Technology is such that my computer is always on-line. Electronic eons ago, when dial-up was the mode, Internet providers regularly kicked-off users so that signing off and on became the habit. Extra minutes on-line then also burned money since users were charged by time. With broadband and FIOS connections, this procedure isn’t technologically necessary and no additional money is required to stay on-line.
When I go to my desk every morning, my email inbox is in view on my desktop and usually is full since I belong to many writing groups. It’s become a habit to check it first. My next on-line move takes me to this site to check the day’s blog. We now have 65 readers. If Blogger.com messes up, if someone has forgotten to post, if I’ve worded something in my own blogs that I’m still not satisfied with—I feel a responsibility to our readers to make sure the blog looks as it was envisioned.
I stated in my New Year’s Resolution blog that I need to stop emailing, blogging, responding and reading other writers’ blogs and just WRITE! What is so hard about doing my job?
Bad Habits! The duration of Jan’s challenge was for six weeks. Habits form, the scientists say, after three weeks. I have five weeks remaining to instill a new habit even if I muffed it in this first week. I’ll try again, and my critique group, The Mayhem Gang may help.
In my last report, The Mayhem Gang’s attrition brought our numbers down to three dedicated writers. Last month, one of those three bowed out due to health issues. The other writer and I decided to carry on as best we could, knowing that one critique on our work was better than none and that producing work for critique every other week would be daunting. We decided to let the schedule slip if we had to do so for our sanity. Our lives and the holidays intruded, so we gave ourselves a two week holiday. A week ago, Betsy Bitner, critique group coordinator for our SinC subchapter, The Guppies, assigned two more writers to our group. We are joyous!
I now have two new writers to impress; one of whom already has a publishing contract! My fellow writers awe me, and I'm eager to critique and to produce. The Mayhem Gang has given me new incentive and additional reason to take up The Writer’s Challenge of 2011. I’ll let you know how the remaining five weeks go.
Are any of you taking up Jan’s challenge? Has it prompted you to break the bad Internet habit? Will you log-off the Internet every night?
I'm jumping in too late for "official" participation. My manuscript, however, doesn't know the difference between official and unofficial. It just wishes I'd stop clicking around and get down to business. I always log off the Internet at night. Tonight I'll also turn the wireless network switch to the Off position.
ReplyDeleteGood for you. It's time all writers took time for themselves. Due to running a small business, I've heard the old financial adage, "pay yourself first." The same goes for a writer's use of the Internet. Think of those hours off-line as paying yourself. Writing must be the main use of your time. Promotion and marketing has to come second. Without a great product, the other stuff just doesn't matter.
ReplyDeleteIt's too easy to spend hours on the internet and find there's no time left for writing. I used to answer emails first, then post on Facebook and/or Twitter, then check out everyone else's posts ... you get the picture.
ReplyDeleteNow, I force myself to write away from the office. I sit in another room with a laptop that has no wi-fi. As E.B. says, the writing must always come first.
Of course, if I hadn't been 'wasting time' on the internet, I wouldn't have found this post. :)
The only failure is the missed opportunity to start. You can start now and continue on to success. That's my inner shrink talking. One question I had when talking to a grade school class about how many years it took to complete my novel was, "Didn't you want to quit?" I answered, truthfully. "Yes, I wanted to and I did quit several times. I just un-quit each time and eventually I finished."
ReplyDeleteI've tried to break bad habits and at week three have always run into problems. So, we'll see if I can keep up staying off the Internet each morning and writing for at least three hours.
ReplyDeleteShirley-I wouldn't have found the 2011 Writer's Challenge had I not been on the Internet. There is a time and place for everything. We need to hook up with other writers to sustain our sanity and our stamina. There are some blogs worth the time and I find The Red Jungle Writers are one of these blogs. Keep reading and writing!
I find I can more easily stick to writing first before checking out blogs and emails if I'm into a part of my story that seems really significant for me. I can't wait to get back to where I left off and find out what the next few pages will be. I try to end each day at a cliffhanger or at least something that requires a lot of creative effort to resolve. I guess the lack of novelty and challenge is why it takes more will power to sit down in front of a WIP I'm revising.
ReplyDeleteI'm motivated by critique groups but I believe I require more internal motivation.
Hi E.B.
ReplyDeleteI WISH I were distracted by "Getting out there" on Blogs, Facebook, Twitter -- that's the part of the job I NEED more motivation for. It's like pulling teeth.
For me, it's the deadly email that fritters away my time. Once I start checking it, I'm gone for the day.
So now, even after I've met my 45 minute requirement by the Challenge, I'm trying not to go on the Net until after noon.
That's why I just saw your post from yesterday. Thanks for talking up the Challenge!
My problem with that schedule is that I'm not a morning person and never feel like writing that early! I reserve afternoons for writing but I DO let the internet get in my way. I should maybe turn off my email notify at noon so I can get to it.
ReplyDeleteJan-I think your challenge was right on. When I started to blog and do author interviews, I had no idea how much time I would consume just reading, emailing, and writing for the blog. It's wonderful--But a deadly trap that takes time from my fiction writing. Thanks for getting to the heart of the matter by including the Internet limitation.
ReplyDeleteKaye-Doesn't matter when you write, but how much you let the Internet get in the way of your writing. You don't seem to have the problem given your publication record this year! Congratulations-and I'm holding you to that interview after your book is published. I want to know about the process-what you're doing now with the publisher. Yea, I am nosey aren't I!
You're blog is on my spreadsheet, E.B. but here I am on the internet! Gotta go do some work!
ReplyDelete