Yup, caught myself. I\’ve been spending way too much time the last few days popping in to this site or that site, writing replies to various questions on LinkedIn or the WD forums, scanning blogs, you name it. Anything but writing. Well, been able to get some of that done too, but not as much as I\’d like. Darned internet. Can\’t retreat to my quiet, internet-free office much because my wife\’s been a bit under the weather, but the living room computer is far more accessible to the kids. Like the youngster who refused to go to bed and sat on my lap for the last hour plus.
Cute kid. Hard to type around. 😉
Going to see if I can get a little catch up time done the next few days. Leave the interwebs to care for themselves for a little while.
If you write, how do you manage to steer clear of distractions like the web?
I don’t, which is why my book is still around 8000 words – although college contributes to that mess, too. I get the majority of my writing done with pen on paper, usually on the bus. No smartphone to stop me there!
I don’t, which is why my book is still around 8000 words – although college contributes to that mess, too. I get the majority of my writing done with pen on paper, usually on the bus. No smartphone to stop me there!
It really does help to write first thing in the day, as it gives you a psych boost of “okay, got some of that iceberg chipped” mindset, as well as a yearning to do more.
Internet:
Go cold turkey or wean yourself off, but once you do it, it’s awesome. You realize how much time it was sucking up, and start to think…well, do I really miss being to-the-minute on various news/gossip/whatever? Usually the answer is, not really.
Leechblock helps if you’re using Firefox, and I remember another internet blocker but it might be Mac-only. If you really need to block yourself and are tech-savvy, put a timer on your router and force productivity. There’s always the fallback of other non-internet writing avoidance activities, but the above, it’s a start.
It really does help to write first thing in the day, as it gives you a psych boost of “okay, got some of that iceberg chipped” mindset, as well as a yearning to do more.
Internet:
Go cold turkey or wean yourself off, but once you do it, it’s awesome. You realize how much time it was sucking up, and start to think…well, do I really miss being to-the-minute on various news/gossip/whatever? Usually the answer is, not really.
Leechblock helps if you’re using Firefox, and I remember another internet blocker but it might be Mac-only. If you really need to block yourself and are tech-savvy, put a timer on your router and force productivity. There’s always the fallback of other non-internet writing avoidance activities, but the above, it’s a start.
Leechblock looks interesting, but it still comes to the bottom line: discipline. And that’s a habit which must be built over time.
Honestly, I wish I could spend more time at the wonderful net-free desk setup I made for myself. Main desktop is too noisy, but I’m often stuck in that room keeping an eye on young ‘uns. Pondering downsizing the desktop to something without four fans running all the time, something smaller, quieter, and more in line with my current needs (built the noisy-as-heck PC myself as a gaming rig, and that aura still lingers there, tempting me, too).
I’ve been using an Alphasmart Dana some while traveling. That works well, actually: all typing, no games, net, or any other distractions available!
Leechblock looks interesting, but it still comes to the bottom line: discipline. And that’s a habit which must be built over time.
Honestly, I wish I could spend more time at the wonderful net-free desk setup I made for myself. Main desktop is too noisy, but I’m often stuck in that room keeping an eye on young ‘uns. Pondering downsizing the desktop to something without four fans running all the time, something smaller, quieter, and more in line with my current needs (built the noisy-as-heck PC myself as a gaming rig, and that aura still lingers there, tempting me, too).
I’ve been using an Alphasmart Dana some while traveling. That works well, actually: all typing, no games, net, or any other distractions available!
I write stories longhand; that’s right, with a pen and a composition book. It’s the only way I’ve found that keeps me free from those blasted Internet distractions. (Or I shut off our Wifi router while I’m on the ol’ laptop.)
On another note, welcome to Write1Sub1! I’m sure it will be a great year of writing for us all.
I write stories longhand; that’s right, with a pen and a composition book. It’s the only way I’ve found that keeps me free from those blasted Internet distractions. (Or I shut off our Wifi router while I’m on the ol’ laptop.)
On another note, welcome to Write1Sub1! I’m sure it will be a great year of writing for us all.
Thanks for the welcome. =) Heard about you over on NaNoWrimo.org, if I recall right. Sounds like fun – and to be honest, I was already planning to do that, for at least half the year… Got involved in a little writer’s challenge with some other folks.
For those that have NO IDEA what we are talking about here, Milo is referring to “Write1Sub1” – at http://write1sub1.blogspot.com/
It’s a challenge site, basically – you sign up and, in the spirit of Ray Bradbury, agree to write one short story per week through 2011. Fifty two stories, fifty two weeks – oh, and submit them all! Should be interesting.
Thanks for the welcome. =) Heard about you over on NaNoWrimo.org, if I recall right. Sounds like fun – and to be honest, I was already planning to do that, for at least half the year… Got involved in a little writer’s challenge with some other folks.
For those that have NO IDEA what we are talking about here, Milo is referring to “Write1Sub1” – at http://write1sub1.blogspot.com/
It’s a challenge site, basically – you sign up and, in the spirit of Ray Bradbury, agree to write one short story per week through 2011. Fifty two stories, fifty two weeks – oh, and submit them all! Should be interesting.