Distraction Free Writing: Part II
This is the way.
A little over a year ago I purchased an Alphasmart 3000. Part nostalgia purchase (shout out to my millenials who have made a habit out of this because the 90s were cool AF), part productivity "hack," I was really excited when it arrived at my doorstep. Immediately I felt the impact. I wrote about 8 chapters in 2 weeks on it. Then my distracted life got in the way.
It’s important to note that a lot of my writing takes place in between clients, during my daughter’s naps (which she is only taking in the car these days), and during down time throughout the day. I need a versatile array of writing tools to keep this train moving. A year ago, I really thought the Alphasmart would be the device that took my productivity to the next level; it wasn't.
In came the Ratta A6x. A paper tablet that allows you to write on an e-ink screen as if it were pen and paper. Once again, it was love at first sight. The Riftstorm and its unreleased (and unnamed) second chapter were written on it immediately. I also used it for general outlining, my "day job," my notebook at a couple of conferences, and a catch all for idea generation. I really felt like it was the missing link... until I moved, misplaced the charger, and fell out of habitual usage of the device. Before I knew it I was back to using my phone for everything.
By this point, I was able to identify the problematic trend: me.
More specifically, my inability to stay focused. I'll tap my generational peers once again, this time to call attention to something that I know plagues most of us. We ALL grew up on Nokia cell phones (or their equivalent), you know, the blocky ones that you could play Snake on? As technology advanced our attention spans receded. So much so, folks like myself hunt down devices we used in middle school as a means to escape the inescapable tech loop we are all in…
Let me take a moment... are you still with me? This all feels so poignant to me, but am I alone? I know that my lack of focus is my own fault, but it’s difficult to do so between the cacophony of beeps and buzzes that fill our lives these days. Whether it’s an app, a new device, or some online course, we are using technology to help mitigate the effects of our overexposure to technology. Will that work? I don't know.
But I bought a new device anyway.
I've been eyeing the Astrohaus products for years now, in particular, their Freewrite Traveler. It's sleek, trendy, and does everything the Alphasmart does but is way more portable (and expensive). I didn't go into thinking it was a panacea to my problems, instead, I purchased it believing it would fill the gap in my workflow I've spent the last year trying to fill. The last available solution was to seal off the cracks in my attention span that sprang the most leaks.
I'm grateful for the iPhone; the ability to listen to podcasts, stay in touch with loved ones, browse the web, and do so in style with a very user friendly interface is easy to take for granted. Some of my best work for this Substack has come from my cellphone, but that comes at a cost. I call it the "notification tax."
The term is definitely one I coined myself, but I think any of you who try to write on devices that ping, beep, blink, or chime know exactly what I'm talking about. It takes a considerable amount of time to get into a "flow state" when writing creatively; I'd argue even more so when writing within an established fictional world. The rules that an already established world set up are clear and easily definable- those within a fantastical world where magic actually exists take things to a whole new level.
Enter the Freewrite Traveler. I've actually typed this entire post using the Astrohaus suite of products: their browser enabled "typewriter" know as Sprinter and the Traveler.
SPRINTER: A web browser enabled typewriter that limits distractions. On the right side of the screen is a simple menu of options. You can write for time, character, or word count with an old school font that makes your writing feel a bit more professional than the native fonts here on Substack (where I typically draft, edit, and publish these posts).
TRAVELER: A laptop device that takes the browser model the sprinter uses and centers a portable device around its user interface. What makes the device special is its sleek layout, sensible features (like the toolbar beneath the screen that acts as the menu does on the Sprinter), and very pleasant keyboard. On top of that, the wi-fi connectivity allows for instant cloud storage to ensure you never lose your work.
So why am I sharing any of this with you?
I’m calling for as many of you writers out there to start using distraction free devices. Trust me, I know all about the importance of research when writing. Medieval fantasy comes with a ton if you want an authentic, “lived in,” world. Access to the internet is great, but having a dozen tabs open while writing is an unmitigated disaster for me (I'd imagine it is so for many of you as well). That's where my A6x comes into play. Another e-ink screen with minimal internet capabilities. By scheduling time for research, outlining, and plotting I can focus more easily on the task at hand.
With my A6x, I have the capabilities of an old school pen and paper with (virtually) unlimited resources. No page limit, no need to worry over ink, plus it is just as portable as the Freewrite. I have folders full of ideas for new stories, others dedicated to actual plotting ideas, even templates for outlining. The pair should keep me from going to my phone to write when I’m out and about.
The novelty factor cannot be overlooked here either. As a writer, you know it is important to love your tools. Scratch that. As a human, you understand our deep, ancestral connection to our tools. Obviously things like the browser I’m using to edit this, the Freewrite Traveler, A6x, and my Alphasmart 3000 are far from the stone tools we first "walked out of the jungle" with. But they tell a similar story nonetheless:
Human beings need tools in order to thrive in their respective environments.
In the end, I simply want to write; I'll take all the help I can get.
JL
You stole this from my brain, ha! I find even if I when I sit down for 30 minutes before work to write, my mind starts wandering, either to something else or to one of the many open browser tabs. I'm hesitant to buy another device (and have to make sure I copy over all my words into Scrivener), but Sprinter sounds interesting. Definitely going to give it a try later!
One thing I've found that works (although temporarily) is moving my place of writing. Something about being in an unfamiliar place tends to help me be more focused. But the problem is when that unfamiliar place becomes familiar, I need to switch to a new place.