Diagnose my problem.

Do you really have to type it?
Can't you just handwrite the first draft? It'll probably take longer, but at least it's better than typing nothing. I know that several people on her have handwritten first drafts.

Jornada is a done product line. I had one and it was really nice. But, for a mere $200 bucks, you can get a asus Eeepc netbook form Target that would suit your needs, I think.

I'm guessing that you nailed it at the last paragraph-- you want to write in privacy. Are you afraid someone else will read it and comment before you're ready? (Didn't you have trouble with people commenting on your work and crushing your self-confidence before? Can't remember for sure if that was you or another writer.)

Save your pennies. Buy a netbook. That should be plenty powerful for what you're looking to do.

That's my two-bit armchair diagnoses. =)

I understand the need for privacy. I've threatened severe bodily harm to anyone reading over my shoulder.

Peace and quiet... or at least the lack of noise and input that can serve as distractions... or a common enough need for a writer, Blue. I have a sign I hang on my door when I'm dead serious about being left alone and have been known to instruct the family, with varying degrees of success, that on those days, they're absolutely positively not to talk to me if I'm come out to get a drink or use the bathroom.

It's all about communicating, and reinforcing, your needs in a polite, adult manner, Blue.

And, also, understanding that life just happens sometimes, regardless of what we want.

I've caught myself staring intently at one kneecap, hunched over, slack-jawed and frowning when in the middle of thinking through a scene. That's not something I'd want witnesses for - how people write in cafes without being carted off to the looney bin is a mystery to me.

MetalDog said:

how people write in cafes without being carted off to the looney bin is a mystery to me.

Click to expand...

I do it all the time. It's dead easy. . . oh, gotta go. Nurse Ratched is here with my vitamins.

caw

MetalDog said:

I've caught myself staring intently at one kneecap, hunched over, slack-jawed and frowning when in the middle of thinking through a scene. That's not something I'd want witnesses for - how people write in cafes without being carted off to the looney bin is a mystery to me.

Click to expand...

As long as you're staring at your laptop, people ignore the slack-jawed frowning. Keep your knees out of your line of sight and you won't have to worry about the men in white coats.

The Jornada has problems with transfer. Jornada doesn't use .doc format. It has it's own wordprocessing format. You can sync it with a regular computer and it then transfers the file to .doc format, but it's kind of slow and a bit of hassle, I found.

Jornada's don't support USB flash drives (which is why I kind of abandoned mine. The file transfer thing just became more trouble than it was worth.)

I used a Compact Flash card and saved all my work as .rtf format, which worked pretty well. But most other places didn't have readers for the flash card, so I had to transfer the files to something else to take and use other places.

And I had problems with my Jornada locking up from time to time. I taped an unfolded paper clip to it so I could poke the reset button.

It's not a bad little machine, but it had some definite issues. Oh, and the only game on it was that dots and lines game. No solitaire. =/ (for better or for worse.)

For a long time, I could only type on an honest-to-gosh typewriter. The OLD kind, manual, not electric. (It felt better to know that several of my favorites writers, like Donald E Westlake, did the same thing.)

They're still around, they're still cheap. You might try it.

Personally, I can scribble away for ages without worrying how crap it may or may not be. There's something creative about the very act of writing, I feel. Its fun, playful, flowing. Plus its safe- everyone knows 'notes' aren't permanent. My notebooks are a sight- crossings out, doodles and arrows and god knows what else. My handwriting is very poor and its too scruffy to be workable- it needs to be typed up to be understandable, even to me.

But once I come to type, it looks so stark and black-and-white and, well, like a 'real' piece of writing. What if someone were to look over my shoulder at those clear, stark words and just laugh at my crapness? I start to compare my work with published authors. Out comes my inner editor wanting to 'just fix this bit' and before I know it I've deleted a load of stuff and not done a scrap of writing. That's the thing about word processors, they make it so easy to change and delete stuff. Too easy for some of us!

And then again, PCs are also a source of procrastination (internet, email, games) and distraction. So there's another challenge to deal with! There are ways round this though.

I'm constantly dealing with this issue, so maybe I'm not the best person to advise! I do know the thing to do is get it down now and worry about the mistakes/editing later. There are a few ways to do this- typing using a white font (so you can't see the 'mistakes'), dictating (using software like Dragon naturally speaking), typing in a private place during your allocated daily 'writing time (when people know not to bother/embarrass you) or, if you're lucky enough to have clear, readable, handwriting, just handwrite the 1st draft. Good luck, and if you find out what works let me know!

BlueLucario said:

For some reason I can only scribble it on my notebook. And I want to ask my mom if I can buy one of those portable pocket PCs, like the HP Jornada. I worked much better writing in the privacy of my own bedroom. I think....

Click to expand...

Two words: ALPHASMART NEO.

Scarletpeaches convinced me to get one, and it's the most badass little toy EVER. I can take it anywhere, type anywhere, then upload it later. Batteries last forever, etc.

Highly recommended.

Forget about the fancy portable computer/writing thingy crap - focus on your homework.

JJ

JJ Cooper said:

Forget about the fancy portable computer/writing thingy crap - focus on your homework.

JJ

Click to expand...

ditto dat.

I think all of this talk about the best work processor is missing the point here. In my done-that world, I've been in situations where I obsessed about satisfying a specific condition so I could have the perfect environment for writing only to find out that I was just stalling--using that quest for perfection as an excuse for not writing. Do you need the perfect lighting? Right music on the iPod? Papers lined up on the desk just right? Got your special writing underwear on? One blue sock and one red one?

A writer writes. He/she will be "writing" in the shower (mentally), writing while riding a bus, writing in noisy library cubicles, writing in the family room with the TV on and the cat trying to crawl between the laptop and your hands (or between pencil and pad). Words can be put into a story in many ways, and the end-all, be-all isn't the newest word processing gadget. If you keep narrowing the conditions under which you will turn your creativity loose, you may find that restrictive cage isn't so liberating.

For Blue (and others), think hard if you really need these exclusive conditions to be creative. If it is really in your personality, and the answer is "yes" then by all means proceed. But also consider that you may be setting up hurdles because the writing is getting a little more laborious and not the fun frolic it once was.

NOTE added in edit (based on a rep comment-thanks, B.) - Eliminating interruptions is important and does not fall under the "quest for perfection" idea stated above.

Nothing is more important to you as a writer right now, Blue, than HOMEWORK. Do your homework first and the writing will take care of itself.

Without reading the thread at all, I'm going to guess Cholera.

Call Alphasmart to see if you can buy replacement keys. Their customer service is great.

It's never lupus.

And I see your point: if the computer is in a family area like the den or living room, it can be distracting to try to work with your other family members around.

Your problem. It's a second draft. Pure and simple.

I'll go back now to tearing my hair out

Dammit, Otto. You have Lupus!

I just hope the diagnosis isn't for something contagious