As you are well aware, I am the Queen of Procrastinators.Why else would it be almost a year since I was last here? I'm so angry about my procrastination that I’ll even find anything to do
rather than tackle it head on, And when it comes to writing, I am even
able to procrastinate on the page I’m supposed to be filling up: I play around
with spacing, I edit to the point of silliness, I restructure and reorganise
for hours and though my word count does creep upwards, the novel makes no real
progress towards completion...
So, I’ve made a purchase.
I’ve gone back in time by fifteen years or so and found a piece of
writing kit which I’m hoping is going to stop me from being the timewaster and
start me adding actual plot, not just words, to my story. I’m using it now to type this – putting it
through its paces, if you like – before
launching into a full scale writing task.
It’s a little machine called an Alphasmart Neo. It’s a basic – very basic
– word processor, designed for use in schools, the sort of technology which was
useful and productive, but which found itself superseded by laptops and
tablets. There’s a thriving market for
reconditioned ones amongst writers, who generally view it as a kind of ‘first
draft’ machine, and after a week or two of hunting, I was able to track down a
reasonably priced one on ebay. It has probably had quite an interesting journey
here, having set off from the USA on November 4th.
Now I'm a happy laptop owner for the most part, but I have toyed with tablet purchase on several occasions. I’ve
been almost seduced by the ‘take it anywhere do anything with it’ idea. However, I
suspect that the practicalities of writing on a tablet would be rather
unpleasant for any length of time, and I know I’d need a ‘proper’ keyboard. I’m
basically one of those people who really likes the clackity-clack, that feeling
of having actually pressed down a key and the tactile satisfaction of the writing experience.
But I’m also rather pushed for time. I could write on paper – I frequently have
done – or I could use an actual typewriter but the basic problem with both of
those methods is that I then need to find the time to transfer the information
to my laptop, effectively re-writing, and that’s precisely what I’m trying to
avoid. Allegedly, the Neo is a perfect halfway
point. I’m supposed to be able to send
whatever I’ve written to my laptop, simply by connecting a USB cable and
pressing SEND. I’m about to try that out
in a minute. So far, I’m finding the experience very refreshing. And the
whole thing, p&p included, has cost me less than £40 ( It’s American and so
there isn’t a pound sterling sign so I added that later!)Which, considering
they cost over $300 new in 2004 has to be a bit of a bargain. Right: here goes... connecting USB... If you are reading this, then it has worked!
(It did. I’m a
convert! Now to write something more imaginative...)
