Tuesday 25 February 2014

Internet and Writing

 
Until right this minute, I’ve had no Internet connection since Friday morning so you can imagine my frustration, considering the time writers have to spend online – on social media or otherwise. Even submitting stories, articles and novels is mainly carried out by email these days, apart from a few magazines and occasional agent or publisher. The up-side is that I’ve been writing more!

Fortunately, I’m able to use my husband’s work computer and separate connection at odd moments, when he’s having a break, but it’s far from ideal. Even just in these past few days, I’ve had two lovely pieces of news, one of which came by email and needed a response, the other by text but required viewing online.
I don’t how many of you know of txtlit, which I mentioned a long time ago, and it’s in the box at the side of the blog. This is a monthly competition, on a specific theme, submitted by mobile text – and must be no more than 160 characters (not just letters) including the first word ‘Story’. I won it a couple of years ago and had forgotten about it again until trying to get my writing organised at the beginning of the year. I entered the January comp with the theme ‘hello’ and was notified I’m a runner-up. Sure enough it’s now online, just when my internet goes down! This is a great exercise in being concise.

The other great news is an acceptance from The Highlander magazine in America, which takes Scottish historical articles. I’ve written for them before, again not for a couple of years while concentrating on novels. The lovely editor emailed to tell me he would be running my article on Inchmahome Priory and could I now email the photos. Fortunately, I had them all ready in a file on my computer but had to put them on a stick and send from husband’s computer. At least they’ve gone now!
I’ve really enjoyed getting back to writing shorter items like articles and stories, which is where I started, and it’s certainly a different form of creativity from slogging on with a new novel and wondering where it’s going! I’m also trying to finish the critiques for the romantic novel competition I’m adjudicating at the SAW conference in March. I’ve really enjoyed this, especially when they are all of reasonably high standard. Still deciding on the winners and commended but at least I’ve had no Internet to distract me the way it usually does. Maybe a few days with no connection is not too bad after all, as long as it's not too long. 

Rosemary

8 comments:

Maria said...

Hi Rosemary,
Congratulations on your recent successes, I can identify with enjoying writing shorter fiction and articles. I want to write more non fiction, I really enjoy it.

Lately, I'm procrastinating more than usual, mainly on the web! The novel is a slog, and personally I think we sometimes need the distraction of something else to stimulate us.

I hope you are all sorted with your internet connection now. Thank you for sharing, have a great week!

Wendy's Writing said...

I agree, it is a terrible distraction, Rosemary!

Rosemary Gemmell said...

Thanks, Maria sounds like you know exactly what I mean!

It is indeed - yet, as Maria says, it stimulates too!

Cara Cooper said...

Well done on your Highlander article. It's years since I've been to Scotland but I remember it fondly, especially a magical holiday I had on tiny Lismore.

Anonymous said...

Well done Rosemary. Makes us realise how much we depend on the internet when it's down.

Mary Smith said...

What a lovely, interesting post, Rosemary. We could probably all do with some time offline to catch up.

Rosemary Gemmell said...

Thanks, Cara - you must come up again sometime!

Absolutely, Susan - thank you!

I can't believe the difference it makes, Mary - obviously I spend too much time online, or I'm easily distracted (both!).

Patsy said...

I use the internet a lot when I'm writing, but I mis-use it even more, by getting distracted away from whatever I'm supposed to be working on.