instapaper.com – Gwen Hernandez

Finders keepers

Okay, so after my recent post about Instapaper.com, you're using it–or something similar–to save online articles and posts you want to read later. Right?

The next step is to collect the “keepers”. Again, bookmarks get messy, printing wastes paper, and not everything applies to your current Scrivener project (hence you may not want to import it there).

So here's your solution: Evernote.

It's an online binder that lets you create multiple notebooks and synch them between your computer, your PDA, and the web. You can store photos, articles, blog posts, checklists, your own notes, and even tweets from Twitter. I've just started collecting in Evernote, but I can already see the power and value.

I have notebooks for craft articles, research, writing ideas, and recipes. You can tag each item to make searching easier too.

And best of all, it's free!

Check it out and let me know what you think. I think before long I won't be able to live without it.

Happy collecting!
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Save it for later

April 28, 2010Gwen HernandezWriting Life

I constantly come across blog entries that I want to read, usually relating to writing, though not always. Often I don't want or have time to read them right then, but I don't want to forget about them. Nor do I want a bookmark for every entry I'd like to peruse. Plus, I don't sync my bookmarks to my iPhone, so if I'm waiting at the orthodontist, I can't easily pull up the reading I'd like to catch up on.

I used to end up with my browser open for days with numerous tabs open, “holding” those pages until I'd read them while eating lunch or something.

That is until I found Instapaper.com. (I'm sure there are other similar options out there, but I love this one.)

When you sign up, you download a “bookmarklet” (button link) for your bookmark toolbar that says Read Later. When you're on a web page that you want to come back to at some point, click Read Later and it will be stored on your Unread list at Instapaper.

The best part is you can access Instapaper from any web-friendly device like your iPhone, laptop, or the computer at the library. You can even download for reading on a Kindle or e-reader, or print.

Just enter the email you registered with and all of your saved links appear. Click on a link to read, then click your browser's back button to get back to Instapaper. The link you just finished should be moved to your Archives folder (unless you deselect this option).