Does Going Mobile Affect Your Writing?
Over the life of my writing blog, I’ve spent a post or two advising on the importance of being organized and having a routine. One of the concepts that I try and hammer home is that a writer needs their very own space with a “Do Not Disturb” sign. I’ve always felt that a dedicated writer’s space is crucial to eliminating distraction – a primary excuse to not write.
Usually, I try and follow my own advice. Sometimes that keeps me out of trouble and sometimes it gives me a great big push down the wrong path. That’s how it goes and I’m ok with that. As far as having a writing space, I’m fortunate enough to have a very supportive household so a small room downstairs was set aside and I set up shop. Actually, it worked great. Then, a couple of months ago the computer started to die a slow death. Forever boot times, scary system messages and the like all went into my decision to get a new computer.
Nothing could be more hip and trendy than a laptop, right? Unless of course it was a Mac laptop, but that’s a story for another time. I took my new laptop home, lovingly set it up with the right folders and put all of the pictures and documents from the old computer onto the shiny new laptop. (I’m still trying to figure out how to get my FF bookmarks and email archives over.)
In addition to the geeky, techy me being excited about having a new ride, I was excited to be able to take my muse out of the writing room and into the free world. Oh, just think of it. I could write a post while catching a soccer match. I could sit out on the deck drinking my morning coffee while going through my email. I could go hang out at the trendy coffee shop in the village and look ultra-hip and all artsy. Could it get any better than this?
As it turns out, yes it does get better than that. My straying into mobile madness has taught me a lesson or two, and learning life lessons is the best stuff around.
- The Good – It has been so nice to be out in the world a bit. I’ve spent more time with the family (while still writing) and sometimes I’m inspired by the new scenery out the window. I have been able to take the laptop to a client meeting or two, and it was quite helpful to do so.
- The Bad – The quantity of my writing has suffered. Being out in the world has increased my exposure to distraction. Since I am also out of my element, I don’t feel as settled and focused as I was in the writing space. Finally, I don’t have ready access to my reference materials should the need arise.
Perhaps this is just a transition time. I’m thinking that is the case. I’m hoping to settle into a routine that will combine the best attributes of both scenarios.
How about you? Have you gone from a desktop to a mobile computer? What was your experience? Did it affect your writing?
Posted by George
About the Author: A writer living in Alaska. A simple man with few passions: My daughter, writing, soccer and now and then a good cigar.
Brett Legree | Jul 14, 2009 | Reply
I think it is a good thing, and once you settle into a groove, you’ll be more productive than ever.
I do this sometimes, and what has worked for me is to try and be near (but not necessarily *in*) a cafe with wifi. That way, I can sit outside and still grab a signal. Then, I can get to material on my home server via a VPN (I use Hamachi, it is free). I also use Dropbox to remotely share my critical files in case my VPN goes down for some reason.
(Actually, this cafe is sort of special as there is a secondary room with chairs and tables on the front of it that is normally empty, but has big windows – so it works rain or shine. I’m not sure what you have where you live, though.)
You could try a set of noise cancelling headphones or a pink noise application to nullify the background conversations and help you concentrate.
For your bookmarks, you could have a look at this to transfer them to your new machine:
http://www.favbrowser.com/backup/
What are you using for your email?
John Soares | Jul 14, 2009 | Reply
I have both a desktop and a laptop. I travel quite a bit to visit friends and family, and also to nearby Ashland, Oregon for tai chi lessons, so I use the laptop quite a bit in homes, coffee shops, and libraries.
I can be distracted when I’m at a coffee shop, but often it’s just the right stimulation to complete parts of projects that have caused me difficulty.
I usually go to Starbucks because they play good music, but not too loud, plus they have wireless and friendly staff.
Chris Anderson | Jul 15, 2009 | Reply
We have a laptop as well as our desktop. I have written a few posts on that one. It’s odd, only because I’m used to using the pc. So I can see what you mean.
And I can’t wait till the day I can have my own room. I’m sure it will improve my writing. But I’ll use what I can get for now.
Bcarter | Jul 15, 2009 | Reply
I have a laptop and a tower. The only time I seem to get anything done when I’m using the laptop is when I’m outside and away from the TV. Then I get a ton done because I’m being left along and there’s no TV.
I guess sitting down at my desk tells me that it’s time for business and to get things done.
tumblemoose | Jul 15, 2009 | Reply
Hey B.
That ol’ TV set is my time sucker – especially if there is a good soccer match on. Out to the porch with me if I’m to get work done!
George
tumblemoose | Jul 15, 2009 | Reply
Hi Chris,
I’m going to be moving back into my room shortly. I saw my shadow so there’s going to be six more months of winter
George
tumblemoose | Jul 15, 2009 | Reply
Hi John,
I agree that sometimes the stimulation can be inspiring. Like most everything else, moderation is the key.
tumblemoose | Jul 15, 2009 | Reply
Brett,
I really like the idea of the noise canceling headphones. Great idea!
George
Lsabal | Jul 15, 2009 | Reply
Laptops/notebooks increase the level of distraction to no end. I’m also having difficulty settling down and writing, but…lots of distractions.
I’ve decided that settling into the same space at home can be conducive to good writing; however, writing while “out and about”? It simply doesn’t happen.
If it does please let me know how you do it! I love the idea of noise canceling headphones, but sometimes that and listening to music can be distracting as well.
Monika | Jul 15, 2009 | Reply
@ George: It’s interesting how you and most of the commenters here struggle with distractions while out and about trying to get some writing done.
For me it is the other way round. I thrive on being out there with my laptop nestled on my lap while working at a local coffee shop or even the beach. It works for me.
But I suspect it is because I’m away from the “screams” of my birds, which right now drives me crazy. They are all on heat and after being stuck indoors for two months to raise young cockatiel babies I’m ready to escape for however little time I get.
Unlike a radio or TV I can’t turn off their sound and before you say it Brett, yes I’ve tried noise cancelling headphones but they don’t do it for me. So escape it is.
Great post, thanks George and thanks to all the new people who stopped by.
Monika
Brett Legree | Jul 15, 2009 | Reply
@Monika,
This was a great post by George, and lots of great comments from everyone who stopped in.
(Most of the clientele at our local cafe tends to talk about the price of bananas and so forth, which doesn’t help me at all…)
I use a program called AMS Audio Masking System at work (on Windows) and another one called Noisy at home (on Mac) to generate pink noise and sort of make things fade into the background a bit.
They are both free, too.
The visual stimulus of the cafe doesn’t bother me though!
Monika | Jul 16, 2009 | Reply
@ Brett: I totally agree with your statement re. George’s post.
Thanks for responding to my concerns about the noise cancelling headphones in regards to using them in a loud environment (birds, kids). I guess I now understand that they are really only meant to cancel out conversations – and here I as thinking they do more, tsk,tsk.
I was meant to ask you, that Hamachi program you use as a VPN, does that require your home computer to be switched on to access it? I’ve looked into other programs, paid ones in the past but they all need the computer to be on in stand by mode or whatever which to me makes no sense. I’d like to access my home maching while away without leaving it turned on if that makes sense.
Brett Legree | Jul 16, 2009 | Reply
@Monika,
No worries – my pleasure! Don’t worry, I thought they would work for that too… I’ve found it easier (with my kids) to adjust to their schedule, adjust mine, and go out if I need to – just like you do.
Hamachi needs the PC on to work of course but there are ways to set the computer to “wake on LAN” i.e. the machine is in a very low power standby mode, and when the network card receives the right signal, it will start up – then you can log into Hamachi.
There are many ways you can set up a wake on LAN to work from outside your network anywhere in the world (from using a special router, to using special software). In any case, you need a way of finding out your IP address because most people don’t have a static IP. So a free service called DynDNS will let you do that.
It isn’t too hard to set this up but it would take a while to explain it here!
I’ve been too lazy to do it myself so I just leave my server on all the time
not very green I know…
Monika | Jul 16, 2009 | Reply
@ Brett: Thank you for the clarification. I am a little unsure as to whether it is really THAT easy. LOL. I know you are the master geek here and seem to know so much about software and stuff. Beats me how you find out about it. Hehehehe…. Like you I’m very ungreen when it comes to leaving on my server. I guess when you have broadband you just don’t care. But as for leaving my computer on in low power mode I don’t like doing this for many reasons. What is there is a power cut and nobody is home? You are stuffed right?
Brett Legree | Jul 16, 2009 | Reply
@Monika,
Glad to help out. Hey, if I could figure it out, anyone could, trust me
am I the master geek or the master Googler, that’s the question!
I have the problem of power failures all the time where we live – the grid is very old and unreliable. So everything electronic of any value is plugged into a UPS for battery backup.
Now, the server won’t run for very long even on a big battery, but it can be set to shut down when the battery reaches a certain level. So if the power is only out for 10 minutes, no problem. Otherwise, it does a controlled shutdown.
I’m tempted to build a new server using really low power components like the newer Intel Atom processors. My current one is my old game PC and it uses a lot of juice!
Hee hee I can always find a reason to build a new computer
Monika | Jul 17, 2009 | Reply
@ Brett: Yep, I bet you could. I wonder how many computers you’ve built in your lifetime? Probably heaps. Master Googler, now that term is reserved by myself, hehehehe…. but I’m happy to share my accolades with you if you like.
I might know how to code a website, hack a blog and do lots of other technical things with my various online real estate, but when you talk of servers and VPN and all that I’m totally and utterly lost. Heck, I can’t even hack my wireless modem to hook up my new laptop since some guy at the computer shop did that installation years ago and now I don’t have the password, tsk, tsk.
Brett Legree | Jul 17, 2009 | Reply
@Monika,
I’ve lost count! But it is a lot for sure…
Hey, that’s why it is good to make friends with all kinds of folks out here. I have not taken the time to learn too much about website coding and blog hacking – so we can help each other!
(Have a look on the back of your wireless modem – there may be a master reset switch that will reset everything, including the password!)
NYC Vagabond | Aug 29, 2009 | Reply
I have found that working away from my home office has increased my output. But I’ve done more than just take my laptop with me. I’ve switched to writing most of my first drafts on paper, which forces me to stay in create mode, instead of endlessly tinkering on the keyboard.
By not begin forced to find wifi all the time, I can pretty much work anywhere.
Monika | Sep 1, 2009 | Reply
@ NYC Vagabond: Hi Mike and welcome to my site. I so agree with being more productive while on the go. At home I have so many interferences with my work like my ‘babies’ (my birds) and the phone and god knows what else. Funny enough, when I’m mobile I knuckle down, knowing I’m on the road to be productive and 97% of the time I truly am.
Plus I love getting out of the home as you so nicely describe in your post about wifi and cabin fever. That’s me alright if I don’t get out.
Also, I’d love to be able to work and jot posts into my Moleskine but really I’m more creative writing on the keyword so laptop it is for me. I wonder how good those Neo’s are? I’m tempted to give them a try one day. Have you ever used one yourself?
Love to travel with an iPhone too but right now I don’t have one (whaaaat!). Yep, I must be the only human on this planet who doesn’t have one of those ueber cool with a capital C gadgets. Hmmm… time to start saving I guess.