Later technological advances lifted me and my writing up from the typewriter, with its spool of inked clothe for printing the words to the Word Processor which allowed for quick changes. No more re-typing a page just to change a few words in a paragraph. From there the word processor obliterated the dictionary and the grammar book by instantly providing correctly spelled words and reminders when paragraphs were poorly written. Soon it was easy to insert photos to text, and publish to the world by posting on the Internet. Technology has brought about so many changes and all in just one lifetime. It has been thrilling for many of us writers.

Now, this same technology has created a dilemma. Looking at my past novels, I see my characters living with the technology of the past. I remember when my parents allowed me to have a phone of my own in my bedroom. How wonderful that was! Now young people have their own devices at an early age. Not just phones, but whole access to the Internet at all times. They can communicate by text message, instant messenger, phone, email and many other ways on social media.  With the changing technology, novelists were being advised to include this technology in their stories.

I gave it a try. In my book, Go To Liberty, I had my main character use her device while sitting at the dinner table.  That book was published in 2014. It now seems a little outdated. What should I do? I’m not going to go back and re-write the novel.  Moving forward I struggle with whether to have my characters call on their smart phones, devices they are still holding in their hands.  Now a new device is worn on the wrist. Should I jump ahead, thinking that by the time the book is published, everyone may be wearing their devices?

Dump the devices. Yep, that’s what I decided.  Why should my story of human struggle be defined by the technology of communication?  Bad enough that I have to ask, “Does my character drive her car, take Uber or does she go in a self-driving car?   Does it really matter?  From here going forward I’m leaving the technology out.  Instead of having my character pick up her smart phone, I’ll say she contacted her friend. Who cares how she did it? The communication is what’s important. The subject is important. The way they communicated is not that important.  What my characters do is important.

I’m working on a novel now and will see if I can keep a promise to myself. Can I focus on the story, not the devices. Ok, so I may have to mention them. She climbed into the car. But how many times does the writer of a western novel describe riding a horse? If you’ve ridden one, you know what it’s like, just get your character there on time and keep the dialogue and conflict going.