Do not disturb...I'm writing

The ringer is often off on my phone anyway. Work was steady calling for overtime on my days off, and it was annoying. I don't do anything special to write TBH.

i can manage to write in many different sisuations, i have too with the life i have. One thing i have to do while writing though is either have music blasting! No music no writing.

The internet is my downfall when writing, so i'm thinking that i really need to turn off my wifi when i'm writing.

I totally zone-out when I'm writing, whether at home or at work. At home it's fine, I simply shut off my phone and my cat doesn't mind, at work I get extra annoyed with the phones ringing and people trying to tell me what they saw on the news last night while I'm trying to finish a chapter. By now everyone knows that if I'm working the keys like a maniac you better not disturb me because I'll just roll my eyes and stare at you in hatred.

seun said:

I've been thinking about this phone issue most of the day - maybe it's on my mind because just about everyone has a mobile and is therefore reachable almost all of the time. Seeing myself from someone else's POV, maybe it does seem odd that I'm willingly unreachable.

Still not turning my phone on when I'm writing, though.

Click to expand...

I have difficultly ignoring the phone when it rings so I will shut mine off or silence the ringer. Besides, once I answer the phone, people will talk to me, and then I won't be writing. I'm also not fond of constant communication connectedness. I'll shut my phone off even when I'm not writing.

hell, i have the tv on...and answer calls. sometimes alt/tab between writing and internet. i'm a multi-tasker in every aspect of my life.

I literally write sitting on the couch while my fiance plays very loud xbox games of Modern warfare or watches TV. I also text back and answer phone calls as they come in. For some reason, I work best this way. I'm very social. I've tried locking myself in a quet room, but I can't get any work done that way.

What's unusual about being unavailable? Most people have jobs where they can't answer the phone.

I do keep the phone turned on, but I don't answer it unless I can tell it's an important call. Very important.

It isn't amatter of time, or of needing silence, or of anything else except I'm writing, so leave me the hell alone."

seun said:

I've been thinking about this phone issue most of the day - maybe it's on my mind because just about everyone has a mobile and is therefore reachable almost all of the time. Seeing myself from someone else's POV, maybe it does seem odd that I'm willingly unreachable.

Still not turning my phone on when I'm writing, though.

Click to expand...

Phones are supposed to serve you, not summon you.

As a friend of mine said, "There's no law in this country that says if your door goes you've got to answer it."

People are often surprised when I switch my phone off, but I don't understand why they would think I want to be contactable 24 hours a day, or why I would be happy to answer the door whenever they call round.

All these widgets and gadgets are supposed to make life easier for us, not more stressful.

Bbut to answer your original question, I live on my own so it's pretty easy to ignore the phone, television, door, what have you. It's annoying when the intercom goes late at night but I ignore it. I've no need to answer because I know it's not for anyone else in this household.

I can write almost anywhere, as long as no one talks directly to me (I will type what they are saying, so I have to stop), or as long as there isn't anything interesting going on around me (not too often, as I am easily bored).

What is odd is the way people think that you should be available by phone whenever they want you. I frequently do not answer my phone, and sometimes even turn it off. If it is important they will call back.

I bought my first cell phone about 20 years ago, that means I've lived 30 years without one. We survived without being constantly contactable, why do we need to be now?

seun said:

When writing, how closed off are you? Are we talking door shut, phone off while you're focused on what you're writing? Or are you still OK to talk to the outside world?

I ask because while writing last night, a friend I haven't seen in a while phoned me. My mobile was switched off so he left a message and while he didn't ask why my phone was off, he was obviously surprised that it was. If I'm writing, then my mobile is off and if anyone calls the house phone, my wife will tell them I'll call them back. It's been like this for a long time and I've never really considered it. Experiencing this last night made me wonder how others see it.

Click to expand...

I like it quiet when I'm writing. If it's writing at the law office, I have to take the calls and interact with other people. If it's home-I will answer the phone once in awhile, but not often. I like to devote my time to writing, because otherwise I would not get anything done.

I have my land line phone unplugged almost all the time. I have the mobile on but usually in another room so I don't hear it if it does ring. I need silence to write in as I see in my mind the scene I am writing about and noise dissipates the image. I also don't answer the door if any one knocks - I live alone and cold callers are ignored.

unwritingrelatedly, i only answer the door or phone when i want to. i do not feel compelled to do so. i could be standing in my front foyer (we have glass in our double front doors and those at the door can see in) and still not answer the door. i do that if someone is selling door to door. they sometimes say something loud enough for me to hear..."aren't you going to answer your door?" "No." "That's rude." "NO...rude is when someone you don't want on your doorstep is on your doorstep. Ruder is when they don't take the hint and leave." conversations of the like are quite common. they really cannot believe that people won't answer their door. i love the comment, "You mean you don't want to save money..." "that's exactly what i mean, yes."

The ideas of rude behavior have flipped somewhat, and continue to do so as things become more "convenient".

Convenience is a selfish pursuit, and usually no one thinks of how convenient things are on the receiving end.

Phone calls and knocking on doors are ALWAYS intrusions on the part of the person initiating contact. That doesn't mean they're unwanted or unwelcome, just that they are unanticipated points of entry into the routine of someone else which will alter that routine. They should be treated accordingly.

If the intrusion is welcome, then the person on the receiving end has the right to accept the connection. If the intrusion is unwelcome, then the person on the receiving end is not rude for refusing to alter their routine to accommodate someone else. Rude is believing that whatever you have to say is automatically more important than the activities or business already being conducted.

(And that doesn't even take into consideration the people who send an e-mail, then call five minutes later to see if you've gotten it and ask why you haven't answered yet.)

I put on my big noice-blocking headphones and play the writing music of the moment (currently Trombone Shorty, Backatown.) While I'm writing, I'll only answer the phone if the area code is 212.

KTC said:

i do that if someone is selling door to door. they sometimes say something loud enough for me to hear..."aren't you going to answer your door?" "No." "That's rude." "NO...rude is when someone you don't want on your doorstep is on your doorstep. Ruder is when they don't take the hint and leave." conversations of the like are quite common. they really cannot believe that people won't answer their door. i love the comment, "You mean you don't want to save money..." "that's exactly what i mean, yes."

Click to expand...

I have these conversations with telemarketers or with the companies that send me catalogs in the mail. They're always so very surprised that I don't want their junk, even if it includes a free subscription. Ooh, free!

I've stopped answering my phone unless it's a number already in my phone book. A week or two back I was waiting on the call saying my ereader had been repaired, so picked up. Bah. Salesman from my mobile phone company trying to get me to agree to a FREE landline, FREE for 3 months, then NEARLY FREE MUCH CHEAPNESS.

It took nearly twenty minutes of me saying "No, I wouldn't use it," to get rid.

Of course, then they try the "What about other people in your household?" thing. "I live on my own."

"What about talking to your friends?"

"My friends email."

"Would you like a faster broadband connec-"

"No."

Happens again, I'm just hanging up.

scarletpeaches said:

Happens again, I'm just hanging up.

Click to expand...

I generally do that as soon as I can tell what it is. Which is usually in the middle of the first couple words.

seun said:

I've been thinking about this phone issue most of the day - maybe it's on my mind because just about everyone has a mobile and is therefore reachable almost all of the time. Seeing myself from someone else's POV, maybe it does seem odd that I'm willingly unreachable.

Still not turning my phone on when I'm writing, though.

Click to expand...

Just because you can be always reachable doesn't mean you have to be. My friends know there's always an excellent chance I'm not going to answer the phone, to the point they're surprised when I answer. They also know not to leave voicemails because I won't listen to them. Text messages are the way to go, unless it's urgent so the phone call is warranted.

kuwisdelu said:

I generally do that as soon as I can tell what it is. Which is usually in the middle of the first couple words.

Click to expand...

Yeah, that's how I am too. They don't get to the arguing stages with me. Perhaps a curt, "No thank you," but that's all. That has nothing to do with my writing, though.

I tend to get into a "zone" when I'm writing. It doesn't matter what else is going on around me--I can't see or hear anything in the outside world. However, if someone tries to break into that zone, I get angry. A couple of times I've had my laptop with me on my break at work, and people have tried to come "hang out" with me during that time. I can handle a compulsory, "Hey, how's it goin" no problem. But if they try to engage me in conversation, all that goes through my head is, "I'm losing it, I'm losing it! I had that word a second ago! WHY'D YOU HAVE TO INTERRUPT ME!!?" One girl, I actually had to say, "Look, I'm trying to edit a novel here. This is NOT a good time to talk to me. Please go away." She got all huffy and offended, but that ain't my problem.

I'm antisocial at the best of times. When writing, a thousand times more so.

kuwisdelu said:

I generally do that as soon as I can tell what it is. Which is usually in the middle of the first couple words.

Click to expand...

Ditto.

Them: Hi, I'd like to take a few moments-
Me: No, thanks. *click*

Rhoda Nightingale said:

Yeah, that's how I am too. They don't get to the arguing stages with me. Perhaps a curt, "No thank you," but that's all. That has nothing to do with my writing, though.

I tend to get into a "zone" when I'm writing. It doesn't matter what else is going on around me--I can't see or hear anything in the outside world. However, if someone tries to break into that zone, I get angry. A couple of times I've had my laptop with me on my break at work, and people have tried to come "hang out" with me during that time. I can handle a compulsory, "Hey, how's it goin" no problem. But if they try to engage me in conversation, all that goes through my head is, "I'm losing it, I'm losing it! I had that word a second ago! WHY'D YOU HAVE TO INTERRUPT ME!!?" One girl, I actually had to say, "Look, I'm trying to edit a novel here. This is NOT a good time to talk to me. Please go away." She got all huffy and offended, but that ain't my problem.

I'm antisocial at the best of times. When writing, a thousand times more so.

Click to expand...

Double ditto.

This is exactly how I am, and I can't stand it when people come up and act like they're doing you a favor by engaging you in conversation - or worse, they keep ASKING YOU THINGS.

The other day, I was on my laptop and one person kept asking me to spell things for them. I wanted to pull their hair out by the roots. My brain would get pleasantly settled, then "How do you spell burrito?"

I spelled burrito.

Then, I'd get to the edge of the zone. "How do you spell tortilla?"

I spelled tortilla.

Almost there...

"How do you spell nachos? Plural."

I spelled nachos, plural, and growled a bit.

"I'm sorry! *wait for it* How do you spell queso?"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

This was not a child, and was, in fact, someone who teaches them. She was making a poster to sign-up for a first of the year taco party. And there was a dictionary in the house.

I thought it was over, then:

"Is it queso or queso cheese?"

I lost it. I started in on a rant about how queso was cheese and you don't go around saying you're bringing cheese cheese.

In fact, if I'd had access to sufficient quantities of queso, said person would have been plunked head first into a vat of it.

My laptop is on a TV table in the living room while my wife and/or son is watching TV. She's on her laptop,sometimes, playing her Bejeweled Blitz, from which she can't be disturbed (at least during the minute she's actively playing). So even if I'm writing, she's no help, so I end up having to let the dogs out, let the dogs back in, attend to the children's needs, answer the phone, and everything else.

Between that, I write.