Is the future Nookish?

I have an Amazon Kindle and I enjoy using the device. I do not own any other form of tablet (Ipad or Android)

The Kindle is fine but a bit limited. I would like to be able to run Apps or just browse the web.

Then I heard about the Nook Color.  It is far cheaper than other tablets running Android and it has its own app store. It also runs a colour eink based touchscreen.

Fantastic! roll on Christmas...

Except Amazon is producing a tablet as well to come on the market later this year.  Let the battle commence!

The power of speech

I have been experimenting with speech recognition software in the writing of my novel.  I have reached speeds of 55 words a minute when transcribing hand written work onto the computer.  I've only managed about 35 words a minute for 'fresh' writing but its still an impressive tool to have available

Speech Recognition is rapidly developing. See http://www.theengineer.co.uk/sectors/electronics/news/team-aims-intelligence-at-voice-recognition-systems/1009241.article 

I still love my notepad and pen though... Always will!

The Publishing Revolution continues

Smashwords now has over 50,000 titles and is used by over 25,000 Indie Authors.  http://www.onenewsnow.com/Culture/Default.aspx?id=1374962 

I think that this may be the main route to being published for me rather than simply relying on Amazon.

I am also interested in releasing my work as Apps for the Apple Appstore and the Android Market.  Ebooks and Apps will be converging over the next year or two anyway.

Listening to speech

I often find that a good way of developing dialogue is too compare real life situations with their 'dramatic' counterparts.

People do not actually talk in the same way as characters in plays, TV drama or films.  Real speech is different.

I get ideas for characters from such situations as overhearing fellow passengers on a bus journey or in people in a bar. Converting these moments into useful snippets of fiction is another matter.

I find that listening to the sound of well written TV Drama is often instructive. I do not watch the pictures but just study the interaction of the characters.  

But the best way to write good dialogue is to practise!