Do you do most of your writing on a computer, or still use good old fashion longhand? I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately because my writing habits are a hybrid of the computer and a pen and paper.

I know this post seems to come out of left field, especially considering I recently wrote a review about how much I love the writing software Scrivener. That hasn’t changed. I still use (and love!) Scrivener for all my writing projects.

And I do a majority of my writing on my computer, or iPad, whichever is more convenient. Though sometimes it just seems easier to pick up a pen and paper to scribble out a scene or section for a current writing project.

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A few years ago I gave the writing software Scrivener a try. Back then I thought it was impressive but didn’t think it was for me. I said I preferred the simplicity of a bare bones word processor.

I gave Scrivener another shot several months ago and discovered this time I really liked it. Since then I’ve been working on a few writing projects using the software. The ability to organize everything from notes, drafts, research and the final product, all in one program is very convenient.

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If you own an iPad or iPhone and are a blogger of any kind, then Pulse News (iTunes link) is a must have. Best of all, it’s free!

In a nutshell, Pulse is a news/blog aggregator that allows you to read all your favorite websites in one convenient, clean, simple app on your iPad. Pulse also makes it easy to to post stories you like to your Twitter account, or even save them to Instapaper (iTunes link) – another app every blogger needs.

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Ever since I got my iPad last December, I’ve been using it to help me with my various writing projects, including posts for this blog. It’s easy to pound out a few paragraphs here and there when I’m going about my day, without lugging my laptop everywhere.

Technology has made it incredibly easy for writers to be uber-productive. Thanks to devices like the iPad, we can work on projects anywhere, at anytime.

The following are apps that every writer with an iPad should be using:

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A lot of writers procrastinate and make excuses for not writing. There’s always something else to do: Laundry, dishes, house cleaning, errands, taxes. The list is endless. One of the biggest excuses for not writing is that there simply isn’t enough time. What’s your excuse for not writing?

It’s hard to sit down and face the blank computer screen. I know, I’m deal with that issue myself. There’s nothing more frustrating than having a great idea and for one reason or another, not acting on it.

Instead of trying to give you a bunch of advice on how to make time to write and get work done, I decided to inspire you with stories of how other writers make it work. I do add in my own two cents when it comes to procrastination.

I hope the following helps you become a more productive writer:

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I was recently browsing the shelves of my local Barnes & Noble when something caught my eye – a new book about my favorite band, the Grateful Dead. My heart skipped a few beats with excitement. Then I was shocked to see the section where this new golden nugget was shelved: Business marketing. What?

Turns out, that despite their anti-business leanings, they were a pretty business savvy band. They were way ahead of their time.

The book is called Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead (aff link). I haven’t read the book yet, but when I saw it and began thinking about why the Grateful Dead is such an iconic band, it began to make sense that businesses and authors today could learn a few things from Jerry Garcia and Co.

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People are passionate about their political beliefs. Writers are no exception, and as artists, might be more passionate than others. So it’s a natural inclination for writers to want to inject some of their political leanings into their fiction.

But is it a good idea? In my own fiction, I try to leave politics out of the equation, meaning, I never intentionally try to make a political point in my fiction writing.

When doing research for this post, I came across an article from one of my blogs called Writing Fiction by Crawford Killian. He has years of experience in the world of fiction, writing and publishing, making him a great source for this topic.

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Cooks Source, the small cooking site that stole an article from another writer, and then suggested that said writer should pay them for the privilege will likely be closing their doors. Editor Judith Griggs posted a long pseudo-apologetic, passive-agressive note on Cooks Source’s homepage.

I hate to pat myself on the back, but I kinda predicted this (along with many others). To quote myself from my post Public Domain Invoked Incorrectly in Cooks Source:

Cooks Source is already feeling the pain. Whether or not they can get their reputation back and keep going is hard to say. Right now, I highly doubt they

When the editor of Cooks Source Magazine, Judith Griggs, decided to publish an article written by Monica Guadio and then said Monica should be paying Cooks Source for the privillage of being published, Ms. Griggs unleashed an online firestorm. She also added insult to injury by saying that the web is public domain, therefore anything posted online is fair game.

Why she would think something like that is beyond me. When Monica wrote her article it automatically became protected under US copyright law, regardless if it was published online or not. That alone should prohibit someone like Ms. Griggs to use Monica’s work without proper permission and/or compensation. And as a magazine editor, she should be well-versed in copyright law basics, so there’s no excuse.

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Note: Read my follow-up posts Public Domain Invoked Incorrectly in Cooks Source Case and Update: Cooks Source ‘Probably’ Shutting Down’.

Here’s a good way to earn the wrath of the internet community: Steal someone’s article, publish it on your website, and when author complains, tell her that she should be paying you.

This is what happened to blogger Monica Guadio when she discovered that Cooks Source Magazine lifted an article she wrote several years ago about apple pie. When Guadio complained to Cooks Source editor Judith Griggs, she got this response:

But honestly Monica, the web is considered