Over the past couple of years, I’ve depended on the Obsidian app because it’s made organizing my writing projects easier.
Organization can be a challenge for any writer. Obsidian can link documents, so I use it to get organized at various stages of writing process, including:
- Research.
- Exploring ideas.
- Developing and drafting versions.
- Revision.
It’s available for your favorite operating system: Mac, Windows, Linux, and mobile.
Basically, as I’ve mentioned, Obsidian helps me to develop a stress-free writing process.
Obsidian helps you develop a stress-free writing process
Creativity is messy. If you do a lot of writing, you open many documents. You may have a dozen browser tabs open at once, combined with several apps, all with their own documents.
That’s fine, but if you’re working on several large projects, it’s a big challenge to orient yourself from one day to another. At times, you feel overwhelmed; this leads to procrastination. Obsidian minimizes procrastination: your documents are linked, so you can organize a Table of Contents, and easily navigate from research to the final revision on a project.
Although I often recommend Obsidian as the perfect writers’ studio, Obsidian can feel overwhelming. There seems to be so much to learn, but that’s not really accurate.
Once you’ve learned the basics of Markdown, which takes all of five minutes, all you need to know is that your Obsidian vaults–vaults are collections of Obsidian Markdown files–each live in a single folder on your file system, and that Obsidian accepts various file formats.
Let’s look at other tips you can use today.
1. Remember only as much Markdown (formatting for plain text) as you need
I’m no Markdown expert. My expertise is limited to minor formatting, such as headings, bold, italics, and links. Here’s Obsidian’s own advice on its flavor of Markdown.
Please don’t get too hung up on Markdown. You’ll get the gist quickly, and you’ll find yourself using Markdown everywhere; even in apps without support for it. (Mildly amusing.)
If you need a command you haven’t memorized, Obsidian offers a command palette. Use it (Command + P on a Mac), or set your own hotkeys for the commands and formatting you use most often.
The big advantage of Obsidian is that you don’t need to worry about formatting, you can format later.
Perhaps the command you’ll use most often is for a linked document, while you’re in the middle of writing something.
For example, let’s say you’re writing a webpage, and you get an idea for an additional useful page–a page you haven’t planned. Open two square brackets ([[), type the page name, then two closing brackets (]]). Obsidian creates a linked page for you. To switch to that page; click the link. You can open the newly created page in another tab, or a new window, if you wish.
2. Restrict your plugins: you don’t need every plugin available
Obsidian is endlessly customizable with plugins. It has number of core plugins: turn on the ones you need, and forget the rest.
Similarly with community plugins. Install what you need. If a plugin isn’t what you expect, remove it. For example, the Advanced Tables and Dataview plugins are hugely popular. I don’t need tables, and Dataview has a learning curve. I’ve been promising myself to get to grips with it, real soon now; admittedly, it’s unlikely I’ll have time.
I uninstalled the Calendar plugin, because it’s not a replacement for a calendar/ task manager, and I wasn’t using it. Your mileage may vary, especially if you use the Templater plugin.
Once you’re comfortable, try any plugins which sound useful; turn them off and delete them if you’re not using them.
Problems with the app? Start deactivating plugins; it may help.
3. Be wary of themes: pretty is as pretty does
We’re all different, with different ways of working. Users have developed many Obsidian themes; they’re wonderful. However, when version 1.0 of the app was released, my then-favorite theme couldn’t cope. So I went back to the default theme for the app.
If the app starts behaving oddly on your system, try going back to the default theme.
You can get comfortable with Obsidian within a couple of hours
Obsidian make your life easier.
Tried it but given up? Experiment with the above tips. Before you know it, you may be as fond of the app as I am; it helps you to meet your freelance deadlines.
Cash In On Article Writing
In this book, you'll discover a simple strategy I've taught to many writers since 2005. It works, even if you don't want to write articles and sell them. It works for bloggers, copywriters, and novelists. Here's why: it helps you to build a writing habit.
More info →
Short Fiction Secrets: How To Write And Sell Short Stories
Writing short stories is a fun and easy way to get started writing fiction — you can get paid to write, in your spare time. If you're new to writing fiction, you can learn the elements of writing fiction — short stories are much easier to control than longer fiction.
More info →
Plot Hot-Selling Fiction The Easy Way: How To Write Novels And Short Stories Readers Love
This plotting system works for my students, and it it will work for you. It's the easiest, fastest, and most fun plotting method ever. You can use it for all your fiction, whether you're writing short stories, novellas or novels. Take control of your fiction now, and publish more, more easily.
More info →
Master Fiction Writing: Craft A Novel in 31 Days
You need a plan, broken down into easy steps.
More info →
Nonfiction Ebooks Goldmine: Write and Sell Nonfiction Ebooks In 24 Hours Or Less
You're a writer. You need to make money from your words. What if you could create AND sell a nonfiction book in just a day?
This book will show you how to think outside the box, get creative — and SELL what you create. Making money from your writing can be a real challenge, especially if you're limiting yourself to trading hours for dollars. When you get paid by the hour, even if you're making $200 an hour, you're limited.
More info →
Plan, Write, And Publish Serial Fiction In Four Weeks
If you've heard that authors are successfully publishing their fiction as serials, and are curious about how it's done, read on. Readers enjoy serial fiction today, as they've done for centuries.
This practical guide helps you to start writing serial fiction, starting today.
More info →
Planning And Writing A Hot-Selling Series: Selling Writer Strategies
Try writing in series. Your audience loves to binge on entertainment, whether it's a series on a streaming service, or a series of books. Marketing series fiction and nonfiction is much easier than marketing standalone books.
More info →
Copywriter and marketing pro Angela Booth maintains a busy copywriting and ghostwriting practice. Fascinated by online marketing, she wrote one of the first business books for internet marketing, published by Allen & Unwin. She’s been an enthusiastic blogger since the late 1990s.
