diff --git a/amanuensis/backend/article.py b/amanuensis/backend/article.py
index 84d2572..f20169e 100644
--- a/amanuensis/backend/article.py
+++ b/amanuensis/backend/article.py
@@ -2,7 +2,10 @@
 Article query interface
 """
 
-from sqlalchemy import select
+from typing import Optional
+from uuid import UUID
+
+from sqlalchemy import select, update
 
 from amanuensis.db import *
 from amanuensis.errors import ArgumentError, BackendArgumentTypeError
@@ -42,3 +45,22 @@ def create(
     db.session.add(new_article)
     db.session.commit()
     return new_article
+
+
+def try_from_public_id(db: DbContext, public_id: UUID) -> Optional[Article]:
+    """Get an article by its public id."""
+    return db(
+        select(Article).where(Article.public_id == public_id)
+    ).scalar_one_or_none()
+
+
+def update_state(
+    db: DbContext, article_id: int, title: str, body: str, state: ArticleState
+):
+    """Update an article."""
+    db(
+        update(Article)
+        .where(Article.id == article_id)
+        .values(title=title, body=body, state=state)
+    )
+    db.session.commit()
diff --git a/amanuensis/lexicon/__init__.py b/amanuensis/lexicon/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/amanuensis/lexicon/constraint.py b/amanuensis/lexicon/constraint.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..17cb48e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/amanuensis/lexicon/constraint.py
@@ -0,0 +1,151 @@
+import re
+from typing import Sequence
+
+from amanuensis.db import *
+from amanuensis.parser import *
+
+
+class ConstraintCheck(RenderableVisitor):
+    """Analyzes an article for content-based constraint violations."""
+    def __init__(self) -> None:
+        self.word_count: int = 0
+        self.signatures: int = 0
+
+    def TextSpan(self, span):
+        self.word_count += len(re.split(r'\s+', span.innertext.strip()))
+        return self
+
+    def SignatureParagraph(self, span):
+        self.signatures += 1
+        span.recurse(self)
+        return self
+
+
+class ConstraintMessage:
+    INFO = 0
+    WARNING = 1
+    ERROR = 2
+
+    def __init__(self, severity: int, message: str) -> None:
+        self.severity = severity
+        self.message = message
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def info(message) -> "ConstraintMessage":
+        return ConstraintMessage(ConstraintMessage.INFO, message)
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def warning(message) -> "ConstraintMessage":
+        return ConstraintMessage(ConstraintMessage.WARNING, message)
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def error(message) -> "ConstraintMessage":
+        return ConstraintMessage(ConstraintMessage.ERROR, message)
+
+    @property
+    def is_error(self) -> bool:
+        return self.severity == ConstraintMessage.ERROR
+
+    def json(self):
+        return {"severity": self.severity, "message": self.message}
+
+
+def title_constraint_check(title: str) -> Sequence[ConstraintMessage]:
+    """Perform checks that apply to the article title."""
+    messages = []
+
+    # I: Current index assignments
+    # TODO
+
+    # E: No title
+    if not title:
+        messages.append(ConstraintMessage.error("Missing title"))
+
+    # I: This article is new
+    # TODO
+    # E: And new articles are forbidden
+    # TODO
+
+    # I: This article is a phantom
+    # TODO
+
+    # I: This article is an addendum
+    # TODO
+    # E: And the user is at the addendum limit
+    # TODO
+
+    # E: This article has already been written and addendums are disabled
+    # TODO
+
+    # I: This article's index
+    # TODO
+
+    # E: The article does not fulfill the player's index assignment
+    # TODO
+
+    # E: The index does not have room for a new article
+    # TODO
+
+    # E: The player has cited this phantom article before
+    # TODO
+
+    # W: Another player is writing an article with this title
+    # TODO
+
+    # E: Another player has an approved article with this title
+    # TODO
+
+    # W: The article's title matches a character's name
+    # TODO
+
+    return messages
+
+
+def content_constraint_check(parsed: Renderable) -> Sequence[ConstraintMessage]:
+    check_result: ConstraintCheck = parsed.render(ConstraintCheck())
+
+    messages = []
+
+    # I: Word count
+    messages.append(ConstraintMessage.info(f"Word count: {check_result.word_count}"))
+
+    # E: Self-citation when forbidden
+    # TODO
+
+    # W: A new citation matches a character's name
+    # TODO
+
+    # W: The article cites itself
+    # TODO
+
+    # E: A new citation would create more articles than can be written
+    # TODO
+
+    # E: Extant citation count requirements
+    # TODO
+
+    # E: Phantom citation count requirements
+    # TODO
+
+    # E: New citation count requirements
+    # TODO
+
+    # E: Character citation count requirements
+    # TODO
+
+    # E: Total citation count requirements
+    # TODO
+
+    # E: Exceeded hard word limit
+    # TODO
+
+    # W: Exceeded soft word limit
+    # TODO
+
+    # W: Missing or multiple signatures
+    if check_result.signatures < 1:
+        messages.append(ConstraintMessage.warning("Missing signature paragraph"))
+    if check_result.signatures > 1:
+        messages.append(ConstraintMessage.warning("More than one signature paragraph"))
+
+    return messages
diff --git a/amanuensis/parser/__init__.py b/amanuensis/parser/__init__.py
index 7aa5bd7..1faa490 100644
--- a/amanuensis/parser/__init__.py
+++ b/amanuensis/parser/__init__.py
@@ -2,11 +2,12 @@
 Module encapsulating all markdown parsing functionality.
 """
 
-from .core import RenderableVisitor
+from .core import RenderableVisitor, Renderable
 from .helpers import normalize_title, filesafe_title, titlesort
 from .parsing import parse_raw_markdown
 
 __all__ = [
+    "Renderable",
     "RenderableVisitor",
     "normalize_title",
     "filesafe_title",
diff --git a/amanuensis/resources/editor.js b/amanuensis/resources/editor.js
index fcdbcf2..e09a7ab 100644
--- a/amanuensis/resources/editor.js
+++ b/amanuensis/resources/editor.js
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
         title: undefined,
         rendered: undefined,
         citations: [],
-        errors: []
+        messages: []
     }
 
     /** The nonce of the last-made update request. */
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@
     {
         // Enable or disable controls
         const isEditable = article.state == ArticleState.DRAFT;
-        const blocked = preview.errors.filter(err => err.severity == 2).length > 0;
+        const blocked = preview.messages.filter(msg => msg.severity == 2).length > 0;
         document.getElementById("editor-title").disabled = !isEditable;
         document.getElementById("editor-content").disabled = !isEditable;
         document.getElementById("button-submit").innerText = isEditable ? "Submit article" : "Edit article";
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@
 
         // Fill in the status message block
         let statuses = "<ol>";
-        preview.errors.forEach(err => statuses += "<li>" + JSON.stringify(err) + "</li>");
+        preview.messages.forEach(err => statuses += "<li>" + JSON.stringify(err) + "</li>");
         statuses += "<ol>";
         document.getElementById("preview-control").innerHTML = statuses;
     }
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@
         preview.title = data.title;
         preview.rendered = data.rendered;
         preview.citations = data.citations;
-        preview.errors = data.errors;
+        preview.messages = data.messages;
         refreshEditor();
     }
 
@@ -110,7 +110,9 @@
     function submitArticle()
     {
         ifNoFurtherChanges(() => {
-            article.state = ArticleState.SUBMITTED;
+            article.state = (article.state == ArticleState.DRAFT
+                ? ArticleState.SUBMITTED
+                : ArticleState.DRAFT);
             update();
         },
         /* timeout: */ 0);
diff --git a/amanuensis/server/lexicon.jinja b/amanuensis/server/lexicon.jinja
index 333f8f4..54aabff 100644
--- a/amanuensis/server/lexicon.jinja
+++ b/amanuensis/server/lexicon.jinja
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
     {% else %}href="{{ url_for('lexicon.contents', lexicon_name=g.lexicon.name) }}"
     {% endif %}>Contents</a>{% endblock %}
 {% block sb_editor %}<a 
-    href="{{ url_for('lexicon.editor.editor', lexicon_name=g.lexicon.name) }}"
+    href="{{ url_for('lexicon.editor.select', lexicon_name=g.lexicon.name) }}"
     >Editor</a>{% endblock %}
 {% block sb_posts %}<a 
     {% if current_page == "posts" %}class="current-page"
diff --git a/amanuensis/server/lexicon/editor/__init__.py b/amanuensis/server/lexicon/editor/__init__.py
index 3e0b29e..c814e00 100644
--- a/amanuensis/server/lexicon/editor/__init__.py
+++ b/amanuensis/server/lexicon/editor/__init__.py
@@ -1,23 +1,77 @@
-from flask import Blueprint, render_template, g
-from sqlalchemy import select
+from flask import Blueprint, render_template, g, abort, request
 
 from amanuensis.backend import *
 from amanuensis.db import *
-from amanuensis.parser.core import *
+from amanuensis.lexicon.constraint import (
+    title_constraint_check,
+    content_constraint_check,
+)
+from amanuensis.parser import *
 from amanuensis.server.helpers import lexicon_param, player_required
 
 
 bp = Blueprint("editor", __name__, url_prefix="/editor", template_folder=".")
 
 
+class PreviewHtmlRenderer(RenderableVisitor):
+    """Parses stylistic markdown and stores citations as footnotes."""
+
+    def __init__(self) -> None:
+        self.citations: list = []
+        self.rendered: str = ""
+
+    # Translate the leaf spans to text
+    def TextSpan(self, span):
+        return span.innertext
+
+    def LineBreak(self, span):
+        return "<br>"
+
+    # Translate the simple container spans to text
+    def BoldSpan(self, span):
+        return f'<b>{"".join(span.recurse(self))}</b>'
+
+    def ItalicSpan(self, span):
+        return f'<i>{"".join(span.recurse(self))}</i>'
+
+    # Record citations in the visitor, then translate the span to text as an
+    # underline and footnote number
+    def CitationSpan(self, span):
+        self.citations.append({"title": span.cite_target, "type": "phantom"})
+        return f'<u>{"".join(span.recurse(self))}</u>[{len(self.citations)}]'
+
+    # Translate the paragraph-level containers to their text contents
+    def BodyParagraph(self, span):
+        return f'<p>{"".join(span.recurse(self))}</p>'
+
+    def SignatureParagraph(self, span):
+        return (
+            '<hr><span class="signature"><p>'
+            f'{"".join(span.recurse(self))}'
+            "</p></span>"
+        )
+
+    # Return the visitor from the top-level article span after saving the full
+    # text parsed from the child spans
+    def ParsedArticle(self, span):
+        self.contents = "\n".join(span.recurse(self))
+        return self
+
+
+@bp.get("/")
+@lexicon_param
+@player_required
+def select(lexicon_name):
+    return {}
+
+
 @bp.get("/<uuid:article_id>")
 @lexicon_param
 @player_required
 def open(lexicon_name, article_id):
-    db: DbContext = g.db
-    article: Article = db(
-        select(Article).where(Article.public_id == article_id)
-    ).scalar_one()
+    article = artiq.try_from_public_id(g.db, article_id)
+    if not article:
+        return abort(404)
     return render_template(
         "session.editor.jinja",
         lexicon_name=lexicon_name,
@@ -29,46 +83,73 @@ def open(lexicon_name, article_id):
 @lexicon_param
 @player_required
 def load(lexicon_name, article_id):
-    db: DbContext = g.db
-    article: Article = db(
-        select(Article).where(Article.public_id == article_id)
-    ).scalar_one()
-    citations = [
-        {'title': 'Citation Title', 'type': 'phantom'}
-    ]
-    errors = [
-        {'severity': 0, 'message': "OK"},
-        {'severity': 1, 'message': "Warning"},
-        {'severity': 2, 'message': "Error"},
-    ]
+    # Get the article
+    article = artiq.try_from_public_id(g.db, article_id)
+    if not article:
+        return abort(404)
+
+    # Generate the preview HTML
+    parsed = parse_raw_markdown(article.body)
+    preview_result: PreviewHtmlRenderer = parsed.render(PreviewHtmlRenderer())
+
+    # Check article content against constraints
+    messages = title_constraint_check(article.title)
+    messages.extend(content_constraint_check(parsed))
+
+    # Return the article information to the editor
+    msg_list = list([msg.json() for msg in messages])
     return {
-        'title': article.title,
-        'rendered': article.body,
-        'state': article.state.value,
-        'ersatz': article.ersatz,
-        'citations': citations,
-        'errors': errors,
+        "title": article.title,
+        "rendered": preview_result.contents,
+        "state": article.state.value,
+        "ersatz": article.ersatz,
+        "citations": preview_result.citations,
+        "messages": msg_list,
     }
 
 
 @bp.post("/<uuid:article_id>/update")
 def update(lexicon_name, article_id):
-    db: DbContext = g.db
-    article: Article = db(
-        select(Article).where(Article.public_id == article_id)
-    ).scalar_one()
-    citations = [
-        {'title': 'Citation Title', 'type': 'phantom'}
-    ]
-    errors = [
-        {'severity': 0, 'message': "OK"},
-        {'severity': 1, 'message': "Warning"},
-    ]
+    # Get the article
+    article = artiq.try_from_public_id(g.db, article_id)
+    if not article:
+        return abort(404)
+
+    # Extract the submitted content
+    new_title = request.json["title"]
+    new_body = request.json["body"]
+    new_state = ArticleState(request.json["state"])
+
+    # Generate the preview HTML from the submitted content
+    parsed = parse_raw_markdown(new_body)
+    preview_result: PreviewHtmlRenderer = parsed.render(PreviewHtmlRenderer())
+
+    # Check article content against constraints
+    messages = title_constraint_check(new_title)
+    messages.extend(content_constraint_check(parsed))
+
+    # Block submission if the article is a draft with errors
+    has_errors = any([msg for msg in messages if msg.is_error])
+    if (
+        article.state == ArticleState.DRAFT
+        and new_state != ArticleState.DRAFT
+        and has_errors
+    ):
+        new_state = ArticleState.DRAFT
+
+    # Update the article with the submitted information
+    artiq.update_state(
+        g.db, article.id, title=new_title, body=new_body, state=new_state
+    )
+    updated_article = artiq.try_from_public_id(g.db, article_id)
+
+    # Return the article information to the editor
+    msg_list = list([msg.json() for msg in messages])
     return {
-        'title': article.title,
-        'rendered': article.body,
-        'state': article.state.value,
-        'ersatz': article.ersatz,
-        'citations': citations,
-        'errors': errors,
+        "title": updated_article.title,
+        "rendered": preview_result.contents,
+        "state": updated_article.state.value,
+        "ersatz": updated_article.ersatz,
+        "citations": preview_result.citations,
+        "messages": msg_list,
     }
diff --git a/amanuensis/server/lexicon/editor/editor.py b/amanuensis/server/lexicon/editor/editor.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 79a3cb3..0000000
--- a/amanuensis/server/lexicon/editor/editor.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,187 +0,0 @@
-"""
-Handler helper functions pertaining to the article editor
-"""
-import json
-import uuid
-
-from flask import (
-	flash, redirect, url_for, render_template, Markup)
-from flask_login import current_user
-
-from amanuensis.lexicon import (
-	get_player_characters,
-	get_player_drafts,
-	get_draft,
-	title_constraint_analysis,
-	content_constraint_analysis)
-from amanuensis.models import LexiconModel
-from amanuensis.parser import (
-	normalize_title,
-	parse_raw_markdown)
-from amanuensis.parser.core import RenderableVisitor
-
-
-class PreviewHtmlRenderer(RenderableVisitor):
-	def __init__(self, lexicon):
-		with lexicon.ctx.read('info') as info:
-			self.article_map = {
-				title: article.character
-				for title, article in info.items()
-			}
-		self.citations = []
-		self.contents = ""
-
-	def TextSpan(self, span):
-		return span.innertext
-
-	def LineBreak(self, span):
-		return '<br>'
-
-	def ParsedArticle(self, span):
-		self.contents = '\n'.join(span.recurse(self))
-		return self
-
-	def BodyParagraph(self, span):
-		return f'<p>{"".join(span.recurse(self))}</p>'
-
-	def SignatureParagraph(self, span):
-		return (
-			'<hr><span class="signature"><p>'
-			f'{"".join(span.recurse(self))}'
-			'</p></span>'
-		)
-
-	def BoldSpan(self, span):
-		return f'<b>{"".join(span.recurse(self))}</b>'
-
-	def ItalicSpan(self, span):
-		return f'<i>{"".join(span.recurse(self))}</i>'
-
-	def CitationSpan(self, span):
-		if span.cite_target in self.article_map:
-			if self.article_map.get(span.cite_target):
-				link_class = '[extant]'
-			else:
-				link_class = '[phantom]'
-		else:
-			link_class = '[new]'
-		self.citations.append(f'{span.cite_target} {link_class}')
-		return f'<u>{"".join(span.recurse(self))}</u>[{len(self.citations)}]'
-
-
-def load_editor(lexicon: LexiconModel, aid: str):
-	"""
-	Load the editor page
-	"""
-	if aid:
-		# Article specfied, load editor in edit mode
-		article = get_draft(lexicon, aid)
-		if not article:
-			flash("Draft not found")
-			return redirect(url_for('session.session', name=lexicon.cfg.name))
-		# Check that the player owns this article
-		character = lexicon.cfg.character.get(article.character)
-		if character.player != current_user.uid:
-			flash("Access forbidden")
-			return redirect(url_for('session.session', name=lexicon.cfg.name))
-		return render_template(
-			'session.editor.jinja',
-			character=character,
-			article=article,
-			jsonfmt=lambda obj: Markup(json.dumps(obj)))
-
-	# Article not specified, load editor in load mode
-	characters = list(get_player_characters(lexicon, current_user.uid))
-	articles = list(get_player_drafts(lexicon, current_user.uid))
-	return render_template(
-		'session.editor.jinja',
-		characters=characters,
-		articles=articles)
-
-
-def new_draft(lexicon: LexiconModel, cid: str):
-	"""
-	Create a new draft and open it in the editor
-	"""
-	if cid:
-		new_aid = uuid.uuid4().hex
-		# TODO harden this
-		character = lexicon.cfg.character.get(cid)
-		article = {
-			"version": "0",
-			"aid": new_aid,
-			"lexicon": lexicon.lid,
-			"character": cid,
-			"title": "",
-			"turn": 1,
-			"status": {
-				"ready": False,
-				"approved": False
-			},
-			"contents": f"\n\n{character.signature}",
-		}
-		filename = f"{cid}.{new_aid}"
-		with lexicon.ctx.draft.new(filename) as j:
-			j.update(article)
-		return redirect(url_for(
-			'session.editor',
-			name=lexicon.cfg.name,
-			cid=cid,
-			aid=new_aid))
-
-	# Character not specified
-	flash('Character not found')
-	return redirect(url_for('session.session', name=lexicon.cfg.name))
-
-
-def update_draft(lexicon: LexiconModel, article_json):
-	"""
-	Update a draft and perform analysis on it
-	"""
-	# Check if the update is permitted
-	aid = article_json.get('aid')
-	article = get_draft(lexicon, aid)
-	if not article:
-		raise ValueError("missing article")
-	if lexicon.cfg.character.get(article.character).player != current_user.uid:
-		return ValueError("bad user")
-	if article.status.approved:
-		raise ValueError("bad status")
-
-	# Perform the update
-	title = article_json.get('title')
-	contents = article_json.get('contents')
-	status = article_json.get('status')
-
-	parsed = parse_raw_markdown(contents)
-
-	# HTML parsing
-	preview = parsed.render(PreviewHtmlRenderer(lexicon))
-	# Constraint analysis
-	title_infos, title_warnings, title_errors = title_constraint_analysis(
-		lexicon, current_user, article.character, title)
-	content_infos, content_warnings, content_errors = content_constraint_analysis(
-		lexicon, current_user, article.character, parsed)
-	if any(title_errors) or any(content_errors):
-		status['ready'] = False
-
-	# Article update
-	filename = f'{article.character}.{aid}'
-	with lexicon.ctx.draft.edit(filename) as draft:
-		draft.title = normalize_title(title)
-		draft.contents = contents
-		draft.status.ready = status.get('ready', False)
-
-	# Return canonical information to editor
-	return {
-		'title': draft.title,
-		'status': {
-			'ready': draft.status.ready,
-			'approved': draft.status.approved,
-		},
-		'rendered': preview.contents,
-		'citations': preview.citations,
-		'info': title_infos + content_infos,
-		'warning': title_warnings + content_warnings,
-		'error': title_errors + content_errors,
-	}