DawnMorningStar

At home, I'm always on the laptop to do my writing. It's great because it's a full-sized one with the full keyboard and a wider screen. We also have wireless internet, so I can sit in the den with hubby surfing the net, researching and writing while he watches tv or plays games on the PlayStation2.

I love my laptop.

Talia_Brie

I use a laptop (Dell PIII) at work, and a desktop at home. I don't really have a preference, though the arguments for the laptop on this thread have been good.

The only problem I have with the laptop is that the screen sits right on top of the keyboard, which means if you're writing for a long stretch I get serious neck pain. There are solutions (docking station - plugin keybaord etc), which are moderately effective.

I know Ray Feist uses both (Apples I think (this is not an endorsement)). The Desktop when at home, and the LT with travelling, which he does often.

For me it's a comfort issue (I've got a nice chair at home), and I prefer the desktop.

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Twice

I despise laptops, but I think my college is going to requite one.... *hugs her laptop*

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The Admiral

I use only a laptop. The only disadvantage, really, is the smaller keyboard. I can type around 120wpm on a desktop keyboard, while I can only get 90-100 on my laptop. The lack of a number pad is also annoying, especially since I often need to use special characters (ë, Ú, etc.). It would be nice to have a desktop, but I've got better things to spend that money on.

Wyndham

My husband has a software design company where we use desktops, but for my own use I have never had anything but laptops and I see no drawbacks whatsoever. I did have a PC, but got so tired of it being virus-ridden that I changed to an ibook.

I'm not sure why people think that you can't use a mouse and printer. You certainly can. Mine sits on a desk in my office, hooked to my printer, like any desktop, and I simply unplug when I want to take it with me. I never use the built-in mouse unless I forget to bring the external one along. My laptop can run cordless for quite a while, which is nice when researching at a library.

I use it for Internet–– why not? Especially with an ibook which is not prone to pick up viruses. To be honest, for a writer, I can't see why we would want anything else. I can take it on vacations, get some work done in the airport (except remember to take it out of the case for security or you'll get held up), as I said, I can use it in the library when doing research rather than have to transfer written info when I get home.

I guess that the only drawback would be that, carrying it around so much, I could lose it with my life's work, but, hey, that happened to Hemingway with typed manuscripts–– just make sure to leave hard copies at home before you travel.

sully474

I like to write stuff down freehand occasionally, but it is really a pain in the...well...you know, to have to get ideas, then write them out, then type it into a computer. I don't have a laptop, but the one time that I skillfully aquired..er I mean borrowed without permission...sorry what I meant to say was used my cousins laptop for a week it was really great and I was able to write twice as much, because whenever I ahd an idea, I would just type it in, instead of trying to remember it 'till I got to a computer. (He was on vacation, and the laptop was back at his house before he returned, so it was ok, I guess)

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Vanessa

I have a desktop and laptop and the laptop wins it everytime. Once I got use to the keyboard and the finger mouse.

My pros is that I can go wherever I want and just type.

With regard to losing your laptop and therefore your work, I always download onto disc and keep them separate and in case they go astray, I always email my sister so I have absolute back-up.

Lews

I find the laptop better for writing

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maniclemur

(newbie delurking )

I tend to use my own laptop for writing; my husband and I share a desktop, but for some reason I always feel intimidated sitting down at it to write. A laptop keyboard is a bit small, particularly if you're long used to a full-size one - but as other people have said, you can plug in your desktop keyboard and mouse without any problems. You can even set the laptop up to output the screen to a larger monitor.

Laptops have a number of pros for me. They take up much less space, and can be cleared away from the desk if I want to write by hand, study, draw etc. Once you've had a laptop for a while, you really start to appreciate the portability; you aren't tied to one place. When the weather permits, I sit on the back deck to write. I'm also an expat Brit and travel between countries a lot, and laptops are wonderful for using on aeroplanes.

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gabriella

I'm short, and I am convinced that that has caused most of my unhappiness in writing with a laptop. Won't get the chance now anyway, since the screen in my laptop cracked - it still works but there's black lines from the center of the screen and branching out to the corners. I'm guessing something fell on it, and I'm too scared to tell my parents. (Do you think maybe I can buy a screen and switch?)

But anway, even then that laptop has been used for graphic design, since I downright hated it for my novels. So tiny, dark, and annoying. I also like paper and pen more but I feel a twang of guilt whenever I pull out some new sheets, considering most of it ends up in the trash.

Honestly, I hate computers. Everything always ends up in the trash bin sooner or later, my disks break right when I have the best file on it, or I exit the file on accident.

You can plug in a keyboard and a mouse to a laptop, but that sort of shoots the mobility factor straight to hell.

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You write by sitting down and writing - Bernard Malamud.