A dedicated writing laptop.

I bought a small laptop after Christmas.  I bought the Word program for it yesterday.  When I get back to writing again, it's going to be my dedicated laptop for writing and writing only.

My desk computer is now my "solitaire" player.  My old Mac is now my desk computer.  Its battery is completely useless.

This new laptop has at least 4 hours of power, and it weighs all of 2 pounds, so I'll be able to take it with me everywhere in my backpack and write any time and any place I feel like it.  I'm looking forward to that freedom.  The biggest downside to writing is being cooped up -- and I'm a guy who usually likes being cooped up, but even for me, it becomes too isolating.  Isolation breeds isolation.

I can see myself hanging out in a coffee shop somewhere, or at a park, or out in the woods, writing away.

I've not written anything for 6 days.  I was planning to give myself a couple of weeks.  But it's a strange feeling.

One thing this whole experience has taught me is that I like telling stories -- even if I'm just telling stories to myself.  Above and beyond anyone else reading me, I like living in that fictional zone -- which feels real while I'm doing it.  I feel a little empty when I'm not doing it.

Those of you who are compulsive readers will know what I mean.  It's like not reading a book for a long period of time.  It just doesn't feel right.

I've really, really slowed down reading books.  Over the last three days, I've caught up on about a third a of year's worth of New York Times Book Reviews.

Hey -- there is no shortage of books in the world.

Trying to learn patience.  Whether my books are good or bad, I want them to be well edited.  I think I owe the reader that much.  So the reader will know that I've done everything I can to make my book as readable as possible.  If nothing else, I'll stand out in doing that.  It takes work, but that may be the thing that most distinguishes a professional from an amateur in this brave new world.