Tools for Writing Anytime

Word, Scrivener, Pen and Paper, or E-mail.  

Since I've been writing, I've used several different tools to get the job done.  Even though days come and go without too many words written, I have found that I can be pretty consistent, getting several hundred words a day even on hectic days.  It's not always easy, but with a little creativity and flexibility, it can be done.

When I started to write everyday, the software of choice was Microsoft Word.  It's a good program, used by many and it was already on my computer, so it was a no-brainer for me.  It worked good for a while, but there was another program out there that I had been hearing a lot about. It sounded great, and I wanted to try it out for myself.

That software was Scrivener.  The things that I had heard on podcasts and read on blogs turned out to be absolutely true.  Scrivener is my knew favorite writing software.  It has so much functionality that it's a little scary.  All I'm doing with it right now is typing away, but there is so much more there.  A tutorial is there to get you in on all the good stuff, but everything looked so good that I just dove right in, unable to contain myself until the end if the tutorial.  I need to go completely through that thing sometime, but as it is, I'm happy, even if I'm not getting the full benefit of the software.  That's how good it is.

I do have a problem with Scrivener though.  That problem is one of mobility.  Having your computer with you is a must with Scrivener, just like it is with Word.  That's not always a possibilty for many of us.  There's always low tech ways to go though.  Pen and paper is a go to that I've used many times away from home or computer or both.  Pen and paper is great.  It is relaxing to just sit and write, watching the ink flow onto the page.  It's a real refreshing way to get some writing done.

There's a problem with pen and paper too though. My big problem with it is that, when I put something that I really like down on paper, I then have to transfer it to digital to really work with it.  That can be a pain, but it can be worth it if it means capturing something good.  And besides, you can use that time typing your work in as the first editing pass, and that's a win in my book.

The latest thing that I've been using to get my daily writing in is e-mail.  Smartphones are everywhere these days.  There's a good chance that you are reading this on one right now.  Well, when you get done reading this, you can open up an e-mail, address it to yourself, and start your story.  It's easy and it's with you wherever you go.  I have several drafts addressed to me right now.  The only problem I've found with this method so far, is that if an e-mail gets too large, it may not save right and you could loose those words.  It's happened to me twice, and it sucked, so be careful until you figure out how large an e-mail your carrier can handle.  With Gmail it's pretty large, but it can happen.  When I lost parts of my story, I was over 3
0 chapters in. Sorry, I don't have a word count on that though, so just be aware and keep an eye out for missing words.

Writing can be tough. It takes time and effort that many can't or won't ever understand. There are ways to keep going though. Even when it gets rough and hectic out there and you're short on sleep, you can keep writing.  However you write, wherever you write, keep writing.  Good luck out there, and write on!