Monday, June 4, 2012

DIB


I’m sorry I missed posting last Friday. On Thursday and Friday, ISP wizards were at our house fixing our buffering and range issues—so internet access was only sporadically available. Apparently, our 1940s plaster walls were not built with the internet in mind. On one side of said wall the speed was 28 mb/sec. On the other side it was 3 mb/sec. And if you got much further away, it died altogether.

I’m very happy to say that the wizards now have everything fixed. And they only needed to drill a couple of holes in the floor and add new cool electronics.

However, since I didn’t have internet access, I was distraction free and was able to finish my third edit of the sequel to Screwing Up Time. Yay!! It is now going out to beta readers.

My experience got me to thinking. Internet service providers should offer a service to writers. I’m calling this service Deadline Internet Blackouts. Writers (or their agents/editors) could sign up for a DIB whenever a deadline was approaching and the writer was behind. The catch would be that the internet would be shut down until the word count/edit was complete.

Yeah, I realize that computers actually have a button you can push to shut off the internet access. Or, um, you could just not visit Facebook/blogs/etc. until your work was done. But I can’t make any money off that. Anyway, so what do you think? How many people would be interested in DIB? I’m sure that it would be great for students too. Think about it. 

7 comments:

  1. Actually I saw someone post on Twitter about a service you can download that won't let you get on the Internet for whatever time you plug in. I don't know. scares me. I think, what if won't let me back on when the time is up? LOL

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  2. Mac Freedom! Actually, I think it's available to PCs, too, but since I have a Mac, I don't pay much attention to *those other guys*. A lot of writers I know swear by Freedom - you put in the amount of time you want Internet blackout, and it cuts you off. Scary, if you ask me ...

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  3. I could totally use that. I wrote about that today on how I need to be somewhere internet free in order to get serious writing done.

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  4. It's surprising how much time gets eaten by the internet! I think there are apps/programs you can sign up for that block you from the internet or certain sites. I don't know if I'm willing to go that far, but I might unplug myself from the internet for a while to get stuff done.

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  5. This could open the door to a whole new money-maker...counselling for those dealing with IWS (Internet Withdrawal Syndrome). Possibly you could open a treatment center for those with severe panic attacks from withdrawal. (When you're rich from this money-making idea, remember your poor aunt who suggested it :>) )

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  6. Congratulations on finishing your edits!

    I'd check out a service like that.

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