Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Writing Constantly in the Technological Age

Not too long ago, I made myself a writing mantra: write constantly. Because writing does not always imply actual physical writing, but also the thought process that goes behind writing, this works particularly well for me. Take this week: I'm getting ready for a teacher's conference, pulling together several new author interviews for this blog, and preparing report cards for my students. The best writing I've done is thinking about the plot of the next few chapters while driving my car or taking my shower. I figured out a way to show the world building, and a way to develop a plot twist that I'd been struggling over.

But, for obvious reasons, writing down these writing thoughts while driving or in the shower are somewhat difficult tasks to do. The paper gets wet. Or I crash the car and take out a chunk of rural NC in a fiery inferno of not-awesome. You get the picture.

This is where I love technology.

I want to be the writer that always has pen and paper handy, but the truth of the matter is, I'm just not that organized. At least once a day, I have to run through the house, trying to find my glasses. So keeping up with my glasses, a pad of paper, and a pen? Way too stressful. My life can't take that kind of complication.

You know what I do keep up with? My iTouch.

It's like my Apple laptop, but palm-sized. And it has a very well organized application called simply: Notes. And guess what? You can type notes on it. Quicker than I could click open a Bic, I've got all my ideas right there on the screen. ALL OF THEM. When I use paper, I grab whatever scraps I have--receipts, grocery lists, even tissues (not used. You know, unless it's an emergency). And, typically, I'd lose the paper. Now all my notes are RIGHT THERE. Electronically organized. WITH DATES.

It's so simple. It makes writing constantly a bit more doable.

12 comments:

lotusgirl said...

Wow. can you do that in the shower? hehe! But seriously that sounds like a cool gadget. Thanks for the heads up.

PJ Hoover said...

And get a digital voice recorder. Of course every time I dictate dialogue in my mind onto the thing, I feel like a doofus (sp?). And thus I only do it when alone or with the kids who don't care.

~Jamie said...

I use an app on my iPhone called iRecord. It's a free app, and any time I think of something I need to write about... I just record it into my phone and listen to it later. I can't tell you how many dialogue scenes I have written this way.

Anonymous said...

I have a digital recorder, but never seem to have it on me when I need it. Thanks for giving me something cool to investigate...

Barrie said...

itouch? I'll have to check it out.

C.R. Evers said...

ohhhhh! sounds cool!

Robyn Campbell said...

Hmm, that sounds like something I need. When did you get that?? ;)

Robyn Campbell said...

Hmm, sounds great! I think I need one of those. :)

Robyn Campbell said...

This is something I need! :)

Michelle D. Argyle said...

My hubby wants an iTouch, and I'm jealous of yours. That's awesome!

Robyn Campbell said...

You see that there are about one thousand comments from me because it kept saying that it wouldn't allow me to comment so I would try again and now I'm feelin' a bit red faced!!

Christina Farley said...

Very cool! I have little books everywhere. I love my little books. They are so fun. And I like pencils. I love the way they scratch and move and smell.