Helping you accomplish all of the things you need to do before breakfast remains the focus of many technologies. Some software helps us remain productive; to-do lists, notes, and all the other digital nags and sound effects that remind us what we should be doing, when we should be doing it, and where. And then there’s writing, which doesn’t jive well with the multitasking panic we often call “productivity”. Let’s take a look at a number of tools and strategies to help cut out the background noise of everyday life and get to writing.
Turn off the Internet
First of all, it is most important to stop checking your email, Facebook, Twitter, or Google+ every two minutes. It’s hard to remain focused if you keep switching tasks. We’ve become so accustomed to task-switching and multi-tasking that sometimes we have to force ourselves into a single-tasking frame of mind.
If you need help with this (and you’re not alone if you do, otherwise there wouldn’t be software for it), there are a few solutions:
Freedom (Mac and PC) turns off your internet for a specific amount of time. If you want to turn it back on before the time is up, you have to restart your computer. Simple, effective, and free.
SelfControl (Mac only) is a free application that blocks email and websites.
Concentrate (Mac Only) allows you to turn certain things off during certain tasks that you are performing. This software is free to try for 60 hours, but costs $29 after the trial. It may require a little more patience to set up, but is an effective solution if you still need access to an online source while you are writing.
If you have enough self control to stay off the web, you probably don’t need software to help you, let’s move on to software to help you focus on writing.
Focus on Writing
There are a few applications out there that can help create a distraction-free writing space. Mac users often lament the fact that Mac programs do not go “full screen”, as they do in Windows (with the exception of a few apps in the new OSX Lion). But even Windows users can have problems with their writing environment. For example, even after going “full screen”, Windows programs may display in multiple pages on one screen, display the text too large for comfortable reading, or appear in some other configuration that isn’t very effective for keeping focused.
Ommwriter (Mac only) features a calm, relaxing environment with warm background colors and soothing loops of music. Writing while listening to cacophony is often counterproductive. It’s best to listen to classical music or ambient sounds (e.g., a loud fan or other white noise machines that help block out background noise). This software brings the whole package together. The older version is free to try, and its a “pay what you want” for the new version.
FocusWriter (Free) is a thematically customizable full-screen writing space. This relatively simple software supports all operating systems (Windows, Mac, Linux). It includes the ability to set word-count goals, internal timers, and to change the background to whatever you want to see behind your words.
Writeroom (Mac only) is a full screen writing program without bells and whistles. Its free to try, $24 to buy.
Scrivener (Mac, PC and Linux in beta testing) is a full-featured writing program that takes you to a distraction-free workspace when you need it and allows you to organize your writing in a number of ways. While it is more expensive than other options (it is $38 for an education license) it is worth every penny for people who are easily distracted and disorganized. Scrivener provides a 30 day free trial, during which you can put your distraction-free writing skills to the test and complete NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month – November), a Scrivener sponsored event.