The Blog
Writing craft, product updates, and thoughts on the creative process.
Quill Loop is equal parts passion project and procrastination project, and it would almost certainly not exist if I hadn't tried to write a novel.When I started my manuscript the world was my oyster. My eyes were bright, and having never written a book before, I put together a brief outline of the first couple of scenes, held onto a vague idea, and got cracking. The first few chapters came easily. I wrote 200 to 500 words a day and blazed my way to 10,000 words in a pretty short period of time. What I didn't know was that I had just crossed from the easy part into arguably the hardest part of writing a novel.That's when the distractions set in.Instead of sitting down to write, I would clean the house, write a poem, play a game, clean the house again. If you're a writer you know the cycle. Suddenly even the most mundane chores become the single most important thing to do right that moment. My house was never cleaner. My manuscript was no closer to done.Eventually I decided the answer was something to keep me on task, and as a programmer, naturally I had to build it myself. This is how Quill Loop was born. That early version was as basic as it gets — no logins, no character saving, no real editor, just a text box with a word counter. It worked though. I had a tangible daily goal, writing felt like a game, and I was back on track.Well. For a bit.Then I realized I should add notifications for missed days. And what if I could save my characters and locations? And notes — we definitely need notes. Back to the code editor I went. A few weeks later the first real version of Quill Loop was born, complete with characters, locations, reminders, notes, and an early version of the editor you see today.My manuscript sat abandoned.That's when I decided the best way to stay on track was to bring friends into it. Give them the ability to nudge you. Let you show off the trophies you earn for hitting your writing goals. And while I was at it, I needed reporting too. Weeks later the social features were born — profiles, trophies, friends, the whole thing.My manuscript was practically unrecognizable under the dust it had collected.Finally, I blew it off and got back to work. My characters became real - Amaryll Cassiopeia , Lucas Mandrome . My locations like The Castle became places I could actually see. It was finally time to write.But the editor wasn't quite right. And what about inline tagging for characters and locations?So off I went.I'm sure you see the pattern by now.Why am I telling you this? Because if you're here reading this, it's very likely that you, like me, have found every excuse under the sun to do anything but write. Surely you need more research first. Surely the conditions aren't quite right. But here's the secret — if you don't just sit down and start, you never will.The good news is that eventually Quill Loop became the engine by which my manuscript got written, not the tool by which I got distracted. Friends joined and poked me every day I missed. My characters somehow came alive in my inbox. SMS reminders showed up each evening I hadn't made it to the keyboard. I watched my friends' streaks rise while mine sat idle and felt the gentle shame of it.Quill Loop is never here to judge you for your absence. It's the ever-present mentor that wants you back on the wagon, and when you return it will reward you with fireworks and trophies and eventually, if you keep showing up, the words "The End."So if you're being wooed by a sink full of dirty dishes, give Quill Loop a try. Enable SMS notifications. Add a few friends to keep you honest. And no matter what, keep writing.The only difference between a dreamer and an author is the tap of keys or the stroke of a pen.Take it from the man who built software instead.
1
We get it. You've got Google Docs, Microsoft Word, and Scrivener. The world needs another word processor about as much as it needs a hole in the head.But here is the thing: Quill Loop is anything but another piece of writing software. It is ostensibly and proudly both more and less than that, in the most opinionated way possible.Let's get one thing out of the way right now. If you're looking for a word processor that lets you use 40 different frilly fonts and color-code your margins, Quill Loop is not the program for you. I know, it's weird hearing a SaaS company basically tell you to look elsewhere, but we aren't here to cater to everyone.We are here for the person who is ready to actually finish their novel. Let me show you why Quill Loop isn't a word processor—it's your Novel Writing OS.The Writer's Desk This isn't your standard blinking cursor on a blinding white background (first of all, dark theme, anyone?). This is a focused command center. Type @ to tag your characters directly into your sentences, or # to tag the current location. Create notes in the sidebar, start a Pomodoro timer, and enter full-screen focus mode. The Desk's one and only job is to give you exactly what you need to write, and then promptly get the heck out of your way.The Story Bible Once you hit your writing goal and your brain has turned to mush, head over to your Story Bible. Here is where you set up new realms, update character bios, and drop them in their last location so you know exactly where they are when you open the next chapter.The Infinite World Map & Relationship Web Are you juggling 20+ characters across 15 different locations and 5 plot lines? That's where Quill Loop shines. Worlds are infinitely nestable, letting you keep track of that specific tavern inside Castle Town. For characters, you can define complex webs of relationships—friends, romantic interests, mortal enemies. Effortlessly click through each node to visualize your cast's degrees of separation.The Loop Inbox Got ideas for the next round of writing while you're away from the keyboard? Text your custom Quill Loop phone number, and your thoughts will be dumped straight into your story's Inbox, waiting for you when you log back in.Multiplayer Accountability Some writers do their best work when they know they are being watched. Quill Loop lets you invite your friends via your custom penwith.me link so you can compete for the best writing streak, cheer each other on, and nudge each other to keep going. (Plus, you're immediately connected to me and the wider community—hello, by the way 👋).Your Characters Will Guilt-Trip You It's not just your friends watching you. Miss a day of writing? You'll get an impatient email from your protagonist wondering why she hasn't left the forest yet. Miss another? Expect the villain to text your actual phone asking how you expect him to escape the dungeon.Writing Insights Quill Loop tracks your real habits—from your most productive time of day to dynamically projecting the exact date you'll finish your draft.Can Google Docs do that? I didn't think so.Ready to stop messing with fonts and start writing? Head to [url='https://www.quillloop.com/register']QuillLoop.com[/url] and claim your desk today. Upgrade to Pro to get a 7-day free trial of the entire OS.And remember, the only difference between a dreamer and an author is the tap of keys or the stroke of a pen.
12