Comments on: Has our constant online connection broken our connection to creativity?

By: Deb

Deb — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 05:59:53 +0000

Interesting question. I’m one of those that swing both ways. I’ve been composing at the keyboard for over a dozen years, often in online workshops and poetry forums. I’ll very often type my first draft (and revisions) directly into the submit box on a forum or at my blog. At the same time, I have more of a connection to the actual words when I use pen and paper to write, and usually will work on paper at face to face workshops. I don’t find the internet distracting when I’m writing – my kids are far more of a distraction than the random IM.

Thanks for the wonderful podcasts and for dropping by my new spot recently! I followed you back here, and I’m very glad that I did!

By: Will

Will — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 10:55:50 +0000

Thanks for the comments, Julian and Paula.

I guess part of fighting the distraction of the computer is focusing yourself on what inspired the poem in the first place. If you really want to write that poem, then you are going to sign out of your IM client and close your browser, etc.

By: Paula S.

Paula S. — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 02:50:07 +0000

I still prefer pen/pencil and paper, although I’ve used a computer before to compose a poem. I usually write my poetry in random places, where it’s easier to have paper on me than my computer. Also, as for typos, definitions, etc., I don’t even stop to really consider those until after the poem’s done. It’s part of the basic editing process I do.

Thanks for the question & the ‘casts as always!

By: Julian Conway

Julian Conway — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 14:58:47 +0000

Interesting point Will, the computer is a bit of a problem when it comes to poetry. How can we know whether or not to use it? Personally I have used it to write some of my favorite poems but usually the inspiration is from a song or experience. Staring at an empty page on Notepad is not remotely inspirational!

By the way I really liked the last show of free poetry, nice mix of poems there.