I'm trying to ween myself from using a computer when writing my first draft of a novel. As recommended by fellow writers, I picked up an old AlphaSmart 3000 word processor. It's rugged, light, and portable. And best of all: it doesn't have any onboard distractions. Yes, I mean the internet.
The AlphaSmart is a fine piece of technology without all the bells and whistles. It has an LCD screen with 4 lines of visible text, full keyboard, and 8 writable "files" to store text. It has an on/off button, a "clear file" button, and a "send" button. The latter is used to transfer text data to a computer using a USB cable. AND, last but not least, it runs on AAA batteries and will go for about 700 hours before the batteries need to be replaced. How cool is that for a whopping $15? I usually write on the AlphaSmart for a few days then dump my text into a program called Scrivener (which is a dream to use). http://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener.php
In Scrivener, I can create a master "binder" to store pieces of my manuscript. The pieces can be moved around and reordered as the writing process goes on. Scrivener will also automatically format the manuscript for submission to publishers, and it can export the manuscript as an .epub or .mobi file for Nook or Kindle respectively.
Okay, so I know I still use a computer to write, but you'd be surprise how productive you can be once you remove the distractions available from your desktop or laptop. Hell, sometimes I just sit on a bench or under a tree with a pad and pen. Try that before sitting down at the computer. Nothing like working longhand. Either way you go about it, you're writing, and if you can resist technological temptation while you do it, you'll reap the rewards and handsomely so.
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