writer

It’s pretty typical that people who love to write often love to read; and people who love to read can serve up some scrabble "woopass".   The Scrabble Premier Collector’s Edition from Restoration Hardware is so gorgeous your writer friend will likely dig out her old Scrabble set for routine play and reserve this collector’s edition for the well-heeled crowd. This is one of those thoughtful gifts that will never be forgotten.

Price:  $169

I wrote at length about the advantages of netbooks for writers several months after these gadgets first stormed the scene. With the current state of the economy, the Founders’ Blog is getting more and more inquiries about the capabilities of these new computers. In response, I’ve taken the time to graphically depict what a productive office setup might look like as it relates to gadgets/technology and the netbook.

Let’s quickly eliminate a few skepticisms about netbooks. While a netbook is not as powerful as a laptop, it is adequate for a writer’s needs. Can a netbook run MS Word? Yes. What about Final Draft? Yes. Movie Magic? Of course. Writers have it easy - we deal with text, the whole text and nothin’ but the text. And netbooks are perfectly capable of running text-driven applications. I do caution a few things: before buying, make certain you purchase a netbook with at least 1GB of ram if it’s running Windows XP and at least 2GB of ram if it’s running Vista. Keep pictures and music to a minimum unless you are using the netbook to transport the files to the web. [click to continue...]

Remember the in-school class trip to the library where you sat criss-cross and patiently listened while the librarian explained how to locate books using the Dewey Decimal System?  The Personal Library Kit is one of those great gift ideas for the writer friend with the plethora of great books constantly out on loan.  It’s old school fun and a thoughtful surprise for only $16.99 at Restoration Hardware.

For whatever reason we can rove the landscape of mars with robots and walk the face of the moon, but we can’t figure out how to get 24-hours of juice out of laptop batteries.  Nonetheless, this article offers a few solutions to extending your mobile writing time with extended or external battery options. 

Extended vs External

Extended batteries are OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) add-ons that offer additional juice either by swapping out a battery and replacing it or attaching an additional battery.  Many laptops on the market have the ability to remove the optical drive and replace it with an additional modular bay battery, thereby adding 3 - 5 hours to the main battery life.  When purchasing a “mobile” laptop be cognizant of optical drives described as "Modular DVD/CD, DVD-ROM, etc".  Modular means it’s removable and not screwed into place. Since you probably rarely use the DVD/CD on the go, this isn’t a bad option if your laptop is equipped to do so.  Some laptops allow for the main battery to be easily replaced with a larger, more powerful extended battery.  For example if your main battery is only 6-cells, you can upgrade to a 9-cell battery and gain several additional hours of computing time. 

External batteries are more flexible than their extended brethren. These gadgets not only power your laptop but additional devices like your cell phone and iPod.  These non-OEM devices are usually more powerful, offering as much as 10 hours or more of juice.  Some external batteries like the Electrovaya PowerPad 130 recharge the main battery while powering the entire laptop.  Before choosing you want to be certain that the voltage output (if not adjustable) matches the voltage input of your device.  Extended batteries usually come with multiple adapters so it is a “one-size-fits-all”.  The caveat emptor here is size and weight.  Remember, as a mobile writer, the lighter your gear the better. 

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Does your next premise include monsters?

Fiction writers and horror screenwriters alike will get a kick out of Monstrous.com - the largest site about monsters.  On the web now for 10 years, Monstrous offers a huge repository of monster information from classical, to legendary, to modern creatures.   Just about every category is covered: aliens, demons, dragons, vampires, ghosts, witches, zombies, etc. This online community has forums, galleries and videos to get even the most banal writer juiced with ideas.

The Evolution of the Library

The internet is evolving the human race with its point-and-click access to an abysmal myriad of information.  Monstrous.com is yet another example of what I love about technology and writing. 

Jump back to the 70’s and 80’s era where topics of interests were often discovered by schlepping a boatload of books home from the library after spending the entire afternoon scouring bookshelves and scanning microfiche. THE FLIPPING COPY MACHINE IS OUT OF ORDER! 

Back to my center of peace…  It’s places like Monstrous.com where you point-and-click and suddenly your neighborhood library is transformed into a museum dedicated to your favorite topic, which in this case is guts-and-gore.  Even better, everyone inside is just as obsessed as you.  To get there you don’t have to go anywhere, ignore the QUIET sign, food is welcome, shirt and shoes are optional, and you don’t have to check out anything.

This beautiful sterling silver ring incorporates writing and love – taking jewelry to a new level.  Imagine leaving secret love notes for your sweetheart to carry with them throughout the day.  Just slide your note (written on mylar paper that can be cut but not torn) inside the ring and your thoughts will be close to your loved one all day.

At $300 it is a bit more expensive than the traditional “note on a napkin” that you may leave in your sweetheart’s lunchbox.  But, unforgettably cute and unique none-the-less.

The Love Inside No.5 - Made to order in your size by artist Colleen Baran at Etsy.