> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://afterword.gitbook.io/afterword-docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://afterword.gitbook.io/afterword-docs/importing-your-highlights/manual-add.md).

# Manual Add

For a physical book, an audiobook, or just a single highlight you want to save right now, adding it by hand takes seconds.

### Step 1: Start a new entry

From the **Library** tab, tap the **+** button and choose **Add Book**, or from an existing book's page tap **Add Highlight**.

### Step 2: Fill in the details

* **Book title and author** — required. AfterWord will try to match this against Open Library in the background to pull in a cover image and metadata automatically.
* **Highlight text** — the passage itself.
* **Note** *(optional)* — your own thoughts on the highlight.

### Step 3: Save

Tap **Save**. Your highlight is searchable immediately — you don't need to wait for book metadata to finish enriching in the background.

{% hint style="info" %}
Adding a book manually for the first time also creates the book record, so every highlight after that just needs the passage itself — you won't need to re-type the title and author each time.
{% endhint %}

### Good for

* Highlights from physical books
* Quotes you heard in an audiobook
* Anything you want captured right now, before you forget it


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters:

```
GET https://afterword.gitbook.io/afterword-docs/importing-your-highlights/manual-add.md?ask=<question>&goal=<user_goal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `build a script that syncs our docs to a CMS` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.
