The advent of the internet makes everything easier, from connecting with people from the different parts of the world to accessing loads of information in a few clicks. It is an astonishing development and has changed the landscape of the twentieth century and beyond forever. While it is great news to many, the internet can be a bane to many writers.

A popular opinion continues to circulate and debates have been heard from both sides—does the internet kill a writer’s creativity? The argument can go on and on, but there are compelling reasons the idea of the yes camp is propagated and often validated. Take a look at some of the reasons the internet stops your creative juices from flowing freely.

Too Many Distractions

Have you ever tried opening your phone and scrolling through Social Media one minute and found yourself spending two hours doing nothing? That is how addictive social media can be. The internet offers more distractions aside from social media, like the games you might be enticed to play on your brother’s high-tech gaming laptop or the ego boosting quizzes popping everywhere. It can be very hard to pull yourself away from them once you have started.

If you attempt to write and to connect to the internet at the same time, chances are, the internet wins. You will not be able to let your imagination flourish because you will be distracted by the next trending topic or adorable cat photos.

Too Much Emphasis on Validation

Social media teaches people to depend on likes, comments, and shares for validation. When you let yourself be swept away by this kind of thinking, you will easily lose your focus. You write not for the joy of it, but because you are aiming to impress.

Instead of writing a genre you are more comfortable with, you venture into a style that is popular among the crowd. It is easy to shake your self-esteem or to prop it up.

Too Little Room for Original Ideas

Thinking outside of the box is one of the most valuable skills of a writer. Some of the greatest writers who ever graced the earth had the uncanny ability to think ahead of their times. But when you are reading so many other writers’ works, you end up thinking and writing like them.

With a lot of materials at your own disposal, your thoughts are not your own anymore. It happens even to the best among people, finding the current trend and instead of getting inspired to create their own masterpiece, they try to copy because it proves to be easier and may guarantee more success.

Too Much Information

The internet gives so much information at the tip of your fingers that you become lazy. Research is done in minutes, allowing you to consume news, gossip, research, and studies as fast as you can. Since everything can be looked up in search engines instantly, you no longer feel the need for information retention.

Sometimes, even if you want to do so, the bulk of knowledge just proves too much for your brain to carry. This inability for retention leads to many people’s fondness for short, easily digested articles. In turn, writers will try to cater for this preference and neglect to let their imagination and creativity truly flourish.

Too Focused on Virtual Reality

The real happenings that can touch minds, hearts and souls occur outside the virtual sphere. While many are too busy diving into the latest outrage in social media, ordinary people struggle to battle real-life challenges.

When writers look at the world through the prism of social media, they tend to fail to recognize the beauty of humanity. Where else can they find inspiration to write something that resonates with many readers if their world is limited in virtual reality?

Of course, the internet is not all evil, although it can be pretty addictive. You only need to find the balance between your online activities and the things you need to do. Try to take a breather from the internet from time to time.

It is also possible to get a reliable portable typewriter, an innovative invention that allows you to write without distractions while providing you with the means to use cloud connectivity for saving your documents. Take a walk outside, clear your head, and appreciate nature. Doing this will help your brain rest, and you can do better thinking.

You should also remember that creativity is not something that just comes by. It also needs to be fostered with will and passion. And if you feel the need to write, make sure you see it through without letting the outside factors cloud your enthusiasm. The best writers are blessed not only with pure talent but also with the sheer will to finish what they started.

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