From 7acbb53fa977f38225a3367c8d3467da7b44c76a Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Aakash N S <1560745+aakashns@users.noreply.github.com> Date: Tue, 13 Oct 2026 21:30:08 +0700 Subject: [PATCH 1/2] Help new writers try writui and share feedback Add a sample writing session to the site and README, with a short feedback form for first impressions and returning use. Show the existing writing screenshot in the README and record the focus on regular writers. --- .github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/writing-feedback.yml | 46 +++++++++++++++++++++ README.md | 28 +++++++++++++ docs/DECISIONS.md | 17 ++++++++ docs/PLAN.md | 6 +++ docs/SPEC.md | 5 +++ site/content/_index.md | 25 +++++++++++ site/templates/index.html | 2 + 7 files changed, 129 insertions(+) create mode 100644 .github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/writing-feedback.yml diff --git a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/writing-feedback.yml b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/writing-feedback.yml new file mode 100644 index 0000000..205a6e8 --- /dev/null +++ b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/writing-feedback.yml @@ -0,0 +1,46 @@ +name: Writing feedback +description: Tell us how your first session went, or what makes you keep using writui. +title: "Writing feedback: " +body: + - type: markdown + attributes: + value: | + Thanks for trying writui. A few sentences are enough, including if you couldn't get started. + This report is public. Please don't include private writing, passwords, or your vault file. + - type: textarea + id: use-case + attributes: + label: What did you want to write? + description: Describe the kind of writing, not its private contents. + placeholder: For example, a blog draft, journal entry, or work notes. + validations: + required: true + - type: textarea + id: experience + attributes: + label: How did it go? + description: What worked well? Where did you get stuck, or what made you stop? + validations: + required: true + - type: dropdown + id: return-use + attributes: + label: Have you come back to write again? + options: + - This was my first attempt + - Yes, on another day + - No, I stopped using it + - I couldn't get it running + validations: + required: true + - type: textarea + id: next-session + attributes: + label: What would help you use writui again? + description: A change, something to keep as it is, or a reason it isn't for you. + - type: input + id: environment + attributes: + label: Your setup (optional) + description: Operating system, terminal, and writui version, if you know them. + placeholder: For example, macOS, Ghostty, writui 0.17.0. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md index 1168473..3461dce 100644 --- a/README.md +++ b/README.md @@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ A writing app for the terminal. No nonsense. Markdown. Local. Encrypted. +[![Writing in writui](site/static/demo.png)](https://writui.com) + - **Private.** All your posts live in one file, encrypted with your password. Without the password nobody can read them. - **Plain markdown.** You write markdown. Each post starts with a `# Title`. @@ -99,6 +101,32 @@ cargo clippy --all-targets -- -D warnings If both finish without errors, writui's tests pass on your computer. +## Try a short writing session + +After installing on macOS or Linux, try writui with sample text in a +temporary vault: + +```sh +writui --db "$(mktemp -d)/writui.db" +``` + +Use `writui-dev` as the password for this throwaway vault. It is separate +from your regular writing; your computer may clean it up later. + +1. Choose **New**, give the post a title, and write a few sample sentences. +2. Add a heading, a list, and some **bold** text using markdown. +3. Open the menu with Ctrl+K to explore versions and exporting. +4. Close the menu with Esc, then press Esc again to return to the list. + Open the post again: your changes are saved automatically. + +[Tell us how it went](https://github.com/aakashns/writui/issues/new?template=writing-feedback.yml): +what you wanted to write, what got in your way, and whether you'd use it +again. Reports from returning writers are welcome too. GitHub feedback is +public; don't include private writing or your vault password. + +When you're ready to keep writing, run `writui` normally and choose your +own password for your regular vault. + ## Use Open a terminal and run: diff --git a/docs/DECISIONS.md b/docs/DECISIONS.md index 4f18098..8be0be8 100644 --- a/docs/DECISIONS.md +++ b/docs/DECISIONS.md @@ -624,3 +624,20 @@ Co-Authored-By lines. Commit bodies are wrapped at about 72 columns and GitHub shows every line break in release notes, so each paragraph or list item is joined back into one line. No "@user in #n" or "New contributors": it's one person's project so far. + +## Promotion starts with writing sessions and voluntary feedback + +On 2026-10-13, the creator chose regular users and useful feedback as the +promotion priority. Start with people who already use the terminal and +write in Markdown. The site and README offer a short session in a +temporary vault with sample text, followed by a public GitHub feedback +form. The form asks about the writing task, friction, and whether someone +has returned on another day; it never asks for their actual writing or +vault. Returning use is self-reported. Downloads, clones, and stars do not +measure active writers. + +Promotion preparation and recurring research can proceed alongside app +development. Keep code and site changes reviewable through PRs, and leave +merging to the creator. External community submissions need an approved +destination and message; respect each community's current rules on +promotion and AI assistance. The creator's blog posts remain theirs. diff --git a/docs/PLAN.md b/docs/PLAN.md index 0376bcf..a04ff21 100644 --- a/docs/PLAN.md +++ b/docs/PLAN.md @@ -12,6 +12,12 @@ file is the source of truth for what's next. ## Next up +Alongside development, focus promotion on regular users and useful feedback. +The first experiment is a guided sample writing session, linked from the +site and README, with a short GitHub feedback form. Learn where new writers +get stuck and whether they return on another day. Keep promotion work in +separate PRs from the app milestones below. + The site is on Cloudflare Workers: writui.com serves it (and `install.sh`), and www redirects. Still to do by hand: turn off GitHub Pages for the repo (it's still enabled, with the writui.com domain). diff --git a/docs/SPEC.md b/docs/SPEC.md index 84a2aed..9d5af38 100644 --- a/docs/SPEC.md +++ b/docs/SPEC.md @@ -759,6 +759,11 @@ in [DECISIONS.md](DECISIONS.md); the build order lives in [PLAN.md](PLAN.md). the browser allows copying; it says "Copied" for a moment). The landing page is kept up to date with each new feature (see AGENTS.md). "Changelog" in the menu links to the GitHub releases page. +- A "First session" guide, linked beside installation, uses a temporary + vault and sample text so visitors can try writing, the menu, and autosave. + The same guide is in the README. Both link to a short public GitHub + feedback form asking about the writing task, friction, and returning use, + without collecting private writing or vault files. - Posts live in the encrypted vault, but the blog lives in the public repo — so blog posts get into `site/content/blog/` via "export as markdown", with front matter (Zola reads YAML front matter), and are edited by diff --git a/site/content/_index.md b/site/content/_index.md index 37709c8..18fa482 100644 --- a/site/content/_index.md +++ b/site/content/_index.md @@ -27,3 +27,28 @@ writui is early, and built in the open, a small piece at a time. It's usable for writing now, but keep a copy of anything you can't afford to lose. And there is no way to recover a forgotten password. + +## First session + +After installing on macOS or Linux, try writing in a temporary vault: + +```sh +writui --db "$(mktemp -d)/writui.db" +``` + +Use `writui-dev` as the password for this throwaway vault. Write only sample +text here: your computer may clean up temporary files later. + +1. Choose **New**, add a title, and write a few sentences. +2. Try a heading, a list, and some **bold** text using markdown. +3. Open the menu with Ctrl+K to explore versions and exporting. +4. Close the menu with Esc, then press Esc again to return to the list. + Open your post again: changes are saved automatically. + +[Tell us how it went](https://github.com/aakashns/writui/issues/new?template=writing-feedback.yml). +What did you want to write? What got in your way? Would you use writui again? +If you've been using it for a while, we'd like to hear that too. Feedback on +GitHub is public; leave out private writing and passwords. + +Ready to keep writing? Run `writui` normally and choose your own password +for your regular vault. diff --git a/site/templates/index.html b/site/templates/index.html index 18b4ee9..af4254c 100644 --- a/site/templates/index.html +++ b/site/templates/index.html @@ -22,6 +22,8 @@

A writing app for the terminal.

Then run writui. Upgrade later with writui upgrade. On Windows, build it from source.

+

New here? Try a five-minute writing session, + then tell us how it went.