Getting started
How does this work?
Cozy Mystery Scaffold is a pre-built folder — an Obsidian vault — plus a set of AI commands. You install two free apps, Obsidian and VS Code, connect your own Claude subscription inside VS Code, and then talk to Claude in plain English (or use slash commands like /setup and /write) to build your characters, plot your mystery, and draft your book. Obsidian is where you read and organize what's been written; VS Code is where the actual writing conversation with Claude happens. Setup takes about fifteen minutes — the Step-by-Step guides included in the package walk through every click.
What is Obsidian?
Obsidian is a free note-taking app that stores everything as plain markdown text files on your own computer — nothing lives on someone else's server. Cozy Mystery Scaffold uses it as your writing workspace: your characters, plot notes, and manuscript all live there, organized into folders you can browse and edit like a notebook.
What is VS Code?
VS Code (Visual Studio Code) is a free code editor from Microsoft. You don't need to know how to code to use it — Cozy Mystery Scaffold uses it purely as the window where you talk to Claude. Obsidian is where you read and browse your novel; VS Code is where the AI conversation happens.
What is Claude Code, and do I need to pay for it separately?
Claude Code is Anthropic's AI assistant, installed as a free extension inside VS Code. It's what actually reads your files and responds to commands like /setup and /write. You do need your own Claude Pro or Max subscription to use it — that's not included in the $29.99 price, since most writers already have one. Cozy Mystery Scaffold just puts your existing subscription to work on your novel.
Do I need to know how to code?
No. You're never writing or reading code. VS Code is just the window Claude's chat panel lives in, and Obsidian is a plain-text notebook. If you can type a sentence and click a button, you can use this.
Does this work on Mac and Windows?
Yes — Obsidian, VS Code, and Claude Code are all available for Mac, Windows, and Linux.
The product
What do I get for $29.99?
A complete Obsidian vault pre-built for cozy mystery writing — character, plot, and clue-tracking files, already populated with a full worked example novel you can study before starting your own — plus 22 Claude Code slash commands for setup, drafting, editing, and fair-play checking, and 8 bonus PDF guides on the genre and craft. It's a single one-time payment, not a subscription. See the Free Guides for a sample of what's inside.
Do I have to buy a subscription to anything?
Cozy Mystery Scaffold itself is a one-time $29.99 purchase, not a subscription — no recurring fee, no usage limit. The only subscription involved is Claude Pro or Max from Anthropic, which most writers already have for other things. It isn't included in the $29.99 and isn't sold by us. Obsidian and VS Code are both free.
Do you offer refunds?
No. Cozy Mystery Scaffold is a digital download delivered instantly, so all sales are final — there are no refunds or returns. If your download link isn't working or something in the vault seems broken, email hello@cozymysteryscaffold.com before purchasing if you're unsure, or after if something's genuinely wrong with the files, and we'll sort it out.
Is this hard to set up if I'm not tech-savvy?
It's designed not to be. The Step-by-Step guides included in the package walk through every click across seven short PDFs, and most writers are through setup in about fifteen minutes. If anything goes wrong, the built-in /rescue command diagnoses and fixes common problems in plain language.
Can I use this if I've already started writing?
Yes. /setup builds out the vault from an interview about your existing sleuth, town, and victim, so it adapts to a book you've already started rather than forcing you to begin from nothing.
Using Cozy Mystery Scaffold
What do the “fair-play checks” actually catch?
Commands like /clue-check and /check-alibis read your actual manuscript — not just your outline — and flag the most common mystery-writing mistakes: a clue used in the reveal that was never actually shown to the reader earlier, or a suspect's alibi that no longer matches your timeline after a revision.
Can I use it for more than one book or series?
Yes. The vault includes a series bible for tracking continuity across books, and nothing about the system is limited to a single manuscript.
What if I get stuck or a command doesn't work?
Type /rescue and describe what's happening in plain language — it's built to diagnose folder, plugin, and setup issues without deleting anything. Beyond that, email hello@cozymysteryscaffold.com.
Support
How do I get help?
Email hello@cozymysteryscaffold.com any time — a real inbox, not a bot.
Where's my download link if I lose the email?
Email hello@cozymysteryscaffold.com with the address you purchased under, and it'll be resent.
We're a real inbox, not a bot.
Email hello@cozymysteryscaffold.com any time — or, if you already own the vault, type /rescue inside VS Code and describe what's happening.