After she had published the first few books of the Harry Potter’s saga J.K. Rowling was often spotted by attentive fans in coffee shops, writing the rest of her magical saga on her laptop. Nowadays, she’s more likely to stay at home where nobody can disturb her while she works. But now and then she still appears in the corner of cozy, Scottish tea and coffee shops, enjoying a cup of her favorite brew as she works on her MacBook Air, which, as she claims, has changed her life by enabling her to write from any location. The majority of writers have fallen in love with laptops for the very same reason than Rowling. They want to find their inspiring place and create in the middle of it. More often than not, coffee shops are a perfect place to plot a fantasy novel; they’re quiet, filled with interesting faces and, more to the point, they have a variety of drinks and snacks available! But before you head to your favorite coffee chain, you need to make sure you’ve got all the laptop essentials.
You need the right tools for the job
Every writer is different, and consequently, there is a variety of writing tools you can rely on to create your novel. While organized writers who like to approach their manuscript in a specific order are satisfied with traditional word processing applications such as Microsoft Word, others prefer to write first and organize after. Writing tools, such as Scrivener from Literature and Latte, are the perfect companion for them. Ultimately, it’s often a process of trial and error to find what works for you.
You need discipline
As you download more tools to figure out the best writing and creative platform, you are likely to end up with a list of dozens of apps you don’t use. You’ll find it easier to work without distraction if you know how to delete Mac apps, so that, once you’ve found the right tool for you, you can’t be tempted to continue experimenting any further. Additionally, it’s not uncommon to need access to the Internet to check your facts as you write. Make sure to block distractions, though. You don’t want to waste hours on social media when you should be creating your novel.
You need a storage place
Even the best of laptops can experience issues that might put your manuscript at risk. Every professional writer has a cloud storage solution that ensures that their work is protected even if the laptop crashes. Dropbox is a preferred solution; however, it’s best to check for yourself what’s best for your work style.
You need a pick-me-up community
Writing is a solitary adventure that might end up touching a lot of people, but while you’re in the creative process, you are on your own. Being alone sucks, sometimes. You have doubts. You hate your writing. You feel overwhelmed. In short, you need to find an online community that understands how hard it is to be a writer, for all the days when you don’t believe in yourself anymore.
Your laptop is your creative environment, and as such, it needs to be equipped to support you. Indeed, you need the best of tools to unleash the writer inside you.
This post was a collaborative post and may contain affiliate links
Mocha Girl Alysia
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