Summary

The author has created a focused writing environment in Obsidian to foster a calm and productive space for writing, enhancing their transition from using platform X to Medium.

Abstract

The author has recently shifted from an unnamed platform (referred to as X) to Medium, marking a commitment to support fellow creators and engage with a community dedicated to long-form writing. To facilitate this transition, the author has transformed Obsidian, a customizable note-taking app that uses Markdown, into a serene writing sanctuary. This transformation involved aesthetic changes, such as adopting the Borders theme and Georgia font, and functional adjustments by installing the ProZen plugin to minimize distractions. The author acknowledges that while setting up this workspace was a form of procrastination, it has ultimately proven to be a valuable investment for their future writing endeavors. The article emphasizes the importance of a dedicated creative space, whether physical or digital, in enhancing the writing process.

Opinions

The author values a distraction-free environment for writing, as evidenced by their decision to uninstall platform X from their phone and stop paying for its premium service.
Aesthetics play a significant role in the author's writing experience, leading them to choose a theme and font that create a visually pleasing workspace.
Community support and engagement are important to the author, influencing their move to Medium and the customization of Obsidian to mirror the look of Medium articles.
The author believes that the right tools and environment can significantly impact productivity and creativity, as shown by their hour spent setting up Obsidian.
Despite initially viewing the setup process as procrastination, the author recognizes its long-term benefits for their writing discipline.
The author suggests that the environment in which one creates is just as crucial as the act of creation itself, encouraging others to find their own ideal space for creativity.

Crafting My Ideal Writing Sanctuary

How I’ve turned Obsidian into a calm space to write in

This week, I signed up to Medium and said goodbye to 𝕏 👋

Well, I uninstalled 𝕏 off my phone and stopped paying for Premium.

Investing in Medium was more than just a change of platform, it was a commitment to support fellow creators like you! And I get to immerse myself in a community passionate about long-form writing.

I decided I needed a digital writing sanctuary. Somewhere ideas could flow, and I wouldn’t get distracted.

That’s where Obsidian comes in. It needed a bit of sprucing up first, though.

Obsidian

If you haven’t heard of Obsidian, it’s a customisable note-taking app where everything is written in Markdown.

At first glance, it can feel overwhelming. There are graphs, outlines, backlinks, and an array of files begging your attention.

My mission was clear:

Transform Obsidian into a calm space, focusing solely on the art of writing.

That’s how this article looked in Obsidian

Aesthetic Overhaul

Theme: The first thing I needed to do was find the right theme. Goodbye, Things theme and hello, Borders 👋 Its card feature divides panels into elegant, shadowed cards. That’s all I wanted it for. Aesthetics matter, and I’m all in for it.
Fonts: iA Writer Quattro, with its minimalistic charm, had been my go-to font. It made my Obsidian space stand out when posting screenshots on 𝕏. In pursuit of creating a seamless writing experience between Obsidian, Medium and my blog, Georgia has become my new favourite font. Now, my Obsidian workspace looks like a Medium article as I’m writing.

Plugins

ProZen: Community plugins are the best thing about Obsidian. And the one plugin that’s enhanced my writing space the most is called ProZen. This plugin banishes all distractions. Fullscreen mode, sidebars gone, menus out of sight. Just me and a pristine canvas, bordered by a gentle vignette for that extra sprinkle of magic ✨

From Procrastination to Creation

Admittedly, setting up this idyllic workspace was my version of extreme procrastination.

It only took an hour of researching and playing around to get the desired results.

I think it will turn out to be a useful endeavour to help me write more in the future, though.

Now, my biggest distraction isn’t a menu bar or notification but my daughter sitting next to me asking to look at pictures of Bluey.

How it looks to write this article in Obsidian now

Find Your Space

I encourage you to find your sanctuary.

Whether it’s a quiet corner of your home, a bustling café, or a digital haven like Obsidian, remember that the space where you create can be as vital as the creation itself.

Happy writing!