Draft Your Masterpiece with Scrivener and Freewrite🧑🏼💻
"Write Focused" Giveaway — ✍🏽 Share and Win — 🏆 1 Grand Prize + 5 Additional Prizes
Dear Writer,
In a world filled with incessant distractions, I often spend outrageous amounts of time disabling notifications and blocking out interruptions, just to focus on writing. It's a vicious cycle that can leave even the most dedicated writer feeling drained and unmotivated. Recently, I've resorted to turning off my phone to find the peace and quiet I desperately need, when all else fails.
The Struggle is Real 🔥
Distractions are all around us, but I must accept my role in it all. I'm by no means a luddite; in fact, I love technology. As a freshman in high school, I saved five-hundred bucks 💵 by working grueling farm and construction jobs around town, just so I could have a custom PC built! Back then, I was thrilled with its whopping 250GB hard drive and 4GB of RAM! I know, I know... MOST phones 📱 have better specs now. 😂
But I didn't stop there. I worked diligently and managed to buy a Palm Pilot VX and a Kodak EasyShare Z981, with serious plans to acquire a Dell XP M1730 Laptop. Although I never got the laptop, the Palm Pilot was incredible. It featured a built-in IR (Infrared Receiver), allowing me to control TVs at school. I wasn't particularly mischievous, but I did turn on a TV or two during class to bemuse my teachers. 🧑🏫 Sorry, teach! I know it wasn't what you expected from one of your star students.
I mention the camera because I absolutely LOVED it and had to share that with someone—namely, you 😉. I took literally thousands of photos with that Kodak, and I’d argue it remains one of the best cameras I've ever owned. I still miss it. It captured macro shots far better than my iPhone does today and never distracted me with notifications, except to inform me when the battery was dead. Even then, it would gracefully shut down. It’s a shame it’s long gone.
Putting the camera aside, I relied on my desktop PC for serious writing. However, being a stationary device, it restricted me to writing at home or jotting down notes by hand to later transcribe—a task I found increasingly tedious. I realized I needed a laptop, but not just any laptop; I wanted something impressive. My sights were set on the Dell XPS M1730, a gaming powerhouse with epic aesthetics, effortlessly capable of word processing and more. Thankfully, I never bought it. Its massive size would have made it a nightmare for travel and writing on the go.
However, my struggles with writing didn't stop at that point. You see, Scrivener hadn't been invented yet! At the time, all I had was Microsoft Word. I still recall the numerous hoards of word documents that I stored on that PC. I was a pretty organized kid, but even I couldn't keep track of everything. Documents often got lost in the maze of folders, yet I remain grateful for that PC. It lasted all four years of high school and enabled me to complete some truly epic chapters. As high school drew to a close, I hadn't yet purchased a laptop, but with college on the horizon, I was actively on the hunt.
My mom always cherished her old Macintosh. Though it was over fifteen years old, her fondness for it inspired me to explore newer models. I discovered a sleek, fully aluminum MacBook, and it was perfect! I adored that machine and found macOS both intuitive and exciting at every turn. I'm grateful for her suggestion, as it eventually led me to discover Scrivener, the writing app that has been my constant companion ever since. Less than an hour into the free trial I was sold!
Fast Forward💨 to 2024
Since then, Apple has achieved remarkable feats, yet numerous updates have brought along their fair share of distractions. While Apple has developed tools to manage these distractions, even a tech-savvy individual like myself continues to encounter challenges when those tools don't work as expected. I once immersed myself in a lengthy article, over 30 pages, on how to transform my iPhone into a distraction-free device. (Looks like the author changed or deleted the article otherwise I'd link to it. Guess I'll have to write my own 😉). While the article was excellent, it's frustrating that such adjustments are necessary in the first place. Shouldn't the device come optimized like this?
In short? Nope! These devices are designed to increase company profits, not be distraction-free. While that may sound cynical, it's not entirely negative. I appreciate companies that genuinely help me find what I want and need. However, this creates challenges for writers. Many days, I yearn to escape and write without distractions. I envision retreating to a cabin in the woods to write freely. Scrivener facilitates this vision, as it can easily operate offline. Yet, I often dream of a device dedicated solely to Scrivener with no other apps and offering absolutely ZERO distractions.
Regrettably, my ideal device doesn't exist, but the Freewrite comes close. This distraction-free smart typewriter is crafted specifically for writers. Its sole purpose is to aid you in focusing on drafting without distractions or interruptions. Featuring an E Ink screen and devoid of unnecessary apps and bloatware, the Freewrite allows you to concentrate exclusively on your writing. What I love most is its mechanical keyboard, which looks vastly more enjoyable to type on compared to the standard keyboards that come with a MacBook. Below you’ll find images of Freewrite’s most lavish model — The Hemingwrite. You have to admit it looks impressive.
Let me be honest, I’ve never used the Freewrite before — it's on my wishlist — but the idea of writing entirely free from distractions is nearly irresistible.
Using the Freewrite to draft and then transferring the work to Scrivener for structuring, revising, and editing strikes me as an intriguing approach. It’s quite possible that these two tools could be a powerhouse for writers of all kinds. Not to mention the look and feel of owning such tools. Half the battle of writing is giving yourself permission to call yourself a writer!
🛠️ Meet Your Writing Sidekicks
Freewrite Traveler – The Zen Writing Machine
Imagine a world where you can write distraction-free, every day. The Freewrite Traveler is here to make that dream a reality! No notifications, no social media black holes, just you and your words. It's the perfect tool for channeling your inner wordsmith without the constant ping of digital interruptions.
Scrivener – The Master Organizer
Once you've poured out your creative genius with Freewrite, Scrivener takes the baton. It's your all-in-one organizational powerhouse, guiding you from chaotic drafts to polished perfection. Manage complex projects with ease, keep track of ideas, and edit like a pro—all within a single workspace.
🎯 Potential Benefits of Using Freewrite and Scrivener Together
Focus like never before. Your creativity can dance freely without having to dodge digital distractions.
Organize your chaos into coherent brilliance. Scrivener keeps everything tidy so you can focus on weaving stories.
Enhance Productivity to stay on track and meet deadlines with a smile (and a steaming cup of coffee).
Transition Seamlessly from the wild, unfiltered drafting stage to the meticulous editing phase like a writing ninja.
🏆 Win Big!
The real reason I'm bringing this up today is that I recently found out that Literature and Latte & Freewrite are hosting a "Write Focused" Giveaway,1 and I wanted to invite you to participate in the contest.2
One grand prize winner will receive a Freewrite Traveler, a Felt Sleeve, and a Scrivener License (total value of $610 USD).
Additionally, five other winners will each receive a Scrivener License (valued at $60 USD).
These incredible tools are perfect for creating something amazing together!
✍🏽 Share With Us and Win
At the time of writing, there are 9 days remaining in the giveaway. To participate in the contest, please follow one of the links below and complete the specified actions to earn entries.
I put a lot of effort into creating this content just for you! If you'd like to support this publication please also share your story in the comments or share this post. Keep in mind, this won't increase your entries, but your comments and shares will keep this publication thriving for you. Thank you!
I want to hear from you!
How could Freewrite and Scrivener transform your writing process?
Discuss how you believe using Freewrite for distraction-free drafting and Scrivener for organizing and editing could optimize your writing workflow and help achieve your goals.
Describe your ideal writing workflow using these tools. Imagine the possibilities!
Share your secrets for staying focused during writing sessions. Do you have a routine or special trick? Let me know!
🎉 Final Words
There you have it, dear writer! It’s an intriguing idea isn’t it. With Freewrite and Scrivener, you could have the ultimate tag team to power through those writing blocks and transform your imagination into words. Jump into the giveaway for a chance to win these amazing writing companions, and experience the magic yourself. And if one of you win, be sure to let me know. I’d love to hear all about it! Happy writing adventures await, and remember—keep those distractions at bay and write on! ✨
Together, we will turn your vision into a reality, one word at a time.
Write on,
Oliver Evensen
This contest is a collaboration with © Freewrite and is primarily managed by their team, not me or Literature and Latte. Please direct any questions to them, as I am not directly involved.
Contest open worldwide, except for residents of Afghanistan, Brazil, Iran, North Korea, Russian Federation, and Ukraine.