Although you could argue that it’s a first-world problem, the demise of my desktop PC has slowed my whole writing progress.
Over the last few years, I had become used to it being on all the time and ready to accept my thoughts via a dictated or typed note, whenever.
I had grand plans for the rest of the year, to increase my YouTube content, do more on Medium and so many other things.
Those plans are now on hold.
I know that I’m lucky to have an old laptop that I can use to write on but it’s not up to doing as much as the machine it has to cover for.
For example, being unable to have more than one window open at once without the screen freezing and the dreaded not responding message appearing is a real pain.
Not only that, the laptop is not always able to open my website to edit posts if something else (like the word processor) is running. This makes copy/paste problematic.
Outlook will not run at all. I have to do anything connected with emails on my phone.
As for using my graphics or video creation software, forget it. Web-based apps, like Canva, sort of work online (see above) but I don’t have access to a lot of my data, which is on hard disk storage in the old machine, waiting to be installed in the new one.
I’ve tried using my phone more. It may be smart but it’s four years old itself and has a very short battery life when used a lot.
I know it sounds silly but the lack of spontaneity really inhibits my creativity. I can’t be bothered to wait for the machine to wheeze into life, only to find that I’ve forgotten what I was going to write while I was waiting.
Instead, I’m currently filling a notebook with scribbled ideas. Given the state of my writing, I hope I will be able to decipher them when the time comes to type them up.
Fortunately, I have been able to find the funding to get a new machine. Once again, I’m starting from scratch, building something that should last me for a reasonable length of time.
All that I require now is the patience to await its arrival. When it gets here, I can start to configure it and resume normal service.
I’d love to get your comments, please leave them below. While you’re here, why not take a look around? There are some freebies and lots more content, about me, my writing and everything else that I do. You can join my newsletter for a free novella and more news by clicking this link.
Darlene Foster
I feel your pain. Good luck on getting the new computer set up to your liking. We do tend to rely on these machines, especially as writers.
Richard Dee
Thanks, at least I haven’t lost any data.