Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Double edged sword

As writers, we are a dichotomy. On the one hand we need peace and quiet to concentrate and get in the zone. On the other hand, we need interaction and inspiration to create what we do.
It really is a double edged sword for most of us.
Now that much of that interaction is on the internet and social media, it is just that much more difficult. It is so easy to just goof off and avoid writing that many of us fall into that trap.
I certainly do fall into that trap, for a lot of the time when I should stop surfing and start writing. I have been trying to come up with a happy medium there for myself and I think I have got it. In many ways, my creativity will further my creativity.
I have thought that maybe taking a long trip away, for a month or two, to an isolated cabin might be the answer for me. But that is just not practical given my life circumstances.
But, what I can do is create those circumstances within my own house and life. I can create a room that detaches completely from every daily reality I deal with. I can tell myself I am removed from all of life, like I would be at the cabin. As soon as I get up, I can step into that zone and not leave it until I have achieved what I want to achieve.
I am going to try it, and hope this is the final piece of the puzzle that gets me over the top.
Part of that will be connecting up a computer that has no internet access, games or apps. There will be no chance to be tempted by the outside distractions, while still having access to modern technology that is necessary to do the work.
It will be strange to be disconnected from the world at large for 9 or 10 hours straight, but I feel it is something I have to do and I will update at some point, in the form of a journal, on how it went and how it felt to be disconnected from the world and connected deeply to myself.

2 comments:

Carolyn Arnold said...

Best of luck to you. I find this is a huge struggle myself.

Michael K. Rose said...

If you've read Stephen King's ON WRITING, that's one of the key things he suggests, to create a space for yourself free of distractions so you can "write with the door closed."

Michael

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