Use case guide
How to use SideQuick for writing
Writing projects fail softly: you "have a doc" but no shared definition of done. I treat a manuscript like any other side project, with stages that respect how writing actually feels (messy middle included). The app is free, you never need an account, and your drafts metadata stays local on Windows, Mac, or Linux.
Steps that map to the real app
1Create a writing project with stages that match your process
Typical stages might be research and outline, messy draft, structural edit, line edit, and submission packaging. Under each stage, add quests with verbs: "outline three acts," "draft chapter 2," "cut 500 words from part one." Category-aware AI can help if you pick Writing and describe tone and audience.
2Put focus mode on when the internet is louder than the story
Start a session on the quest you are writing toward, enable focus mode, and let the UI get out of the way. You are not proving discipline, you are reducing tab roulette so sentences can land.
3Use Pomodoro for timed writing sprints
Pick a sprint length that matches your rhythm (25 minutes for momentum, 50 if you are already warm). When the bell rings, log what changed: new words, solved plot hole, or a note for tomorrow. That turns "I wrote" into something you can point at.
4Move the active quest when the job changes
Outlining and drafting fight for different parts of your brain. When you switch modes, switch the active quest so streaks and time tracking reflect real work, not one eternal "write book" task.
5Ship small completions so XP matches reality
Finish quests when a unit of work is actually done, not when the whole book is perfect. Leveling up from real completions feels better than grinding a single impossible checkbox.