Writing is hard

Rewriting from memory is harder. It’s like math for Barbie hard.

The 2200 or so words I’ve managed to get down in the past week or so have been so much more stubborn in getting to the page compared to their equivalent back in November (which took maybe a night and a half). However, I’ve managed to get going, and I figured I’d take this moment and mention a couple things that have made the process easier.

First, I want to mention One Page Per Day, a website that’s still relatively new, and a bit sparse in terms of features, but what a great idea! Essentially, it’s an online typewriter that links up with either a Google or Twitter account. It sets a modest goal of (wait for it) one page — 400-500 words — per day of writing, though you can write more if you feel so inclined. You can have the system automatically send you “gentle reminders” every day to keep you on task. As I said, it’s new, and it is a bit rough around the edges. However, the people running it are really good for replying to emails, and I actually had one of my longest email conversations in years with one of them, offering suggestions and feedback.

Second, I want to mention Evernote. I get ideas for neat stuff, whether book-related or not, without my brain giving me much respect for where I am. Luckily, using an app on my iPod or a quick Twitter direct message, I can make sure that it’s saved for later. If you’ve ever used OneNote, it’s basically the same sort of thing, but online.

I’d also like to give a quick mention to SimpleText.ws, an online service that I don’t currently use, but would like to at some point in the future. Essentially an online text editor, I’m a big fan of the fact that it syncs with WriteRoom and, importantly, with Scrivener, which is simply a joy to use.

Notably, these are all online apps, which is helpful if I’m going between different machines to try and get my daily writing in (either on my desktop, my laptop, or on a computer at work during a lull). Being able to use the internet in this way makes me so glad that I’m living in the future.

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