FAQ
Questions writers ask us.
Everything about what First Mate checks, the Captain’s Log, the AI parts, privacy and buying. Can’t find yours? Ask us.
What it is
What is First Mate?
A writing checker built for books. It fixes obvious typos as you type, checks grammar, spelling, style and whole-book consistency on your device, reviews the manuscript in passes, and remembers every decision in the Captain’s Log. With your own AI connected, it can also proofread, critique a chapter and play beta reader.
Do I need Salt of the Page to use it?
Today, yes: First Mate ships inside Salt of the Page 6.0 and is included for anyone who owns the app. Placeholder: a standalone edition is coming; say which kind and when.
Does it work for fiction and dialogue?
That’s what it’s built for. Fiction mode is on by default, so grammar and style rules skip what’s inside quotation marks, and fragments you mean can be marked Intentional once.
Does it need the internet?
No. Typo fixes, spelling, grammar, style, consistency and every report run on your device and work offline. Only the optional AI features go online, and only when you press Send.
Checking
Will it change my writing?
Only obvious typos as you type, and you can switch that off. Everything else is a suggestion you accept or don’t. AI suggestions are always shown as a before and after and never applied by themselves.
What does it check?
Spelling and typos, grammar (on a real grammar engine on your device), mixed-up words, name slips against your Source of Truth, whole-book consistency (about 40 US/UK pairs, hyphenation, quote styles, ellipses, numbers), style, fiction craft (emotion tells, redundancies) and dialogue. Then an optional AI proofread.
How fast is it?
About 120,000 words reviewed in about 5 seconds the first time. After that, unchanged paragraphs come from memory.
What if it flags a word that’s right for my book?
Press Word is fine and it goes in the book’s dictionary. Source of Truth names and aliases are never flagged in the first place.
What are the keyboard shortcuts?
↑ and ↓ to move between cards, Enter to accept, I to ignore, N for intentional, K to keep the passage, F to fix everywhere, and Esc to go back to the page. Ctrl/⌘ Shift K opens First Mate.
The Captain’s Log
What does the Captain’s Log remember?
Every Ignore, Intentional, Keep, Rule off, Word is fine and Never auto-fix, for that book, for good.
Will an edit nearby bring a flag back?
No. Entries are matched by the flagged words and the sentence around them, so nearby edits don’t bring a flag back. If you rewrite the flagged words themselves, the entry shows as stale with a button to clear it.
Can I change my mind?
Yes. Remove any entry from the log and First Mate can raise it again.
AI
Do I have to use AI?
No. Everything except the AI proofread, chapter critique and beta readers works with AI switched off, on your device.
Which AI can I use?
The one you already have a key for. First Mate sends to the provider you chose, and shows you exactly what will be sent before anything goes.
How does the AI proofread avoid making things up?
Each part of up to 1,500 words is read 3 separate times (5 in Careful mode), and only the fixes most reads agree on are shown, labelled “3 of 3 agree”. Anything that isn’t on the page, touches dialogue beyond a typo, or that your device already caught is left out.
How much does the AI cost?
Nothing from us. You pay your AI company directly, by the request. See the estimate for each feature.
Privacy
Does my manuscript leave my computer?
Not for the core checks: typo fixes, spelling, grammar, style, consistency and every report run on your device. Only the optional AI features send text, only to the provider you chose, and only when you press Send. The privacy page has the details.
Is my book used to train an AI?
Not by us, ever. Requests go to the provider you chose under their terms, or stay on your computer with a local model.
Buying
Does First Mate cost extra inside Salt of the Page?
No. It’s included whether you own Salt of the Page for $150 or stay current for $10 a month. There are no credits and no limits.
Can I buy First Mate on its own?
Placeholder: not yet, or yes for a price, or coming on a date. Decide and replace this answer.
Do I have to pay for AI?
Only if you want the AI parts, and then you pay your AI company directly for what you use. A model on your own computer is free. Everything else runs on your device at no cost.
Is there a refund?
Salt of the Page comes with a 30-day refund: write in it for 30 days, and if it isn’t the desk you hoped for, tell us. Salt of the Page pricing has the details.