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Quickstart

Nellie API Quick Start Guide #

Get started with the Nellie API in just a few minutes.

Step 1: Get Your Credentials #

1. Get Your API Key #

  1. Open the Nellie mobile app or web app
  2. After logging in, go to Settings → API Management on mobile, or visit https://app.nelliewriter.com/api on web
  3. Select the API Keys tab
  4. Tap Create Key
  5. Give it a name (e.g., “My Project”)
  6. Copy the key immediately — it will not be shown again

Your API key will look like:

nel_abc123def456...

2. Get Your Webhook Secret (Optional) #

If you plan to use webhooks to receive notifications:

  1. Go to the Webhooks tab
  2. Copy your Webhook Signing Secret

It will look like:

whsec_...

Step 2: Make Your First Request #

Replace YOUR_API_KEY with your actual key and run:

curl -X POST https://api.nelliewriter.com/book \
  -H "X-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "prompt": "A mystery story about a missing artifact",
    "style": "mystery",
    "type": "novel",
    "images": true,
    "author": "Your Name",
    "custom_tone": "Snappy dialogue and high tension",
    "model": "2.0",
    "output_format": "pdf",
    "webhook_url": "https://your-site.com/webhook"
  }'

You’ll receive something like:

{
  "success": true,
  "requestId": "uuid-of-request",
  "status": "queued",
  "statusUrl": "https://api.nelliewriter.com/status/uuid-of-request",
  "message": "Job queued successfully"
}

Step 3: Check Progress #

Use the requestId to check job status:

curl https://api.nelliewriter.com/status/uuid-of-request

Example response:

{
  "requestId": "uuid-of-request",
  "status": "processing",
  "progress": 45,
  "messages": [
    "Request received, starting job...",
    "Generating outline...",
    "Creating characters..."
  ],
  "creditsUsed": 0
}

Step 4: Get Your Results #

When status becomes completed:

{
  "requestId": "uuid-of-request",
  "status": "completed",
  "progress": 100,
  "resultUrl": "https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/.../story.pdf?alt=media&token=...",
  "creditsUsed": 15
}

Download your file from the resultUrl.

Parameters Explained #

Required Parameter #

None — everything is optional.

Optional Parameters #

prompt (string) #

Describe what you want Nellie to create.
If omitted, Nellie will generate a prompt for you.

Example: "A thriller about a hacker in Tokyo"

style (string — default: automatic) #

Available options:
automatic, action, horror, history, sci_fi, superhero, mystery, drama, romance, fantasy, adventure, crime, western, comedy, epic, thriller, mythology, folklore, fable, fairy_tale, legend, psychological, suspense, noir, paranormal, dystopian, post_apocalyptic, cyberpunk, alternate_history, gothic, tragedy, surrealism.

type (string — default: automatic) #

Output format options:
novel, comic, non_fiction, manga, textbook, childrens, self_help, short_story, automatic.

images (bool — default: false) #

  • true → Include AI-generated illustrations
  • false → Text only

author (string — default: Nellie) #

Name that appears on generated content.

custom_tone (string) #

Adds extra tone/writing direction.

model (string — default: 2.0) #

Choose between:

  • 2.0 → Faster
  • 3.0 → Higher quality

output_format (string — default: txt) #

Available formats:
txt, pdf, epub, md, html, json

webhook_url (string) #

A URL Nellie will POST to when the job finishes.

Python Example #

import requests
import time

API_KEY = "nel_your_key_here"
BASE_URL = "https://api.nelliewriter.com"

# Start generation
response = requests.post(
    f"{BASE_URL}/book",
    headers={
        "X-API-Key": API_KEY,
        "Content-Type": "application/json",
    },
    json={
        "prompt": "A fantasy adventure in a magical forest",
        "style": "fantasy",
        "type": "novel",
        "images": True,
        "author": "AI Writer",
        "custom_tone": "Optimistic, whimsical narration",
        "model": "3.0",
        "output_format": "epub"
    }
)

request_id = response.json()["requestId"]
print(f"Started! Request ID: {request_id}")

# Poll for completion
while True:
    status = requests.get(f"{BASE_URL}/status/{request_id}").json()
    print(f"Progress: {status['progress']}%")
    
    if status['status'] == 'completed':
        print("Done! Result:", status['resultUrl'])
        break
    elif status['status'] == 'failed':
        print("Failed:", status.get('errorMessage'))
        break
    
    time.sleep(120)

Credits & Pricing #

Credits depend on:

  • Content length
  • Number of images
  • Model used

Typical costs:

  • Full book:
    • ~250 credits (Nellie 2.0)
    • ~500 credits (Nellie 3.0)

Purchase credits inside the Nellie app.

Need Help? #

  • Full Documentation: API_DOCUMENTATION.md
  • Email Support: support@buzzleco.com
  • Check Status: View API keys & usage in the app

Tips #

✅ DO #

  • Poll every 120 seconds
  • Store your API key securely
  • Use retry logic on errors
  • Monitor your credit balance

❌ DON’T #

  • Share your API key
  • Poll faster than 120 seconds
  • Commit keys to GitHub
  • Expect instant results (jobs take 15–80 minutes)

You’re all set — enjoy generating books with the Nellie API! 🎉