Working with Items
This guide covers creating, managing, and deleting items in Penpoint. All item data auto-saves as you type.
Creating Items
Click the Add New Item button in the Items page toolbar. Enter the item's name (up to 50 characters) and select its type. Click Create Item to add it to your project.
New items are automatically created with Primary importance. After creation, the item opens in the detail panel in edit mode, ready for you to add descriptions, characters, and tags.
Tip: Choose item types that match your story's genre. Fantasy stories might use Weapon and Artifact, while modern mysteries might use Document and Evidence types.
Profile Pictures
Give your items a visual identity by adding a profile picture. In Edit mode, click the placeholder to upload an image, then crop it to fit. You can also drag and drop an image file directly onto the placeholder. Hover over an existing picture to see options for changing or removing it.
Profile pictures appear on item cards in Cards and Standard views. In View mode, clicking a profile picture opens a full-size lightbox. If no picture is set, the item's type icon is shown instead.
Item Importance Levels
Organize your items with three importance levels: Primary (significant items central to your plot), Secondary (items with moderate importance), and Background (minor items with occasional mentions).
Change an item's importance level in Edit mode using the dropdown in the detail panel. Use importance to sort your item list, keeping plot-critical items at the top for quick access.
In a series, importance is kept separately for each Book, so an item that drives the plot of Book 1 can sit in the background of Book 2. See Importance Across Books.
Deleting Items
To delete an item, select it, switch to Edit mode, scroll to the bottom of the detail panel, and click Delete Item. A confirmation dialog shows what will be removed before you confirm.
Note: Deleting an item permanently removes all its data: character assignments, tags, location assignments, chapter appearances, and timeline positions. This action cannot be undone.
For more information about editing item details, see Editing Item Details.