Here is a scenario-you have a deadline tomorrow. Let’s say you have to write a couple of articles by tomorrow end-of-the- day. And by the time you got the brief almost half of the day is over. And here comes the villain in the form of a travel plan which means you have to hop into a train by evening and spend next 24 hours in a train.
So, how do you meet your deadline without skipping the travel? Is there a magical wand that can help you churn out those articles on the go? There is no magical wand, but there is technology.
Living and Writing in the Time of Technology
There are amazing new gadgets and apps that help you write sitting anywhere anytime. We cannot imagine life without technology as we use it for personal and professional purposes. It helps us communicate, learn, research etc. Why not use technology to enhance our creativity then?
Writing is a passion for many and it also puts food on the table for most of these passionate people. So the drawback about writing jobs is that you need to sit in front of your computer or laptop to get your work done. Some people go the old fashioned way and grab a piece of paper and pen. But wouldn’t life be easier if you could just write on the go and work whenever or wherever you want? Unless you are just looking for excuses to not submit work on time or to not write at all.
If writing is your bread, you can always find a way to do it. Or in this case, find several ways to do it. You do not need to be confined to a desk to finish your job. All you need is a good gadget and network connectivity. There are several gadgets and Apps that have been introduced to make writing and editing simpler.
In fact there is a huge competition in the market and we often get confused about which phone or tab to pick. These options obviously do confuse us, but it is because of the amazing features each company has to offer us. Here are some helpful ways that could help you write on the go without having to worry.
Tablets
Carry your tablet along with you wherever you go. You should work in empty spaces. This basically means that you get a lot of free time during the day even without realizing it. Once you are done with work, the drive back home is time you can use productively for writing or completing what you wrote earlier. Time spent waiting for somebody, the time between TV commercials etc. can be used for writing. Carry your tablet along with you everywhere. It will help you note down whatever you think of if you are a forgetful person. You will be able to meet your deadlines and finish your work on time thanks to it. Nowadays tablets are more useful than laptops. Smaller, lighter and faster.
Smart phones
A smart phone is one of the best inventions in a long time. It helps you check your mail, stay connected with people on a completely different level, by sharing voice notes, pictures files etc. you can save power point presentations, word files etc. You can easily save your work, write and edit it with the help of a smart phone nowadays. Make sure you have a fast internet plan that would help you send and receive work or post that blog post without getting your hands on a laptop or computer.
Net books
Net books are baby laptops. They are portable, light weight and convenient as you could carry them around in your handbag. So it is almost like a note book that functions electronically, as the name suggests. You can store tones of files and write conveniently as it has a separate keyboard to make things easier.
Application That Simplify Life
Voice recording and Speech to text Apps: There are Apps for those who commute on a daily basis and do not find much time. So while driving you can use Apps like Evernote or Dragon Dictation. These applications can help you save your ideas instantly. Many a times we think of interesting ideas to jot down but cannot as we don’t have a pen or paper easily available to us or are doing a chore. We tend to forget what we thought of once we try to remember it. So such Apps could work for such people. You don’t have to think about the deadlines you have to meet while driving now. Voice texting would do the job for you. Do this, only if you concentrate on the road while driving and do not get carried away.
Scrivener: Scrivener is the ultimate writer’s tool. It covers everything a writer needs. Writing and editing everything at your fingertips. The best part is that you do not need to sit and wait for spell check once you are done writing. You can save all your files in one place. You can organize images and write ups in folders and use them whenever you need them.
Write or die: Sounds scary doesn’t it? Well this is an App for procrastinators, which makes sure you do not put off your work or get distracted while writing. It provides you with a grace time and if you do not type for a long time the App automatically starts deleting text that you have already written. Quiet a motivation right? So get the App to make sure you finish your work on time.
Self control: This surprisingly is an App for those who have absolutely no self control. It helps you blacklist websites such as Facebook, Twitter, Youtube etc. so that you do not end up on them while writing or working. It also white lists certain websites that you require for researching your content. This way you get your work done efficiently without wasting any time on sites that would distract you.
Noise cancelling headphones: This is a blessing for those who prefer staying in ‘the zone’ while writing. You do not have to hear your neighbor’s dog barking anymore or put up with the horrible traffic jam and honking outside. You can stay focused and concentrate on your work with these headphones. They are a little expensive, but most definitely one of the best inventions for a writer.
Backup Plans
Imagine waking up one fine day and losing all the material you collected or written for your next post. Well there is a solution for that too. Back up storage. They are available in Tablets, iPads, Smart phones, laptops and every other gadget that you use for writing. You can either back up all your work in a separate folder or use a USB flash drive or CD to save your work. This way, even if you lose the gadget, you will not lose out on work. Flash drives are easy to carry around as well as they are small in size.
Dropbox and Google Docs
Dropbox is an App that would help you save and share work real quick. Sync your work into Dropbox or Google docs and that would help you start new projects or save your work wherever you are.
There are more Apps like the stopwatch that helps you time your work and makes sure you finish writing on time and several other Apps and gadgets that make life easier for a writer. Technology has certainly made life easier for all of us. Whoever said that the internet is a distraction needs to use these gadgets and Apps to know how important it is for some of us. Do try these tips to make sure you make writing fun and time saving. So go ahead and travel all you want and have fun, without having to worry about all those pending write ups.
So now pack your bags and bored on the train/bus or flight and write on the go. Writing on the go becomes easy.
