I try to write, I really do. And most times I succeed. But I spend plenty of time “researching,” wandering aimlessly around the Web, rearranging the papers on my desk, or just staring aimlessly out my window as my deadlines loom over me like the last scenes of a monster movie. For people like me, now our browsers can use the principles of operant conditioning and jolt us out of our laziness.
“Write or Die” from Dr. Wicked’s Writing Lab is a text window you open up in your Web browser that pays attention to see if you’re typing. You enter your word goal, a time goal, or both, and select a mode of punishment. Once you begin typing the dire consequences are activated. If you stop typing – say, to go hit Wikipedia for a fact or AintItCool because you’re bored – each mode delivers increasingly horrible punishments. Gentle mode blinks a reasonably polite reminder at you to get back to work already. Normal mode plays horrible songs (yes, goofing off may get you repeatedly RickRolled). And Kamikaze, the worst, actually begins deleting what you’ve already written, word by word, until you begin writing again.
Write or Die is not a word processor in any way; it exists only to force you to get words on the screen. You still have to copy what you’ve written and paste it somewhere else to save it (the newest version of Write and Die automatically copies your text to your clipboard if you close that browser window or tab, as a precautionary measure). But for people who need constant nudging (ahem), Write or Die can be an effective goad. Especially once he gets the “Electric Shock Mode” up and running…