I haven’t been keeping up with blogs well because I’m very busy working on a 2000 word article on “Fear” for a Mental Health reference book. You’d think a horror writer would be perfect for such an article, but it’s not about my “thoughts” on fear, or about anything to do with writing horror fiction. (I have plenty of thoughts on those.) It’s about the physical and mental attributes that accompany fear, and how these are controlled in the brain. I’m enjoying it, but am finding it fairly effortful. I know the general physiology but there are a lot of details that I need a refresher on. Just below is the abstract of the piece, which will give you an idea of the focus.
Fear is an unpleasant emotion that occurs in response to an immediate and identifiable threat, usually of an external nature. It includes physiological elements such as increased heart rate and muscular tension, behaviors such as running or hiding, and hormonal changes like the release of epinephrine (adrenaline). It should be differentiated from “anxiety,” where the threat is only anticipated and is often not specifically identifiable. Fear is largely adaptive, in that it prepares us for immediate danger, while anxiety is maladaptive, in that it occurs to threats that cannot be controlled or avoided.
To bring this post around to writing, though, I’ve seen other writers talk about the internet and how it can distract one from writing. I agree that one can get caught up in surfing and lose sight of your writing goals, but--for me--net access has become extremely important to my productivity and the speed with which I can complete projects. However, this is true only for nonfiction. I just finished two other nonfiction articles and I had the net up almost the entire time while I was writing them. I was able to fact check at a click of the mouse, and was able to access journal articles and historical documents galore to give me just the details I needed when I needed them. My productivity level with nonfiction is three or four times what it was before I had regular net access. I would have had to spend a lot more time in libraries and ordering material through interlibrary loan. That time now is spent in actual writing.
With fiction, however, I tend to write away from the net. Oh, I find it helpful on occasion to quick check facts online about sailing ships, or weapons, or various props that are used in my story, but fiction is not primarily factual. Stories need mood and atmosphere, and the net can’t give me that. Also, fiction is hard, harder to me than nonfiction, and when I get to a sticking point on a story I can so easily allow myself to “see if there are any comments on my blog,” or “check my email.” This is the death knell for “flow.” A sticking point in nonfiction can be broken by more research. A sticking point in fiction usually can’t, because it’s not about the facts but about the “feel.”
How about you? What’s your take on the net and writing. Helpful in all cases? Harmful? Or is it different for different forms of writing?
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53 comments:
The internet has an entirely negative impact on my fiction writing. When I get "in the zone" it's like I'm in an encapsulated bubble than any interference can burst and interrupt. That might be someone walking into the room and asking a question, the phone ringing, or the doorbell ringing. The internet is an intrusion into that zone to the 10th power. If I wrote non-fiction articles, I think I'd find it to be a benefit, as you've described.
The internet is waaaay too big a distraction for me. I'm not nearly as productive if I have net access. I have an older laptop that doesn't have net access and I'll use that to write without the temptation to stop, check email, cruise blogs etc.
Hey Charles,
Excellent points about fear and anxiety. I think for me that the internet actually has helped me tremendously in terms of writing. It provides an audience and allowed me to find a voice beyond my fiction which I think has been valuable. As for fiction (which I think is so much harder), I put myself in a different corner of my office and don't allow myself to touch the computer except as a "treat" for pages completed. It's a good bribe to keep going, much like chocolate or spending money. I also don't mind being stopped during writing -- I've never had a particularly quiet place to work so I've adapted to working under any circumstances.
the Internet has made a huge difference for the good in my fiction writing. It's not because it makes it so easy to research things, but because through it I hooked up with other Michigan writers who were better at the craft of writing than I was, and more educated on the topic to boot. Fortunately they were also nice people who loved to teach. I don't think I would ever have come across them without the net, since I am rather insular by nature.
Meeting these other writers has led to me attending more writing conferences, being on panels, meeting more publishers, editors, and agents, etc. So it's real positive impact on me has been in developing the feeling that it's good to know other people doing the same thing.
The most difficult thing for me since I got a computer is that my cat wants to sit on the keyboard all the time. Whenever I sit down to type, she heads straightfor the keyboard.
Maybe I've drifted off topic...
i agree about the internet being counterproductive to writing fiction. it is an easy distraction, and i think that far outweighs the slight benefits it might have on occasion. i don't write that much nonfiction (yet) but i can definitely see where it would be extremely useful in that regard.
on a side note, i just ordered a copy of "bits of the dead" and am looking forward to reading it, and right now i'm working on a review of "wanting the mouth of a lover" for my blog.
Interesting. I'm writing a series on Manson, and thinking that his followers were constantly kept in fear. I guess I should emend that to say that they were in constant anxiety and fear. They anticipated vague possibilities (like Panthers finding out where they were), and immediate threats (e.g., Manson holding a knife to their throats as they tripped on acid).
Apropos your previous two posts, they knocked me off my legs and on my tush. I've never been a sharp-dressed man, and I'm occasionally fond of cheap sunglasses, so people don't take me that seriously. Nevertheless, my judgment says that this was quite witty
For me the net has been a boon for meeting deadlines of a regular weekday post, and others I have chosen to meet. Also, it has provided me with multiple topics to write about, though I tend to dwell on issues that are related to my fiction writing.
Other bonus areas of the net are being able to read other blogs of writers, editors and agents to see their viewpoint on meeting publishers' demands, how to fix problem areas in a creative fiction project, contacting another writer in your field to query a problem; which before meant purchasing an annual copy of Writer's Market (still a good choice), going to the library for research that was not always fruitful.
On the other hand, the net is a distraction that certainly has taken its toll on my productivity of my own fiction work. I have learned to set a limit on the time I spend browsing the net visiting my favourite blogs and new ones which have new appeal.
I'm very much like you in that I find non-fiction much easier than fiction...for this reason, distractions like the net don't have the impact that they would if I was working on fiction. It takes great time and effort to travel to the place which allows for pure imagination and I never want to be distracted from it once I'm there.
I have to eliminate distractions when I'm working on fiction writing. It's always way too easy for me to make excuses not to write, and the internet is a huge part of those excuses.
Although, working on my blog and writing the various posts that I write does keep me writing something. And surfing the internet has sparked ideas on occasion.
I guess the key is discipline, as it is in most things.
I agree 100% about the distraction if you get stuck with fiction. I am so easily distracted then, and once that happens, I might as well restart the whole piece (or chapter). It is, as you say, the death knell for creativity.
But for non fiction, again I agree. I have written a lot of non fiction and the internet with its myriad references is invaluable. I am fascinated by your talk (as a psychiatric nurse) since I deal a lot with people's fears and educating them about anxiety and fear, how it works, how to manage it etc. Hope it all comes together for you. (I do disagree that anxiety is maladaptive - only some is. Anxiety is necessary for safety [fight/flight reflex - healthy anxiety when the perceived threat is real, unhealthy when it is either not real or is exaggerated to the point of affecting lifestyle] but it could be that we agree and this is a language / culture issue. I have had a number of clients who are absolutely EXPERT at avoiding the causes of their anxiety so it is avoidable in that sense, but not permanently!) Just my two penn'orth! You know I can't keep my mouth shut...
Lisa, I know what you mean. It used to be so hard to write around my ex because she would constantly interrupt me and I just couldn't get in the flow.
SQT, I think the net was more of a distraction a few years ago, but I seem to have adjusted to its presence now and it's not such a big deal.
Michelle, I wish I could learn to do that. I can for nonfiction but fiction is a much more ephemeral thing for me and if I get too many interruptions the work suffers.
Rick, I definitely think the net has been a big help in promoting my work. And meeting other writers has been nice. I've found markets and so on. But for the actual practice of putting down words I tend to stay away from it while I'm in that process.
Greg, having easy net access through work really helped kick my nonfiction stuff into another gear. I hope you enjoy "Bits of the Dead." Definitely a little bit of something for everyone. Looking forward to your review of "Wanting the Mouth of a Lover." Always good to hear what another poet thinks.
x-Dell, Yes, I think not knowing whether you'd wake up with your throat slit would be anxiety provoking. Nice little riff on the ZZ Top thang.
Barbara Martin, I agree. The net is great for making contacts and staying in touch with other writers, editors and so on, but it takes a toll of the actual practice of putting words on the page. It benefits, for me, the business side of writing, but impacts the creative side more negatively.
H.E., an interesting point. It's like the mental commute for nonfiction isn't terribly long but it is for fiction and that gives you less time to work at your creative peak.
Travis, I think that's it completely. Discipline. I find myself trying to escape when I get stuck with my fiction and the net makes that so easy.
Crazycath, anticipatory anxiety is pretty normal, of course. The butterflies one gets before a game, and it helps to focus the mind if it isn't overwhelming. But anxiety that is undirected, just general worry, is very maladaptive.
I haven't been doing that much writing in the last several years, but when I do, I write off the net. We're talking fiction here. I do find the net helpful with references and finding factual details when my stories warrant it. As for my artwork I use the net for visual references for drawings, cartoons and paintings. Sometimes I can't find the reference that I'm looking for. But, I also use books.
I've definitely gotten on the net when I'm not making progress on something. I'm trying not to do that too much, but it's hard.
I would love to know if there is a chemical or hormonal connection to fear. There are obvious anti-anxiety drugs, but they hardly deal with the source of the anxiety. It's a fascinating post and it got me thinking. The nature of fear. Do you remember that fifties film from CASTLE, I think it was called "The Tingler".
I know you'll find this surprising, Stewart, but there are gases that can be dispersed into crowds to actually cause such a reaction. The chemistry is interesting. When people are afraid the mixture of gases both exhaled and that respires through the skin changes from when they are not afraid.
Certain frequencies can also cause the same biochemical reaction.
But human beings can initiate the same reaction when afraid or, more interestingly, by vividly imagining they are in a terrifying situation. Say when they are entertaining at home and their ex drops by to visit.
I'm sort of on the fence about whether a net connection helps or hurts my writing. On the one hand, I love being able to look things up right away, and that does help a lot. On the other hand, yeah, it's a heck of a distraction.
But it's pretty rare that I get into the writing groove and just bang out verbage steadily for any length of time. I love it when I can do that, but I usually can't. More often, I'll write a few lines, or maybe a few paragraphs, then go do something else for a bit, maybe read my e-mail. Write a little more, then check my blog reader. Write a little more, then read my LJ Flist. Etc.
So long as I can actually do the "write a little more" part on a fairly regular basis, I'm fine, although depending on how the story's going, I might fall down on that one.
Not having net access doesn't really help, though. If I'm in an airport without free wireless, I'll often pull out the laptop anyway and write for a while, but I still pause, except it'll be write some, play a few games of solitaire, write some more, play a few more games, etc.
My subconscious does a lot of the work for me, and turning my conscious attention to something else for a while lets it do its job without having me looking over its shoulder. It's just a matter of getting the rhythm right, and not getting caught up in a distraction activity which will keep me distracted for hours.
Angie
Well I do most of my research on the net so to that extent it is very crucial to me. But I have to find a fine line between being productive and goofing off so I am trying to keep away from blogs til only a few times a week and I try to space out the blogs I visit so that I can feel more productive. So far it seems to be working. I have time to write and I have time to catch up on my favorite places. It is all about balance and not letting anything become too extreme for me.
Jack, your experience sounds much like mine.
Stewart, I saw the Tingler. Pretty wild. There are two primary hormones released during the fear response, epinephrine, typically called adrenaline, and Cortisol. Both work to increase blood flow to the muscles and to increase energy release in the body. Cortisol speeds up blood clotting as well.
Rick, there a number of stimuli that can cause that reaction. Changing the mixture of the air definitely can do it.
Angie, I definitely couldn't work that way. I need to focus unbroken blocks of time on fiction. when I try to break it up like that I really don't feel connected to the piece.
Ello, I agree. Balance and discipline. For me at the moment, I'm ahead of deadline on my article so I'm much more tempted to goof off. I wouldn't be doing that if I were focused on a fiction piece.
Fascinating post and follow up comments. The anxiety/fear distinction, and the impact of the internet.
I've found the internet to be a great external memory storage and retrieval boon, as well as a nice way to expand interactions with a lot of people.
Good luck with your article -- sounds absorbing.
Er...I don't have much to say on this one, except that you scared the crap out of me today at the Flatwoods. I think that was the rare combination of fear & anxiety at work. Not sure. Still love you, though!
If the internet is a distraction then isn't the writing going poorly enough to warrant a distraction? Maybe because of late I only write short pieces of poetry (no saga writer am I), but when I write; I write.
When I was writing book length pieces I found that I didn't even consider going on line, day after day, I got the story out. It was my singular focus until done. When I put it away for digesting "normal activities" resumed. Same with the edits of said digested pieces.
NO FEAR
The internet sucks you in and is an enormous time waster. I need to get away from it when writing except for fact-checking.
I use the Internet on a daily basis for my writing. It's been very helpful, but as a self-confessed web surfer, it can quickly become a distraction. I may start researching a piece on serial killers and end up reading about Hungarian acrobats.
INTERESTING!!!
Some generated thoughts from me;
"Fear is an unpleasant emotion ..."
or a great wake-up call for our system
"... occurs in response to an immediate and identifiable threat, usually of an external nature"
Fear can absolutely be an imagination and non-identifiable emotion.
Later, in Your writing this is latent said of You, so why manifest exclude it in your intro?
My suggestion;
Fear is an important survival tool, however an unpleasant emotion ... ahhh ... I don't know, some love to feel the danger :-)
Maybe You have to tell, what You are not talking about ... its so difficult with "unit of analysis", because fear as a physiological unit, is most important factor for learning and development ... coz we want to avoid it next time!
Maybe, if You leave the physiological and neuropsychological levels behind and focus on "Fiction generated Fear"
Just a quick
Anna-Lyze ;-)
Good SunDay :-D
Charles - agreed. Totally. I thought whilst I was writing "Hang on, isn't that what he said but in a different way?" lol Even in English, language trips us up...
I do not think I would write a word of fiction if it was not for the internet. Without the internet as a way of "putting it out there" and the encouraging feedback from others it would all stay in my head. Maybe that is the best place for it! LOL
Fear can be/is such a life limiting condition. So many people fail to live their lives fully because of their fears. Yet, if we were to overcome all our fears where would that lead us?
Mark (The Walking Man):
You did a pretty good dissection on fear in both poetry and prose in your blog.
As for us wonky old cats, our spouse or lover sometimes has a look at us as we are mesmerized by something, and asks, out loud, "Who are you?"
Had a student give me a careful once-over when I was going through something, and she said, "You don't know who you are, do you."
She had seven brothers and sisters, and as kind of an alpha female, the knew damn well who she was.
And here was the Doctor trying to heal himself.
Ah well. As they say in Mexico, Pues. This will pass.
Erik, I'm old fashioned enough so that the relentless connectivity of the net still bothers me a bit. I can't handle that much connection, but it is the way of the future.
Lana, I think you were in a state of high vigilance, as you often are, and the sounds I made moving my arm fed into that.
Mark, depends on the length. For me, even a short story of 3 or 5 thousand words requires downtime, but not downtime just beause a scene seems to snag. When that happens the best thing for me to do is get up and walk around while I think the snag out. But if I surf the net I'm not working it out.
Writtenwyrd, yes, and this blogging thing can take up quite a bit of time too. That's why I don't routinely have the net up while working on fiction.
David Cranmer, I know, it's easy to go further and further, like when I'm out for a walk and see a path I haven't followed before. I always want to see what's around the next bend. There's always another bend in the internet.
anna-lys, I actually can't do that because the article is about fear from a physical perspective. It's already under contract so I have to give them what they want. The very end of the article will deal with anxiety as different from fear so that's why it's in the introduction that way. also, because many people confuse the terms.
Crazycath, language is a double edged sword at best.
Miladysa, your stuff is perfectly good enough to be published in regular print journals or in a magazine instead of on a blog. Feedback is nice, but it doesn't always tell you what you need to know. It may depend too, on how much stuff one writes.
Ivan, hum, I think I'm pretty good about knowing who I am.
In the 18 years I've been doing freelance writing, per-word rates have barely budged. Other than negotiating better deals with long-term clients, the main way I've increased income was by completing pieces much faster. Using the Internet instead of a physical library has accounted for probably 95% of my increase in speed.
As far as fiction, I'm constantly on the Internet because I have to know facts right away. How does the moon's gravity compare with Earth's? What herbs are good for wounds? etc. I can't just put xxx's in the manuscript and go on the Internet later; it hangs me up. Besides, often a single fact can affect the whole manuscript afterwards; for example, how fast a horse walks can affect the timeline of the rest of the book.
yup, checking facts online is a great benefit, like you say, and you're right, also, in that that's pretty much it can do...
g'luck on the article... good topic, fear ;)
Your article on fear sounds interesting, Charles. I agree with you on the non-fiction writng/internet thing. In fact, I'e noticed it recently with the book I'm writing now. I love that I can just zip over to YouTube to watch aclip from a movie to refresh my memory or look up dates for films , or any other research in general. It is true, however, that the 'interweb' can be a distraction. I'm getting better at not getting sidetracked, but it does occasionally happen.
When I have a lot to write, I use my old laptop that has no internet access.
Shauna -- I can't just put xxx's in the manuscript and go on the Internet later; it hangs me up. Besides, often a single fact can affect the whole manuscript afterwards; for example, how fast a horse walks can affect the timeline of the rest of the book.
Yes, that. [nod] It's one thing to fill in XXXX when you need to come up with a character's name or figure out what they'd be eating, but something substantial could mess you up down the road.
Angie
Shauna, that's the same thing for me in nonfiction. I suspect if I was writing hard SF I'd spend more time on the net during the construction of the story, but with fantasy I find myself needing fewer hard facts or facts that I don't know. And horror set in a modern setting typically doesn't need that many.
Scott, yes, there's such a wealth of info that it's hard to ignore at times.
Barrie, I write a lot of fiction on my lap top now too.
Angie, I think it could, depending on the fact. Again, I could see this as more of a problem with hard SF than with fantasy.
Charles -- sure, it depends how you write, how you do your worldbuilding, how much detail you go into. [nod] I tend to be fairly rigorous even with fantasy, depending on what I'm doing. If I'm writing in a setting I've used a lot before, or that I've read enough about over the years, then I can wing a lot more of it. With something new, though, I'm always wanting to look stuff up. It's going to vary with the writer and the project.
Angie
I shut the darn thing off while I work on my fiction, use it later to correct the 'facts' I make up as I go.
You're right after all, it's about the feel of the thing. I think my last novel would have gone a lot quicker with less email-checking, etc.
Does scared people live online, to the same amount as the non-scared?
Or is it the other way around?
Internet doesn't scare me of, on the other hand I am not afraid for the telephone, either. I think I am more afraid of people and their behaviour towards each other around the planet.
Internet doesn't have an impact on my writing. Maybe, because I have never looked upon Internet/Blogging as a place to write. I don't like reading on a screen, if I find something online to read, I print it out and than have a cosy pause on my couch.
In that sense the writing changes its mediator, doesn't it? The relation to the writer, the story etc. changes with its mediator. Internet is a strong mediator when it comes to sound and other effects, but not as articles.
Internet = procrastination.
I love it when I need to unwind, or when I'm doing casual research. I get mad at myself when I use it to get out of doing real work.
:-)
The 'net is good for some research but I prefer to write on an offline computer. It's too easy to get distracted and go surfing.
The internet helps me to an incredible degree with research on writing; because unless the fiction is off world, there will be details to plot out, instantly available on the net.
Angie, it's certainly handy to have available when you do need to check facts.
Steve Malley, I waste a lot of time that way myself.
Anna-lys, I'm definitely more afraid of people. Not all of them have our best interests at heart.
Jennifer, I can find ways to avoid work too, and the internet is one thing that helps me do that. video games are even worse, though. Thanks for visiting.
Paul, that's what I find too.
Bernardl, hum, I tend to find it the other way around. If I'm writing an everyday story I need less internet help than if the story is set in a fantasy or especially an SF world.
Not really being a writer I like to participate in writing assignments, and they come from the net.
Like you, I might use the internet to get some factual background on things like a place I've never been (be it articles, pictures, etc...).
From a psych B.A. point of view, I'm extremely interested in your article. Good luck!
In response from my blog:
Charles
Pippi is just a fiction or a metaphor for a certain behaviour.
"She is very unconventional, assertive, and extraordinarily strong, being able to lift her horse one-handed without difficulty. She frequently mocks and dupes adults she encounters, an attitude likely to appeal to young readers; however, Pippi usually reserves her worst behavior for the most pompous and condescending of adults." (source Wikipedia)
// Anna R. Chist
he he he ;-)
I agree in that when I'm doing nonfiction writing, being hooked to the internet is essential. If I'm not on the internet I might be able to sketch things out, intro, body, conclusion, but I still have to go back and fill it in later.
With fiction, I'm more like Angie. It's either a big distraction for me or I do the write a little, play a little thing. SOmetimes I'll write in big chunks, then get hung up on a fact and while researching that fact get hung up in weird, esoteric spots on the web. THen check my email to get balance again.
Respons
Charles
Yeee...The line between fantasy and reality can be so little tiny like a needle's eye in the dark...and sometimes weird things go hand in hand... ;)
I've seen some critics of non-fiction books say the writer did all their research online via google.
I know a lot of college students who consider Wikipedia as a valid resource (something tells me: You too).
A lot of writers, fiction and non-fiction, think of google as acceptable - maybe it is for some things, but not others.
My advisor is big advocate of going to the original source - and that's not always something you can find online, even through a scholarly database.
I have some non-fiction book ideas, but I need to live closer to a big city w/a big library full of original documents.
Anndi, I'm actually at the point where I tend to avoid writing prompts, even though I see a lot of good and interesting ones on the net. I just have too many pieces already that I want to do.
Anna-lys, sounds like a hero.
Rachel, checking email is so tempting for sure, and that's one reason I like to write disconnected from the net.
Fancy, they say reality is for those who can't handle fantasy. I believe that.
Josephine, I limit the number of online sources my students can use unless they are accessing actual scholarly papers. But through something like Psyclit or Psycinfo you can get access to thousands of actual journal articles. Plus, I identify sources that I need to read and order them through interlibrary loan. Xavier doesn't have a big library but I just ordered six books through interlibrary loan that I first identified on the net, and now I have the actual sources sent directly to me. The net certainly can't answer ever question, but it can answer quite a few, and it can often point out places where you need more research and need to get to the original sources. Original sources are almost always the best, of course.
I've used the internet as inspiration quit often, but you know that. I've written collaboratively with people because of it, which is something I never did before. Some of the people I've met are amazing to me, and that by itself is wonderful.
Oddly enough, I used to despise internet culture because of my space and the like. But ever since I was told by a professor to start writing on a blog, I no longer no what I would do without it! The audience, the instant feedback, it's just great to have.
Of course, poems are easy like that; all you need is the right thought, and the rest becomes easy to do. It just flows. If it doesn't flow, it's probably not going to be all that great. Not that I'm a postmodern snob who will throw something away if it takes more than a half hour, or more than one sitting. I find the best part comes after I get up, take a break maybe a drink or a smoke, maybe read a little Vonnegut or Carver or Bukowski, watch some TV, talk on the phone to somebody, chat with a neighbor or read some blogs.... etc.... But the fresh mind looking at the concepts I laid out gives me the finish, and allows me to tailor the beginning and the end.
That was another good thing I was taught--complete the circle, bring something from the beginning to the end, or vice versa.
Anyway, those are my thoughts on writing.
As for fear, my worst fears have all found way to come true in one way or another. And I deem the to be over-rated. So what if I die? So what if I lose friends? there are more of them, and there may be more to life beyond what we know. It's all good.
As the Viking Proverb goes: The length of my life and the day of my death were fated long ago.
And that is a grouping of words to truly live by.
Thanks for all the visits, man, it's cool to have the audience that I spoke of. I'm sure you love yours as well.
Eric1313, that's a strength of the blogging world, having a group of friendly positive folks who can support you.
Charles I sincerely thank you for what you have a said about my writing. It is very inspiring to receive such feedback from you.
You're welcome, Miladysa.
As I'm not a writer, I can't answer your questions. But I must say, the internet would've made my life so much easier when I was in college! All-nighters became nightmares when the library closed.
It's been helpful as far as feedback and growth are concerned, but I definitely fall into the pit of time suckage, too.
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