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Dear is built around a single flow: capture ideas in Outline, shape them into a plan, then draft in Write. This guide walks you through that flow from a blank screen to a working draft.
1

Sign in

Open Dear in your browser and sign in with your email address. Dear uses a magic link — no password required. See Sign in to Dear for details.
If sign-in is not available in your version of Dear, you can still use the app without an account. Your work is saved locally in the browser.
2

Open or create a document

The home screen (/) shows your document list. Click an existing document to open it, or click New document to start fresh. Both options take you to the workspace at /write.
3

Capture ideas in Outline → Explore

Select the Outline tab (left side of the workspace toolbar). You will land in the Explore sub-area — this is your staging area.Add raw material in any order:
  • Type short notes directly into the input field. Press Enter to create each index card.
  • Paste text from another source using the paste option.
  • Speak aloud if voice capture is available. Dear transcribes your words and sorts them into cards.
Each note becomes an index card with an AI-generated header. Do not worry about order yet — Explore is a collection stage.
4

Shape your plan in Outline → Outline

Switch to the Outline sub-area using the switcher at the bottom of the Outline panel.Here you can:
  • Drag cards to reorder them.
  • Pick a structure — outline, freeform, narrative, or comparison.
  • Review the AI-generated plan summary and suggestions.
  • Adjust the order or remove cards you no longer need.
Take the time to arrange your cards until the structure reflects what you want to write.
5

Send your plan to Write

When your plan is ready, click Send plan to Write (sometimes called Stitch). Dear turns your ordered cards into a draft scaffold — headings and body blocks — and opens it in the Write canvas.Your index cards are preserved in Outline. You can return to them at any time.
6

Draft in Write, use Tab for AI suggestions

Select the Write tab. Your scaffold is ready to fill in.Write freely. As you type, Dear may suggest a continuation at your cursor — a short phrase or sentence that fits the context. Press Tab to accept the suggestion, or keep typing to dismiss it.
Tab completions are optional. You can write an entire draft without accepting a single suggestion. Turn them off entirely in your AI preferences if you prefer.
Dear counts the words you type yourself. These human-written words build your writing profile and help suggestions match your voice over time.