Tomoshibi: A Writing App Where Your Words Fade

Tomoshibi is a writing app where your words fade away as you type, creating a unique writing experience that encourages forward momentum. The app's name comes from the Japanese word for a small flame or light, which perfectly captures its minimalist aesthetic and purpose.

The Problem It Solves

Many writers struggle with perfectionism and the urge to endlessly rewrite and edit their work as they go. This constant back-and-forth can paralyze the creative process, making it difficult to get words on the page. Tomoshibi addresses this by making it impossible to obsess over what you've already written.

How It Works

When you open Tomoshibi, you're greeted with a dark screen and a small flame icon in the center. As you begin typing, the text appears in a warm, glowing light. The key feature is that older lines gradually fade as you continue writing. They don't disappear instantly - they wait until you've moved on to the next sentence or paragraph.

This fading effect serves a crucial purpose: it prevents you from going back to fix typos or rewrite sentences. You can still make minor corrections if you catch them quickly, but you can't spiral into endless editing. The app saves everything you write, so nothing is truly lost - only the visual representation on screen fades.

The Philosophy

Tomoshibi embodies a simple but powerful philosophy: just write. The app strips away all distractions - no toolbar, no menu, no formatting options. There's only darkness, light, and your words. This minimalist approach creates a focused environment where the only thing that matters is putting one word after another.

Features and Availability

The app works entirely in your browser with no account required. Everything stays local to your device, ensuring privacy and simplicity. A Mac desktop version is currently in development for users who want a dedicated application.

Tomoshibi offers different visual themes inspired by writing environments: Lantern (a single light in darkness), Dawn (the hour before sunrise), Snowfield (word by word through fresh snow), and Plain (paper and ink simplicity). Each theme provides a different atmospheric backdrop for your writing sessions.

Who It's For

Tomoshibi is designed for writers who struggle with the editing impulse, those who find themselves stuck rewriting the same paragraph for hours, or anyone who wants to break through writer's block by focusing purely on forward momentum. It's particularly useful for first drafts, brainstorming, or any writing task where getting words on the page is more important than perfection.

The Experience

Users describe opening Tomoshibi as lighting a small flame in the dark. The breathing, flickering text creates a meditative writing environment. Many report that after months of struggling to write, they find themselves typing again within minutes of using the app. The simple act of not being able to go back seems to unlock something in the writing process.

Tomoshibi represents a different approach to writing software - one that doesn't try to be everything to everyone, but instead solves a specific problem with elegant simplicity. By making your words fade, it helps you keep them flowing.

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