What does bring your own AI keys mean?

Bring your own AI keys means you connect your own AI provider account, such as OpenAI or Claude, to Folian. Folian provides the writing system. Your provider supplies the model.

Why does Folian use bring-your-own keys?

It gives writers more choice over which AI models they use, clearer control over usage and billing through their provider account, and a writing workspace designed for long-form fiction rather than a bundled chat subscription.

Do I need to be technical to set up an API key?

No. The setup is usually straightforward: create an account with the provider, generate an API key, paste it into Folian settings and test the connection.

Can I use Folian without AI?

Yes. Folian still works as a private writing workspace without AI. AI support is optional and only works after you add your own API key.

Where can I find setup guides?

Folian provides help guides for bring-your-own AI keys, creating OpenAI and Claude API keys, managing usage costs and keeping keys safe.

Bring Your Own AI Keys

What bring-your-own keys means and why it matters for serious long-form writing.

Bring your own AI keys sounds technical, but the idea is simple.

Folian lets you connect your own AI provider, such as OpenAI or Claude, so you can use AI inside your writing workspace.

Folian provides the writing system. Your AI provider provides the model.

That gives writers more choice, more control and a clearer way to manage AI usage while working on a long-form writing project.

What does bring your own keys mean?

An AI key is a secure connection between Folian and your AI provider.

When you add your key to Folian, Folian can send writing requests to the provider you choose. That might be OpenAI, Claude or another supported provider in the future.

You do not need to code.

The setup is usually simple. You create an account with the AI provider, create a new API key, copy it, paste it into Folian and test the connection.

Why Folian uses this model

Folian is built as a writing OS for long-form fiction, not as a bundled AI subscription.

A bundled model can be convenient for short tasks, but serious novel writing often needs clearer control over which model is used, how much is spent and how AI fits into manuscript structure, story bible, canon and revision.

Bring-your-own keys keeps the writing workspace separate from the AI billing relationship. You choose the provider. You manage usage through that provider's account. Folian focuses on helping the book hold together.

What writers gain

Writers who use bring-your-own keys can usually:

Choose which supported AI provider to connect.
See usage and billing through their provider dashboard.
Set limits where the provider allows them.
Remove or replace keys without losing the writing project.
Use Folian as a writing workspace even when AI is turned off.

The goal is not to make setup feel like infrastructure work. The goal is to give writers a clearer relationship between the book and the AI they choose to use on it.

How this fits long-form fiction

A novel needs more than generation. It needs structure, memory, canon, style guidance and revision. AI is most useful when it can work with that context instead of treating every request as a fresh conversation.

Folian is being built so AI support can draw on manuscript structure, story bible records, canon, style profiles and planning notes when the writer chooses to include them.

Bring-your-own keys is one part of that philosophy: the writer stays in control of both the creative project and the AI setup behind it.

Where to go next

If you are ready to set up a key, the help centre has step-by-step guides for bring your own AI keys, creating an OpenAI API key, creating a Claude API key, managing AI usage costs and keeping your key safe.

Frequently asked questions

What does bring your own AI keys mean?: Bring your own AI keys means you connect your own AI provider account, such as OpenAI or Claude, to Folian. Folian provides the writing system. Your provider supplies the model.
Why does Folian use bring-your-own keys?: It gives writers more choice over which AI models they use, clearer control over usage and billing through their provider account, and a writing workspace designed for long-form fiction rather than a bundled chat subscription.
Do I need to be technical to set up an API key?: No. The setup is usually straightforward: create an account with the provider, generate an API key, paste it into Folian settings and test the connection.
Can I use Folian without AI?: Yes. Folian still works as a private writing workspace without AI. AI support is optional and only works after you add your own API key.
Where can I find setup guides?: Folian provides help guides for bring-your-own AI keys, creating OpenAI and Claude API keys, managing usage costs and keeping keys safe.

Can AI Write a Novel for Me? — The honest answer for writers who are curious about AI, but serious about the book.
Why AI Writing Falls Apart After 10,000 Words — Why context, memory, canon and structure matter more as the manuscript grows.
Folian vs ChatGPT for Writing a Novel — Why ChatGPT can help with parts of the writing process, but a novel still needs a system.
AI Writing Software for Authors — What serious writers actually need from AI writing tools: context, canon, revision support and creative control.