Fiction writers, bloggers, journalists, and content creators
Best Obsidian Plugins for Writers
Writers use Obsidian for everything from brainstorming and drafting to manuscript management and publishing pipelines. These plugins reduce friction and add capabilities tailored to writing workflows.
Selection Criteria
- Enhances the writing experience directly
- Minimal distraction, maximum flow
- Supports manuscript and project organization
- Works well for both short and long-form content
Recommended Plugins for Writers
Templater
Templater is a powerful templating plugin that lets you create reusable note templates with dynamic content—dates, random picks, file metadata, and even JavaScript functions. It replaces and extends Obsidian's built-in templates.
Editing Toolbar
A highly customizable editing toolbar that provides built-in editing commands for a MS Word-like experience, modified from the cMenu plugin.
QuickAdd
QuickAdd lets you create custom commands to quickly capture thoughts, add to lists, or create new notes from anywhere in Obsidian. It's a powerful capture and automation tool for building personalized workflows.
Outliner
Outliner enhances list editing within Obsidian, allowing you to work with lists like in Workflowy or Roam Research, with features for indentation, reordering, and collapsing/expanding.
Admonition
Enhances Obsidian with customizable admonition blocks (callouts) for highlighting important information, warnings, tips, etc.
Better Word Count
Counts the number of words in the selected text within the Obsidian editor.
Text Generator
Generates text content using OpenAI's GPT-3 model, enabling AI-assisted writing directly within Obsidian.
Hover Editor
Transforms the page preview hover popover into a fully functional editor, allowing you to edit notes without opening them.
Various Complements
Provides auto-completion suggestions while typing, similar to an IDE, to speed up note-taking and reduce typing errors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Obsidian good for novel writing?
Yes. Many writers use Obsidian for world-building, character notes, and scene outlines. Plugins like Longform help organize chapters and track manuscript structure.
How do I track word count in Obsidian?
Obsidian has a built-in word count in the status bar. The Novel Word Count plugin adds per-folder counts and project-level tracking.
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