Technology has a lot to offer a writer these days — almost too much.  It’s easy to get fooled by all the tools available and forget to just write.  It used to be a writer needed a pen and a notebook or, more recently, a typewriter, paper, replacement ribbons, and some version of White-Out.  But now, a writer can use those tools as well as the plethora of modern communication gear — desktop computers, laptop computers, tablets, and cell phones.  With “The Cloud” all those devices will keep the latest document current, so a writer can pick up any device and be confident the latest version of their document is waiting for them to pick up where they left off.  It’s all so easy, right?

Maybe.  Or maybe the ease is mentally deceptive, leaving a writer to mentally say, “I don’t have to rush, I can pick this up and finish it anytime.”  It’s so easy to get caught up in updating Facebook and Twitter — it’s an important part of keeping your “brand” out there for your readership.  Ooops, Where did the time go?  I was supposed to spend “x” hours writing this morning.  Where did the time go?  How is it already noon, and I haven’t even opened my document yet?  Professional writers learn to avoid these time sinks and other distracting traps, but even the best can get distracted sometimes.  That’s why they tend to have specific protocols they follow to discipline themselves to make sure they get their work done on time.  Writers are self-employed, and they have to be responsible for their actions or lack of actions.  Writers aren’t the only profession who have to look out for these pitfalls, but it’s the one I think about the most.

Technology offers many advantages to make a job easier, but if someone isn’t careful, that ease can translate to a trap.  What techniques do you employ to make sure your tools don’t become traps?