The Portable Writer

May 22, 2009

As a writer I’ve lived through an era when my boss thought computers would never catch on to an era where the tools I need are increasingly available online. I no longer need to carry much with me to have an ultra portable writing business. Here are some of the items in my writing toolbox.

A Mini Computer

So new that it hasn’t even been delivered yet, my mini computer will give me access to everything I need to get online. I will use it mostly for research when traveling, for writing, for checking email and for keeping up with my social networks. The reason I like it is because it’s light (none of the shoulder ache that comes from carrying a regular laptop during a day’s travel) and, like most laptops, I can charge it virtually anywhere. It’s not much good for playing games, but as a work machine it works (or at least I hope it will). This will replace my dated and much heavier Dell Latitude Laptop. Built in Wi-Fi is a given, of course, but if you plan to stay in one place for a while you can also investigate solutions such as mobile broadband or fixed line cable or ADSL connections.

Google Docs

File this under ‘things I plan to use more’. I must admit that one of the few pieces of software I’ve stuck with through my writing career has been Microsoft Word. For me, it’s better than the Open Office version. However, when traveling I have used Google Docs to give me access to quick editing functionality. It works well for word processing, handling spreadsheets and preparing presentations and I can access it from anywhere. Of course, I don’t have time to upload all the documents I might ever need into it, but my next tool takes care of that.

Syncplicity

This is my favorite online backup tool. As a former beta tester, I get a bit of extra storage (I think it’s up to 5GB in all). I make sure that all my essential files are on automatic backup, which means I can access them from anywhere. I then have the choice of editing them through Zoho Docs or downloading and importing into Google Docs. Both seem to work well.

Portable Storage

The size of this can vary. While I have a large portable hard drive (about half the size of a paperback), I don’t usually take this with me. My 16GB USB pen drive is big enough for most of my needs. I keep the things I will need urgent access to — and not much else. There’s just one critical application ….

Portable Browser

I use Google Chrome, but before that it was Firefox. If you make a habit of using portable apps even on your fixed PC, then you can copy them onto a USB stick at any time and have access to favorites, passwords, cookies and so on. It’s a quick way to get up and running when you’re on the move.

Portable Electronics

Under this heading I place my digital recorder, MP3 player, headset and webcam (if you can get it built into your laptop that’s a bonus). With these I have pretty much everything I need, except for …

Phone

I don’t know how I ran my writing business before Skype. That’s currently my VOIP provider of choice, while I wait for Google Voice to approve my account. My contact list is growing and I like the fact that I can talk, text, conference and video message (depending on the robustness of the local internet connection). Together with my mobile phone, this keeps me connected to the rest of the world.

Contact Management

This is one area where I’m still undecided. Outlook is pretty good as a contact manager, but it’s hardly portable. Google Contacts has limited functionality. I no longer use a Palm, so that’s out. At the moment, I am trying Gist, which includes my Google Apps, Gmail, LinkedIn and Facebook contacts, but I’m not sure that’s a final solution. Suggestions are welcome.

Old Tech, Low Tech

Finally, two things that all this technology can’t replace — a notepad and pencil.

What tools do you use that help keep your career location independent?