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Q&A with Nicole Fenton

Independent writer and editor

My name is Nicole Fenton. I'm an independent writer and editor in Brooklyn, New York. I help people make friendly products and websites. As an interface writer, I design with words.

I'm currently cowriting a book called Nicely Said: Writing for the Web with Style and Purpose, which comes out in June. I also teach and talk about digital communications in my spare time.

Hardware

I have a MacBook Air 13". I work at home, where I hook it up to an inexpensive external display, an Apple keyboard, and a corded mouse. I carry an iPhone 5, read with an iPad mini, and take photos with a Fuji X100.

Software

Dropbox syncs and backs up my files. 1Password keep my accounts as safe as they can be. I also use Listacular to write and sync to-do lists over Dropbox.

I write in iA Writer, Google Docs, and Pages. I hate using Word and will do just about anything I can to avoid it. For string changes and copy revisions, I use a mix of GitHub, TextMate, and Transmit, depending on the project.

Tweetbot is my Twitter client of choice. I read articles in Pocket or Reeder, with Feedbin for RSS. Everything I read online goes through Reading.am. And I use Gloss to highlight the web. I love the Kindle app for books, and I use that on both my iPhone and iPad. For music, I use a mix of Rdio, iTunes, and old school analog LPs.

Dream setup

I would love to have a private writing room with plenty of light. Most of my daydreams involve a large kitchen and a small garden with herbs. That's about it these days. New York has everything, so I can't imagine much else.

Work inspiration

Everywhere honestly. I love what I do, so a lot of the energy comes from within. But my friends inspire me too. My husband encourages me all the time, especially when I decide to try something new. Books and other writers spark all sorts of ideas. I talked about this a little bit at Build. I love walking around with my camera, especially near the ocean. I need to do more of that when the book is finished.