Creative Connecting
Photo by Edwin Hooper @edwinhooper
In the grips of a pandemic, we’re remaking our lives to stay home when possible, and stay safe always. In ordinary times, so much aloneness would be a godsend to a writer. Time alone is essential to getting a good amount of work done. Alone, imaginations can run wild.
But these are not ordinary times; these are stressful, anxious, unsettling times. When the world is this off-kilter, we need more opportunities to remind ourselves of our shared humanity and our interconnectedness, not fewer. Even the most diehard loner writer needs this feeling of connection. If we are to continue to write about the human condition, we need to interact with others, observe them. Listen to them.
We can’t change current situation, but we can try to see the opportunities in our circumstances wherever they might arise. Can’t grab an occasional coffee and talk writing with your best writer friend? Reach out by phone or online. I regularly FaceTime a friend and colleague, and sometimes we talk about nonsense in between the serious craft and publishing stuff. It’s refreshing and always hits a reset button in my head and my heart.
The ZOOM platform works quite well for writers’ groups without too much change from a real-life meeting. You might even find it’s easier to meet virtually than it is when cars and the search for available meeting space are involved. And when it comes to sharing documents with your group members, Dropbox is more convenient than emailed files.
If you’ve already adapted to virtual meetings and file sharing, that’s great! But how are you doing in those quiet moments when you’re working alone? My ability to concentrate and organize is tested every day lately, and maybe yours is too. If so, here are some writers’ tools that may give you a boost by providing everything from assistance in mapping ideas to transcription help.
If you are like me and scribble notes on the little scraps of paper when an idea or some other inspiration hits, you might consider switching to something like MindNode for recording, tracking, and organizing ideas.
The Brainstormer app generates words and phrases that can serve as prompts for a timed freewriting exercise, a way to start the ideas and words flowing. ($1.99 with in-app purchases)
Essentially a PDF reader app, Goodreader, gives you the ability to edit your manuscript on the go from any device, even your phone.
Rev is a dictation and transcription app and a godsend to some of us who hate to. This is a free app, but you will pay for the transcription service.
