Extract text from StoryMill projects (STORYMILL)
To convert STORYMILL projects to another format, you need StoryMill or other Data software.
To convert other file formats to the "Writing Project File" file type, you need software like StoryMill or a similar tool.
A .storymill file is a proprietary project archive created by StoryMill, a macOS application designed for novelists and creative writers. Developed by Mariner Software, these files act as a comprehensive database for a book. They store the actual manuscript divided into chapters and scenes, alongside rich metadata like character profiles, location descriptions, timelines, and research notes.
The primary disadvantage of the .storymill format is severe vendor lock-in. Because the software has been discontinued and is no longer updated, writers face a massive risk of losing access to their life's work. The file format is closed, proprietary, and strictly limited to the macOS ecosystem. You cannot open a .storymill file in standard word processors like Microsoft Word or Google Docs. If you no longer own an older Mac running the specific legacy software, extracting your manuscript becomes a frustrating challenge. Furthermore, these files are often structured as macOS "packages" (folders acting as single files), making them difficult to handle or transfer on Windows or Linux systems.
To safely preserve your writing, we strongly recommend converting .storymill files to universally accessible formats like DOCX, RTF, or PDF. While the native app allows exporting chapter text, users without the app are stuck. That is where standard online converters fail, as they do not understand the internal databases or rich text bundles hidden inside the project. We can identify the internal structure, inspect the embedded data, and help you extract your raw text or convert it into a standard document format so your novel is never lost.
Convert.Guru analyzes your STORYMILL file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
If you want to convert STORYMILL file to , you can use StoryMill or similar software from the "Novel and Story Authoring" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert files to STORYMILL, try StoryMill or another comparable tool in the "Novel and Story Authoring" category.
The history of Convert.Guru began over 25 years ago in California with Tom Simondi’s file-format database. A former contributor to Space Shuttle development and a software pioneer of the 1980s, Simondi established a trusted resource for file type analysis that was even referenced by Microsoft Windows XP. Today, we use modern technology to process and convert thousands of file formats while continually improving our STORYMILL converter.