Freewriting Prompts

Generate AI-powered writing prompts for freewriting sessions using Anthropic's Claude. Break through writer's block with creative, thought-provoking prompts delivered exactly when you need them.

Table of Contents

• Key Features
• Why This Plugin?
• Installation
• Quick Start
• Configuration
• Commands
• Settings
• Troubleshooting
• Contributing
• License

Key Features

• 🎯 Two Prompt Modes: Timed notifications for writing sessions, or direct note insertion
• 🤖 AI-Powered: Uses Anthropic's Claude models for creative, diverse prompt generation
• ⚡ Customizable Timing: Configure prompt count and delay intervals for your writing rhythm
• 🎨 Personalized Prompts: System prompts and examples to match your writing style
• 📱 Cross-Platform: Works on both desktop and mobile Obsidian
• 🔧 Smart Caching: Avoid redundant API calls with intelligent prompt caching
• 🔑 API Key Testing: Built-in connectivity testing with detailed feedback
• ⏱️ Real-Time Progress: Visual feedback for prompt generation and delivery

Why This Plugin?

Writer's block is real, and sometimes you need external inspiration to get the creative juices flowing. This plugin was born from the need for:

• Timed Writing Sessions: Get prompts delivered at intervals to maintain writing momentum
• Instant Inspiration: Generate multiple prompts directly in your notes when needed
• Quality Over Quantity: AI-generated prompts that are actually interesting and thought-provoking
• Seamless Integration: Works within your existing Obsidian workflow without disruption

Rather than browsing random prompt websites or books, get personalized, AI-generated prompts delivered right in your writing environment.

Perfect Plugin Combination

This plugin works exceptionally well with other freewriting tools to create a complete writing workflow:

✍️ Freewriting Cleanup

Transform your messy freewriting into polished prose using AI. Perfect companion to this plugin:

1. Generate inspiration with creative prompts from this plugin
2. Write freely without worrying about mistakes
3. Clean up the output with Freewriting Cleanup to polish your raw writing

📝 Digital Paper

Write without the ability to delete or edit - just like pen on paper. Perfect for true freewriting sessions:

1. Enable Digital Paper mode to disable all delete functions (backspace, delete key, Ctrl+X)
2. Use this plugin to generate writing prompts for inspiration
3. Write continuously without stopping to edit or second-guess yourself
4. Clean up afterwards using Freewriting Cleanup to polish the unedited output

Recommended Workflow:

• Generate prompts with this plugin when you need inspiration
• Enable Digital Paper mode for uninterrupted freewriting sessions
• Use Freewriting Cleanup to polish your raw, unedited writing into readable text

Installation

Method 1: Community Plugin Store (Recommended)

1. Open Settings → Community Plugins
2. Disable Safe Mode if needed
3. Click Browse and search for "Freewriting Prompts"
4. Install and Enable the plugin

Method 2: Manual Installation

1. Go to GitHub Releases
2. Download the latest main.js, manifest.json, and styles.css
3. Create a folder {VaultFolder}/.obsidian/plugins/freewriting-prompts/
4. Place the downloaded files in this folder
5. Reload Obsidian (Ctrl/Cmd + R or restart)
6. Enable the plugin in Settings → Community Plugins

Method 3: BRAT (Beta Reviewer's Auto-update Tool)

1. Install the BRAT plugin
2. Add this repository: https://github.com/AlexKucera/freewriting-prompts
3. Enable the plugin after installation

Quick Start

1. Get Your Anthropic API Key

1. Visit Anthropic Console
2. Create an account or sign in
3. Generate an API key from the dashboard
4. Copy the key (starts with sk-ant-)

2. Configure the Plugin

1. Go to Settings → Community Plugins → Freewriting Prompts
2. Paste your API key in the Anthropic API Key field
3. Click Test Connection to verify it works
4. Adjust other settings as desired

3. Start Using Prompts

For Timed Writing Sessions:

1. Use Ctrl/Cmd + P → "Show Timed Prompts"
2. Prompts will appear as notifications at your configured intervals

For Note Integration:

1. Open any note and place your cursor where you want prompts
2. Use Ctrl/Cmd + P → "Freewriting Prompt"
3. Prompts will be inserted directly into your note

Configuration

API Configuration

Setting	Description	Default
API Key	Your Anthropic API key	(required)
Model	Claude model to use	claude-3-haiku-20240307

Command Configuration

Setting	Description	Default	Range
Timed Count	Number of timed prompts	10	1-50
Delay Seconds	Seconds between prompts	6	1-300
Note Count	Prompts inserted in notes	3	1-20

Prompt Customization

• System Prompt: Instructions for the AI on how to generate prompts
• Timed Example: Example prompt for timed sessions
• Freewriting Example: Example prompt for note insertion

Commands

Timed Freewriting Prompts

Delivers prompts as timed notifications perfect for writing sprints:

1. Generates your configured number of prompts
2. Shows the first prompt immediately
3. Delivers remaining prompts at your specified intervals
4. Each notification shows "Prompt X/Y" with the writing prompt

Use Cases:

• Timed writing sessions (Pomodoro technique)
• Breaking through writer's block
• Maintaining writing momentum
• Creative warm-up exercises

Freewriting Prompt

Inserts prompts directly into your current note:

1. Generates prompts based on your settings
2. Inserts them at your cursor position
3. Formats as a timestamped list
4. Perfect for collecting prompts for later use

Use Cases:

• Building prompt collections
• Planning writing sessions
• Creating prompt libraries
• Inspiration gathering

Stop Timed Prompts

Cancels any running timed prompt sequence.

Settings

Advanced Features

• Test API Key: Verify your connection with detailed feedback including:

  • Response time
  • Token usage
  • Model confirmation
  • Specific error messages for troubleshooting

• Clear Cache: Force regeneration of prompts by clearing the 10-minute cache

Supported Models

• claude-3-haiku-20240307 (fastest, most cost-effective)
• claude-3-sonnet-20240229 (balanced performance)
• claude-3-opus-20240229 (highest quality)
• claude-3-5-sonnet-20241022 (latest sonnet)
• claude-3-5-haiku-20241022 (latest haiku)

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Problem	Solution
"API key is required"	Enter your Anthropic API key in settings
"Network error"	Check internet connection and API key validity
"Rate limit exceeded"	Wait a moment and try again, or upgrade your Anthropic plan
No prompts generated	Verify API key works with the test button

Error Messages

The plugin provides detailed error messages for different scenarios:

• 401 Unauthorized: Invalid API key
• 403 Forbidden: Account or billing issues
• 429 Rate Limited: Too many requests
• 500 Server Error: Anthropic service issues
• Network Error: Connection problems

Debug Steps

1. Test API Key: Use the "Test Connection" button in settings
2. Check Console: Open Developer Tools (F12) for detailed error logs
3. Verify Settings: Ensure all required fields are filled
4. Clear Cache: Try clearing the prompt cache
5. Restart Plugin: Disable and re-enable the plugin

Getting Help

• Issues: Report bugs on GitHub Issues
• Discussions: Ask questions in GitHub Discussions

Development

Setup

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/AlexKucera/freewriting-prompts.git
cd freewriting-prompts

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Start development server
npm run dev

Project Structure

freewriting-prompts/
├── api/
│   └── anthropicClient.ts    # Anthropic API integration
├── commands/
│   ├── timedPrompts.ts       # Timed notification prompts
│   └── notePrompts.ts        # Note insertion prompts
├── services/
│   └── promptGenerator.ts    # Prompt generation service
├── main.ts                   # Plugin entry point
├── settings.ts               # Settings interface
└── types.ts                  # Type definitions

Build Commands

npm run dev      # Development with file watching
npm run build    # Production build with type checking
npm run version  # Version bump and manifest update

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.

Development Guidelines

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch: git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature
3. Follow TypeScript and ESLint conventions
4. Test your changes thoroughly
5. Commit with descriptive messages
6. Submit a Pull Request

License

This project is licensed under the GNU General Public License v3 (GPLv3) - see the LICENSE file for details.

Support

If you find this plugin helpful, consider supporting its development:

Contact

Author: Alexander Kucera Website: alexanderkucera.com GitHub: @AlexKucera

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Happy writing! 📝✨