Challenges of Technology and The Modern Day Writer

Buffy Andrews on Writing

I should really place drafts in as many places as I can. At least that is what everyone says I should do.

I have a draft in one medium- that of the pen and paper.  The only other place I have my drafts of my books saved was directly on the hard drive of my computer.  I should have save it on a USB but I didn’t.  The the main power died on my computer- along with it most of the edits to the draft I was working on.

I almost see the world differently because of my writing, and one such part of my life is how i view technology.

I think technology is a wonderful thing.  It has its purpose in both everyday life and in a writers life.  I am older school, as I grew up in a time when you were allowed to submit your work with your best handwriting.  Some teachers were on the cusp of modern technology and would insist on a final copy via word document.  At this point I am happy with my old PC, although I suspect I will need something new to protect my information, and it’s too early to tell what the new Windows Word will look like.

I have to admit, this had made me think of the changes and challenges a modern day writer has with technology.  My computer is not a dinosaur, but I find Windows XP to work for my purposes and my writing.  I am not looking forward to working with Windows Vista, but I am sure this will simply be a bit of a learning curve for me.

Start a journal

A modern day writer needs to face the challenges of technology head on.  I have learned a valuable lesson, backing up my work is vital.  Not only on paper, but on USB and on my hard drive on my computer.  I am not Shakespeare by any means, but I am almost feeling a bit like his time, telling people I have a four year old computer and seeing them look at me as if I am a older person makes me wish for the days when much of my writing was pencil and paper.

Journaling is the way I can enjoy writing online, and on a computer.

Fortunately for me, my idea book is an older style leather drawing book that I use on a daily basis to journal, draw and generally face new technology head on.