Freewrite for Obsidian

A distraction-free, timer-based writing plugin for Obsidian — inspired by freewrite.

Set a timer, start writing, and don't stop until it runs out. No formatting. No editing. Just words.

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What is freewriting?

Freewriting is a writing technique where you write continuously for a set period without stopping to edit, correct, or judge what you've written. The goal is to silence your inner critic and let ideas flow unfiltered. It's useful for journaling, brainstorming, clearing mental clutter, or just getting unstuck.

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Features

• Timer-based sessions — default 15 minutes, with quick presets for 5, 10, and 25 minutes
• Distraction-free editor — full-pane textarea with no formatting toolbar, no markdown preview
• Auto-fading toolbar — controls fade out while the timer runs, reappear on mouse movement
• Auto-save — saves every 30 seconds and when the session ends, straight to your vault
• Font size cycling — 16 / 18 / 20 / 22 / 24 / 26 px
• Font family cycling — Sans-serif, Serif, Monospace, or Random
• No-backspace mode (optional) — prevents Backspace and Delete while the timer runs
• Respects your theme — works with any Obsidian theme, dark or light

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How to use

1. Click the pencil icon in the ribbon, or open the command palette and run Freewrite: New session
2. A new tab opens with a blank editor
3. Optionally pick a preset duration (5m / 10m / 15m / 25m) in the toolbar
4. Hit Start and write until the timer runs out
5. Your session is automatically saved to the Freewrite/ folder in your vault

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Settings

Open Settings → Freewrite to configure:

Setting	Default	Description
Default timer duration	15 minutes	Session length
Freewrite folder	Freewrite	Vault folder where sessions are saved
No-backspace mode	Off	Prevents Backspace/Delete during a running timer
Disable spellcheck	On	Hides red underlines while writing
Default font size	18px	Starting font size for new sessions
Default font family	Sans-serif	Starting font for new sessions

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Installation

From the community plugin browser (recommended)

1. Open Settings → Community Plugins and disable Safe Mode
2. Click Browse and search for Freewrite
3. Click Install, then Enable

Manual install

1. Download main.js, manifest.json, and styles.css from the latest release
2. Copy them into {your vault}/.obsidian/plugins/freewrite/
3. Enable the plugin in Settings → Community Plugins

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Tips

• Use the New session button (or open a new tab via the ribbon) to start a fresh session without losing the current one
• Sessions are saved as plain .md files — you can open, link, and search them like any other note
• Try the No-backspace mode for a more committed freewriting experience
• Pair with Obsidian's Focus mode (Ctrl+Shift+F) for maximum distraction-free writing

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Credits

Inspired by freewrite by Merouane Zouaid.