Читать книгу About Writing and How to Publish - Cathy Glass, Cathy Glass - Страница 13

Just as you will need to develop a reasonably good standard of English to be able to write your book, so you will also need to be computer literate, unless you are going to ask someone else to type up your work or pay an agency to do it, which is going to be expensive – probably more expensive than buying a personal computer. Although touch typing is a useful skill to have, as it allows you to type quickly, it isn’t essential, and many authors and business people get by with two-finger typing. I taught myself to touch type and I average about eighty words a minute, which is very useful for replying to the many emails I receive, as well as for writing my books. However, as long as your computer and typing skills are sufficient to allow you to produce a word-processing document (in a program such as Microsoft Word) and send it electronically, you don’t have to be a computer geek. Colleges of further education offer day and evening classes in typing and computer skills – for every stage, from absolute beginner to advanced programming. There are also private tutors who will teach you computer skills in your own home, although they don’t come cheap. Likewise, the company that sold you your computer may also offer a service whereby they set it up in your home, connect you to the internet and show you the basics.

I suggest you buy a printer to go with your computer. They are relatively inexpensive and as well as giving you the chance to see your work in print – which can give you a new perspective, as the printed word looks different from the screen version – most printers are also scanners and photocopiers.