Detatching
As a writer, I spend a good portion of my time on my computer. If I am not on my computer, my cell phone is almost always within reach. Generally there is a digital voice recorder in my purse or backpack and my digital camera is always with me. Last weekend, I was going to attempt a simple drive up the coast. This trip involved me packing my laptop and all fore mentioned electronics into my convertible just in case creativity sparked while I was out on the road.
Writing my current novel has proven to be most difficult for me. Every time I open my laptop and begin to type, the words just get jumbled up and I just can't seem to get my thoughts down on the screen. It's there in my head. I know exactly how it is all supposed to play out. The scenes the characters the ending but I just can't type it onto my computer.
This has never been an issue for me. From middle school, I could sit and write for hours with just a notebook. The stories flowed from me with ease. Yet, now, I can't finish one chapter.
That is when it dawned on me. I have to go old school. Stop writing like someone else is going to read it. When I type on my computer I am all too aware that I will soon be sending it to someone else for editing. But when it is just me and a note book I can write again. I also have a habit of checking my Facebook, myspace, email, and anything else I can when I'm on line if I slow down (which clearly happens a lot). To an extent, in my work I have to be assessable. I have not made my home wireless to help resist the urge to multi-task more than I already do. But I am finding it difficult at times to get things done that need to be because of this. My cell phone also does not have internet service for the same reason. So, I have to detach at certain times. Yet, I am still beginning to get the feeling that I am too attached to the electronics. The very ones I need to succeed may be the very ones hindering me from doing just that.
Writing my current novel has proven to be most difficult for me. Every time I open my laptop and begin to type, the words just get jumbled up and I just can't seem to get my thoughts down on the screen. It's there in my head. I know exactly how it is all supposed to play out. The scenes the characters the ending but I just can't type it onto my computer.
This has never been an issue for me. From middle school, I could sit and write for hours with just a notebook. The stories flowed from me with ease. Yet, now, I can't finish one chapter.
That is when it dawned on me. I have to go old school. Stop writing like someone else is going to read it. When I type on my computer I am all too aware that I will soon be sending it to someone else for editing. But when it is just me and a note book I can write again. I also have a habit of checking my Facebook, myspace, email, and anything else I can when I'm on line if I slow down (which clearly happens a lot). To an extent, in my work I have to be assessable. I have not made my home wireless to help resist the urge to multi-task more than I already do. But I am finding it difficult at times to get things done that need to be because of this. My cell phone also does not have internet service for the same reason. So, I have to detach at certain times. Yet, I am still beginning to get the feeling that I am too attached to the electronics. The very ones I need to succeed may be the very ones hindering me from doing just that.
Comments