DIY Freewrite: My Journey to Building the Ultimate Distraction-Free Writing Tool

DIY Freewrite: My Journey to Building the Ultimate Distraction-Free Writing Tool

Sparrow Heart

Hey there, creative critters!

Have you ever heard of the Freewrite?

It's this super cool, portable typewriter that lets you channel your inner Hemingway anywhere, anytime—without the constant buzz of notifications from your phone.

Sounds dreamy, right?

Well, as a Canadian girl navigating the digital landscape, I took one look at the price tag and thought, "Whoa, that's a hard pass!"

I mean, I can't justify dropping nearly $1,000 on a keyboard with an e-ink screen.

But here's a fun fact about me: I'm an avid developer.

I usually stick to web stuff and try not to mix work with hobbies (gotta keep that balance!), but seeing the Freewrite sparked something inside me.

I thought, "Why not make my own version?"

And that's exactly what I'm doing!

I dug out an old keyboard—no clue where it even came from—and paired it with a Raspberry Pi and a touchscreen.

Voila! My prototype was born.

I'm about 25 hours deep into designing the UI and setting up the database, and let me tell you, I'm feeling unstoppable.

But here's the best part: once it's all polished and ready, I'm planning to launch it as an open-source project.

I'm calling it FreewriteR, because I'm a free writer who wants you to write without distractions too!

I'll be working on this passion project through 2025, and I can't wait to share it with all of you.

Hope to see you around as we revolutionize the way we write together!

Stay tuned, and keep those creative juices flowing. ✌️


Comprehensive Feature List

Writer:

  • Currently Built with Tip Tap
  • Writing settings for formatting
  • save/exit to files
  • options to update formatting settings to personal set up

File Explorer:

  • make folders
  • make files
  • move files/folders
  • duplicate files/folders
  • File Sort (abc. recent, date)
  • File Search - File/Folder names perhaps and inner text
  • Send Files Via Wifi
  • Send Files Via Bluetooth
  • Save to Cloud
  • Organize files

Settings:

  • Theme Edit/Select
  • Create and select formatter setting bars
  • Set Font Style


Currently sourcing and E Ink screen so that I can use it direct sunlight and have it be ~ amazing ! 

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