Story bible
설정집
한국어로 읽기A story bible is the writer's reference of characters, places, rules, timeline and open hooks; in a long serial it is the only defense against continuity slips.
Also written as: 세계관 설정집 · 바이블 · 캐릭터 시트 · series bible · 설정 노트
Meaning
A story bible is a reference document collecting the facts of a work. Characters (names, ages, appearance, verbal tics, relationships, secrets), places (geography, floor plans), the world's rules (magic system, ranks, currency), a timeline (what happened in which episode), and the hooks planted with their planned payoffs. It is the same idea as the "bible" a television writers' room shares. If worldbuilding is the set of settings, the bible is the document that records them. It is not finished in advance; it grows as you write.
Why it matters
Long-form fiction cannot be written from memory. Past a hundred episodes the writer forgets a side character's eye color, a promise the protagonist made in episode 3, the name of the bar in episode 20. Readers do not forget. Continuity errors (yesterday's left-hander holding a sword in the right hand today) are flagged in comments immediately and erode trust. The bible also becomes central when writing with AI. A model does not remember earlier episodes, so the bible has to be supplied as context for characters to keep consistent speech and facts. SparkLore's story bible feature is this document, made available to the AI on every request.
Example
One bible entry can be this short.
[Character] Kang Doyun — 34. Ex-detective, now runs an errand agency. Scar through left eyebrow (ep. 7, first attack). Tic: answers questions with questions. Secret: responsible for partner's death three years ago (payoff planned ep. 31). Relationships: Yuri (client → ?), Captain Park (former boss, hostile).
[Hook] The sword that betrays three times — thrown ep. 5. First betrayal ep. 22 (planned), second betrayer's identity = the old man (ep. 70), third = finale.
The key is that every entry carries an episode number, so it can be found later.
Common mistakes
- Trying to fill it in first. A hundred-page bible written before serialization is mostly settings that never get used. Record only what has appeared in the manuscript.
- No episode numbers. "Has a scar" alone means the scene can never be located.
- Not updating. Five minutes after every episode must become a habit. Once it falls behind, it stops being used.