THE STORY SO FAR: PART 27

One of the problems of focusing on writing, to the degree that I have learned to do, is that one’s ability to cope with peripheral issues is diminished. I guess one could call this ‘Absent-minded professor syndrome’ or some such. I have tried to think of a more appropriate phrase regarding writers, but haven’t come up with anything stellar as yet.

But wait! Inspiration strikes! How about: ‘Absorbed author fog;’ or ‘The fog of fiction writing.’ Still not quite what I’m after, but you get the idea. My basic point is that focusing on one issue results in fogginess elsewhere.

Bur surely this is the age of multi-tasking? Actually, there is considerable research which indicates that the effectiveness of multi-tasking is an illusion; and that there is no substitute for fully focusing one specific task. Perhaps one can carry our heart surgery and tap dance, but I would prefer my surgeon to concentrate.

Personally, I believe being in the zone is worth the price, because a writer’s productivity, when focused, is enhanced dramatically. Nonetheless, there is a price, and it can be a damn nuisance.

This morning, I cleaned my computer – something I do pretty regularly – and, afterwards, found I could not connect to the internet. This evoked feelings akin to being marooned on a desert island. I now need to be plugged in to function (so much for rugged individualism). The War of The Worlds is over and – at least as far as I am concerned – the technological world has won. I’m not entirely happy with that, but I accept it. It is something of a Faustian bargain, but I currently hold to the view that the advantages, from this writer’s point of view, outweigh the disadvantages. The thought occurs to me that I may revise that opinion; but, so far, it holds.

You are probably ahead of me. Yes, my HP does have a touch key that controls access to the internet; and, yes my cleaning of the machine did turn it into the ‘Off’ position. When ‘On,’ the switch glows blue; when ‘Off’ the switch glows red. You would think I would have noticed such a thing, especially as this issue has occurred before.

Not a bit of it. I was focused entirely on what I was about to write.