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evan
Formerly CoachKrzyzewski
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Charlottesville, VA
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2009-11-04, 18:53

The revisions thread sorta got me thinking.... what does everyone here use to write? Computer, typewriter, pen? If computer, what software(and I guess computer too ) ? If typewriter, what kind? - old school mechanical or a snazzy electric? If pen, what kind of pen, what kind of paper? And why?? What gives you the best chance to write the world's next masterpiece?

Also, where do you go to do your best writing? Is it your school's library, a cozy chair, your clean and organized desk?

Basically I'm just curious HOW people here do their writing, in a very literal sense.


As for me, I've got two: Mainly I'm a microsoft word kinda guy, and as long as I've got my macbook pro the location doesn't really matter - bed, desk, sofa, library, porch (on a nice evening). This summer I started writing in a moleskin notebook but it didn't really take. I guess I'm just not a journal type of person.

so what about ya'll?


edit: I guess the title should be "With what do you write?" or "How do you write?" Yikes, quite the grammatical faux pas.
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Wrao
Yarp
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Road Warrior
 
2009-11-04, 19:15

TextEdit. The only difficulty is dealing with revisions, it can quickly become difficult keeping track of numerous edits and versions.
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psmith2.0
Mr. Vieira
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
 
2009-11-04, 19:26

My iMac, using TextEdit (I love this app...so clean and easy), at my desk.

I use it for everything...ideas, lists, plans, "what ifs?", any correspondence, etc.

If I need a bit more functionality/flexibility, I launch Pages.

I don't have Office on my iMac because I know the only thing I'd ever use is Word. And, even then, I don't like it as well as the two things above.
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Hassan i Sabbah
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: london and københavn
 
2009-11-04, 19:26

MacBook, held together with tape.

I've abandoned Pages and returned to Word. About a year ago. I actually prefer the interface, with caveats (turn absolutely all the automatic crap off, hide all the toolbars, use the formatting palette, scoff at the stupid, useless and permanent waste of screen space that is the Elements bar).

It's stable. Renders text nicely, apart from on the upper and lower margins in page view, yes. Bloated like a pregnant whale, yes. And saving and opening files is pointlessly complicated and impossible to simplify in some circumstances. But...

Why have I gone back to Word? Can't remember. Pages annoyed me.

I don't have a desk here. I'm in Copenhagen permanently now, although militating for a move to Berlin where we can afford a flat where I can have a room with a table.

I'm writing in bed, in a cafe around the corner (never been able to do that before I moved to Copenhagen, but the cafe is full of people tapping away) and in the library, which is a beautiful building, for serious and grown up work which will change the world for the betterer and will win me literary awards and so on and shit. (Edit: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA)

I'm finishing my second book, and battling my editor, and writing scripts for computer games for money. I will not tell you which.

gibberish

Last edited by Hassan i Sabbah : 2009-11-04 at 19:31. Reason: HAHAHAHAHAHA
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Xaqtly
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2009-11-04, 20:08

TextEdit, on whatever computer I happen to be on, and an 8GB La Cie Iamakey flash drive.
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Partial
Stallion
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Milwaukee
 
2009-11-04, 20:42

Mechanical pencil.
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709
¡Damned!
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Purgatory
 
2009-11-04, 20:47

UniBall Vision. Fine Point.

If it's not written hastily on a nice, thick paper that soaks up ink, it doesn't exist.

If I can actually read said scribbles the next day...a huge plus.

So it goes.
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Maciej
M AH - ch ain saw
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2009-11-04, 20:49

Blood.
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tomoe
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
 
2009-11-04, 21:17

Analog: Pilot Hi-Tec-C, 0.4mm, blue ink, and either an extra large Moleskine Cahier or a Miquelrius journal. Both quadrille.

Digital: TextEdit (for lists, etc.), Word (manuscripts). OpenOffice (Linux).

Seen a man standin' over a dead dog lyin' by the highway in a ditch
He's lookin' down kinda puzzled pokin' that dog with a stick
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Kickaha
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2009-11-04, 22:05

Digital: Scrivener/TeXshop for writing, TextMate for coding.

Analog: 0.5mm Pentel mechanical pencil/5/1" green engineering paper, Pilot G-2/random paper, Pilot Vanishing Point Namiki fine nib fountain pen/Moleskine 3.5"x5.5" pocket journal.

Or, y'know, crayons on walls.
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faramirtook
A for effort.
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: New Jersey
 
2009-11-04, 22:12

Well, I don't really creatively write, but I do write a lot of essays, so I could go into that process.

I always start with making my works cited entries in Pages, and then I go to paper (usually a legal pad, the yellow is easier on the eyes and that the paper rips out easily helps for spatially organizing my thoughts), gathering my evidence and writing down possible theses, and then I formally write my thesis and make an outline that has some decent amount of flesh on its bones. I then like to write out a good chunk of my paper on paper, and then I start to type. If I'm on a roll, I'll finish the paper in pages, fiddle with it a little, and be done. If it's a tougher paper, I'll puzzle it out, paragraph by paragraph on paper and then type it up.

That's usually it. It's not a really strict formula, but I really like writing out at the very least my evidence (direct quotations usually, but occasionally thoughts as well), my thesis, and my outline on paper. It helps me think.

Ale, man, ale's the stuff to drink
For fellows whom it hurts to think
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ezkcdude
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
 
2009-11-04, 23:01

I write a lot on whiteboards these days. More than I would like.
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sunrain
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Portlandia
 
2009-11-04, 23:51

Compy: Scrivener/TeXshop and Finale (for engraving scores)

Non-compy (which is mostly music): Koh-I-Noor Rapidomatic Mechanical Pencil in 0.9 and 0.5 mm, PaperMate Tuff Stuff Eraser Stick and Carta No. 27 (12"x18") Manuscript Paper

"What a computer is to me is it's the most remarkable tool that we've ever come up with, and it's the equivalent of a bicycle for our minds."
- Steve Jobs
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Partial
Stallion
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Milwaukee
 
2009-11-05, 01:26

You text edit users should try Smultron.app. It's a nice, free text editor.
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SpecMode
Wait what
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: El Dorado County, California
 
2009-11-05, 03:34

Computer: Scrivener, or TextEdit for quick notes.

Non-computer: Zebra F-301 Ultra ballpoint pen. They're cheap, they write well (enough), and they fit nicely in my uniform shirt pockets.
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Hassan i Sabbah
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: london and københavn
 
2009-11-05, 03:40

Oh... analogue. Good point.

I like fine nib Pilot pens in black in. I'm not too fussy which ones. I buy Moleskine journals and I don't use them.

gibberish
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Maciej
M AH - ch ain saw
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2009-11-05, 03:43

I use a Parker pen and mechanical pencil. I like the feel of the steel.
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turtle
Lord of the Rant.
Formerly turtle2472
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Upstate South Carolina
 
2009-11-05, 07:13

Pilot G2 Mini Black Fine for normal writing (or whatever pen near me that actually writes. )

TextEdit or Word/Pages depending on which system I'm on at the time.

Louis L'Amour, “To make democracy work, we must be a nation of participants, not simply observers. One who does not vote has no right to complain.”
Visit our archived Minecraft world! | Maybe someday I'll proof read, until then deal with it.
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Xaqtly
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2009-11-05, 17:14

I don't write anything in analog. For one thing my handwriting is almost unrecognizable as English, and for another it's much slower. If I write something, it's on a keyboard.

TextEdit has been working for me, I've written a number of longer stories using it. I've been thinking of trying something like Scrivener for my next larger scale story though, just to see which features I'd find useful.
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Robo
Formerly Roboman, still
awesome
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Portland, OR
 
2009-11-05, 17:55

Quote:
Originally Posted by 709 View Post
UniBall Vision. Fine Point.
YES.

Good to see that I'm not the only one here with taste. . Uni-ball is where it's at. I dig the Vision Exact but I also use 207s because they come in more colors and I need the...click.

That said, what is UP with the rest of you?
Paper-Mate? Are you shitting me?

and i guess i've known it all along / the truth is, you have to be soft to be strong
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Luca
ಠ_ರೃ
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Minnesota
 
2009-11-05, 17:59

Nothing.

I don't write for pleasure, nor do I write anything by hand other than little reminders. The vast majority of my personal writing is on message boards, and at work, the only writing I do is e-mails. Otherwise I'm using Word all day, but for editing and proofreading rather than writing on my own.
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psmith2.0
Mr. Vieira
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
 
2009-11-05, 19:13

If I'm doing it old-school (pen on paper), I use whatever's around. I don't get that precious about my pen preferences and choices, freaks.



I do like those gel roller thingies. They write very smooth and easy, with little "press down" effort. And for someone who does 3-4 crosswords, a Jumble, Crypto-Quote and two Find-a-Words a day, that's a nice feature! I usually just buy a pack of whatever's cheap, that has that type of design...Bic, Paper-Mate, Uni-Ball, Pilot, etc. Whoever.

I did have a boatload of contoured, translucent orange and white Bic gel rollers years ago, and I've been trying like crazy to find replacement fillers for them!

Total "jellybean iMac" pen, those were! People were buying them for me because they knew how much I loved that look (and color). In about a 2-3 week period, various friends and family members bought me about 6-8 of the two-pack pens. So I've got about 16 drained ones sitting around...

The day I find workable refills for them, I'm throwing this iMac out the window.

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Capella
Dark Cat of the Sith
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Rochester, NY
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2009-11-05, 20:45

By hand, Uni-Ball Visions, preferably the 0.5mm ones; I'll take 0.7 if I have to, but 0.5 is my fav

On Windows or Linux, OpenOffice; in OS X, TextEdit for quick documents and Scrivener for fiction.

"A blind, deaf, comatose, lobotomy patient could feel my anger!" - Darth Baras
twitter ; amateur photographer ; fanfiction writer ; roleplayer and worldbuilder
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Robo
Formerly Roboman, still
awesome
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Portland, OR
 
2009-11-05, 21:06

Quote:
Originally Posted by Capella View Post
By hand, Uni-Ball Visions, preferably the 0.5mm ones; I'll take 0.7 if I have to, but 0.5 is my fav

On Windows or Linux, OpenOffice; in OS X, TextEdit for quick documents and Scrivener for fiction.
OMG, we are like total twins! Except I don't have Scrivener yet, but I'm thinking about buying it. It's on sale for NaNoWriMo...
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Capella
Dark Cat of the Sith
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Rochester, NY
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2009-11-05, 21:33

Quote:
Originally Posted by Roboman View Post
OMG, we are like total twins! Except I don't have Scrivener yet, but I'm thinking about buying it. It's on sale for NaNoWriMo...
I know, right? I am not doing NaNo this year due to having 3 papers, but I have a friend who if he wins NaNo says he'll give me his 50% off code for winning, since he has a PC and can't use it anyway. And 50% off would be amazing and there's REALLY no excuse not to get it then.

"A blind, deaf, comatose, lobotomy patient could feel my anger!" - Darth Baras
twitter ; amateur photographer ; fanfiction writer ; roleplayer and worldbuilder
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Dutch Pear
Member
 
Join Date: May 2005
 
2009-11-06, 10:04

My tools (in order of amount of text entered):

ToDo's: Things (iPhone & macbook). Would be lost without it.
Note-taking/lab-journal: Evernote (iPhone & macbook). Perfect cloud-synching.
Article/thesis writing: Pages. Full-screen mode FTW!
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Robo
Formerly Roboman, still
awesome
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Portland, OR
 
2009-11-11, 00:05

Quote:
Originally Posted by Roboman View Post
Good to see that I'm not the only one here with taste. . Uni-ball is where it's at. I dig the Vision Exact but I also use 207s because they come in more colors and I need the...click.
OMG.

OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG.

You guys would not believe what I saw at Target (of course) the other day. It was a pack of Uni-ball Signo 207s...with a micro 0.5mm tip. They combined the best parts of the Vision Exact with the 207s! Oh, and the text on the barrel? Gold. I am in love.

and i guess i've known it all along / the truth is, you have to be soft to be strong
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Kickaha
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2009-11-11, 01:19

You're so easy.
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Freewell
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
 
2009-11-11, 01:29

Try not to get too up-close and personal with your new-found flame there, Roboman!




As far as what I write with...

MacBook, with whatever software hubby puts on it!

iPhone (for notes and capturing quick ideas)

Pen (one that is smooth and dependable...brand is irrelevent!) and paper


In that order.
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Brad
Selfish Heathen
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Zone of Pain
 
2009-11-11, 01:30

NSFW? NSFRm?

Spoiler (click to toggle):


Pen porn?


Spoiler (click to toggle):
Sean Connery: I've got to ask you about the Penis Mightier.

Alex Trebek: What? No. No, no, that is The Pen is Mightier.

Sean Connery: Gussy it up however you want, Trebek. What matters is does it work? Will it really mighty my penis, man?

Alex Trebek: It's not a product, Mr. Connery.

Sean Connery: Because I've ordered devices like that before - wasted a pretty penny, I don't mind telling you. And if The Penis Mightier works, I'll order a dozen.

Alex Trebek: It's not a Penis Mightier, Mr. Connery. There's no such thing!

Nicholas Cage: Wait, wait, wait.. are you selling Penis Mightiers?

Alex Trebek: No! No, I'm not.

Sean Connery: Well, you're sitting on a gold mine, Trebek!

The quality of this board depends on the quality of the posts. The only way to guarantee thoughtful, informative discussion is to write thoughtful, informative posts. AppleNova is not a real-time chat forum. You have time to compose messages and edit them before and after posting.
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