Words on a page

As it turns out, I’ve written quite a bit about distraction-free text editors (also called full-screen editors) in this space — here, here, here, and here if you’re curious. In some circles, these apps are very trendy. In others, they’re buried under a pile of scorn.

I find them to be indispensable tools. Why? Distractions are everywhere, and can crop up when I least expect them. One of the biggest sources of distractions is the computer desktop. Things like email notifications, instant messenger windows, a Web browser, even your wallpaper.

When I want to focus on writing and not have my attention pulled away by email, RSS feeds, or anything else I fire up a distraction-free editor — either TextRoom or PyRoom. My screen goes blank, and I have an empty page on which I can type. My goal is to fill that page with words. And that’s what happens.

Going this route works very well for me. But I keep hearing one complaint (if you want to call it that)

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… in one or two or even three styles or areas doesn’t mean you can tackle other types of writing. I was reminded of this when reading a blog post by my pal Tom Johnson.

Tom, a well known blogger and technical writer, recently discussed a week he spent in his employer’s marcomm department. Tom noted:

Apparently the ability to write a blog post doesn’t always translate into the ability to write other sorts of communications.

You shouldn’t expect to be able to do that. Let’s face it, you just can’t always jump into a new form of writing. Before you do that, you need practice. You need mentoring. You need education, even if it’s self education. Even then, being successful (or even effective) is definitely not a lock.

I know some good writers who can’t do marketing communications. I know a few communications professionals who can’t write good documentation to save their lives. I know technical communicators who can’t write a very good article or blog post. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t good at what they do. It could be that they can’t transfer their skills to another form of writing. Or maybe their minds are locked into one form of writing and they can’t break free of those shackles.

Trust me, I’ve been there. While I’m a fairly good writer of non fiction and documentation, I’ve never had much luck with fiction. I worked at it for quite a while, but I could never get the skills down. That said, I did learn a few things from trying to write short stories that I’ve been able to use in writing non fiction.

Writers, like everyone else, have limitations. Sometimes you can’t overcome those limitations. If you try and fail, will be a better person and (I hope) a better writer for it. Give other types of writing a try. If they don’t work out, pick yourself up and dust yourself off. Then focus on your strengths. Improve in the areas in which you excel.

Thoughts? Feel free to leave a comment.

Photo credit: drakis from Photoxpress

When most of us think of spreadsheets, images of number crunchers and bean counters probably come to mind. They usually conjure those images for me.

While spreadsheets don’t have a lot to do with actually writing, they’re more than a financial tool. Writers can use spreadsheets in some interesting and very useful ways. So useful that they can increase your productivity.

What can writers use spreadsheets for? Here’s how I use them:

• Track queries and submissions
• Keep on top of earnings
• Record the progress of a larger writing project, or one on which you’re collaborating with others

Intrigued? Read on.

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• Six steps to writing a blog post in 20 minutes
• Whether you know it or not, you’ve probably got a lot of treasure in your writing archives
• The top 10 qualities of a working freelance writer
• A list of the top 50 PC applications for freelancers
• The number one grammar trap and how to avoid it
• When building your online brand, don’t skimp on the content

Once upon a time, writing was simple. I just turned on my electric typewriter, put in a sheet of paper, and started typing. Later, my Smith Corona word processor and put fingers to keys. Sometimes I miss those days.

Now, things seem a bit more complex. And while I have more options with which to do my writing, I also have a lot more flexibility.

For those who are curious, here’s a look at my writing setup.

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