SimpleWriter

SimpleWriter is a lightweight, browser-based book writing application designed to be minimal yet powerful. Write your novel, short story, or non-fiction book with a distraction-free interface and essential writing tools—no installation, no cloud service, no subscription fees.

Features

• Distraction-free writing environment with a clean, modern interface
• Chapter management to organize your book
• Rich text formatting including headings, bold, italic, quotes, and lists
• Word & character counting with real-time statistics
• Writing goals to track your progress
• Auto-save to browser storage every 30 seconds
• Import & export in various formats (JSON, HTML, Markdown, Plain Text)
• Extensible architecture with plugin support for custom features
• No account required - your data stays on your device
• Works offline once loaded in your browser

Getting Started

1. Download the HTML file from the releases page or clone this repository.
2. Open the HTML file in any modern web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge).
3. Start writing! Your work is automatically saved to your browser's local storage.

That's it! No installation, no setup, no account creation.

Usage

Managing Chapters

• Click the + button next to "Chapters" to add a new chapter
• Click on a chapter in the sidebar to switch to it
• Click the rename/delete icons to modify or remove chapters

Setting Goals

• Click the + button next to "Writing Goals" to add a new goal
• Set a target word count and description
• Track your progress with the visual progress bars

Formatting Text

Use the toolbar to format your text:

• B - Bold text
• I - Italic text
• U - Underline text
• H1/H2/H3 - Headings
• Quote - Blockquote
• List icons - Bulleted or numbered lists

Saving Your Work

• Work is automatically saved to your browser's local storage every 30 seconds
• Click "Export" to save your book as JSON, HTML, Markdown, or Plain Text
• Use "Import" to restore from a previously exported JSON file

Extension System

SimpleWriter features a powerful extension system that allows you to add new functionality. Extensions can modify the UI, add new features, or change the behavior of the editor.

Built-in Extensions

SimpleWriter comes with several built-in extensions:

1. Dark Mode - Switch to a dark theme for night-time writing
2. Focus Mode - Fade out everything except the current paragraph
3. Pomodoro Timer - Built-in writing timer with work/break cycles

Installing External Extensions

1. Click the extension icon in the top-right corner
2. Select the "Add New" tab
3. Click "Choose File" and select an extension file (.js)
4. Click "Upload Extension"
5. Enable the extension using the toggle switch

Available Extensions

These extensions are available in the extensions folder:

• Spell Check - Basic spell checking with suggestions
• Enhanced Spell Check - Multi-language spell checking using Typo.js
• [More extensions coming soon!]

Creating Your Own Extensions

You can create custom extensions to add features to SimpleWriter. Here's a basic template:

(function(env) {
    env.registerExtension({
        id: 'your-extension-id',
        name: 'Your Extension Name',
        description: 'Description of what your extension does',
        enabled: false,
        enabledByDefault: false,
        
        // Lifecycle methods
        onEnable: function() {
            // Code that runs when the extension is enabled
        },
        
        onDisable: function() {
            // Code that runs when the extension is disabled
        },
        
        // Extension hooks
        hooks: {
            // Hook into app events
            onEditorInput: function(editor) {
                // Process editor input
                return editor;
            },
            
            onChapterLoad: function(editor, chapter) {
                // Do something when a chapter is loaded
                return editor;
            }
        }
    });
})(env);

See the Extension Development Guide for more detailed information.

Data Privacy

SimpleWriter is committed to your privacy:

• All data stays local on your device using browser storage
• No server connections - everything happens in your browser
• No tracking or analytics - we don't collect any data
• No cloud sync - for maximum privacy (but remember to export your work regularly!)

Browser Compatibility

SimpleWriter works with all modern browsers:

• Chrome 60+
• Firefox 60+
• Safari 12+
• Edge 79+

Contributing

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

1. Fork the repository
2. Create your feature branch (git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature)
3. Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add some amazing feature')
4. Push to the branch (git push origin feature/amazing-feature)
5. Open a Pull Request

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Acknowledgments

• Typo.js for spell checking functionality
• Bootstrap Icons for UI icons
• All the open-source contributors who made this project possible

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Made with ❤️ for writers everywhere