Writing a First Draft in Plain Text and Why It Helps

Many writers begin drafts in the simplest tool they can find. Plain text has no fonts, colours or margins to fiddle with, only words.

Why plain text helps

• It removes distractions. With no formatting choices, you focus on what to say.
• It's fast. The editor opens quickly and responds instantly.
• It separates writing from designing. Style comes later.
• It's reliable. Files are small and rarely corrupt.
• It works anywhere, including a phone in a queue.

A simple drafting method

1. Capture first. Write freely without stopping to edit.
2. Use rough notes. Put "[check this]" where you're unsure and keep going.
3. Save often. Save the file so nothing is lost.
4. Take a break. Leave the draft for a few hours or a day.
5. Edit second. Read it again, restructure and refine.
6. Format last. Move to a word processor only when the text is ready.

Tips to keep going

• Set a timer, such as 15 minutes.
• Write the ending first if you're stuck.
• Use short paragraphs, since they read well on screens.
• Leave notes to yourself in square brackets.
• Don't delete during the first pass. Cut later.

Organising a longer draft

Use simple headings made of symbols:

== Introduction ==
== Main points ==
== Conclusion ==

Search for the headings later to jump around. Or use Markdown-style # headings.

Version drafts

Save a new copy at key stages with a date in the file name, such as draft-2027-01-10.txt. If you change your mind, the earlier version is still there.

Moving on

When your draft is ready, copy it into whatever program you'll use to publish or send it. Because plain text carries no hidden formatting, it pastes cleanly almost anywhere.

Mobile advantages

A phone editor lets you capture ideas at once: on a bus, in a queue, at the kitchen table. A quick-opening editor makes capturing painless.

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