Writing without distractions

I don't know about you, but whenever I write I'm never quite able to switch off that tiny voice at the back of my mind reminding me of the countless other (often trivial) things I could be doing instead. And so I end up, taking 'breaks' during which I chat, compulsively check my eMails, surf Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc., which cuts into my productivity. Don't get me wrong, I adore writing, but the Internet is a fine and highly addictive invention even the best of us can't resist. Luckily, my search for ways to keep me from switching on my airport and checking Hotmail yet again has helped me find great software to aid a writer in resisting the near constant stream of virtual distraction. The software mentioned below is simple with the sole intention of providing a black screen so you can get on with your writing, and nothing else.

OMMwriter is a MAC program that simply takes over the entire monitor and furnishes a minimalistic, zen-like environment. This one's really helped me focus for several weeks now.

Dark Room is the Windows equivalent, running on Win 2000 through Vista. With its simple black screen, it's less chic than OMMwriter, but it does a great job at being about just you and your text.

Finally, there's RubyRoom with a few more additions. All three software programs come with word counters, but in RubyRoom the user can't switch it off, so if that feature's yet another distraction, then you're probably better off using one of the other options. You should also have basic Linux knowledge before diving into this one.

If you have any suggestions, please free to share your recommendations.

To your publishing success!

Note: I consciously decided not to mention any download links. The software mentioned above is available for free on the Internet. Before downloading .exe or .zip files always make sure your anti-virus software is up to date. Please scan the files before you install them. If in doubt, always back up any important files before installing anything downloaded from the Internet.