Nanowrimo on iPad

[ditzy]

I think that I may well be crazy, but I am attempting to do nanowrimo on the iPad. At the moment my iMac is in the apple store being fixed, so the only way to write my 'novel' is on the iPad. I'll get the iMac back before the end of November, but have decided to try to do the whole thing on the iPad. I'll certainly know by the end of November if the iPad is good for creating content. Is anyone else thinking of doing this? Am I crazy to even consider it?

 

[kaiak]

I don't think you're crazy. I had the same idea a couple weeks ago, but afterwards I realized it harder for me to type on it all the time. I'm writing my novel mostly on my computer, but while I'm in class if there is an idea that strikes me, yes, I will get out my iPad and write on that.

Anything for 50,000.

 

[ciaran00]

I've written about 400 pages on my iPad. I've written more on it in the last 4 months than I have on my MacBook in a year. Maybe I'm crazy..

So used to the keyboard now..

 

[Don Kosak]

Not crazy at all. I type an enormous amount on my iPad. (mostly using the on-screen keyboard.)

If you get tired of the glass, the $70 Apple Bluetooth keyboard works great, and a lot of software recognizes arrow keys, cut/paste, etc. Plus, unlike the dock, you can prop your iPad up horizontally and type in widescreen mode.

Good luck with your novel!

 

[tekchic]

This will be my third year for NaNo, I did the past two years on a netbook (and hit my 50K both years).

I gave my brother my netbook ever since I bought my iPad, and this year it'll be an iPad NaNo for me as well. I have a MacBook Pro, but I focus on writing much more when I'm on a device that's just got a text editor up. I have iOS 4.2, so I technically could hop around and surf the web with multitasking, but I have a tendency to just focus on the writing when I'm on the iPad. On the MacBook Pro it's all too easy to ADD out on some RSS feeds or the latest forum posts here when I should be writing.

For hitting my word count daily (I tend to target 1800-2000 words a day to account for "slack days"), I'll probably use my Apple Bluetooth keyboard. It's small enough to go in my daily bag and tote around with me to work. If I'm short a few hundred words for the day, I have no problem working with the onscreen keyboard in bed. The Apple keyboard helps with speed though, and less going back and correcting.

Make sure you use an editor that lets you backup to Dropbox or something, so you have a safe backup. I use "Elements for Dropbox" which is a plain editor that has word count, and saves to Dropbox. I'm also using "Index Card" for plotting -- it will be integrating with Scrivener for Mac soon, so that'll be a nice addition when it happens.

It's a challenge, but completely do-able, even with a full work schedule and hectic after-work calendar. I use lunch hour to crank out words, and then finish up that evening after dinner when the zombie box is on.

Good luck on NaNo! http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/410845

 

[MsMerryMac]

I don't think I will use the iPad exclusively as I am pretty adjusted to the keyboard on my MBP. But I did buy the iPad last week partially for NaNoWrimo and the sole purpose of it being a very nice writing computer. So, probably about 80/20 for me.

 

[tekchic]

I don't think I will use the iPad exclusively as I am pretty adjusted to the keyboard on my MBP. But I did buy the iPad last week partially for NaNoWrimo and the sole purpose of it being a very nice writing computer. So, probably about 80/20 for me.

The Apple Bluetooth wireless keyboard is the same size as the full MBP keyboard, so it comes in handy for typing on the go. But if you just got an iPad you probably don't want to spring $75 for another accessory just yet.

I'll be dumping my work into a Scrivener project on my MBP periodically throughout the month, that way I don't have to do it all at the end.

 

[myoldwatermill]

If you go to the NaNoWriMo official tech forum, huge thread on users who are going to be doing this.

Highly recommend it. I'll be doing NaNoWriMo on my iPad as well.

 

[sherylh96]

I won't be doing Nano exclusively on my iPad, but as I JUST bought it, I'm excited to try it out. And since I work full-time and am in school part-time as well, Nano will be taking up a lot of my free time this month. So of course I want to be able to still play on the expensive new toy I just got at the same time, so I'll be attempting to write some of it on there! Let me know how it goes for you.

 

[maturola]

No crazy at all, it will work perfectly. You may want to consider a Bluetooth keyboard but besides that, it should do just fine.

 

[tekchic]

If you go to the NaNoWriMo official tech forum, huge thread on users who are going to be doing this.

Highly recommend it. I'll be doing NaNoWriMo on my iPad as well.

Sadly though, the Nanowrimo site every year pretty much is down for nearly the first week because of all the eager writers. Then when people either taper off or give up, finally the site is more accessible. Been trying to get in all morning as well as yesterday and I can't get in.

They try to scale servers for it every year but it always bombs out on the first few days. Definitely great forums though, I agree. My favorite forum is "NaNoWriMo Ate My Soul".

 

[ditzy]

I'm already 400 words behind target, but that's more my fault than the iPad. I normally end up catching up on the weekends anyway.

 

[myoldwatermill]

Yeah this is my first NaNoWriMo, and I'm definitely getting how the website is working (or not working).

Just a tip on Apps: Index Card + iA Writer + PlainText.

Work flow is working really wonderful using these apps. Index Card for working on outlines and brainstorming. iA writer for the focus mode and the extra virtual keyboard functionality. PlainText for drop box support and beautiful aesthetics (Made by the fellow who created WriteRoom for OSx).

I am definitely 1000 words behind. Bah.