Unplugging to Plug in

I’m guilty of spending far too much time on the internet, checking Facebook, Twitter and browsing the forums on Authonomy. I have accounts on Goodreads, Pinterest and even something called Gothise, but I’m not exactly sure what it is or how I ended up there.

Sure, social networking is fun. My virtual friends are witty, sarcastic and funny. The problem is, I can lose hours to each of these things and not actually accomplish anything of value. There are times when someone’s status update will take precedent over something one of my kids have asked me, and that’s just wrong.

Not only am I connected to the internet by my faithful laptop, the vast information highway follows me where ever I go. Cell phones, smart phones, iPhones, iPods, iPads and Tablets are all wonderful devices, designed with the convenience of being portable. With 3G, 4G and free WiFi pretty much everywhere I go, I don’t even need to be sitting at my desk to get my internet fix. It’s always there, morning, noon and night. When I leave the house, go out for lunch, go grocery shopping, go to the gym or even spend an afternoon at the local pool with my family.

On the odd occasion I can’t actually connect to the virtual world – I have texts at my fingertips. Not quite as much fun, but for some strange reason, texting has become the communication of choice. Sometimes it seems easier, and perhaps less intrusive than a phone call, but is it really the same as truly connecting with a friend?

This week, while my husband is on holidays, I will also be taking a holiday. I will give myself the gift of unplugging for hours at a time, so I can focus on my children, my writing and connecting with friends in the physical world. This isn’t to say I won’t check in once and a while – I’m an independently published writer, so disconnecting completely would be suicide, but I will be placing some strict limits on my internet usage. No more Bejeweled games, no more checking Facebook’s news feed multiple times a day or idly skimming through the forums on Authonomy or other sites. I think it’s reasonable to allow 30 minutes in the morning and another 30 minutes in the afternoon to see where the world is at beyond my physical space – but other than that, I will be signing out. I owe it to myself, my children and my husband to take care of what I can feel and touch. So, for this week, at least, I will be unplugging so I can plug in with them and give them the quality time they deserve.

Thanks to all the writerly-types in the virtual world.

I used to think writing was a solitary activity. A picture of a lone person in a dimly lit room, surrounded by leather-bound books, wielding a fountain pen comes to mind when I think of an author. A cigarette might rest forgotten in an ashtray; an undefined drink rests half-full on the corner of the desk. Perhaps a dog might be curled up on an old rag-rug that covers the imperfections of the hardwood floor. I wonder how many other people hold this image of a writer in their heads.

I can’t write like that. The silence deadens my creativity and dim lights kill my eyes. I don’t smoke, and the drink on the corner of my desk can be recognized as Smirnoff Ice or even just a coffee. There is often a dog curled up at my feet – but she’s on bare linoleum and usually begging for the munchies I have close at hand. I can’t even remember the last time I held a fountain pen in my hand, or any other writing instrument, for that matter.

The more distractions I have, the more productive I seem to be. My music of choice can be anything from light acoustical guitar sounds to raunchy, hardcore punk ruckus. In addition to Word being open on my laptop, Facebook, Twitter, Authonomy, Blogspot and GoodReads can all be found waiting at my fingertips. They easily provide a minute or two of distraction between plot points, bits of dialogue or lengthy descriptive paragraphs. Is this writing ADD?

I don’t write on a schedule, if I try, nothing comes out. I just sit and stare blankly at the screen. However, when I know the house is a mess and my parents are due to visit within the hour, the story demands to be written and just can’t wait. When my children need dinner or help with their homework, my characters insist on being heard. When it’s the wee hours of the morning and my body should be sleeping, my brain decides to wake up and be productive.

The best part about being a writer in today’s world is the constant interaction with other writers. I think I would go crazy without it. They understand that your characters are giving you trouble and refuse to be written they way you intended; they fully grasp the importance of using a semi-colon over a comma or a full-stop. Most importantly, they are encouraging, supportive and always offering up words of wisdom from their own stockpile of writerly experience.

So – thanks to all of you who make writing the adventure it’s meant to be. It’s comforting to know that writing isn’t meant to be a solitary practice after all.