diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index aea948e..f33f777 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -45,7 +45,9 @@ slug: optional-manual-slug
 ```
 
 Only `status: published` files are synced; drafts, stubs, and missing statuses are
-skipped. The sync command writes generated Markdown to `src/content/writing/` and
+skipped. Files and directories whose names start with `_` are ignored entirely, so
+vault-side templates, notes, and publishing process folders can live beside article
+sources. The sync command writes generated Markdown to `src/content/writing/` and
 tracks stable source-to-slug mappings in `src/content/writing/.sync-manifest.json`.
 
 ```sh
diff --git a/scripts/sync-writing.ts b/scripts/sync-writing.ts
index 77ed65f..f9871de 100644
--- a/scripts/sync-writing.ts
+++ b/scripts/sync-writing.ts
@@ -367,6 +367,9 @@ async function listMarkdownFiles(dir: string): Promise<string[]> {
   const entries = await readdir(dir, { withFileTypes: true });
   const files = await Promise.all(
     entries.map(async (entry) => {
+      if (entry.name.startsWith('_')) {
+        return [];
+      }
       const fullPath = path.join(dir, entry.name);
       if (entry.isDirectory()) {
         return listMarkdownFiles(fullPath);