Bring your own key — and let four models write your book

Why Wenmai is "multi-model"

A novel is not written by one prompt. Wenmai splits the work into four roles, each with a distinct job:

• Draft — writes the raw chapter, the longest prose.
• Continuity — checks the plot and facts stay consistent with earlier chapters.
• Character Voice — keeps each character sounding like themselves.
• Final Review — the last pass that catches what the others missed.

The method is the orchestration: one role's output feeds the next. You can run all four on the same model, or — and this is where Wenmai earns its keep — put a different model on each role so each job gets the model best at it.

One key, four models: use OpenRouter

For overseas users we recommend OpenRouter. One OpenRouter key gives you Claude, GPT, and 100+ models behind a single OpenAI-compatible endpoint. Paste it once in settings and Wenmai routes a different model to each role:

That is four top-tier models orchestrated by one key — the multi-model method, without managing four accounts. Prefer different providers instead? You can also paste a separate key per role (for example a raw Anthropic key alongside an OpenAI key).

Step 1: Create an OpenRouter account

1. Open openrouter.ai and create an account.
2. Add credit. OpenRouter bills per token at each model's own price — no markup from Wenmai.

Step 2: Create an API key

1. Open Keys in the left menu and choose Create Key.
2. Copy the generated key — the one starting with sk-or-. It is shown only once. Save it before you close the dialog.

Step 3: Paste it into Wenmai — once

1. Open the Wenmai workbench and go to Settings → Model access. You will see two key slots — that's all the setup there is.
2. Slot 1 (free): paste a DeepSeek key. The Draft role writes your whole book with it — unlimited chapters, no payment.
3. Slot 2 (sponsor): paste your OpenRouter key. It automatically fills every role with the models from the table above — Draft on GPT-4o, the cross-review roles on Claude. No per-role forms, no model IDs to type.
4. That's it — you can write chapter one right now with the free Draft role, then unlock the cross-review roles with the $6 / 30-day plan when you're ready.

Good to know

• Your key stays on your device. It is never written into your manuscript, your project backups, or our logs. On a shared machine, delete it with one click when you leave.
• Pricing is transparent. You pay the model provider's own price. Wenmai adds no margin and never pays on your behalf.
• Each role is independent. One role's key or quota running dry never blocks the others.
• Swap models whenever you like. Wenmai only cares about the endpoint, key and model ID you give it — any OpenAI-compatible provider works.

Wenmai does not sell model capacity and does not require you to buy anything here. The $6/mo plan supports the multi-model orchestration method and unlocks the cross-review roles; the free Draft role alone finishes a whole book.

Next

Once your key is in, set up a character profile and write chapter one. Finish the draft first — polish comes later.