One of my goals for 2024 is to improve my online visibility. One part of that will be to be more active in my blog – I am aiming for one post a week at a minimum – and another is to share my blog posts on Facebook. So if you are seeing this there, welcome to my little corner of the internet. Feel free to hop over to my website and peruse the older posts.
In my November 2023 Writing Update, I mentioned how I did not achieve my final goal of writing 50,000 words and completing the NaNoWriMo challenge. It was not for a lack of trying, just a lack of free time to sit and focus. I spent some time before I went away to find a more portable system so I would not have to lug a laptop around but would still be able to write at a good pace. In the picture at the top, you get a look at what I now call my portable writing kit.
Obviously, it begins with a traditional pen and paper approach. I am not overly particular when it comes to notebooks, but I do like ones that are sturdy. The one I just filled up was not that; the back cardboard ripped before I was halfway through it, and I had to use clips to keep it in place so it would be there to lean on. The one I have here is a little thinner but better quality. I also keep some sticky notes with me as well, just for side notes or different ideas.
I am picky when it comes to pens. You can see my favorites right there. I carry three colors with me – black for writing, blue for notes that come to me after the fact, and red in case I have something printed that needs editing. I typically carry a draft of something other than my active projects so if I need to change pace or if I get a little blocked, I still have work that I can do.
I needed to come up with a lightweight solution to a laptop. I was doing some flying and moving around a lot in November, and though my laptop isn’t very heavy it still feels bulky and awkward to work with in a confined space like a plane seat. I did a little research and came up with this solution: I bought a Bluetooth keyboard and a folding stand for my phone. This allowed me to utilize my cloud drive and my phone to write much in the same way I would on my computer, with the added benefit of being smaller so even if I did not have a lot of space I could still type at a good pace.
My headphones are there too – I find it easier to write when I minimize distractions, so some music helps. I don’t use earbuds because I will lose them quickly. Mine consist of a band that goes around my neck & 2 attached earbuds. Later this month, and likely in future posts as well, I will discuss some of the music I listen to when I am writing (and what I listen to when I’m not writing).
Now as I said, I did not reach my goal for November. But I did much better than I would have if I had not had this portable setup. It really has served me very well, to the point that I carry it everywhere so I can do a little writing whenever I get an idea. It has a few small drawbacks – the keyboard is flat, so I need something to prop it up a little to get a better typing angle, for example – but this portable & lightweight writing kit has become indispensable to me. It’s so easy to carry, I often carry it with my laptop just in case I run into technical difficulties (which has happened in the past). If you are a writer or anyone who needs something that is more portable and convenient than a laptop, I highly recommend you try something like this. I am not in the business of promoting products, but if you need pointers feel free to post a comment.