A Vellum alternative for Windows writers
Vellum is a specialist finishing tool for authors on macOS. Sheva runs in the browser, including on Windows, and begins with the work that comes before book formatting.
Sheva is a full writing pipeline in the browser, so the platform question disappears. That does not make the two products interchangeable. Vellum is the stronger choice when polished ebook or print-layout output is the immediate need.
What Sheva connects
Sheva connects notes, research, structure, drafting, revision, private edition generation, and an owned Shelf. Its prepared PDF and HTML reader are private edition artifacts tied to a specific manuscript revision.
The product also supports deliberate publication of a bounded sample and an external offer. Publication is optional and requires an exact preview plus rights attestation.
What Sheva does not claim
Sheva does not currently claim EPUB output, a production-ready printer package, native reader checkout, or operational physical fulfillment. A PDF edition is not advertised as printer-certified simply because it renders correctly.
If your finished manuscript needs specialist layout now, use Vellum on a Mac or compare the cross-platform formatter discussed on our Atticus page.
A safer public boundary
A public creator profile can exist with zero books. When an author publishes a release, the public catalog receives only presentation metadata, a bounded sample, availability, and an external offer when configured. Private source text and account data stay outside that projection.
Unpublishing removes the release from public reads immediately. It does not delete the private edition or revoke legitimate access already held elsewhere.
Price
Sheva offers a free way to begin and a founding lifetime seat at $199. No monthly subscription tier is presented as available. Physical products, if enabled later, will still require separate proof approval and a frozen quote.
Choose Sheva if
- You work on Windows or move between computers.
- You need help before the manuscript reaches final formatting.
- You want private editions and optional publication kept separate.
- An external sales link is sufficient for the current release.
Choose Vellum if
- You have a Mac and a finished manuscript.
- EPUB or mature print-layout output is required now.
- You already have a distribution and reader-access workflow.
FAQ
Does Sheva work on Windows? Yes. The writing, private edition, Shelf, and publication controls run in the browser.
Does Sheva export EPUB today? No. Authors who require EPUB output today should use a specialist tool.
Can Sheva send a book to a printer today? The provider-backed print step remains closed. Sheva will not create a physical order until a verified product, adapter, proof, quote, and explicit order approval are present.
Can I publish without selling through Sheva? Yes. A release can point to a reviewed HTTPS offer from an external provider. That external purchase does not create Sheva access.