Over the summer I had a schedule that conflicted with my usual afternoon writing time. It actually interfered with nap, snack, shower and any other time I enjoyed during the afternoon.
But I looked into solving at least one of those problems when I saw something advertised on my Facebook feed. It was a 349 dollar FreeWrite device, something that didn’t print or connect to the internet and was meant to be a lightweight and portable distraction free writing device. But…spending that much money on something I might break seemed like a non-starter.
Then my wife began helping me search for a low cost alternative. Her search led us to the NEO2, the very device upon which I wrote the bulk of this post.
The NEO2 doesn’t look like much, and I feel like that’s the point. The screen is tiny, the keyboard is small (but still full-sized), and it doesn’t do anything online or connect to any cloud anywhere. In other words, it’s perfect. It does what it’s supposed to do. And it costs way less than the other lightweight distraction free devices advertised.
Mine came in a blue bag with the NEO logo, along with a chord to connect to my laptop. You will need a small Phillips head screwdriver to change the batteries at some point, though I believe mine just came with them. It runs on Double As.
How I use the NEO2:
During what I refer to as my…"awful late off time" months, I fell into a rhythm of typing in idle moments and then putting the machine away, then taking it home at the end of the week to transfer all the files to computer. Then I would clear the device of all files and pack it back into my bag for next week. It was from these files that a number of my recent blog posts have come.
As for a distraction free device…well, it is just that. I can’t do anything but write on the NEO2. That doesn’t mean I can’t be distracted by my phone or by other people or by my own daydreaming. But I can’t claim that the NEO2 is responsible for any lapse in production. The NEO2 is a no-bullshit writing tool that satisfies my personal need to make the most of whatever time I have. It boots up quick, it shuts down quick, and it is easy to move everything over when I’m done.
Among other things, I am really looking forward to using the NEO2 for The National Novel Writing Month (NanoWrimo) this year. This lightweight, easy on, easy off device is perfect for slipping into my bag and taking with me. And the fact that it didn’t cost much and would not be psychologically crushing to lose or break doesn’t hurt, either. Certainly one of the things that has made me hesitant to write at the coffee shop or in any other public place was the fact that my life is in that laptop. One spill or poorly placed drop and it would devastate me. Not so with a device that outside of the 40 bucks it cost me (and the joy I experience in having it) is only as valuable as the material still committed to the device and not yet transferred to the laptop. But considering that I have been good about making those weekly transfers, that doesn’t bother me so much.
And another thing: I can only see the last 4 lines I’ve written. I can’t obsess over anything I wrote before that. In that way, it is the ultimate Zen writing machine. I can misspell freely (we’ll figure it out in Word later) and write with reckless abandon.
This is why I can’t wait for Nanowrimo. Because I want to write with reckless abandon. The NEO2 is perfect for just that.
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