Thats where distraction-free writing tools have come into play, including the recently releasedFreewrite Alphafrom Astrohaus.
This is a rig for writing first drafts, including all the dirty mistakes that come with them.
All you’re able to do is write, and thats a good thing.
But is the Alpha really the best tool for the job?
Ive got mixed thoughts.
I also love that I can simply pull out the Alpha and power it on to start writing.
There’s no need to open up a word processor or navigate to Google Docs.
It’s exactly what you would want from a equipment like this.
In practice, though, the Freewrite Alpha is far from the writing escape I hoped it would be.
They were designed to do just one thing: let you write without distractions.
One of the biggest issues I have with the Freewrite Alpha is the build quality.
Despite costing over $300, the Alpha is made completely of plastic.
I dont particularly have an issue with plastic in devices, aside from the obvious durability concerns.
Theyve accomplished that, but it comes at a horrible price for the user.
Thats because the Freewrite Alpha is absolutely atrocious to hold or throw in on.
For writers like me, that’s a bit distracting in its own way.
Even putting some padding into the machine to make it sound less cheap would have been a nice touch.
That isn’t a slight against the switches used here, mind.
Another issue with the Alpha is the lack of any backlight on the display.
Look, I love the display and how it limits how much of my manuscript I can see.
This is a great feature, and one Id love to see emulated in the software I use daily.
So who is this for?
Despite my issues, I dont hate the Alpha.
In fact, its probably one of the more useful pieces of tech that Ive tried in recent years.
It does what it says, and it does it well enough.
The Freewrite Alpha isnt for every writer.
For me, I wouldnt say writing on the Freewrite Alpha has improved my writing capabilities or output exponentially.
