Tools of the Trade

I like to use an Alphasmart 3000 for writing. Its just like a laptop but without all the distractions! It has a tiny little screen that shows four lines of text, and all you can do on it is write!

What more do you need?

Its a full sized keyboard, and takes up to 100 pages of writing. To transfer your masaterpiece to a PC just plug it in and press 'send'! Its as easy as that. You can watch all your words race across the screen as though a ghost is producing it.
By the way, this light weight little machine runs on 3 AA batteries for up to 700 hours!

I could definitely sell these things! I just cant stop raving about them.

Unfortunately, they're not being made any more.

BUT - there are some upgraded versions. There is the Alphasmart NEO, which is pretty similar but has 6 lines of text on the screen and a few other features. And then there is the Alphasmart Dana (and Dana Wireless), which encorporate the PDA software and have a load of other features (ie more distractions!!!!).

Check out ebay for an Alphasmart 3000. Thats where I got mine, for under £100. Definitely worth it!

For good old fashioned note-taking, I use my 'Book of Secrets' notebook. My Mum bought it for me for Christmas the year before I left Australia to live in the UK. I carry it with me everywhere! Its great for jotting down notes, ideas, quotes, names, character ideas etc. I recommend to any writer to always have a pen and notebook handy (also keep one by your bed to scribble down your dreams - they're a great source of writing ideas!)

Just the other day when I was driving home from work I had to pull over in a pub carpark and jot down this awesome idea I had for a book. I haven't got a name for this book yet, but I will probably start on it in December after NaNoWriMo.

The idea came from a photograph that I took in June on my way back from my honeymoon.

Cant you just see castles and towers containing creatures of the ether in this picture??