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Writing sessions

Time a sitting, set a word goal, and keep a short task list, linked to your plot points if you like.

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What a session is

A writing session is a timed sitting with an optional word goal and a short list of tasks. Only you see your sessions: they are not part of the World, and nobody you write with can see them. With Sync they follow you to your other devices; without it they stay on this one. The Session page says which under its title.

A session is separate from the daily goal. Today, at the foot of the sidebar, counts the words you add in a World on this device across the whole day; a session counts the words of one sitting.

Start a session

  1. For a quick start, choose the timer button in the toolbar and pick 15, 30, 45 or 60 minutes. The session starts at once, with no word goal.
  2. To plan one, open Session in the sidebar (on a phone, More, then Session). Under What’s this session for?, say what you mean to do, such as Finish the trial scene.
  3. Under Write for, choose 15, 30, 45, 60 or 90 minutes, and enter a Word goal if you want one.
  4. Choose Start writing, then open a chapter and write.

While it runs

  • The countdown stays in the toolbar on every screen, with a pause button beside it. Choose the countdown to see the time left and your tasks; Open session page goes to the full view.
  • Pause and Resume stop and restart the clock, and +5 min adds time. When the time is up the clock says so, and the session stays open until you end it.
  • The word count follows the chapter you have open: words you add count toward the session, and words you delete come off it. After a few minutes the Word goal panel estimates how long the rest will take at your pace, and says Goal reached. when you get there.
  • End session closes the session and adds it to This week.

Tasks and plot points

  1. Add tasks under For next session before you start, or under For this session while one runs. Type a task and press Enter.
  2. To work toward a plot point, type @ and pick one of the open World’s plot points. The task links to it.
  3. Tick a task to mark it done, or remove it with its remove button. Done tasks move below the rest; the toolbar’s session popover keeps them folded away behind a count you can choose to show them.

Look back over the week

The Session page counts your sessions and words this week under its title, and its sidebar lists This week: each session’s day, its words and its minutes, or in progress for the one still running.