Saturday, January 16, 2010

Techno Break

I didn't blog yesterday. Why? Because I needed a break from the screen time. Sometimes we are so wrapped up in our cyber world, we forget about the wonderful real world that exists. This is very true during the winter when cold and nasty weather forces us indoors. We're cooped up, bored, not moving forward and suddenly the Internet, emails, LOOPS, blogs, FB, Twitter become very important.

But there comes a point where the deluge of information, future contest forwards, loops, chats, blogging, reading about writing, catching up on every FB comment becomes unsatisfactory. And the spirit sags. And the mind goes into hyperdrive and is unable to relax.

Besides my writing world, I also have another world where I am a neighbor who helps, a mom with a kid in school and a wife with a husband who needs surgery. As one of my CPs says about the characters in novels, the outside world was pressing in and creating mega stress.

My solution? Turn off the computer. Go outside and sit in the sun, facing it in the western sky, and pick up a book to read. No phone, no Internet, no TV, no worries. Ah, it was lovely. I even napped (a rarity for me).

Afterward, I felt refreshed. I had the psychic energy to face the computer long enough to print out my Linda Howard Award of Excellence finalist entries and get them ready to mail out to the finalist judge. I printed out all my critiques and pages for my own revision and began to feel excited about the new direction.

I took time to honor my own writing style, which includes intuitive and emotional writing more than just facing the structure and formality of writing. Thus, I knew I needed a breath of real air and the warmth of the sun on my cheeks in order to feed my soul and renew myself for the tasks that lay ahead.

Now I am ready. Now I can move forward.

12 comments:

Karen Jones Gowen said...

Love this. The internet in all its forms can suck up your soul if you let it.

Christine said...

Karen, the computer and the tools it provides to writers is invaluable. But it becomes very easy to get sucked into its vortex because we are on it all the time. After a while, one's mind just gets jumbled. I need nature and must reconnect with it to reenergize. I also need real people and crave the same connection. If I don't do either, my writing suffers. Now I am ready to hit it again.

M.V.Freeman said...

I love technology, but I am with you that I have to turn it off at times.

Like in a few minutes I am going to walk away from it for a few. I need the break...

But I'll come back this afternoon.
I have things to do.---see you can tell, I am repeating myself and I am too lazy to go fix it.

Arrgh.

Christine said...

Mary, you know it's easy to get computer fog if you sit in front of it too long. I am taking a break after inputting all my scene info (knowing 1/2 of it will be CUT) and pamper myself.

M.V.Freeman said...

Pampering is good....

Oooh, found a nice red wine at Costco..I'll buy you a bottle for your birthday! :-)

Christine said...

Thanks Mary! You rock!!

Karen Jones Gowen said...

I like the idea of getting out in nature to balance the technology. I haven't been walking because of all the cold, snow, holidays, bla bla bla, and I think I have missed that counterbalance.

Christine said...

Karen, winter is so difficult for us because we're cooped up and as writers we are in front of computer screens all the time. I really believe that the spirit craves real world connection and to be in tune with nature. I was so grateful for the one sunny, warmish day we had a few days ago. What a gift! It rejuvenated my soul.

Gwen Hernandez said...

Definitely need a break and a chance to recharge away from the screen sometimes. I'm glad you found your refresh.

Ellen Brickley said...

I'm always glad to live in an era with so much helpful technology for writers.

That said, switching off from it every now and again is essential. I wasn't online at all yesterday, and I had a lovely peaceful day, and a nice backlog of interesting stuff to read this morning :)

Christine said...

Gwen: I think we all need a "refresh" button in our lives. Highly necessary.

Christine said...

Ellen: Your day sounds lovely. And now it's back to life and back to reality. And that's easier to do when we have real rest and relaxation built into our lives.