zwei_hexen | Write every day! October 2019

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Let us know if we missed you or if you didn't check in for a while, so we can add you. Of course joining the fun is possible at any point.

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ysilme here: Finished my Christmas story and am just about to send it in! Adding to that nearly 500 new words on a drawer fic edit, finishing a small parat of the house painting job, and a really good performance of my choir tonight in a special service makes me feel quite accomplished today. *g*

sylvanwitch here: First, let me apologize for not commenting this morning on all your fantastic progress on Day 13. We were on the road for the day, returning home from my BF's place, and we overslept this morning, so we had only time enough to race around getting ready to leave before check-out. Before we packed the laptop, though, I did squeeze in 95 words on the story I am absolutely in no way even considering writing, so there's that, anyway. I'll be back in commenting form tomorrow! *wishes you all the words*

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Yay for writing even with adverse circumstances!

TBH, though, this keyboard is the worst bluetooth keyboard I've ever had, I can't recommend it in the least. I have tried at least five by now, and all others are between fine and great, but this has been just a waste of money. The device slot only works with the plain device, but no longer if you've got a sleeve, bumper case or whatever on it, and I find typing on it really straining for the fingers, apart from having a shape and space that needed a lot more getting used to than any of the other bluetooth keyboards I'm using. It also bothers me that it's so bulky and heavy, and can't be charged by USB, but needs separate batteries.
I have phases where I write a lot on my mobile devices, mostly my phone, with the help of a bluetooth keyboard, sometimes typing over an hour in a row several times a day. I also write very fast and touch-type, so I really need to find the keys without having to look. I've found it much easier to get accustomed to a slightly smaller keyboard but with smooth surfaces giving the same feeling like my regular keyboards, than something with a wider space but such odd buttons as the logitech.
My best bluetooth one is a very simple one no longer on the market, I think, which also only cost me 7€, although by now I mostly use a foldable one which needed more getting-used to than usualb because the top row of keys is lower than the other keys, but I got that after two days of using it, and now find it extremely comfortable. I've used all of them with a kindle fire, a windows tablet, a Samsung tablet (Galaxy A), a Samsung phone (Galaxy S5), and now my Fairphone 2.
But of course, it always also depend what one is used to and prefers for keyboards. I choose my notebooks after the keyboards they have, and have always had Logitech for my desktop, which I usually really love (except that one here *g* ). My advice would be to try out bluetooth keyboards beforehand, but with how well they fit your hands, and your writing style, no matter if you manage to use them correctly right away or not - this usually always takes some getting used to.

But speaking about writing on mobile devices: perhaps I've got something for you to try out, software-wise. I can highly recommend the writing app JotterPad. The basic version is free, and it's really easy to write plain text in it, and lots of it. I've got the paid version so I can change fonts (which is really important to me, I can't write properly with certain fonts, and particularly sans-serif fonts) and for some other reason I forgot, but I had the basic version for the longest time and was very happy with it. I've set up mine to auto-sync with my google docs, so I don't have to remember to share my files back to myself, but it's really easy to get the content to a different defice with the sharing options. You can even choose the format to share - text, rtf, html, docx (in beta) and as a file, although I don't know if the otpions beyond txt are part of the paid version. I always only use txt anyway since I'm manually syncincg the files wiht my Scrivener. To keep what little markup I need, I've started to use markup tags anyway in most of my writing, as I find it easier to use when posting stories later to different platforms. Using this has increased my ability to write fic on a phone in spades.

When I said I was a "paranoid dinosaur"... I learned to touchtype on an electric typewriter, and my dad owned a few manual typewriters when I was a kid. So the level of resistance on the keys is just fine for me! I also like that it's sturdy and I can just prop it on my knees - I first picked it up in order to write recaps of hockey games while sitting in the stands at the rink.

When I picked this up I didn't have a lot of time and it was one of the few available at the store that wasn't exclusively Apple or Windows or was built into an expensive case. (Also, options in Canada can be limited if you're not willing to pay for shipping across the border from the States)

That said, it's no substitute for the laptop. And thank you so much for the rec for JotterPad, I used it while writing up my part of the hockey article this week and it looks very helpful!

Write every day! October 2019 - Day 14

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