Freewrite Stories: How Author Ivo Senden Finished His Novel on a Freewrite, Pt. 2

May 11, 2017 | 3 min read

This is the continuation of the Ivo Senden Freewrite Story, click here for Part 1

 

"It feels amazing on warm summer days to go outside, sit in the sun and the fresh air and type away. The keyboard has improved my writing speed, the distraction-free device has improved my concentration on the manuscript, and somehow it just feels wonderful to be using a beautiful, dedicated device purely for the purpose of writing." – Ivo Senden

Senden is credited with publishing the first book written partially on the Freewrite. For him, the features of the Freewrite have created a huge boost in both productivity and mood surrounding his writing. The E Ink screen is easy on his eyes, and the design of mechanical keyboard provides comfort during times when he finds flow. These were two facts that were not lost on Senden while he was researching the features of the Freewrite. He was excited to learn that the device is the only one of its kind that has an E Ink screen allowing for readability at any angle and in bright light. Senden says, "Even before I became aware of the advantages of the mechanical keyboard and the non-distraction architecture of the device, the screen alone convinced me to order a Freewrite. "

Alongside his decision to purchase the device, Senden found the Freewrite Community forum to be a particularly helpful source of information for his writing process. For him, the process of preparing to write includes a detailed outline, note taking, and intense editing which he used to do in Word. However, during his first hour of visiting the Freewrite Community Forum, he was able to interact with other writers allowing him to discover better tools to manage his content during the laborious development process.

Because the Freewrite has ergonomic features and limits the ability to get lost in social media, or other online distractions, the device allows users to write in a way that enables them to enter flow. At the end of each of his power sessions, Senden can sync his draft from cloud storage to another application for editing purposes, such as his favorite content management tool. The ability to do the bulk of his writing on the Freewrite means less time he has to spend tied to an uncomfortable laptop with short battery life.

Most importantly Senden says, "It feels amazing on warm summer days to go outside, sit in the sun and the fresh air and type away. The keyboard has improved my writing speed, the distraction-free device has improved my concentration on the manuscript, and somehow it just feels wonderful to be using a beautiful, dedicated device purely for the purpose of writing."

Simply a choice of writing location can be critical to the process of writing and to a writer's ability to achieve that all important flow. As we have learned from Senden, writing outdoors was not an option before he purchased the Freewrite. He would find himself sitting inside on his couch on a warm and sunny day. Meaning for him, a choice between work or enjoying all that a beautiful day has to offer. Now thanks to the Freewrite, he can do both which in and of itself boosts mood and creativity. Senden says, "For me, the Freewrite was the answer to my prayers for an E Ink writing device, and its magnificent keyboard was more than a huge bonus."

Ivo on His Typewriter Restoration Hobby

"The beautiful typewriter you see is 98 years old. I tracked it back to a Dutch constable who used it as early as 1919 to write his police reports. I restored it, managed to find new ink ribbons and actually even used it briefly while I was waiting for my Freewrite to arrive. You can imagine my next door neighbors weren't all too happy with some of my late night writing sessions, hacking away on this antique, mechanical monstrosity. I know for a fact that they love the Freewrite as much as I do."

 

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October 01, 2024 3 min read

We're just 10 weeks away from a major milestone: the 10th anniversary of Freewrite's launch on Kickstarter.  On December 10, 2014, we introduced the Smart Typewriter, then known as  "Hemingwrite," to the world.
How It Started
In September of 2014, co-founders Adam Leeb and Patrick Paul entered Hemingwrite into the “Insert Coin” hardware competition sponsored by Engadget. Described as a new digital consumer product for distraction-free writing composition, Hemingwrite aimed to deliver a singular focus on a productive writing experience. A decade later, that core mission remains unchanged.
Hemingwrite was one of 20 inventions competing that week, highlighting early-stage hardware startups from around the world that had not yet received funding or shipped to consumers.
"What the Kindle did for reading, we want to do for writing," said co-founder Patrick Paul at the time."We set out to deliver the same distraction-free writing experience of a typewriter with all of the added benefits of modern technology."
Co-founder Adam Leeb added,  "We combined all of the best aspects of the typewriter, theMoleskine, and the computer to create a modern classic."
Althoughthe Hemingwrite concept  didn’t win the competition,  the initial coverage by Engadget led to another press hit and then another and quickly it became a viral sensation around the world. The project was covered in everything from The Wall Street Journal to The Atlantic. Over 125,000 people came to the simple wordpress website at hemingwrite.com and over 8,000 anxiously input their email asking for updates on the project.
Adam and Patrick knew they had something special on their hands but weren’t sure if anyone was willing to pay for this idea or if it was simply interesting. On December 10, 2014 the Kickstarter campaign was launched and immediately the pledge dollars started rolling in. Within 20 hours of launch, the campaign had raised over $200,000! And just like that, the Hemingwrite distraction-free writing tool concept became destined for reality.
How It’s Going
Since that initial launch, we have developed Freewrite into a family of distraction-free writing tools with three distinct models, Smart Typewriter, Traveler, and Alpha. Each has their distinct personality, but the core value of maximizing writer productivity runs throughout. 
In 2020, The original Freewrite Smart Typewriter became part of the Science Museum, London’s permanent Printing & Writing Collection.
The name Hemingwrite was dropped in 2015 and then revived in 2021 with the Ernest Hemingway Special Edition Smart Typewriter in partnership with the Ernest Hemingway Estate. 
We’ve created Sprinter for distraction-free writing in any browser and WTF where thousands of people every week receive a writing prompt and participate in Writing Time Friday. 
The community's achievements over the past decade have been  astounding:
  • Freewrite users have created over 600,000 documents
  • Collectively,users have written more than 605 million words (equivalent to over 6,000 novels!)
It’s hard to believe that it’s already been 10 years but it also feels like we are just getting started.
To kick things off:
One Year Warranty: Now Standard
We are extending our warranty that covers manufacturer’s defects to a full year on all Freewrite devices. This means you can enjoy your Freewrite with even greater peace of mind, knowing that we've got you covered for an entire year. 

For more information, please visit our dedicated article on our new warranty policy here: Introducing Freewrite's New 1-Year Warranty: Our Commitment to You
Thank You
As we reflect on 10 years, we're filled with gratitude for the amazing writers who have made Freewrite an essential part of their process. Your passion has shaped our products and fueled our mission.  
Here's to the next decade of your writing success!
 
- The Freewrite Team
October 01, 2024 2 min read

As of October 1, 2024, we are extending our standard warranty that covers manufacturer’s defects to a full year on all Freewrite devices. This means you can enjoy your Freewrite with even greater peace of mind, knowing that we've got you covered for a full 12 months from the date of shipment. We’re even retroactively applying the warranty extension to purchases made this year.

Here is how our new 1-year warranty will work:
  • Beginning October 1, 2024, all new purchases now have a 12-month warranty standard from the shipment date.
  • All device purchases made in 2024 will now have 12-month warranty coverage from the shipment date.
    • For example, if your device shipped on March 1, 2024, your warranty would have expired on May 30, 2024, but will now expire on March 1, 2025.
  • If you purchased an Extended Warranty in addition to your device in 2024, you will receive both the new 12-month standard warranty coverage from the date of shipment, as well as the additional coverage period from your paid extended warranty.
    • For example, if your device shipped on March 1, 2024, with a 2-year Extended Warranty:
      • Your standard warranty now expires on March 1, 2025, instead of May 30, 2024.
      • Your 2-year Extended Warranty coverage will begin on March 1, 2025, and continue until March 1, 2027.



Your trust in our products is paramount to us, and this warranty extension reflects our dedication to your satisfaction and our confidence in the quality and reliability of our devices.

Thank you for choosing Freewrite; we look forward to serving you for many years to come. Write on!

 

- The Freewrite Team



Important Notes:

  • For devices purchased in 2023 or earlier, the original 90-day warranty applies, in addition to any paid Extended Warranty coverage.
  • If you purchased your device in 2023 or earlier, without an Extended Warranty, unfortunately, your warranty has now expired.
  • We are unable to offer refunds for prior out-of-warranty repairs.

 

Useful Links:

Official Freewrite Warranty Policy

Warranty Support Doc