Don’t you write more and better when you are not in the company of Lady Internet? I certainly do. And I also feel calmer, more peaceful, less distracted.
After much struggling, I’ve managed to instil the habit of morning writing in myself. The result? A few hours of undisturbed writing in the morning. Wireless off. Network cable unplugged.
I still spend many afternoons with Lady Internet, though.
‘I’ll just plug that yellow cable and visit Lady Internet and ask her about my inbox,’ says the boy with a hat around 13:00 on most days, and then he adds, ‘I’ll keep her company only for a few minutes, for I have much writing to do.’
He suits his actions to his thoughts and on good days he stays with her only for an hour or so. On bad days much, much more.
Lady Internet is most mesmerizing. With her easy manner and many temptations she can make us spend more time in her company than we should. Time flies when we are with her.
For someone who grew up with Lady Internet, giving her up is hard, nay, almost impossible. Lady Internet is for me – and for many of you I’m sure – a main source of news, information, and entertainment. She knows everything she does. And she’s so much fun!
I would love to get rid of her and welcome in Lady Tranquillity – equally pretty, I’ve heard, though of a different disposition – but for the time being I cannot. Without her I would lose access to my blog – I would lose you dear friends – and Wikipedia, films, music, ebooks, and data backups. Oh, and I would lose my job too. She pulls all the strings this Lady Internet…
We’d all be writing more if we kept away from Lady Internet, but whether we’d be writing better, I cannot say. We have to be fair. The favors she grants us – the universal access to information, the music and videos, the online banking, the freelance jobs – all of these sustain our problematic writing careers.
In the end I think that Lady Internet is a tolerable distraction in the modern writer’s life, so long as the writing is done before the daily meeting with her, for she is oh so distracting…
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Does Lady Internet distract you too?
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boy with a hat 
Oh goodness yes, Lady Internet is a distraction. I should be editing my book review right now!
Lady Internet is as much a blessing as a curse. The great distracter that pulls you away from all that is necessary.
She’s a lot of trouble, isn’t she? 🙂
I’m trying to figure out how to not look at wordpress and still look at wordpress.
Blogging is a waste of time. 🙂
That made me laugh!
I read this while procrastinating on writing a paper…
Taking the time to comment is even worse…
Yup, Lady Internet is a distraction, but I feel more distracted if I’m not plugged in. I actually feel calmer and more productive if I know I can jump away any time to research something only or just take a minute’s break by looking at cat pictures.
Lady Internet relaxes me, blogging is like meditation – and it`s oh so great to post and to be read without editory and money problems, so every writing person can be lucky enough to know this time-steeling and fascinating lady.
‘great to post and to be read without editory and money problems’
Alas, there’s no money to be had at all!
As to ‘editory problems’, I’m with you on that one.
Never looked at blogging like that.
Lady Internet is a distraction if you want her to be. Otherwise, she isn’t.
She meets you halfway, always. 🙂
She does! But I can perfectly live without her. It would just be a shame to not read all your interesting thoughts…
Julie, please check your Twitter private messages when you have the time.
Bye!
Lady Internet certainly is a distraction, but sometimes, depending on what I’m writing, she’s a necessary one. Over the past few days, I have spent hours writing complex newspaper articles. While writing those, sometimes my mind needs a break. It needs to be able to zone out so that it can focus in again on its difficult task — making words and ideas flow.
I must say I was glad to hear that you don’t want to lose access to your blog and consider us readers your dear friends…!
This entry is so true and I am definitely on the same boat as the rest of the world. I thoroughly enjoy all your posts! You’re such a talented writer. Thank you for sharing your talent with us. All the best, ~nakitaaudrey.com
I blush!
I tip my hat to you. 🙂