My modded Fire tablet is the ultimate distraction-free writing terminal

Carving out time to write these days, in a distraction-free environment, isn’t the easiest thing to do. With so many distractions, it’s a miracle anyone can write at all.

Luckily, by using a series of different writing apps, my old Fire tablet, and a fancy Bluetooth keyboard/case, I’ve been able to create my own distraction-free environment for my professional work and other projects.

First, get the Google Play Store

You will need it for applications

The Fire tablet has been amazing for my productivity, reducing anxiety and helping me stay focused. A few years ago, I loaded the Google Play Store on my Fire tablet because most of the apps I use aren’t available in the Amazon App Store. With that out of the way, it was time to finish writing.

I have a Bluetooth keyboard and case

Setup is vital for dedicated writing on a Fire tablet

In late 2021, I purchased a combination of a Bluetooth keyboard and Fire tablet case called (prepare for a long name here) the “Designed for Amazon Bluetooth Keyboard with Removable Case in Black, 2021 Edition“.

This recurring phrase of a name came from a company called FINTIE and originally cost me about $50. Five years later, not only does it still work, but I also use it to turn my tablet into a distraction-free writing environment where I don’t have to worry about using an on-screen keyboard and can use keyboard shortcuts for formatting, browsing, and simulating working on a computer.

I use this case for everything I do on the device, with the notable exception of reading comics. I have a generic soft case for this purpose, which I swap out on heavy comic reading days. It’s as strong as it gets. I have the grace of Curly Joe from the Three Stooges, and this thing has taken many falls.

It’s not a mechanical keyboard, but the keys have some weight to them, so it sometimes feels like they’re clicking-clacking, which is a fun tactile sensation, especially when you’re in the middle of a draft.

Obsidian

A robust Markdown editor and a second brain

Markdown is a powerful and versatile tool that I’ve used for years. I’ve also been using Obsidian on my Fire tablet as a note taker, planner, and place to store research links for a few months now. When I’m working on a story, I like to gather all my research materials in advance. Obsidian’s multi-tab functionality helps me keep track of my resources in one tab, my plan in another, and any notes I might make in another.

It’s a very good workflow for my needs, and I use this app the most when writing on my Fire. It’s a mark editor at the base, and you can access a full menu filled with commands to use in your document. I particularly like the ability to link notes together using a command like [[your file name]] to create an automatic link to the other note. I also like being able to cycle through tabs by pressing CTRL + the number of the desired tab, so CTRL + 1 takes me to the first tab, CTRL + 2 to the second, and so on.

The writing is smooth and the punctuation features are exactly what you’d expect from a good markdown editor. For example, you can type *word* and it will automatically format it in italics for you.

Reader mode and write mode are interchangeable and both display well on the Fire’s screen. However, the feature that helps me the most in my writing is the simple, clean and straightforward interface, and more importantly, no forced AI features. And if you ever forget which keys activate certain commands, there is a side menu that tells you, in addition to providing several other useful functions such as “internal links” and “Go to first line” or “Go to last line”.

Notepad

A targeted application for fiction and screenwriting

I use Markdown often and am always looking for new apps to test. JotterPad is a unique writing app, primarily focused on novel and screenplay writing. I haven’t written a screenplay or anything similar in a long time, but I’ve been slowly working on a short novel since around 2017.

Users can get premium “Android-only markdown features” for $14.99/month if they want, but JotterPad has a basic markdown editor built into the free tier. In JotterPad, you can open a markdown, standard, or feature document. It has a dictionary where you can search for a word in the text, but it is premium only. This seems a bit unnecessary for what I’m doing with the software though.

Their version of a markdown editor is basic, functional, and no-frills. It also has a handy on-screen toolbar for easy formatting. The standard text editor works in much the same way. It is distraction-free and ideal for working on long-term jobs. The third document type, Fountain, is also premium, using an open source markup language designed to realize scenarios called Fountain.

I use it for short fiction and it helps me stay focused enough to get through a few pages at a time. Whether they are good or not, no one knows.

Joplin

A simple notepad for notes, checklists and more

Joplin was recommended to me as an Evernote alternative. I used Evernote for a long time (until it got worse), but eventually I got tired of it. Joplin is simple and the markdown editor works great for me.

I use it for hobby-related notes and to-do lists. The list becomes clickable when you save it, so it helps me keep track of the things I need to do that day. There are no notifications, no prompts for premium features, or anything else to distract me from my work. I find the to-do list feature very useful and have already made a new checklist for the coming month:

Overall, Joplin is streamlined and useful to the point that I’d probably use it on my phone in addition to my setup on my Fire and Samsung Z Fold. It is versatile to say the least.

PureWriter

A writing app for sharing/creating fiction

Although I’m primarily a technology and music journalist, I’ve been a songwriter for over two decades and enjoy dabbling in short fiction from time to time. Outlining a novel is a complex process that is well served with index cards, notebooks and outlines. I once used an app called Scrivener to manage the finer details of my (rather horrible) novel outline, but I moved away from it when I abandoned that project.

Since COVID-19, I’ve been borderline obsessed with writing 100-word stories called “drabbles.” PureWriter has helped me achieve a few with its user-friendliness, simple interface, and useful options. I particularly like the possibility of export to docx or PDF (you can try it in the free tier, but it’s a pro feature) and text-to-speech if you like that sort of thing.

Not only does the app do wonders for keeping me focused on my writing, but the AI ​​features aren’t enabled by default either. I appreciate software that respects its users who are not initially interested in these particular features. There is a nuclear option to remove the feature entirely or use their proprietary LLM. I guess it’s there if you want to use it, but I’m ignoring it for now.

Time Machine is a nice feature. I use it as a place to store and retrieve ideas, but I haven’t chosen to enable the ChatGPT feature because I really don’t want to use it at all. It’s easier to focus on my fiction, as strange as it may sound, using an app like this from my Fire tablet (something I never expected to do).

Professional and amateur writers can benefit from portable, distraction-free writing.

Setting up my Fire tablet as a distraction-free writing environment didn’t take long. I wish I had done it sooner. These apps work well for most types of writing and you can always use Google Docs if you want. These apps offer simplicity, focus, and useful features that are worth setting up on an old device (Kindle, Fire, or other Android) that you don’t use much.

I upgraded to the pro plan for PureWriter and Obsidian, but stuck with the free versions for the other two. For now.

It’s honestly refreshing to not have forced AI features in my writing apps. It’s great to work in a distraction-free environment. Best of all, these writing apps work well in a dedicated workflow for professional and amateur work.

Brand

Amazon

Processor

Hexa-core 2.0 GHz

With an updated processor, more system RAM, and a lot more storage, the Amazon Fire HD 8 (2024) is a great upgrade and a great choice for anyone looking for an affordable tablet. This update seems noticeably faster in all tasks while maintaining its same small form factor.