It’s no secret that I love wasting time on the Internet, but like many writers, my web surfing gets in the way of my writing. As I have several major deadlines looming over the next year, I need to look away from Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, and everything else. I’m a pretty strong-minded person and thought I would be able to ignore the tempting Internet on my own. How hard can it be to stay off the Web? Answer: extremely difficult!
While writing, I found myself clicking over to my email or checking a friend’s status on Facebook. The next thing I knew two hours of valuable writing time were gone. Two hours I could never get back!
A fellow author and friend, Macy Beckett, mentioned she was using Freedom, an Internet-blocking software just for writers. At first, I wasn’t sure how it was going to work. For one thing, my aging laptop can be very irritable when I load new software on it. Also the wireless network in my house is not top of the line. I was afraid if I blocked my wireless signal, I’d never get it back without some tears and a call to the Geek Squad.
However, I was desperate to get some quality writing time in and signed up for the trial. I downloaded the software and set the first time period for fifteen minutes. Within that short amount of time, I wrote 200 words.
After the software notified me that the fifteen minutes elapsed, I clicked on my browser and crossed my finger. Firefox started up immediately. That was all that I needed to make a decision. SOLD! The best part is the software only costs $10!
Here’s a link to the company’s website if you’d like to learn more.
http://macfreedom.com/
Amanda Flower-Sweet Cozy reads 
I may just try that, Amanda… My solution is to only copyedit at the desk & desktop in my office and, for writing, take my laptop elsewhere in the house and disconnect it from the wireless…
Of course, that doesn’t help matters when I’m supposed to be copyediting. Uh, like now.
I used to disconnect my laptop from my wireless, but it was too easy to reconnect. Freedom makes me reboot my whole computer if I want to go back online. I have a serious problem! LOL! 🙂
The site looks great, Amanda. Nice and clean. Love it!
And I’m so glad that Freedom is working for you. Ah, the siren call of the internet. We’d never get anything done if listened to it! 😉
All I have to do is slide the wireless switch to OFF position or exhibit an iota of self-control. But the siren song of e-mail (& blogs, FB, checking my blog stats…) appeals to the OCD section of my brain, and before long I hit the rocks. I may have to look into Freedom. Thanks for mentioning it. (Kitty is beautiful.)
I hope it helps you Kathy as much as it has me! 🙂