How to Use Obsidian for Writers

Obsidian is a markdown‑based note‑taking app that many writers use to organize ideas, outline chapters, and draft stories. This tutorial walks you through setting up Obsidian, creating a writer‑friendly vault, using templates, linking notes, and publishing finished drafts. Follow each step and you’ll have a flexible writing system that works offline and scales to a full manuscript.

1. Install Obsidian
2. Create a writer’s vault
3. Build a chapter‑level folder structure
4. Add writing templates
5. Use bidirectional links and graph view
6. Export and publish drafts
7. Obsidian vs. competing tools
FAQ

1. Install Obsidian

Desktop application

Download the installer from obsidian.md. Choose Windows, macOS, or Linux. Run the file and follow the prompts.

Figure 1: Obsidian installer window (placeholder image).

Mobile apps

Search “Obsidian” in the Apple App Store or Google Play. Install the free app. Sign in with an Obsidian account if you plan to use Sync.

2. Create a writer’s vault

A vault is a folder that stores all your markdown files. For a novel, create a vault named “MyNovel”.

File → New vault → Name: MyNovel → Location: Documents/Obsidian

Obsidian will open the empty vault. All notes you create are saved as plain .md files, which you can back up with any cloud service.

3. Build a chapter‑level folder structure

Organize your manuscript before you write. A typical hierarchy looks like this:

MyNovel/
├─ 00_Meta/
│   ├─ Outline.md
│   └─ Characters.md
├─ 01_Chapter_One/
│   ├─ Draft.md
│   └─ Research.md
├─ 02_Chapter_Two/
│   ├─ Draft.md
│   └─ Research.md
└─ 99_Extras/
    └─ Worldbuilding.md

Use the file explorer pane (left side) to create folders. Right‑click → New folder.

Figure 2: File explorer showing the folder tree (placeholder).

4. Add writing templates

Templates save time and keep style consistent. Install the built‑in “Templates” core plugin:

Settings → Core Plugins → toggle “Templates”.
Settings → Templates → Set “Template folder location” to 00_Meta/Templates.

Create a file SceneTemplate.md with the following content:

---
title: {{title}}
date: {{date}}
tags: scene, draft
---

# {{title}}

**Point of View:**  

**Goal:**  

**Conflict:**  

---

When you start a new scene, open the command palette (Ctrl+P), type “Insert template”, and select “SceneTemplate”. The placeholders fill automatically.

5. Use bidirectional links and graph view

Link characters, locations, and plot points with [[double brackets]]. For example, in a chapter draft type:

When {{character:Anna}} entered [[The Old Library]], she sensed danger.

Obsidian creates a link to the note “The Old Library”. Clicking the link opens that note. The back‑link appears at the bottom of the target note, showing where it was referenced.

Open the Graph view (right‑click on the vault name → “Open graph”). You’ll see a network of notes. Use the filter box to focus on “character” tags.

Figure 3: Graph view displaying linked characters and scenes (placeholder).

6. Export and publish drafts

Export to Word

Install the “Pandoc” community plugin (Settings → Community plugins → Browse). After installation, open a note and run “Export to Word”. The plugin converts markdown to a .docx file, preserving headings and lists.

Publish with Obsidian Publish

Obsidian Publish costs $8/month. Turn on “Publish” in Settings → Obsidian Publish, select the notes you want public, and click “Publish”. The service creates a static site at yourname.obsidian.md.

Alternative: Export to Hugo

If you use a static site generator, the “Publish to Hugo” plugin writes each note as a markdown file with front‑matter. Run the command “Publish to Hugo” and copy the output folder to your Hugo site.

7. Obsidian vs. competing tools

Below is a quick side‑by‑side comparison of Obsidian, Notion, and Scrivener for writers.

Feature	Obsidian	Notion	Scrivener
File storage	Local markdown files	Cloud database	Local project file
Offline work	Full offline	Limited offline	Full offline
Version control	Git friendly	None	Basic snapshots
Cost (basic)	Free (core)	Free tier limited	$49 one‑time
Graph view	Built‑in	None	None
Mobile app	iOS/Android	iOS/Android	iOS only
Export formats	PDF, DOCX, HTML via plugins	PDF, HTML	DOCX, PDF, ePub

FAQ

Is Obsidian free for writers?

Obsidian offers a free personal plan that includes core features, unlimited notes, and local storage. Premium add‑ons like publishing and sync cost $8‑$10 per month.

Can I use Obsidian on a phone or tablet?

Yes. Obsidian has iOS and Android apps that sync via Obsidian Sync or third‑party services such as Dropbox.

How does Obsidian compare to Notion for drafting?

Obsidian stores plain markdown files locally, which makes version control easy. Notion stores data in the cloud and adds a WYSIWYG editor, but it lacks offline‑first reliability.

Do I need to learn Markdown?

A basic knowledge of headings, links, and lists is enough. Obsidian’s live preview shows formatted text as you type, so you can learn gradually.

Can I publish directly from Obsidian?

Yes. The Obsidian Publish service lets you turn a vault into a static website. Alternative plugins export to WordPress, Hugo, or Netlify.

Now you have a complete workflow: install Obsidian, set up a writer’s vault, create templates, link ideas, and export finished drafts. The system stays with you whether you write a short story or a 500‑page novel.