[!@#$%!]

7lbs is heavy for me, i'm used to an under-4lb machine, 12" screen (and i'm going for a 2lb machine next)-- at home i use an external monitor though, and external ergonomic keyboard & mouse, so i get best of both worlds. lugging 7lb around in a briefcase is not easy, but if you just go from car to office this should pose no problems-- i used to do the coffeeshop thing out of NEED as i had not internet at home (rural location) and i held meetings on restaurants and hotel lobbies. the 17" screen is nice if you get eye strain, yes, if you need to show something to a client, etc.

let me know if you need software & things like that, i can recommend some good freeware that will save you $$. definitely make sure you get a hookup of MS Office before you leave, that's your #1 business tool. and make sure you use firefox as your default browser, internet explorer 7 is a bleached turd. what else?

oh yeah. get yourself a free account here & start playing around.

[gmku]

I can get MS Office at the U for like 7 bucks. So yeah, I'll be sure to nab that before my employment term runs out.

I use firefox and safari at work. Nothing but trouble with IE.

Thanks for the link. What is that exaclty? Business management site?

[gmku]

I was noticing some writer types (it's summer writing festival time, and they're crawling like ants all over campus) hacking away at their laptops. It made me really glad I went for big with the keyboard and screen. I think I'd cramp up and go blind if I had to type on a small laptop all day. I have long fingers and big hands, and while I wear bifocals, I almost need a third focal these days for that problematic middle distance to the computer screen.

The portability is a bit of a concern, but I'm a lean, mean writing machine. I'll make it work.

[!@#$%!]

project management-- deal with clients online. has writeboards that let you edit your copy. post messages. chat. file sharing. even time keeping with the expen$ive accounts.

fyi i have a friend who makes nice coin as a writer and used to freelance in ireland & seattle. if you have questions let me know.

one thing she insists upon-- HAVE A CONTRACT. oh yes.

the thing i learned at the SBA: 4 people you'll need
1) lawyer
2) accountant
3) insurance guy
4) tech person

in your case 4) might be covered. one thing i was gonna say, dell tech support for consumer lappies is in india, but for business it's in north america. o well. the insurance guy-- insure your laptop and what have you. the lawer you're gonna need to write you a contract and to back you up in case of trouble-- ive had my share of fucks stiffing me for work done-- if you have a contract, you can make it so they pay your legal fees if you have to sue them. if you're not gonna incorporate but just run it as a sole ownership just keep your receipts until you can talk to an accountant who'll tell you what you can deduct, etc. you'll have to ask questions about taxes (to charge or not, to pay or not), how to set up your books, etc. saves a LOT of time &headaches at tax time to do that in advance. quickbooks can btw maintain all that pretty easy. you can download free quickbooks & experiment for yourself.

all this may sound like bullshit but it's good mental health, & besides, it's good practice for your future record store.

have fun.

--
ps what are your fees as a writer? pm me.

[gmku]

Yeah, contracts in the writing business are tricky. Much of the time they're arranged by the hiring editor/publisher. But yeah, I know enough from my experience on this side of the fence that the path is fraught with peril--for both the publisher and the writer!--without a signed contract.

I appreciate all the help, btw. May take you up later on what your freelance friend can tell me.

[gmku]

Originally Posted by !@#$%!

all this may sound like bullshit but it's good mental health, & besides, it's good practice for your future record store.

have fun.

--
ps what are your fees as a writer? pm me.

That's just it--this is a good way to break into my new enterpreneurial way of life, while generating some income without too much overhead or other concerns. And it'll get me used to the small business life before I launch into the bigger plans of opening that store.

Fees... I haven't really figured that out yet. It will depend on what the going rates are in S.C., and on what the job is, of course. I know here we pay writers shit--probably less than 50 cents a word. But I'm hoping to shoot for a higher class of clientele!