Thumb of Steel

Do I get my Guiness World Record plaque now?

Getting buff over here

I ditched the laptop

I think I may have set some kind of world record. I haven’t checked Guinness yet, but it feels like the kind of thing that should earn at least a raised eyebrow. If nothing else, I’ve got a thumb of steel to show for it.

I wrote my entire novel on my phone. Actually, across four and a half years and four phones. The first one was an LG K40. The second was a Moto G Stylus. The third a OnePlus Nord N30. The fourth was a Moto Edge 24. Nothing super high-end. Nothing flashy. But they carried the weight and did the job. I actually really liked my phones. I’m not someone who chases new phones. I only changed devices when switching carriers made it cheaper than staying put. The phones were largely included incentives.

I started out on Google Docs. That lasted about five minutes before I ran out of space, so I moved everything to Word Mobile. I’m grateful for what the app let me accomplish, but let’s just say it is not a perfect invention.

I know readers probably split into two groups here – they either feel sorry for me because they think I couldn’t even afford a cheap Chromebook, or they assume I can’t type and needed to write my entire 300,000 word novel like I was texting.

Sorry to disappoint both. I owned a laptop the entire time. It was a necessary expense for running D&D sessions. And I can type 70 to 90 wpm, depending on how familiar I am with the words.

Now I’ve added a new skill. I can type on a phone without looking. It takes a minute to adjust to a new device because every phone has its own width, but after that I’m set. I also now have a permanent callus on my pinky from holding the phone, and something that feels suspiciously like carpal tunnel in the backs of my fingers. Not ideal for someone who doesn’t crack their knuckles.