Experiencing Technical Difficulties

 Is anyone else tired of software? Specifically — software that doesn't work?

It's okay to admit it if you are. 

Even as someone who works with words all day, tech is integral to what I do. 

Every day, I deal with crummy software. Poorly designed websites. And ads that pop up in front of what I'm reading — or just as awesome, ads that move across the web page and stop right at the point in the text I'm reading 🙄

And as of a few minutes ago while writing this, the dictation software I rely on to prevent typing-related RSI isn't working.

Hard sigh.

I miss IBM ViaVoice. No internet connection required. Yes, it was slow as molasses. But it was accurate. Let me repeat that — it was accurate. Even with my very quiet, sometimes-mumbly-when-tired voice. And I could train it to recognize vocab from other languages so easily it was a source of joy. I used it until my computer and operating system at the time refused to run it. 

That was in the waterfall development years. You know, when we had at least a little more patience, and we weren't in such a flippin' hurry to do everything.

Pause. Ponder. Power.

As part of our creative process — whether writing-related or anything else — move fast and break stuff doesn't work for everything. In the years to come, I hope prioritizing usefulness, and providing clarity on that usefulness, is truly front and center. Change is necessary — and especially when it comes to tech, inevitable.

Thankfully, the foundational rules of good storytelling have remained virtually constant for thousands of years. I hope you find some time to write in the next few weeks, whether your tools are digital or analog. 

Take care of yourself, and be a source of joy whenever and wherever you can.

Happy writing!



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