One of the awesome benefits of full-time freelancing online is the opportunity to meet and interact with so many wonderful people around the globe. I receive so much great information and inspiration from one of my wonderful and talented writer friends from “across the pond”…enjoy her post, follow her on Twitter, and check her websites with the links below.
Sharon Hurley Hall
When I started as a writer, all I needed was a notepad and pen. Over the years I’ve collected significantly more gear. Some things have stayed the same, like how I approach the writing task. How I execute it has changed a lot. Here’s a peek inside my writer’s toolbox over the years.
My First Day as a Writer
On my first day as a working journalist, more years ago than I care to remember, my editor walked me to the stationery supply cupboard and issued me with a couple of notebooks and pens. That was pretty much all I needed to start writing.
After working there for a month or so and with my first big interview coming up, I splashed out on a tape recorder. Now, we’re talking about the old days so it wasn’t as small as even a Walkman (anyone remember those/). It was big, it was heavy and it drank battery juice. I always had to make sure I had four spare batteries before starting an interview. That was what my writing toolbox looked like for the next couple of years.
Small Technological Improvement
It stayed pretty much the same for quite a while, with the recorder getting smaller and then becoming digital. It was nice to have a recording tool that could fit in the palm of my hand. Even though my recorder was digital, all it did was improve the sound, but there was still no easy way to do anything useful with the recording. I also had a computer, but owning a laptop was still something that only high powered business people did.
A Big Change
But by the time I went freelance in 2005, the writing world had changed for good and the technology I used had changed along with it. By that time I had a laptop which I had been using to prepare and show presentations to my journalism students. I also had a slightly better digital recorder. And within a couple of years when I was once again working as a journalist I found that I took with me was slightly different.
My Writing Toolbox
Now, although I carry a notebook and pen (preparing for technology failure is a lifelong work habit), I hardly ever use them. Instead, I type my notes directly into a new document on a laptop that isn’t much bigger (and is certainly a lot lighter) than the old fashioned tape recorder I used when I first started. Typing the notes gives me a head start on completing the finished article, which is a bonus.
Of course, being paranoid, I still record all my interviews, but instead of using a purpose built recorder, I use my smartphone (which has much more memory than my first three computers put together!). My recordings are saved as MP3, making it easy to share them online if need be.
Dealing With Carpal Tunnel and RSI
There is one other tool that has become an essential part of my writing life. That is Dragon NaturallySpeaking — speech recognition software that saves me from carpal tunnel syndrome or RSI and massively improves productivity. When I first worked as a writer, no-one was using computers and no-one talked about carpal tunnel. These days, it’s a reality for many. Dragon allows me to remain productive even if my wrists are aching. And now that there’s a smartphone version for dictation on the move, I’ll be adding that to my arsenal in the near future.
A Love of Writing
During my writing career, I’ve seen a big change in technology, but there’s one thing that remains a constant. Although I have replaced putting pen to paper with putting fingers to keyboard, I still love to write – and that’s one thing I don’t expect to change.
Bio:
I’m Sharon and I was born to write and blog. I’m a word nerd, a Scrabble fiend, fanatical about grammar, and am fascinated by learning new things. I’ve been mentoring other writers at Get Paid to Write Online since 2005 to help them improve and build sustainable and successful writing careers. I also blog professionally; check me out on sharonhh.com.
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