Write or DIE! - Posted on 7/3/2009

Introducing, Dr Wickeds Write or Die – a valuable resource for every writer! This is genius. As I've mentioned before, we writers are famous for procrastinating – but then, we like to call it ‘thinking' and I know that's a very valuable part of the writing process, but sometimes I find myself putting off going to my laptop to write or just spending far too long just not doing ENOUGH writing. So this really helps get one through those – very tough – days.

Sometimes, we need to have a deadline to feel motivated enough to just GET ON WITH IT! But then, I find myself thinking about this a lot. Whenever I sit down and start writing, what comes out of the keys depends on my mood, so perhaps the story would take on a different feeling or different mood depending on the time I write it? So I worry if I'm not in the right frame of mind, or if I had wrote this say, yesterday or the day before, it would not be the same story as it is now? But that's silly, right? No point worrying about what might have been.

But, I digress. I was saying that sometimes we need a deadline to give us writers the push we need. That's where Write or Die comes in handy.

Basically, you can enter your writing goal (however many words you wish to write in what time period), choose a grace period: forgiving, strict or evil. And then, the fun part. You can pick from ‘Gentle Mode', ‘Normal Mode', ‘Kamikaze Mode' or even ‘Electric Shock Mode' (haven't tried this one, yet).

In its own words: “Write or die is a web application that encourages writing by punishing the tendency to avoid writing.”

In one of its harshest modes, if you do not beginning writing within a number of seconds, the application will even begin deleting your words, forcing you to move forward with your work! That one's not for the faint-hearted.

I'd say this application is good if you just need a proverbial kick up the ass once in a while. If this sounds like you, do give it a try.

http://lab.drwicked.com/writeordie.html

~B

Write or DIE! - Posted on 7/3/2009