# Write a Note (/docs/using/notes/drafting)

Write a Note in **My Notes → New note**. The editor saves as you type, and the Note starts as a draft. Nothing reaches Substack until you schedule it or post it.

## Steps [#steps]

1. Go to **My Notes** and click **New note**.
2. Write your Note. The line under the editor shows where it is saved, for example "Saved in drafts".
3. When it is finished, click **Move to Ready**.
4. Schedule it with the **When:** menu and **Add to Queue**. See [Manage the queue](/docs/using/schedule/queue).

You can also press **Cmd+S** (Mac) or **Ctrl+S** (Windows) to save.

## Formatting [#formatting]

Select text to open the formatting bar.

| Button | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| Bold, Italic, Strikethrough | Text styles |
| Code | Inline code |
| Bulleted list, Numbered list | Lists |
| Quote | Block quote |

Other shortcuts in the editor:

| Type | What happens |
| --- | --- |
| A link | It becomes a link. The first link can get a preview card. See [Images and link previews](/docs/using/notes/images-and-link-previews). |
| `@` and a name | Mention a Substack writer. Needs the [browser extension](/docs/using/setup/browser-extension). |
| `/` | Opens **Emoji** and **GIF** |

The counter in the editor's toolbar shows how many words the Note has.

## Line breaks [#line-breaks]

Each line break is a new paragraph. Pressing Enter starts a new paragraph, and pasted text with single line breaks is split into paragraphs too. This matches how Substack shows Notes, with space between paragraphs.

## AI help in your voice [#ai-help-in-your-voice]

WriteStack can write and rewrite Notes using your saved writing style. Set your style in **Settings → AI Settings**. See [Writing style](/docs/using/concepts/writing-style). AI actions use credits.

### AI Assistant (one Note) [#ai-assistant-one-note]

1. Open a Note and click **AI Assistant** at the top of the editor.
2. Pick an action. It works on the whole Note.

| Group | Actions |
| --- | --- |
| Rewrite | **New version**, **Better hook**, **Fit my style** ("Use AI to make it sound like you") |
| Expand & trim | **Keep writing**, **Concise** |
| Tone | **Human-like**, **Engaging**, **Humorous**, **Positive**, **Creative**, **Sarcastic**, **Inspirational** |

3. Read the result. Click **Insert** to replace the Note's text with it, or **Retry** for another version.

### Templates [#templates]

Click **Templates** at the top of the editor to browse Note templates. Open one and click **Generate Note** to write a Note from it, or copy its guide.

### Notes generator (many Notes) [#notes-generator-many-notes]

1. In **My Notes**, click **Notes generator**.
2. Under **Source**, pick **My articles**, **My style**, **Upload** or **Voice**.
3. Pick the number of notes and click **Generate N notes**.

Generated Notes land in **Drafts**. Nothing is published.

## Statuses [#statuses]

| Status | Tab | How a Note gets there |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Draft | **Drafts** | New, generated and imported Notes without a time |
| Ready | **Ready** | **Move to Ready** in the editor, or **Move to ready** on the Note card |
| Scheduled | **Scheduled notes** | You add it to the queue |
| Published | **Published notes** | It went out on Substack |

To move a Note back, click **Move to Draft** in the editor or **Move to drafts** on the card. Statuses are explained in [Notes and the queue](/docs/using/concepts/notes-and-the-queue).

To change many Notes at once, click **Select** in **Drafts** or **Ready**, pick Notes, then use **Batch** (**Batch schedule** or **Move to Ready** / **Move to Drafts**) or **Delete**.

## Import Notes from a CSV file [#import-notes-from-a-csv-file]

Use this to bring in Notes you wrote elsewhere.

1. In **My Notes**, click **More actions → Import notes**.
2. Click **Download CSV Template** to get `import-template.csv`, and fill it in.
3. Drop the file under **2. Upload your CSV file**, or click **Upload file**.
4. Click **Review import**, check the dates and images, then click **Import N Notes**.

### Columns [#columns]

| Column | Required | What goes in it |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `body` | Yes | The Note text. If there is no `body` header, the first column is used. |
| `image_url` | No | Image links, separated by commas. Up to 5 per Note. |
| `schedule_time` | No | When to post. Leave empty to import as a draft. |
| `tag` (or `category`) | No | One tag name. A tag that doesn't exist yet is created. |

Headers are not case-sensitive. Commas, semicolons, `|` and tabs all work as separators. Put a body in double quotes if it contains commas or line breaks.

### Dates in `schedule_time` [#dates-in-schedule_time]

| You write | WriteStack reads it as |
| --- | --- |
| `2026-12-01 15:00` | 15:00 in your account timezone |
| `2026-12-01` | 09:00 in your account timezone |
| `2026-12-01T15:00:00+02:00` or ending in `Z` | Exactly that time |

Your account timezone is shown in the dialog. Change it in **Settings → Account Information**.

Rows with a `schedule_time` are scheduled. Rows without one become drafts. A time in the past, or more than 3 months ahead, stops the import and the dialog lists the rows to fix.

### Limits [#limits]

| Limit | Value |
| --- | --- |
| File size | About 200 KB |
| Images per Note | 5 (extra links are skipped with a warning) |
| Size of each imported image | 10 MB |

If an image link can't be fetched, the Note is still imported without that image and the dialog lists the affected rows.

Scheduled rows count toward your plan's limit like any other scheduled Note. See [Capacity](/docs/using/concepts/capacity).

## Copy a Note [#copy-a-note]

There is no duplicate button. To reuse a Note's text, open it, click the copy icon ("Copy note to clipboard"), then click **New note** and paste.

{/* TODO(orel): Is a "Duplicate note" action planned or available somewhere I missed? I found none in the note card, editor or Kanban. */}

## On a phone [#on-a-phone]

You can write and save Notes on a phone. To schedule one, open WriteStack on a computer. The editor shows: "To schedule the note, open WriteStack on a computer."