Tools of the Trade...

Thanks for the congrats everyone! We've blogged about how we work, what we write, where we look for inspiration and research, but what about what we work with? You know that electronic extension of our creative minds, the computer.

I started out writing pretty much the same way everyone else does, in school with a notebook and pencil. I have twenty year old notebooks with complete stories in them somewhere. Now days it just isn't practical to pen the old fashioned way. You've got options. Typewriter or computer? More and more agents and publishers are going electronic leaving typewriters in the dust. That leaves a computer for all your writing endeavors. Easy choice right? Wrong. I don't think I want to find out, but I'm sure some tech guy knows exactly how many different computers there are out there. So what do you choose when you decide to invest?

My writing space is a relative omelet of chaos. Like Nichole I can find what I need when I need it without searching, no matter how cluttered things are. My computers are the same way. I have three personal ones (laptops), a Dell, an Acer and a Ascentia something or other. Why three? (My husband asked me that when I started drooling for the little Acer. I'm a gadget hog.) See, "Jax"(I tend to name everything.) the Ascentia was the very first computer I had. (He bought it for me back when he was a welder and I know the kind of sacrifice it cost him to buy it.) It uses the square floppy disks and is so antiquated it should probably be in a computer museum somewhere. (My ten year old types reports and paints pics on it.)

When I started writing seriously my mother gave me "Max" the Dell for Christmas. I still do a lot of my rough drafts on it because of the screen size. I can't really save anything in it. (It's been acting crazy since I totalled my car and it went ping-ponging against the car seat.) To replace "Max", the hubby bought an Acer Mini for Christmas. (Which the kids and i have affectionately named "Dinky") I keep everything on a flash drive and memory card so I can float between the three of them.

I tend to do my writing in little snippets of time, before dinner and at the park while the kids play, etc. Sometimes it isn't practical to take any of my laptops with me. (Sand) For that I have "Twinkie" a BlackjackII (did I mention I love gadgets, lol). I love that I can edit documents or sketch in details to vamp up later on my cell phone. Point is a good computer is like a sword that must become an extension of self. After all, you plan on saving a good chunk of your brain in there! So what tools do you use? Now that I've bored all of you silly. I'll let you get back to your regularly scheduled Paranormal posts.

Beth