Do you write on your phone?

**kongming** · October 10th, 2012, 04:57 AM

I got a Samsung Galaxy Note in March and I love it. This is the only time I've said this about a phone (ummm phablet).

Anyone else feel this way?

I've written approximately 40 pages of a new novel on here and previously another 40 pages and a previous novel at 150 pages were written on a netbook and my current experience with the phone is way better.

Granted there are some drawbacks. For instance I'll have to edit on a desktop but that was true of the netbook too. Also this very website isn't very phone friendly. Posting here might result in poor grammar because I can't scroll left or right when "inside" this "box"

Anyway, I'd love to hear about other experiences in regards to writing on alternative devices.

I'll also recommend the apps I currently use for writing and would like to hear about others:

Polaris office (with my stylus and handwriting recognition)
Mindjet (For planning out my series)
Pocket (because I do tonnes of research and wikipedia has a max number of saved pages while pocket does not)

**Igor** · October 10th, 2012, 01:23 PM

That, my friend, is blasphemy.

I meant the phone part, not a keyboard-enabled device like a netbook, so apologies for the jibe.
Igor

**RedMage** · October 10th, 2012, 02:40 PM

I'm curious to know what you disliked about your netbook that made you do your editing on your desktop. I use a netbook for all my writing. True, with only 1G of memory it has only 1/4 the power of most larger laptops and desktops. However, it has the same sized harddrive so I'm not pulling stuff off and putting other stuff on when I switch between projects. Frankly, I love my netbook! It's small size makes for easy transport and storage in my tiny locker at work. A full laptop might fit, but barely. With my netbook I have lots of room leftover and I'm not worried about putting something heavy on top of its screen.

I did find it difficult for the first few months as I had trouble with playing music or watching youtube videos. But eventually I learned that those things are not what the netbook was built for. If a person tries to do that and then doesn't like it, well, then they are using the wrong product. However, that still doesn't answer my question regarding your need to edit on another device. What software do you use? I use MS Word 2007. Does everything I need it to.

**Solaar** · October 10th, 2012, 04:11 PM

I have Evernote on my iPhone which is a great piece of note-keeping/word-processing kit. I think it was very cheap as well...

Solaar
and the elephant app

**Cononomous** · October 10th, 2012, 06:30 PM

Now that's incredible. I don't have the patience to write on my phone, nor would I ever find it appropriate! I need to be in a distraction free environment. That means I always have the time to write on the computer. Kudos to those that can do it otherwise!

**PeteMC** · October 11th, 2012, 04:20 AM

I used to have an HP iPAQ with a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard and MS Word Mobile on it which was absolutely superb for writing in coffee shops, taxis, on the train etc. I can't get on with typing on a touchscreen though.

**kongming** · October 11th, 2012, 07:08 AM

I discovered that this website really is not friendly to smartphones (even phablets) at all, so I had to wait until I was home to reply.

Originally Posted by Igor

That, my friend, is blasphemy.

I meant the phone part, not a keyboard-enabled device like a netbook, so apologies for the jibe.
Igor

Blasphemy? :P

I really do prefer the phone to my netbook.

Originally Posted by RedMage

I'm curious to know what you disliked about your netbook that made you do your editing on your desktop. I use a netbook for all my writing. True, with only 1G of memory it has only 1/4 the power of most larger laptops and desktops. However, it has the same sized harddrive so I'm not pulling stuff off and putting other stuff on when I switch between projects. Frankly, I love my netbook! It's small size makes for easy transport and storage in my tiny locker at work. A full laptop might fit, but barely. With my netbook I have lots of room leftover and I'm not worried about putting something heavy on top of its screen.

I did find it difficult for the first few months as I had trouble with playing music or watching youtube videos. But eventually I learned that those things are not what the netbook was built for. If a person tries to do that and then doesn't like it, well, then they are using the wrong product. However, that still doesn't answer my question regarding your need to edit on another device. What software do you use? I use MS Word 2007. Does everything I need it to.

What I don't like about the netbook:
Trackpad instead of mouse (the phone has a stylus which is way better)
It only had an old version of Open Office so the files could only save up to word 2007
It didn't fit in a pocket (and really needed a table of some sort to write on, the phone can go anywhere)
Its battery life was only an hour (the phone gets a good 5 hours of writing)

Originally Posted by Solaar

I have Evernote on my iPhone which is a great piece of note-keeping/word-processing kit. I think it was very cheap as well...

Solaar
and the elephant app

Haven't used evernote. I don't know much about it. I use Polaris Office, Mindjet and Pocket (mostly for wikipedia)

Originally Posted by Cononomous

Now that's incredible. I don't have the patience to write on my phone, nor would I ever find it appropriate! I need to be in a distraction free environment. That means I always have the time to write on the computer. Kudos to those that can do it otherwise!

I find it's just like writing with paper and pen, but way more convenient because I don't have to type it all out again (something I'd be loath to do).

I was never the type to stick with old technology (like many writers who have that old typewriter [I think I hate typewriters]). I like word processors and now I have a truly mobile one.

Originally Posted by PeteMC

I used to have an HP iPAQ with a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard and MS Word Mobile on it which was absolutely superb for writing in coffee shops, taxis, on the train etc. I can't get on with typing on a touchscreen though.

That would have been something I'd have considered when it first came out, but I held back because I didn't feel keyboards on any type of phone would be worth writing on. The stylus with my phone is what clinched the deal.

**tmso** · October 12th, 2012, 10:28 AM

My fingers are too fat for my iPhone screen. Maybe if I had a bigger screen and a touch-keyboard with buttons the size of grapes, then, yeah, I might use my phone to write. Maybe. Gotta use whatever works for you. If writing on the phone gets your projects finished, then more power to ya!

**PeteMC** · October 12th, 2012, 11:03 AM

The iPAQ was brilliant, I could pretty much touch-type on that thing! I kept it till it literally fell apart, and I still miss it (for writing – sadly it was utter carp as a phone which is probably why we don’t make them any more!)

**kongming** · October 12th, 2012, 03:32 PM

Originally Posted by tmso

My fingers are too fat for my iPhone screen. Maybe if I had a bigger screen and a touch-keyboard with buttons the size of grapes, then, yeah, I might use my phone to write. Maybe. Gotta use whatever works for you. If writing on the phone gets your projects finished, then more power to ya!

Or a phone with a stylus?

**kongming** · October 12th, 2012, 03:33 PM

Originally Posted by PeteMC

The iPAQ was brilliant, I could pretty much touch-type on that thing! I kept it till it literally fell apart, and I still miss it (for writing – sadly it was utter carp as a phone which is probably why we don’t make them any more!)

I feel your pain

**Mfenger** · October 12th, 2012, 08:24 PM

I don't have a smart phone. Just a landline. I dumped my cell phone a couple of years back and I've never regretted it. If I'm out and I need to write something it goes in my moleskine.

**kongming** · October 12th, 2012, 10:52 PM

Originally Posted by Mfenger

I don't have a smart phone. Just a landline. I dumped my cell phone a couple of years back and I've never regretted it. If I'm out and I need to write something it goes in my moleskine.

Ahh fair enough. I need to write away from home a lot and in places where I can't use a laptop or netbook. Since I'm working on a 100k+ word document I couldn't carry a moleskin that big, nor would I want to retype it all :P

Also I wouldn't want to have to go out and kill that many moles haha