Progress on chapter eight, like every other chapter so far, has been slow. I’ve worked on it every day, and have managed to sort it out line by line just like I always do. I thought everything was going well until my husband, trying to get a virus off my computer, restored my computer back to the very beginning of chapter eight.
Yes my friends, a week worth of writing went bye-bye. I cried. Then I did something I’ve never done before. I unplugged the internet so I didn’t have to worry about viruses sneaking onto my computer while I was writing.
I rewrote the entire chapter in thirty minutes, better than it was before, and even started making headway in chapter nine without my butt ever once leaving my computer chair. I tried to use the internet four times during that thirty minute session. Knowing myself, each one of those checks would have lasted at least ten minutes had the internet been on.
It’s so tempting to avoid buckling down and just doing it. I’m not even sure why we call ourselves writers, and say we love writing, when in reality we spend so much time avoiding it.
I think I’m gonna shut the internet off again for a few minutes and see if I can get the new chapter nine outlined…
(Credit: Healingdream for photo)
Sep 06, 2010 @ 13:33:19
EXCELLENT!!!!! Congrats on the recovery and the wisdom for future. AND for saying so.
Sep 06, 2010 @ 14:29:53
You’re completely right!
And congrats on your recovery–of chapter 8. Someone on the HTTS forum lost her entire manuscript to a flash-drive meltdown. I wonder if Ben Franklin ever lost the next two issues of Poor Richard’s Almanac due to termites? Getting our stories down on paper is truly like catching lightning in a bottle.
Lightning is dangerous and tries not to be contained.
Your site looks different today. Have you moved?
Sep 06, 2010 @ 14:49:20
I am sure you have an anti-virus security system. If not, there are free ones out there. I have used them. They work okay but if you get a virus, they catch it and lock it up until you can deal with it. There are always new viruses out there that a security system may miss. I have always had a security system; nevertheless, I caught a virus from the BOTTOMLESS PIT that took me weeks to totally remove. I clicked on something stupid without thinking. Had I hesitated, I would never had clicked on it. Oh well. You will gain back your confidence in the Internet gradually. Think before clicking. I am IMPULSIVE. You have survived a virus! God is good!
Sep 06, 2010 @ 17:11:54
Viruses scare me. My husband got one and had to clear everything, it took him over a week. The internet is a dangerous but delightful tool to be used with great care. And oh it can be such a time waster! Thanks for joining my party, I hope you have fun!
Sep 06, 2010 @ 17:59:11
Yep. I took a couple of days off, just for the reason you mention in the post’s title. 🙂
Sep 07, 2010 @ 05:04:02
You don’t backup your stuff to CD, DVD or USB? If your placed burned down in a fire, what would you do? When I wrote my book, I backed it up constantly and even put a set in safety deposit box on a regular basis.
Don’t take chances. It’s way too much work to recreate your thoughts from scratch!!