I use a laptop so most of the time I write on my lunch break, somewhere secluded where I won’t be interrupted. Noise cancelling headphones pipe music from the playlist on Spotify that I create for each novel I write. I use either GoogleDocs or Libre Office’s Write, which is a free word processor very much like MS Word. I use Ubuntu on my laptop. I use a Microsoft keyboard and an HP wireless mouse. My external monitor is an HP. When I write at home, I sit at an oak wood writing desk that belongs to my wife and looks out into our backyard from our master bedroom.
There are some books on writing craft, a water bottle and sometimes a speaker for guitar jamming breaks. Someday, when my kids leave the house, I will get my own writing den. But that’s not likely to happen for quite a few years on.
I made the switch to Linux from Mac years ago and have never looked back. There’s nothing that I can’t do on Linux. I don’t game or enjoy spending money on proprietary software and I hate dealing with viruses. So work gets done and I don’t have to mess with the OS very much.
I’ve never used Windows to write my novels. I used the hell out of an old white plastic MacBook, but Apple decided not to support it and the case literally fell apart over time. So I went back to Linux. I’ve used all kinds of distros but have settled on Ubuntu because I just don’t like to mess with all that anymore.
Hello Ken. I’m about to start my first book and I’m reaserching software. I read your post about scrivener. How do you manage your outlines on Linux? And to be honest I don’t like to bind all my work to proprietary software.
I don’t use Scrivener anymore. I’m helping to test a new Open Source editor, but it’s not ready for use yet. I personally just use LibreOffice Write. My fascination with editors that model programming IDE’s is over and now I just use an outline and a linear word processor. I also use Dropbox to back up my files and GoogleDocs for notes. My advice is to just write. Don’t worry about what software to use. That’s in the end, distracting you from writing.
Hope that helps!