Productivity

Google Wave

google wave

Google Wave has hit the internet.

Google Wave is an online tool for real-time communication and collaboration. A wave can be both a conversation
and a document where people can discuss and work together using richly formatted text, photos, videos, maps, and more.

[via Google Wave]

You have to be invited in order to use Google Wave as it is available as limited preview release.

I am lucky as a friend of mine has invited me for a preview. It looks promising to me.

How Google Wave can help freelancers to work?

I think that Google Wave is an excellent tool to collaborate on projects. If you are freelancing, you can easily work with different people using Google Wave at the same time. This way you can minimise business travel and save more time.

You can work at home easily and discuss with your clients at the same time. Basically, you should give it a try and if you are invited for the limited preview release, count yourself lucky!

Guide on Google Wave.

The truth is I am still learning about Google Wave and if you need a complete guide, Mashable has the most comprehensive guide.

Mashable Google Wave’s guide.

Learn more about Google Wave:

Laptops For Writers

If you are using a laptop for work, I am sure you would prefer to have a laptop that provides comfortable keypad and sufficient hard drive capacity for all your files. Usually, when you buy a laptop, you should always go for the fastest RAM, highest hard drive capacity, largest screen, longest battery life and the most accessories port.

However, not everyone can afford these as they cost a bomb. Bear in mind that it is very difficult to upgrade laptops. Not to mention that you should get a laptop that is of high quality to avoid constant break down which in turn will ruin your work schedule and delay your work. If you can afford, invest in a good laptop so that you can use it for a long time.

Today, we are going to have a look at two laptops that are suitable for writing.

Most people prefer Apple. I would recommend the Apple Macbook Pro 17″.

Apple Macbook Pro

Yes, it has a large screen which is easier for you to read whatever you have written.

Other specifications:

  • 2.8 GHz Core 2 Duo Processor
  • 4 GB DDR3 RAM
  • 500 GB Hard Drive, DVD SuperDrive
  • Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard Operating System
  • NVIDIA Geforce 9400M + 9600M GT Graphics, 17 inch LED Display

Basically, this is an ideal laptop for online business entrepreneur or writers. With this gadget, you will be smiling throughout your working hours. You get soft keypads, which provide comfort for your fingers. The UI is absolutely amazing and easy to navigate. You can bring your Macbook along to anywhere you want to go. This is a luxury and of course, you will need to sacrifice in order to get the best.

Apple MacBook Pro MC226LL/A 17-Inch Laptop

Apart from Apple, Microsoft powered laptops are also popular. Windows have always provide reliable OS and the latest they have is Windows 7. However, I am using Windows Vista and it never gives me any troubles at all. I am using a rather old laptop: Acer Aspire 4710 that comes with Windows Vista Home Basic.

Acer is a popular brand offering high quality products that you should check out.

Introducing Acer Aspire Timeline AS4810T-8480 14-Inch Aluminum laptop.

Acer laptop

Specifications:

  • 1.4GHz Intel Core2 Solo SU3500 Processor
  • 4096MB Dual-Channel DDR3 1066MHz Memory
  • 320GB SATA Hard Drive, 8X DVD-Super Multi Double-Layer Drive
  • Windows Vista Home Premium (64 bit, SP1), Over 8 Hours of Battery Life (6-Cell 5600 mAh)
  • 14″ HD Acer CineCrystal LED-backlit Display, Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD

This is a divine gadget for any writers and it is cheaper than Apple Macbook Pro 17″. You get high quality laptop at an affordable price. Work comfortably without having to break your bank account. This is for those who are looking for cheap laptop.

Acer Aspire Timeline AS4810T-8480 14-Inch Aluminum Laptop – 8+ Hours Battery Life

With two examples of laptops, I am sure you will be able to make the best decision when it comes to buying a new laptop to start your writing career.

Check out more laptops for writing or online business

Freelancing and Moving To a New Place

A story of moving to a new place…

I am going to move to a new place in October, 2009. This is going to be a drastic change as I will be moving to a small town from a big town.

Batu Gajah, Perak

Well, the small town’s name is Batu Gajah, Perak, if you want to have a look. It is my home town. I wasn’t born there, but I have been living in this small town for more than 10 years before I moved to the big town (i.e. Kuala Lumpur).

Kellie's Castle

The main attraction is Kellie’s Castle. Strange fact: I have never been to the castle although my husband and I have seen the castle on our way back to home town many times.

Anyway, Ipoh is the capital of Perak and I was born in Ipoh.

So, why am I talking about moving to a new place?

Yes, being a freelance writer, it is easy for me to move to a new place since I work at home.

However, have you ever think that the problems such as adjusting to a new place, meeting new people and change of environment will cause a freelance writer to be in shock?

What if the freelance writer is having problems writing in a new place?

Anxiety was the very first emotion that struck me when my husband told me we are going to move. Then, fear was attacking me right in my mind. After that, I had sleepless nights.

I can’t imagine how I would feel once I have moved. I might be shock. I might be unhappy.

Thank God, I am feeling better now, after telling my husband about my concerns.

Let me break down my problems and the causes of my problems in sequence.

The problems

  • I am afraid of moving back to home town.
  • I am having anxiety.
  • I fear that I will not be able to work well in a new place (seriously I tried to work when my husband and I went back to home town during holidays and it sucks).
  • I enjoy my privacy in big town. In small town, people might knock on your door anytime of the day (and night).

The causes

  • It is a small town, I am used to live in a big town.
  • I am scared that things might change between my husband and I.
  • My parents-in-law are there. My parents are there. Imagine the stress I am having.
  • My husband’s relatives are mostly there as well and they like to ask him for help most of the time.

So, now I need to find solutions.

After reading some articles about moving places and how to deal with anxiety, I guess I have the solutions.

The solutions

  • Think positive.
  • I can still do what I want to do.
  • Think about how my husband needs me.
  • See this move as a way out towards success.

The most effective way to counter all writing-related fear is to think of the many inspirations I can get in a new place.

However, to counter new life worries, I will have to think about all the positive things such as:

  • More money saving (which is true in my case).
  • Clean environment (more trees in small town).
  • Quiet environment (more peace for more writing).

I just hope that everything will turn out the way I want and I pray that my husband’s business will flourish.

Why I am going back anyway?

My husband wants to start a business there. He can only do the business there because his partner (i.e. his cousin is there) and it is easier to get the land he needs.

I am fully 100% supporting my husband and his business.

p/s: I need to write this post because I need to deal with my fear. Thanks for reading.

Ten Tips To Get Going In Writing

photo credit: jennifer buehrer

These few days I have been having a hard time to concentrate on writing. Most of the time, it would be because everything is so important that I have to complete all at the same time. Then, there will be the moment when I feel bored about writing. Although these are temporary, I need to find a way to keep on going writing without feeling:

a. exhausted – sometimes, it is tiring to write

b. bored – just happen naturally

So, here are ten tips to help me (and you) get going in writing.

1. Spend at least 5 minutes a day to write something. This is some sort of practice to keep us in tune with writing. Imagine not writing for days (when we are on holiday or something), it would be difficult to pick up the momentum. It is similar to starting the engine in the morning. If you do not start the engine everyday for a minute or two, the engine won’t start easily next time.

2. There is no reason to keep on writing without a stop. Don’t spend too much time in writing because your brain will be drained and ideas will have a hard time coming to us. Your brain deserves a rest. What to do when you are not writing? Check out ‘ Don’t Be Scared To Waste Time Browsing These ‘

3. Stop thinking about how much work you have completed. Concentrate on those that you haven’t.

4. Try to get rid of emails, social networking and IMs (Instant Messaging) when you are working. Those are the biggest culprit that disturb our work schedule.

5. As always when you are stuck, it is time to have a walk. Then come back and write more. Usually this trick really works, unless for some reason it doesn’t work for you.

6. When you write, make sure you sit on a nice and comfortable chair. The table should be equally comfortable too (not too small).I have a rather big table to accommodate a PC and a laptop (most of the time, there are also books lying around – *hint*).

7. Read a book in between those writing. A book doesn’t mean it has to be a boring type of book. Depends on what you love to read, you can read any books you want. I love to read comic books when I am stuck. This is why there are books lying around my working table. You can have fiction or non-fiction.

8. Time is important. Even if you have only ten minutes, you can put that to good use. Finish that sentence you wrote the other day or sort out your PC files. There is something you can do. Don’t think that the ‘ten minutes’ can’t settle anything.

9. When you write, it is best to make a draft before you really jump into the writing process. Often this will help you eliminate the writer’s block. Imagine starting to write without a clue. This is when writer’s block will strike.

10. Don’t forget to go out and have fun, and not just stay at home and write, write, write. Embrace your real life social life will definitely help you more in your writing, rather than spending more time with your online social networking (although online social networking helps too).

*****

Some online references for you to dig in:

15 Ways To Break Writer’s Block

Break Through Writer’s Block

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Books to help you:

Creative Block

The Writer’s Block: 786 Ideas to Jump-Start Your Imagination

Is It Good To Work With Other Freelancers?

This is a tough question. For some people, working with a stranger is totally off. However, what if the freelancer is a friend, instead of a stranger? Would you collaborate on a project with someone else, or take all the workload and do it on your own? Perhaps you are feeling a bit uncomfortable about having to split the payment into two (or according to a portion). However, it is worth to consider working with someone else whether it is a writing project or a design project.

The advantages of working with another freelancer:

1. You get more ideas by collaborating with another freelancer. This is generally because two brains are better than one. However, beware that too many cooks spoiled the soup.

2. You get to divide the workload so you don’t over work and burn out. This is important because most of the time, you will have to get everything done on time.

The disadvantages of working with another freelancer:

1. You need to charge a higher fee considering that you need to split the amount (unless if you can charge less, depending on your negotiation with the other freelancer).

2. Sometimes, bad communication might happen and things get bad. You might get into arguments and project is delayed or abandoned.

3. If the other freelancer is not happy with you, he/she might back stab you. Beware!

Conclusion:

Whether you want to collaborate with someone else or work on a project on your own is totally your call. There is no pressure to work with someone else if you don’t want to.

Have any more advantages or disadvantages? Leave a comment!