Draft Zero

A distraction-free "write forward only" text editor. Forces you to keep writing without self-editing.

What It Is

Draft Zero is a minimalist writing app inspired by tools like "Write or Die." It enforces a simple rule: you can only add text, never remove it. This eliminates the temptation to endlessly revise while drafting, helping you:

• Get your first draft out faster
• Overcome writer's block by removing the "delete" option
• Build a habit of continuous writing
• Separate drafting from editing (two distinct mental modes)

What It Is Not

• Not a full-featured word processor — No formatting, no fonts, no spell-check
• Not for editing — Use your favorite editor after exporting your draft
• Not cloud-based — Your writing stays on your machine as a local .txt or .md file
• Not a distraction-blocker — It doesn't lock you in or penalize you for stopping

Features

Feature	Description
Forward-only mode	Blocks Backspace, Delete, Cut, and typing over selections
Allow corrections	Toggle checkbox to temporarily enable normal editing
Auto-save	Saves every 5 keystrokes or 10 seconds (whichever comes first)
File persistence	Remembers your save location between sessions
Minimal UI	Full-screen textarea with subtle status bar
Word count	Live word count in status bar
Save indicator	Shows "Saved Xs ago" so you never lose work

Draft Zero Screen Shots

Writing Mode (Forward-Only)

The default mode — backspace and delete are disabled

Corrections Enabled

Check "Allow corrections" when you need to fix a typo

Use Cases

Morning Pages / Freewriting

Start your day with stream-of-consciousness writing. The inability to delete forces you past your inner critic.

First Drafts

Bang out that blog post, essay, or chapter without getting stuck in revision loops. Edit later in a different tool.

Timed Writing Sprints

Combine with a timer for focused writing sessions. No backspace means no time wasted on perfectionism.

Overcoming Writer's Block

When you can't delete, you have to keep moving forward. Even writing "I don't know what to write" moves you forward.

Building from Source

Prerequisites

• Node.js (v18+)
• Rust
• Tauri CLI

Install Dependencies

npm install

Run in Development Mode

npm run tauri dev

The app will compile and launch. On first run, you'll be prompted to choose a save location.

Build for Production

npm run tauri build

This creates a native application bundle in src-tauri/target/release/bundle/.

Tech Stack

• Frontend: React 18 + Vite
• Backend: Rust + Tauri 2
• Storage: Local filesystem via Tauri's fs plugin

How It Works

The forward-only mode intercepts keyboard events:

1. onKeyDown blocks Backspace, Delete, and Cut (Cmd/Ctrl+X)
2. onBeforeInput catches attempts to type over a selection — instead of replacing, it moves the cursor to the end of the selection and inserts there

When "Allow corrections" is checked, these handlers are bypassed and normal editing works.

License

MIT