Feature request: Add a Special Characters menu (em dash, «guillemets», etc.) + auto-replacement #112
Description
Summary
Writingway currently lacks quick access to typographic symbols. I propose adding an “Insert special character” button—similar to oStorybook—with a dropdown for commonly used characters. Additionally, please add an auto-replacement feature that converts double hyphens (--) to an em dash (—).
Why this matters
- For Slavic languages, the em dash (—) and guillemets (« ») are standard orthographic and typographic conventions. At the moment, I’m dealing with a mix of hand-entered “--” and LLM-generated “—”. The main issue is that LLMs, when asked to analyze the piece, get distracted by this inconsistency instead of focusing on text quality, even when instructed to ignore it. And guillemets are a must, too.
- Auto-replacing “--” with “—” is especially convenient for touch typists (10-finger typing): it prevents breaking flow to reach for special characters and keeps the text clean as you type.
- Improves speed, reduces typos, and minimizes post-editing.
- Helps with other languages as well (varied quote styles, non-breaking spaces, etc.).
Proposed menu (example)
Insert em dash — (long dash)
Insert en dash – (short dash)
Insert non‑breaking space (NBSP)
Insert opening French quote «
Insert closing French quote »
Insert opening low-high quote „
Insert closing low-high quote “
Insert single quotes ‘ ’
Insert ellipsis …
Insert em space / en space
Insert thin space