BellaOnline Forums Beauty and Self Life Coaching How much do you depend on the internet?

Eldritch, how do you think you'd get others opinions about your work without the internet, or would you even bother? I read that Erica Jong wrote Fear of Flying without letting anyone see it. That was part of her process for that particular book.

For me sometimes I ask for others to look over my work and sometimes I just forge ahead without any input from others. It all depends--on what I don't know. LOL. I just use my intuition.

Jilly,


Yes, it depends on what your art is. My art is looking for books to review, looking for experts to interview, reporting on self-help techniques, etc. There is a creative aspect to it, brainstorming ideas, piecing an article together, deciding on a point of view etc.

While books are great and a major resource for me, there's nothing like spending 30 minutes listening to an internet radio show to get the gist of who an expert is or to learn about a new technique whereas it would take me a week or more to read a book on the subject.

If I had to, I could go back to newspaper, journal and book research but I will always be thankful for this time that I've had with the internet.

Lori,

I have a handwriting thing too. LOL. It hasn't improved since the 4th grade. LOL. My children write much better than I do and always have since they picked up their first pencil. LOL.

The ironic thing is I didn't want to learn how to type in high school or learn how to use the computer. I wanted to write everything long hand. But my mother forced me to take typing and later a boss forced me to use the computer to compose documents. Now look at me. Can't get away from either. Tho I do write in my journals long hand.

Diane:

Yes, I realized when I had to use the library how much time I spend checking emails. They only allowed one hour of usage a day and I used it all simply checking my email. WOW!

Leah -I know!!! I always feel guilty when I'm still checking them during the day at work. Email takes up a lot of time. I type, I read, I delete...seriously sometimes it takes me forever just to answer one. For example today an employee emailed me and it took me 1/2 the morning to respond because her email made me mad and I had to answer it nicely. Anyway it feels like I'm on the computer 24/7 sometimes.

Actually, when it comes to writing, I don't like to get opinions on my actual work before it's finished -- just on the particulars of writing itself. Characters, situations, that sort of thing. I'm always afraid that if I give too much away too soon I'll lose interest (it's often that way). Without the Internet, I don't think I'd bother. I'd just do whatever self-publishing I had to and if anybody read it I'd skim the reviews. ;P Gotta say, though, the writing process itself would be a lot harder without the Internet for research and inspirational purposes.

The Internet is invaluable for research and for connecting to others whom you'd never be able to meet in person for geographical and other reasons.

Leah, have you heard of handwriting analysis? It is fascinating. They say that if your hands were disabled and you had to resort to writing with your feet, after the initial training period, your feet would produce the handwriting style that your hands produced. Handwriting comes from your brain!

I do all my daily work online so I definitely 100% need the internet all day every day. I take my laptop on every vacation because the moment I leave the country my servers decide to crash

All my banking is done online. All my bills pay electronically. The only one thing I write a check for is a local woman for occasional massages. That's it.

That being said, we have a TON of books to review here so when the power goes out we curl up by a candle and read. So that is never a problem for us.

I agree, I depend on the internet for online writing.
I would so hate to go back to the days when we had to write a piece,send it by mail to a publication and then wait Six Weeks! for a rejection slip.

My Freelance Writing Business just wouldn't exist without the internet!

Ooh - just the thought of not having the internet makes me feel cold...

I do everything with the internet - sell my paintings and writing, online banking, shopping, keeping in touch with people - everything.

That mention of backing up... I MUST back up my stuff... I have actually purchased an external hard drive now. It's still in its packet...