Ensō: write now, edit later (enso.sonnet.io)

Article summary

Ensō is a writing tool that allows users to focus on writing without editing, by fading away the text as they type and not allowing selection or editing. The tool is designed for writers, bloggers, and others who want to get their first draft done without overthinking. Ensō has features such as Coffeeshop Mode, accessible themes, and non-Latin language support. It is also private by design, with no analytics or telemetry, and works offline.

Main themes

• writing tools
• focus and productivity
• privacy and security
• offline-first development
• writing techniques
• stream-of-consciousness writing
• coding and transcription use cases

What commenters say

• Some commenters appreciate the simplicity and focus of Ensō, finding it helpful for stream-of-consciousness writing and first drafts.
• Others note that similar features are available in other writing tools, such as iA Writer.
• The offline-first approach and private-by-design nature of Ensō are seen as major advantages by some commenters.
• A few commenters are skeptical about the value of Ensō, particularly the paid Mac version, given its simplicity and the ease of reproducing its functionality in other frameworks.
• The discussion touches on the benefits of writing by hand, including the difficulty of editing and the potential for increased focus.
• Some commenters suggest that Ensō could be useful for specific use cases, such as coding interviews or speech-to-text transcription.
• There is a debate about the effectiveness of the fading text feature, with some finding it helpful and others concerned it would cause them to lose track of their writing.
• The conversation also mentions other writing tools and techniques, such as Omm Writer and Excalidraw, and their potential benefits for focused writing.