You write for lots of reasons. Sometimes you want it to be easy/seamless to simply open a document and start typing. For some people, that can be difficult because it depends on what they're about to type - notes for myself? Am I starting a draft for a school paper? Am I going to make this into a web page? Am I going to print this into a zine? For some of those people, each "document starting point" looks different.

That's where templates come in!

I've been creating/managing personal document templates forever and thought it might be nice to share this in case it helps you with your writing processes too. I keep a folder with them and if they "go out of date" I archive instead of delete templates. Need almost always resurfaces some day.

Step 1: Identify patterns across the types of writing you do

I generally keep the same patterns in a 'type of writing' but use different patterns in each type. So for example, when I'm writing a note for myself I like a certain font and aesthetic. If I'm about to write something I'll be sharing, I need it to be less stylistic and more attuned to delivering whatever that info is. If I'm making a zine, it's a different boatload of layout and styling requirements.

Given this example, I'd make 3+ templates:

  • notes/general writing
  • templates for shared stuff - school, work, whatever is needed
  • zine template

desktop screenshot focused on notes (template) and 8-page zine (template) files, also shows Monster Hunter Wilds, Steam, and a corgi in space with garlic on his head
Notice the two template files in this expertly cropped desktop image

Using a template removes most of the work involved in setting up a page before you get into your writing focus. If you can identify what's common across all/most writing you do in that 'type' then you can get yourself part of a way there by starting in a doc that already fulfills all those needs.

Then when you're ready to start a new file, you only need to update fonts or colors or other necessary elements for the thing you're about to write.

Step 2: Make a template given the common patterns/requirements

To make a template, open a new document in your preferred writing editor and style/update it how you please. When you're done, save it where you'd like to store template files.

What I do: I drop some old writing in it and style how I prefer, then save the file as "name (template)" on my desktop so it's immediately available to me when I get on my computer.

document text reads: My notes template is very simple. It uses Liberation Serif 13pt font and has a border around the text with some padding. It makes me feel like I am writing on a piece of stationery. You could make it fancier if you wanted to. Paragraphs automatically pad in my template so I need to do shift+enter to make single line breaks. I like how tactile it is, that I need to push a code to achieve it. It is better for accessibility to use your text editor’s built-in styling to add spaces, instead of requiring multiple hard returns to achieve space in a document. Even though no one outside of me sees the notes I keep on my desktop*, I still think about that so that when I am old with my aging eyes have different visual needs, I can still review my early-years-notes without lots of fuss. *I might share them years and years later, but usually in another format, like part of a zine or on a website and explicitly called out as a past piece of expression. I like a serif font for note taking. Sometimes I use serif fonts on my websites (mostly journals) because I want to mimic for the viewer what I see when I’m taking my own notes.
Example screenshot of my notes template file with some descriptive text in it

Step 3: Make the file read-only

Find and follow the instructions for your OS/device to make the file read only. (This is usually in a Properties type of menu.)

bottom half of a windows Properties menu showing the file marked Read-only
Your preferred search engine will show you the way to how to do this

Use the template

When you open the template file, you'll see a message that it's read-only. There are a variety of possible behaviors in different writing programs, such as:

  • You must save as new file, then you can write
  • Select an "edit document" option to write, then when you save it will prompt "save as" dialogue
  • You can edit directly but when you save it will prompt "save as" dialogue

There are probably other behaviors too. The point is that you cannot edit the read-only template file and you'll be prompted to save it as its own file.

Edit the template

Find and follow the instructions for your OS/device to update so the file is not read-only. Update the file, then make it read-only again.