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Behind the Times?

We are writers. We are odd, slightly socially dysfunctional people with, as a certain highly successful TV writer puts it, casual wear chosen by our mothers (how perceptive). Perhaps our inherent romantic and imaginitive side is the very reason that, whenever I come across a reference to the internet or mobile phones in a book, part of me curls up and dies.
Does anyone else experience this? I bought a couple of books from an agent I am interested in (testing the waters, as it were) and throughout one of them, references to facebook, the WWW, texting and tweeting kept cropping up to put me off. I realise these things are now part of life, but something inside me detests using them as plot/character devices. I am forced to do so in order to keep my story grounded and I still cringe when I type the words 'mobile' (or worse, cell phone).
Anyone agree?

Asked by: Mark Rudd

Jonathan Hopkins on August 18, 2012

'Cell phone' is so passe, old chap ;)

Don't worry. When we bought our first PC I refused to pay the extra for a built-in modem as I said, 'It's a fad - can't see that lasting very long.'

So I agree. And write in the 19th century to avoid modern technology as much as poss. But the longer I go on the deeper into the Industrial Revolution I'm getting :(
2
Gilly Ansell on August 18, 2012

I think computers/gaming/mobiles/texting has its place in society these days, but it seems that for many they are more important than 'real' socialising. Many children these days lack good old social skills and it's a worrying thought that in years to come people will be quite inadequate in the art of actually talking face to face with others. Books often seem to have taken a back seat to the more modern ideas of entertainment, such as facebook etc.
Having had my little rant, I wonder if I'm starting to sound like my Grandmother did many years ago about how things were different in her day. Oh well, off to chat while my vocal chords are still needed. :-)
2
S G Romee on August 19, 2012

If one delves into very old mythological chronicles one can notice the characters teleporting their bodies great distances. They can be seen communicating with other people just with the use of developed powers of their brains; quite similar to the way we communicate, except that we need to use electronic gadgetry, namely cell phones.

Believe me, mythology is as real to some communities as history is to most people. In mythological chronicles characters can be seen using crystal balls and magical mirrors which perhaps served the purpose of the internet or Facebook of today. Perhaps we are rediscovering accessories what people used ordinarily thousands of years ago.
1
Ivor Randle on August 19, 2012

The character doesn't have to tweet. If they're under 50 they have to consciously decide not to FaceBook (or Myspace): is that economics, attitude, literacy? Character depth right there.

The only thing they really can't ignore is Googling. If THEY don't do it somebody will offer to do it for them. It's nothing more than the death of the "I found a matchbook with the name of a club on it" syndrome: if how they got the info is so important the fact that Google didn't hand it to them on a late makes it either INCREDIBLY personal and human or deeply sinister, whichever suits best. If the information, not its source, is the important bit then the character Googling it simply saves wordcount and allows you concentrate on the important stuff.

The bigger problem is getting it right, historically. When I was teaching web use in the late 1990s the search engine of choice was Alta Vista, as it wasn't a human-filtered directory like Yahoo, but one never "Alta Vista'd" for info.
Victoria Whithear on August 22, 2012

I don't agree at all. I'm not even sure what your problem is with it all. I'm rarely found with a working phone or, in fact, anything more technical than a biro in my possession, but my books are full of texting, personal messaging and emailing because my characters are people who would use technology. Building characters is not a matter for personal taste. If you 'see' a character, you see exactly how they treat their belongings and what they carry on them at all times. You cannot just add a mobile phone to ground the story any more than you can add a limb so the character is more sturdy on their feet!