The joy of writing

For one reason and another (more on this soon) I haven't had much time for my fiction lately.

Then, last night and tonight, I've found enough time to write a whole chapter of Number 13, the crime thriller I'm working on with British writer Mark Wagstaff and fellow Brisbanite Damon Cavalchini.

I find when time is scare it really gets to me, it's like an itch I can't scratch. And then when I finally find some time to write, it's like a soothing balm. (Okay, enough with the bad metaphors).

On the Vision list recently there was a discussion about the Alphasmart, which is basically a cut-down word processor that you can take anywhere, anytime.

I have to say, if I can get one second-hand, I'd definitely consider it. I love my Mac, but it would be nice to have something cheap that I could just lug around with me -- the electronic version of a notebook and pen, which is what I use at the moment.

Which serves it's purpose, but I find when there's a big gap between long-hand writing and transcribing, it can be a disincentive. And then there's the other issue of actually deciphering what I've written!