AIWriter

AIWriter is a desktop writing application that organizes long-form content using cards and supports both Chinese manuscript editing and final document formatting. It is ideal for those who are compiling materials, writing books, drafting theses, or producing articles on an ongoing basis: users can start by completing short paragraphs one by one, then reorganize the structure and review the wording, and finally export a deliverable document. The software is developed by Living Water AI Lab (42ailab). Local writing and exporting are free, while the AI assistant and cloud backup are available through a subscription.Visit the Xiejiang website

What is Xiejiang?

Xiejiang saves a writing project in a local folder, with each card corresponding to a text file. Authors can start by writing the parts they’re confident about, then break them down, piece them together, and reorder them—without having to write from Chapter 1 all the way to the end. It supports plain text, Markdown, and Typst, covering everything from everyday articles and literary writing to documents containing equations and references. For readers, the most noteworthy feature is that source material, body text, revisions, and formatting can all remain within the same workflow—rather than the speed at which an article is generated in a single pass.Official Feature Description

The development team, Huoshui AI Lab, was founded by Yang Zhiping and focuses on research that combines cognitive science and artificial intelligence. Xiejiang’s official brand story traces the project back to a tool concept in 2013 and documents the formation of the first team in 2016, the launch of the web version in 2020, and the release of the new version on September 19, 2026. The current product emphasizes that authors complete the writing themselves, with AI assisting in proofreading, analysis, and formatting. While an earlier version existed as a web-based application, this does not mean that the current account website functions as an online editor.Team Website,Brand Story

Key Features

Organizing Long-Form Content with Cards

The card list makes it easy to view and adjust the structure, card editing is ideal for focusing on a single segment, and card stitching is used for reading through continuous text. Long paragraphs can be broken up, and scattered material can be combined. For topics involving a large volume of material, it’s easier to manage by first organizing arguments, case studies, and interview excerpts separately, then deciding on their order—rather than constantly cutting and pasting within a single long document. Existing folders can also be imported as projects.Getting Started Quickly

From Text to Deliverables

Different cards can use different formats: use TXT when no markup syntax is needed, use Markdown when structured headings and lists are required, and leave complex formulas and layout to Typst. Export options include PDF, EPUB, Word, Markdown, Web, Typst, and LaTeX, catering to the needs of printing, digital reading, submitting to editors for review, and further typesetting. The Web export also offers a WeChat Official Account layout, but exporting a file does not mean the platform will publish it on the user’s behalf.Format and Export Instructions,Export Operations

AI Proofreading, Writing Style, Analysis, and Formatting

The Member AI Assistant is divided into four categories. Proofreading focuses on typos, vocabulary, punctuation, and obvious grammatical errors; Writing Style checks for accuracy and conciseness; Analysis evaluates rhythm, imagery, and style; and Formatting generates Typst content according to requirements. Proofreading and writing style suggestions are highlighted directly in the original text, allowing authors to decide on a case-by-case basis whether to accept, modify, or ignore each suggestion. The formatted result can be saved as a new card while preserving the original draft, making it easy to compare the two versions before finalizing the changes.AI Assistant Documentation

Preference settings can store names of people, places, terminology, and confirmed writing conventions, reducing the burden of repeatedly handling similar suggestions. Analysis provides useful editing cues but cannot replace editorial judgment; literary expressions, technical terms, and factual citations still require review by the author. For those who do not wish to upload their main text to the cloud, members can configure a local engine via the 42model; however, the local and cloud versions do not offer exactly the same functionality.Preferences and Engine Description

Review old drafts and observe your writing habits

The free version offers keyword search, while the paid membership adds semantic search and “Ask Xiao Wen.” The latter can answer questions based on existing cards and provide sources, making it ideal for retrieving old material or checking how a particular topic was previously expressed. Writing Statistics is a free, locally processed feature that allows you to monitor metrics such as characters, words, syntax, and paragraphs; it is not the same as the paid AI analysis.Search and Chat Features,Notes on Writing Statistics

What scenarios is it suitable for?

• Long-form nonfiction and book manuscripts:Organize the interviews, case studies, and chapter arguments into separate index cards; first, gather all the necessary material, and then adjust the narrative order accordingly.
• Theses and Research Reports:Manage disjointed paragraphs by using Typst to format equations, citations, and layout, then export to PDF or Word. You must still verify the authenticity of references, ensure compliance with submission templates, and follow academic standards on your own.
• Personal Blogs and Columns:Gather material for your topics, reuse content you’ve written before, and export the webpage or WeChat Official Account layout after finalizing the draft.
• Poetry, Essays, and Novels:We’ll maintain the freedom to start from scratch, experiment with different structures by rearranging cards and tracking versions, and then use statistics and AI suggestions to refine the design.

The above are workflow recommendations based on functionality and do not guarantee writing results. If your goal is simply to enter a single sentence and generate marketing copy in bulk, WriteCraft emphasizes that a writer-led approach may not necessarily be the most convenient option. If you need multiple colleagues to edit a document collaboratively in real time, you should first clarify your collaboration requirements rather than assuming that cloud backup automatically equates to a collaborative document system.

How to Get Started

1. Verify the equipment and install it.Select the Apple Silicon or Intel installer from the official download page, and complete the online sign-in process the first time you launch the app. We recommend first walking through the entire process using a test draft that does not contain any sensitive material.
2. Create a new project or import an existing one.Select a template and name it; existing local draft folders can be imported via “Open Project,” and individual files can be added through the import option.
3. Start by completing small chunks of content.Write one concept on each card. In the first round, write down all the material; in the second round, use the list view to check for duplicates and gaps.
4. Adjust the order and leave a revision node.Review the layout in the layout view, splitting or merging cards as needed; save a version before making any major changes.
5. On-demand AI.First, select either the cloud or on-premises engine, then run the required functions. Before the cloud task begins, pay attention to the point prompts and review the suggested changes one by one.
6. Export and inspect the finished product.Select a file format suitable for the recipient, and review the table of contents, page numbers, footnotes, images, equations, and references. For complex manuscripts, we recommend exporting a single chapter as a test version first, then processing the entire book.

Basis for Action:Download and Installation Instructions,Official Quick Start Guide,AI User Guide.

Price and Membership Differences

The official retail prices are as follows. Prices in RMB are subject to the account page at the time of purchase.Official Price

1 point equals 10,000 tokens and cannot be directly converted into a fixed number of articles or Chinese characters. Monthly bonus allocations do not roll over, and the quota is shared across multiple cloud-based AI features; point-based top-up packages are billed separately. According to official guidelines, purchases are currently made manually on an annual basis and do not involve automatic billing; after the subscription expires, local writing and export functions remain available. Users who only need writing and formatting export features can first evaluate the free version and do not need to purchase a membership just to retain basic editing capabilities.Billing and Expiration Rules

Platforms, Versions, and Usage Restrictions

• Prioritize evaluations based on Mac products.The public download requires macOS 14 or later and offers installation packages for both Apple Silicon and Intel. The Windows page displays both “In Development” and “Beta” labels, so it should not be considered a fully released version at this time; users should verify their eligibility to download before purchasing.
• Version information is out of sync.The latest update log lists v0.8.5 as of October 22, 2026, which includes adjustments to the paper homepage, paragraph structure, preview, and writing style suggestions; the download page still shows v0.8.1. The actual version installed and updated is subject to the client.
• The Web Account Center is not the web-based editor.The current cloud service handles accounts, subscriptions, AI, and backups, but does not offer web-based editing capabilities.
• Offline access has certain prerequisites and limitations.You must be connected to the internet to log in the first time; after that, you can write locally offline. For members, the local AI requires separate model configuration. The official documentation clearly states that the local engine does not provide “analysis,” and there are limitations on proofreading and writing styles in conversations; therefore, it should not be considered a full offline replacement for all cloud-based capabilities.
• Local models require additional resources.The official recommendation is to use at least 8 GB of RAM for general use and at least 16 GB for the local engine; each local model also requires approximately 3 to 4.5 GB of disk space. Actual performance depends on the device and the task.

Source:Platform and Hardware Requirements,Release Notes,Cloud User Terms,Local Engine Limitations.

Privacy requires a distinction between local data, cloud backups, and cloud-based AI

Local writing files remain on your own computer, but enabling cloud backup will upload an encrypted backup; actively invoking the cloud-based AI will send the selected text, which may be processed by a third-party model service. The official privacy policy states that backup keys are managed by the operator, who has the technical capability to decrypt them; therefore, this should not be marketed as end-to-end encryption that even the service provider cannot access. The company officially承诺s not to use content processed by the cloud AI for model training; separate rules apply to service improvements and model optimization that require additional consent. When dealing with client confidential information, unpublished research, or restricted manuscripts, you should first verify content usage permissions and your organization’s requirements.privacy policy

How to Choose Between Xiejiang and Similar Writing Tools

The following comparison focuses on how the actual products work, without equating “more features” directly with “better.” The recommendations are based on the editors’ judgment, and information on features and platforms is taken from each product’s official website.

If your biggest challenge is organizing long documents or constantly switching between editing and formatting, it’s worth trying the free version of WriteCraft first. If your priorities are cross-device synchronization on Apple devices, the full version for Windows, or mind map generation, you should try the corresponding competing products as well. When comparing apps, test importing, editing, and exporting using the same actual document—this provides more valuable insights than simply looking at the number of features.

common problems

Can the free version of Xiejiang be used for long-term writing and exporting?

Yes. The official version lists local writing, organization, and exporting as permanently free features; paid features primarily cover AI and cloud backup. An internet connection is still required for the first login.Official Price

Will Xiejiang automatically generate the entire article for me?

The current product positioning emphasizes author-led writing, with AI primarily used for proofreading, style refinement, analysis, search, and formatting. It is best suited for users who already have source material and specific writing goals; it should not be viewed as a bulk ghostwriting platform.Official Functional Positioning

Does cloud backup mean you don't have to back up your data yourself at all?

We do not recommend interpreting it this way. Cloud backup is an additional safeguard and cannot replace local, independent backups of critical documents, export checks, and access control. You should still keep copies of important projects that can be opened independently.

Product images and screenshots from the official website are sourced from AIWriter Official Website, used solely for the purpose of identifying and introducing the corresponding products. All rights to the relevant brands and works are owned by Huoshui AI Lab and other rights holders.