There was a fascinating piece in the NYT yesterday about the success of romantic novels written by Japanese women on their cellphones, some while on their way to work on the subways. Many of these novels go on to regular publication and of last year's ten best-selling novels, five were originally cellphone novels. This led to a discussion in our household on where people wrote. Thomas Wolfe on his refrigerator, Hemingway at the cafes, etc. Neither my husband or I can write by hand any longer. We are limited to computer access, but I can carry my flash drive around from computer to computer and not mind. He prefers his own at home.
What about you? Anyone still using yellow pads? Must you write in one place? Do you write better in Starbucks than at home alone? Can you only write in the A.M.? In the P.M.?
Is anyone here writing on their cellphone?
***Even stranger is that this method of writing (on cellphones) is changing the way books read there. They are growing closer to comics and manga in their extreme terseness. Wonder if that will come are way.
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I can write just about anywhere as long as I have my laptop. This weekend I wrote at home in the living room, at a coffee house, and at Becky's parent's house all on my laptop. Occassionaly I'll write at work too but not so much in this new job where I have actual work to do. I like the rythem of typing on the keyboard, it gets my subconscious all motored up, couldn't imagine doing long hand.
I write on the computer when things are going smoothly, but when I get stuck I switch to pen and paper. Somehow that helps.
Incidentally, I hate the keyboard on my new computer, and I think this may have affected the rate at which I work.
I always use a regular keyboard and not a laptop one. Just can't stand those inflexible keys. Maybe cause I came from the days...
I can still write longhand, but prefer a desktop arrangement (I'm too self-concious of possibly dropping a laptop). I like a mechanical key, too, Patti, inasmuch as I learned on a Smith-Corona electric, my Honolulu highschool's horrible ancient manuals, and early PCs (such as the Commodore VIC-20).
Mostly I write when not actually working at work, as in during my breaks, and when I'm awake...it seems like that's a decreasing amount of time that can be descibed with both provisions.
Todd, I learned to type on a paper keyboard. Beat that.
Also-Longhand scares me because I have recently developed my father's handwriting.
My home computer has the best keyboard. It's rather clunky by today's standards, but the thing is 12 years old! Surprisingly, this old keyboard works perfectly, in spite of a couple moves, quite a few crumbs, and all the bzillions of words typed out on it.
Which is a little disappointing, because one of my goals as a writer is to type a keyboard to death. This one seems impervious. But I keep trying.
An admirable goal, type it to death. I've had few conk out but I doubt it was due to that. Probably they died from boredom.
Patti, I too find those laptop keyboards are too small, and I wind up hitting the mouse pad with the heel of my palm when I'm in writing frenzy mode.
Much prefer my own PC at home with the wireless keyboard (allows me to sit further away from the monitor - it's an age thing).
When I started writing, I first started in long hand, and then transcribed to computer, but I've long since learned to summon the muse while sitting in front of the blank screen.
There are folks in my writers group who get together in a local cafe to write on their laptops, and have asked me to tag along, but write in a group, or (even alone) in public - no way! Too many disruptions and distractions.
I just bought a second computer which I use exclusively for writing - it has no internet access and I'll be doing a blog post in ther upcomimg weeks as to how and why this improves writing productivity (and maybe even quality).
I had never heard of a wireless keyboard and I am in love with the idea because I also find my too short desktop puts me too close to the screen. Thanks a million for this idea.
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