Opposable Thumbs

Phone in hand and thumbs on keyboard. No, not texting, blogging.

I am experimenting with a new blog writing workflow. With a longer commute and more hours at office, my old writing schedule no longer works. I write infrequently and post even less so.

Need to write. Solve the problem Michael.

The answer is to write whenever and wherever I can using the best tools available. My laptop and WordPress as my only text editor need not be the beginning for every blog entry. From idea to first draft, options are plentiful.

My solution is a text editor software that links my iPhone, iPad and my laptop. I can start a post on my phone during my morning commute, pick it up later on my iPad over lunch and once home, run final edits on my laptop. Only then do I transfer my draft to WordPress.

So, as I write this first draft I am at the mall with my wife. She is shopping for a dress and matching shoes … or is it shoes and a matching dress? This is her sport and we have the full afternoon. I have my phone, new writing software and thumbs ready to go.

So I begin to write about well … writing on my phone. All thumbs. I challenge myself to complete this first draft entirely thumbing away on my phone wandering around Nordstrom’s women’s department.

My software choice is iA Writer. A plain text editor focused on distraction free writing. It is linked on all my devices and connects direct to my WordPress account to create a draft blog entry once my draft writing is complete. Once in WordPress I work on my draft, play with layout, add visuals and then publish my post.

So welcome to my new writing workflow. A powerful and go anywhere option. I expect now to write often in all those nooks and crannies found throughout my day using the devices I carry with me, iPhone on person and iPad in bag. My list of excuses is near empty.

Also iA Writer allows (or forces) me to focus on distraction free writing with some great tools to maintain focus on just writing. Often when using WordPress to write my full post, I get distracted with layout, keywords, hyperlinks, and visuals. I am an edit as I go type guy and in iA Writer, I find it easier to keep writing with edits to follow later. Hard to edit without words on a page. Fill the page first.

An update … a text from my wife, a successful hunt is complete! As for me, this draft is a success as well using only my thumbs on phone keyboard. I have no idea how long I was here. Time stood still as I wrote.

When I write I find my calm and am whole again. I am now set to write anywhere and everywhere, even if I am all thumbs.

If you write, I am curious how you have adjusted your workflow over time due to life’s circumstances. Let’s start a conversation.

– WeMoveTogether