated Japanese writing software, its modern, cross-platform design, deep version history, and site-specific export filters offer a more integrated and streamlined experience.
2. Key Innovation: The integration of a source-cited, multi-mode proofreading engine within a writer-focused editor is a significant technical innovation. It moves beyond simple error detection to provide contextual, educational suggestions, empowering writers to understand why a change is suggested based on published style guides. Furthermore, its unified project architecture that handles versioning, search/replace, and export all from a single, local file base prioritizes both power and privacy.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Is illusions suitable for writing horizontal (横書き) novels or non-fiction? Yes, absolutely. While optimized for vertical writing, illusions provides a full-featured horizontal writing mode. Its proofreading, version control, and export features are equally effective for horizontal text, essays, reports, and blog posts.

2. How does illusions handle data privacy and where are my files saved? illusions is designed with privacy as a core principle. All manuscripts are stored locally in folders of your choice on your device (or in iCloud Drive for iOS/macOS syncing). The application does not transmit your manuscript text to its servers for processing; proofreading and analysis are performed locally on your machine.

3. Can I collaborate on a document with others using illusions? illusions is primarily designed as a single-user, desktop-class writing environment. It does not have built-in real-time collaborative editing like Google Docs. Collaboration would involve exchanging manuscript files, and the external change detection feature helps manage revisions from others.

4. What is the difference between the MDI format and Markdown in illusions? MDI (Markdown with Japanese Extensions) is illusions' native format, which extends standard Markdown with specific syntax for Japanese typesetting commands (like ruby {漢字|かんじ}). illusions can perfectly read, write, and edit both MDI and plain Markdown (.md) files, but using MDI unlocks its full vertical writing and typesetting potential.

5. Is illusions completely free, and what platforms does it support? illusions is currently free to download and use with all core features available. It is a native application supporting iOS, iPadOS, macOS, Windows, and Linux, providing a consistent experience across desktop and mobile devices.