This DIY writer deck cuts out the digital distractions and helps boost productivity

It's really easy to get into the mindset that the more you have going on, the more productive you are. You have your laptop with all of your social apps up, ready to answer any DMs or questions that come your way. Your phone is beside you, on standby in case a notification comes in. Before you know it, you spend more time checking your apps than you do, you know...working.

That's where a writer's deck comes in. These are designed to cut out all the chaff and leave you with a keyboard, a blank page, and nothing else. One person set out to make their own, and while it didn't tick all of their personal boxes, it's still a really nice motivational piece for people who want to build the perfect writing companion for themselves.

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This DIY writer deck removes all distractions for a focused productivity session

As spotted by Hackster.io, this cool project comes to us via EposVox on YouTube. EposVox was frustrated that he didn't really have control over the notifications that his devices served him, and it was very easy to get sucked into a black hole of endlessly checking things. As such, he wanted to practice digital minimalism and create a writer deck that gave him a keyboard, something to write on, and that's it.

To get everything built, EpoxVox used a spare Raspberry Pi 3B he had lying around. He then grabbed a Keychron K3 Ultra Slim wireless keyboard, then combined it with a Waveshare 11.9-inch screen with a 320x1480 resolution. It's not your typical screen, but its odd size allows it to (in theory) fold down over the keyboard like a laptop.

Unfortunately, things didn't go perfectly as planned. EposVox notes that the hinges don't really allow the screen to fold properly; instead, the top half is mushed into the function keys along the keyboard. As such, it's not as portable as he would like. However, even if he doesn't fold it, it's still a great way to get some writing done without all the digital prodding.

The project reminds me of when we checked out someone converting their M4 Mac Mini into a portable computer a few days ago. They, too, had the idea of matching the monitor size to the keyboard, and the hinges they used seemed to do the trick. Hopefully, EposVox manages to iron out the issues and builds the writer deck he deserves.