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Lighthouse

Introduction

Introduction to Lighthouse

Section titled “Introduction to Lighthouse”

“It was done; it was finished. Yes, she thought, laying down her brush in extreme fatigue, I have had my vision.” — Virginia Woolf, To the Lighthouse

Lighthouse is an Obsidian plugin designed for writers working on long-form projects. Whether you’re writing a novel, thesis, technical documentation, or blog series, Lighthouse helps you manage complex writing projects without leaving Obsidian.

The Problem

Section titled “The Problem”

When working on long-form writing in Obsidian, you often need to:

  • Track word counts across multiple files and folders
  • Distinguish between actual writing and research/reference material
  • Manage multiple independent projects in the same vault
  • Monitor progress toward writing goals and deadlines
  • Stay motivated with streak tracking and daily pacing
  • Stay focused without getting overwhelmed by your entire vault
  • Compile scattered notes into a single manuscript when it’s time to share or submit

While Obsidian excels at note-taking and knowledge management, it lacks purpose-built tools for managing writing projects.

The Solution

Section titled “The Solution”

Lighthouse brings professional writing project management to Obsidian:

  • A dedicated Writing Workspace — One command opens the Library and Inspector, a two-panel layout built specifically for long-form writing, alongside Obsidian’s normal editor
  • Projects as first-class citizens — Each project has its own configuration, goals, and tracking
  • Groups & Extras — Organize a project’s files into nestable Groups with custom icons; a built-in Extras group holds research and notes that don’t count toward your word goal
  • Hierarchical word counting — Track progress at file, group, and project levels in real-time
  • Deadline pacing — Set a finish date and see your required daily words adapt as you write ahead or fall behind
  • Writing streaks & heatmap — GitHub-style activity calendar with consecutive-day tracking and rest day support
  • Flow Mode — One-command distraction-free writing with optional typewriter scroll and font customization
  • Export & compile — Turn a project into a single PDF, DOCX, or EPUB, with citation formatting and style presets built in
  • Split & merge — Break a long note into two at the cursor, or merge two notes back together, without leaving the keyboard

Inspiration

Section titled “Inspiration”

Lighthouse is inspired by Ulysses, a beloved dedicated writing app for macOS and iOS. Ulysses pioneered the concept of organizing writing into projects made of Groups and Sheets, kept separate from reference material. Lighthouse brings this philosophy to Obsidian while preserving Obsidian’s flexibility and keeping your files in standard markdown format.

Philosophy

Section titled “Philosophy”

Your Data, Your Way

Section titled “Your Data, Your Way”
  • No vendor lock-in — Projects are just folders, files are just markdown
  • Standard formats — Everything stays in your vault as plain text
  • Non-invasive — Lighthouse doesn’t modify your files or folder structure
  • Portable — Move files around freely; projects adapt

Flexibility First

Section titled “Flexibility First”
  • No rigid structure — Organize folders however you want
  • Multiple projects — Run several independent projects in one vault
  • Compatible — Works alongside other Obsidian plugins
  • Extensible — Built with future integrations in mind (Dataview, Templater, etc.)

What’s Next?

Section titled “What’s Next?”

Ready to get started? Head to Installation to set up Lighthouse in your vault.