JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<script src="http://rangy.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/dev/rangy-core.js"></script>
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Donec a diam lectus. Sed sit amet ipsum mauris. Maecenas congue ligula ac quam viverra nec consectetur ante hendrerit. Donec et mollis dolor. Praesent et diam eget libero egestas mattis sit amet vitae augue. Nam tincidunt congue enim, ut porta lorem lacinia consectetur. Donec ut libero sed arcu vehicula ultricies a non tortor. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Aenean ut gravida lorem. Ut turpis felis, pulvinar a semper sed, adipiscing id dolor. Pellentesque auctor nisi id magna <span class="pin">d</span>


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Click the red letter and try dragging it around.

CSS

.pin {
    height: 34px;
    width: 18px;
    overflow: show;
    background-color: red;
    cursor: pointer;
}

JavaScript

$(document).on("mousedown", '.pin', function () {
    //define what a pin is
    var el = document.createElement("span");
    el.className = "pin";
    el.id = "test";
    //make it contain an empty space so we can color it
    el.appendChild(document.createTextNode("d"));
    $(document).on("mousemove", function () {
        //get the current selection
        var selection = rangy.getSelection();
        //collapse the selection to either the front
        //or back, since we do not want the user to see it.
        if (selection.isBackwards()) {
            selection.collapseToStart();
        } else {
            selection.collapseToEnd();
        }
        //remove the old pin
        $('.pin').remove();
        //place the new pin at the current selection
        selection.getAllRanges()[0].insertNode(el);
    });
    //remove the handler when the user has stopped dragging it
    $(document).on("mouseup", function () {
        $(document).off("mousemove");
    });
});