I’ve written about this before, but it’s something important to me. Writers are by nature solitary creatures. I sit at home in my office
by myself and have no regrets about not being in an office full of people. But I do love being connected to my writing friends. Trouble is, they are scattered around the country. Thanks to the marvels of modern technology (and skype) I can see my friends and chat, brainstorm and sprint with them. My family are used to me talking to my computer.
Do you stay in touch with friends and family this way as well?
September 28, 2018 at 9:03 pm
By email and social media, yes. My sister loves FaceTime but I can never seem to get it going on my computer – just as easy to call. She lives in the same city anyway, and we see ea h other three times a week.
October 14, 2018 at 6:40 pm
Yes, definitely perfect for those friends and family out of town, but easier (and more fun) to catch up in person if you can.
September 28, 2018 at 9:53 pm
I loath Skype and video calls with every fibre of my being haha! But text and email and “made before sending so I can make sure I don’t look like Jaba the Hut” video messages are great fun!
October 14, 2018 at 6:43 pm
I only use Skype with my close friends and family because otherwise I would never see them. I haven’t tried videos before, although I have thought about it.
September 29, 2018 at 12:30 am
Absolutely, AJ. Some are as real as anyone else I know. Most, I talk to more than anyone else.
October 14, 2018 at 6:47 pm
You don’t have to be face-to-face to be able to develop a great relationship =)
September 29, 2018 at 1:56 am
I love being able to connect with people all over the world! Modern technology is something I embrace with everything in me because it’s allowed me to have friends and friendly acquaintances I never would have met otherwise. In fact, one of my best friends is someone I’ve only seen in person three times, ever. We went on a vacation this summer after not seeing each other for over two years, and it was fabulous. We talk every day, either through Messenger or sometimes video chats, and it’s as real as any in-person relationship I’ve ever had. You just never know who you’re going to meet—and being able to keep up, little bits at a time, is so much better than trying to make large blocks of time to physically be in the same place.
October 14, 2018 at 6:50 pm
I agree, Lynda. When we moved 1600km away from our friends and family, the ability to stay in touch so easily didn’t make it as scary as it might have been.
September 29, 2018 at 8:13 am
Actually, I love the whole idea of being able to talk to someone a long way off and be able to see them. I was brought up on Star Trek, at a time when this stuff was science fiction! And for children’s writers, it means they can sometimes talk to kids without travelling. I once spoke to a large class of Year 8 kids in Perth, from my library office in Melbourne, via Skype. It was great fun, especially when some of my students turned up to ask for a class set(a kindly colleague had been keeping kids out while I was speaking, but they somehow got past him). I made them join me at the computer and introduced them to my audience. I would never have been able to visit that school otherwise.
October 14, 2018 at 6:51 pm
That’s awesome, Sue. I believe that’s how a lot of School of the Air is done these days. It must be wonderful for those kids in isolated areas to see their classmates.
September 29, 2018 at 10:55 am
I found my tribe via the computer. In real life, not so much.
October 14, 2018 at 6:52 pm
On the internet we can seek out people who have similar interests more easily than in real life a lot of the time, so it makes sense.