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Alan Wake has dozens of manuscript pages scattered throughout the story. The job is not done once you have collected them all during an initial playthrough. There are a handful of pages only accessible by playing Alan Wake on the hardest difficulty mode. Fortunately, the actual campaign is not that difficult on nightmare, and knowing all the supply chest locations will help you make it through the harder bouts.
You do have to beat the campaign at least once, however. When you do finally reach the final difficulty mode, follow this guide to find all the nightmare-mode manuscripts. Many of these are fortunately found along the main path, but there are a few you will need to pay close attention to in order to find. With only a few in each chapter, they are scattered about pretty far from each other.
Updated November 23, 2023, by Sean Murray: You wouldn't want to miss any of those nightmare manuscripts, which is why we've updated this guide with improved formatting and more breakout tips to make finding them that much easier.
Episode One: Nightmare
There are three pages in the game's first episode. You do not need to worry about finding them until about halfway through the episode after Alice goes missing.
Before Heading Into The Lumber Yard
This first page is found before entering the lumber yard where the possessed Carl Stucky attacks you. The page is found in front of you, by the log you climb before falling into the lumber yard. Make sure you pick it up before progressing.
While Crossing The River
A little while later you reach a river you cross by walking over logs and rocks. The page is at the end of this path on the other side of the river. It is along the main path so it is hard to miss.
Behind The Gas Station
The episode ends once you go into a gas station and make a call using a phone. Before heading inside the gas station, head around to the back of it to find the final manuscript page of this episode by a bathroom door.
Episode Two: Taken
Episode Two introduces Barry Wheeler, Alan's Agent, along with numerous other gameplay mechanics. If you already found all the manuscript pages, it is extremely easy to find the one exclusive page on the hardest difficulty mode.
Before Returning To The Cabin
The only page is found near the very end of the episode. You eventually use a car and drive back to the cabin where Barry waits for you to save him. While running on foot, the page is found on the hill leading up to the cabin. You should see it without any issues.
Episode Three: Ransom
There are three pages to find here. The first one is not found until after going under the bridge where Alan first encounters the possessed objects.
After The Bridge
Once you escape from under the bridge, head up the hill and take a right (to the left is a ladder which progresses the story, do not head here yet). The manuscript page is at the end of this small path.
Before The Ghost Town
Keep going until the second night and play until you reach an abandoned town. Before crossing the bridge, turn around and head to the end of the road.
In The Ghost Town
After crossing the bridge, keep looking to the left to find the page inside a shed ahead of you.
Episode Four: The Truth
Despite this episode's long length, there is only one exclusive page to find in this episode.
It is easy to miss, though, so pay attention to where this one is.
On Your Way To The Anderson Barn
After the driving section, you leave the car once again and bypass a possessed construction vehicle. Once you drop into the field keep going to the left (the side with the windmill) and pass the house with the broken tractor by it. The page is by a small shed near this house.
Episode Five: The Clicker
There are three pages in the penultimate episode. The first one comes around when you reach the rotating bridge, so you have some time to breathe before worrying about finding the exclusive pages.
By The Bridge
Before activating the bridge, face it and then turn around. The page is in front of you by a bus.
After Meeting Cynthia Weaver
You can see this page before accessing it. Cynthia unlocks a gate for you after first meeting her. Enter this new area and then head to the left through a gap in the barrier. Then, take another left and the page is on a rock.
Be sure to get it before turning on the power, because the area fills up with enemies.
On Your Way To Reuniting With Barry And Sheriff Breaker
After leaving Cynthia behind, head along the main path. Shortly afterward, there is a log across a great gap. The page is on this log. You will be attacked by birds at the same time.
Episode Six: Departure
The final episode has little room for breathing and is relatively brief. All the same, there are four pages to find in it. The first one is found shortly after nighttime comes.
In The Motel
The first page is inside the motel lobby which you find after passing through the first tunnel.
In The Barn
You eventually drive into a field where a possessed truck attacks Alan. Inside a barn near here is a car you can drive. Go to the second floor of this barn to find the page.
Before The Scrapyard
You head into a building where you have to turn on the power to activate a gate. The page is on a desk on the second floor.
Behind The Generator
There is a sequence where you have to power up a generator in order to activate a lift. Go behind this generator to find the final page on a fence.