Changes in Writing Process
Once upon a time, I wrote my stories out in long-hand, on college-ruled three-ring binder paper. I saved individual chapters in Duotang folders, holding together each "book's" worth of Duotangs with a rubber band. I didn't bother with research, because I knew everything I had to know to write my stories.
Then, I used a text formatter (Script), saving files on a mainframe and waiting for batch processing, so that I could walk across my college campus in the middle of the night, to descend to the fluorescent-lit basement and pick up the printed output. I executed my research using the vast number of college texts and primary sources in my dorm room.
Later, I borrowed a friend's laptop, storing my files on 5.25" floppy drives and never, ever printing them, because Daisy wheel cartridges were expensive, and green- and white-lined paper was annoying to read from. I rarely did research, because I was reworking the stories I'd written in my Duotangs.
Eventually, I bought my own computer, saving files on my hard drive and on 3.5" floppies. I ultimately sprang for an NEC laser-jet but relied on the kindness of employers when printing large, complete-manuscript sized files. I did research by browsing bookstores, buying and carrying home and reading vast quantities of books.
Now, I usually work on a desktop computer, but I sometimes work on my laptop. I save files on the hard drive of each, keeping a complete backup of all my novels and short stories on one thumb drive. I print to a Brother laser jet (when I print - something I do much more rarely these days.) I almost always complete my research by hopping onto the Internet, relying on our home's wireless network to let me Google information (or to check it on Wikipedia, specialized websites, or the like.) I do keep on hand both a print dictionary and a Roget's thesaurus (the old kind, the good one where you have to look your words up in the index before you find them in the thesaurus proper).
Today, I've spot-researched: 1) the proper usage of the term "play the trump card", 2) synonyms of "symbol", 3) the precise meaning of "scion", 4) the proper spelling of Dean and DeLuca, 5) the setting for the movie "To Catch a Thief", and recipes for white bean pesto.
Oh. Wait. The pesto is going to be dinner.
I can work without my current technology, but oh, I miss it when I do!
Mindy, wrapping up Chapter 23 and forging ahead to 24
P.S. Poor Jane is in the thick of things now....
Then, I used a text formatter (Script), saving files on a mainframe and waiting for batch processing, so that I could walk across my college campus in the middle of the night, to descend to the fluorescent-lit basement and pick up the printed output. I executed my research using the vast number of college texts and primary sources in my dorm room.
Later, I borrowed a friend's laptop, storing my files on 5.25" floppy drives and never, ever printing them, because Daisy wheel cartridges were expensive, and green- and white-lined paper was annoying to read from. I rarely did research, because I was reworking the stories I'd written in my Duotangs.
Eventually, I bought my own computer, saving files on my hard drive and on 3.5" floppies. I ultimately sprang for an NEC laser-jet but relied on the kindness of employers when printing large, complete-manuscript sized files. I did research by browsing bookstores, buying and carrying home and reading vast quantities of books.
Now, I usually work on a desktop computer, but I sometimes work on my laptop. I save files on the hard drive of each, keeping a complete backup of all my novels and short stories on one thumb drive. I print to a Brother laser jet (when I print - something I do much more rarely these days.) I almost always complete my research by hopping onto the Internet, relying on our home's wireless network to let me Google information (or to check it on Wikipedia, specialized websites, or the like.) I do keep on hand both a print dictionary and a Roget's thesaurus (the old kind, the good one where you have to look your words up in the index before you find them in the thesaurus proper).
Today, I've spot-researched: 1) the proper usage of the term "play the trump card", 2) synonyms of "symbol", 3) the precise meaning of "scion", 4) the proper spelling of Dean and DeLuca, 5) the setting for the movie "To Catch a Thief", and recipes for white bean pesto.
Oh. Wait. The pesto is going to be dinner.
I can work without my current technology, but oh, I miss it when I do!
Mindy, wrapping up Chapter 23 and forging ahead to 24
P.S. Poor Jane is in the thick of things now....
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