I always carry a notebook and pen around with me, so that when I have an idea for an article (say) I can just jot it down there and then. I have even been known to write out bullet points for an article and even, on occasion, the article itself.
Unfortunately, while making a quick note about something is a no-brainer, writing out the framework for an article or the whole article adds a whole layer of hassle. Far from being quick and easy, the process requires me to:
- Make a note to myself somewhere that I've done it and, crucially, where I did it.
- Copy the article into a word processor.
With these points in mind, I experimented with using my phone instead. I'm not one of those people who can text at the speed of light, but that has not proved to be a barrier. The reason is that my phone, an Android model, comes with a text swiper thing built in, so I can move my finger from one letter to another rather than picking them out. The predictive text isn't too bad either, so all in all it's a pretty fast process.
I do this "writing" in an app called Notes. It's not exactly full-featured, but it came with the phone. I tried using Evernote, and that works OK too.
If I use Notes for the writing, I send myself the file by email. Then all I have to do is copy and paste the text into a word processor. If using Evernote, I simply click "Synch", and then log into Evernote when I get home, and then copy/paste the text into a word processor.
All in all, it's much better than writing in a notebook, especially as I then won't lose everything is I lose or mislay the notebook.
I read on my phone, using the Kindle app, so it was a logical step to try writing with my phone too. Worthy books tell us to create a book in only 15 minutes a day, but it's actually hard to find those 15 minutes. As someone I know said to me, 'There are lots of things you can do in just 15 minutes a day, but there are only so many 15 minuteses in each day.', Wise words indeed.
However, the great thing about writing on the phone is that it's pretty easy to fit the writing in while you're on a bus or train or in a cafe, without having to lug a tablet or a laptop around with you.