Google's impact on writers is growing. The dawn of the Internet search engine forever changed the way writers conduct their daily lives. Today Google's influence and assistance is expanding at a phenomenal rate. I confess: I have become Googlized.
It began innocently enough. Tuesday I began the day firing up my computer while sipping my first cup of coffee and indulging in my latest writerly fantasy. My inbox bulged with its usual conglomeration of junk mail, group posts, friend's emails, business matters, writing-related messages, and Google Alerts. Nevertheless, I intended to write.
I'm still not sure how it happened — my brain in its usual morning slumber — but somehow my fingers tripped me onto a site that asked if I wanted to try Google's Desktop. It was innocuous enough. I obeyed and initiated the download. That was 48 hours ago. Today I am a fully Googlized writer.
Google Desktop and its seductive mate, iGoogle, kept me enchanted for hours. Think cyber-office on steroids. My desktop now hosts the best 4-tabbed To-Do list gadget ever and it sits on top so I can sporadically — 'cause that's how my mind works nowadays --add to my lists. This phantom cubicle contains the to-dos for my computer guy, daily writing goals, reminders, and calls. All I do is click and the next list appears. The sidebar? It's an explosion of tools divinely inspired to feed my inner office junkie and lure my muse out to play.
But wait, I'm not done.
There is this thing called iGoogle. It's like a ramped up, totally personalized Google Desktop. Now an array of gadgets inhabits my iGoogle home page and tabs (additional pages, what a great feature). My homepage reflects my general needs. (Yes, they're all that necessary.) One tab is dedicated to my main writing project (the novel) and another to general writing. A fourth is for pure reading pleasure (it’s research, okay?). I have stop watches, countdowns, alarms, project trackers, activity trackers, progress bars, and stickies — let me tell you about stickies. I never knew there were so many types of note-taking gadgets available. Writers embrace note-taking but its management? That’s another issue. With no end to styles, any writer should be able to find the perfect cyber-sticky. (Have I told you before how much I adore Post-its?)
Article comments
1 - Eli
Amazing article, Vikk. Sounds like you are doing great with Google. Come back in the future and let us know how this is all working out for you.
Thanks for the info.
Eli
2 - Che
I guess you could say I'm a Google-enhanced writer, though its more like Google-distracted (though I might go as far as to say Google-addicted).
Hint: Don't put game-widgets on your iGoogle.
Enjoyed the article!
3 - Vikk Simmons
Hi Eli,
Thanks for reading. Yes, Google and I are in our honeymoon period. Let's hope it lasts a long, long time.
4 - Vikk Simmons
Well, Che, now that you mention it I did break my major rule and installed one small gadget. I never play games, not even Solitaire, on my computer but I did find a small match up memory game that I could put on the desktop and I did do that. However, I also found the Limiter gadget that basically acts like a timer to "limit" my time spent improving my memory--or trying to retain it. That's on the desktop, too, but I even have that one on top all the time. I use it to time how long I stay at the computer since I have to worry about muscle spasms.
Glad you enjoyed the article. Writing it was fun.
5 - Thelma
You have me hooked. As soon as I get back from vacation, I intend to Googlize my life.
6 - Heather Ames
This would get me into too much organizational trouble. I don't do well with too much "stuff." I would be organizing my day into oblivion! But for those who love a tidy desk, it sounds like a great tool.
7 - Vikk Simmons
Returning from a well-rested vacation, Thelma, is an ideal time to Googlize your life. Have fun.
8 - Vikk Simmons
Heather, Heather, the beauty of Google is that you can be as minimalist as you wish.
9 - Natalie Bennett
This article has been selected for syndication to Advance.net , which is affiliated with newspapers around the United States, and to Boston.com. Nice work!
10 - Vikk Simmons
Thanks for the syndication, Natalie.
11 - Arthur Plotnik
Any brain that can handle 25K e-mails and still find the cells to construct so lively, pointed, and useful an article is my kind of cerebellum. I'm going to take a goggle at Google-ization. But one more thought from this writer and trained librarian: Embracing librarian-level organization is a good thing, but don't let it keep you or anyone from the libraries themselves, where knowledge and information go worlds beyond neat and cool.
12 - Mark Saleski
i like a pad and a pencil myself.
13 - vikksimmons
Hello Art,
Thanks for taking the time to read my article and for posting such kind comments. Any praise from you is greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Oh yes, the library still has its place. The librarians are valuable sources and helpers and are often overlooked by far too many writers. Online research often acts much like a first draft. I do buy the majority of major research books because I want them when I need them and because I'm such a bibliophile. But libraries hold great primary source material and offer a free and easy way to review books before you buy. Plus the whole place is full of fellow bibliophiles.
14 - vikksimmons
The pad and pencil is a time-honored tradition that will never die, Mark. At this point my writing encompasses pretty much all types of writing from the old lead to the new digital. Sometimes a writer just needs that mind-to-hand connection to make the words come. Thanks for reading and for leaving a message.
15 - Christopher Rose
Vikk, please remove your email address from the comments box.
Thanks,
Comments Editor
16 - Nisha
Wow, your article makes me cringe in shame. My Googlization has grown little beyond primitive Googling/searching. I've been avoiding the many prompts to download Google desktop. But now, after reading your article, maybe I just will make the jump.
17 - jake
funny aritcle, i dont know if its that serious though...