Neat stuff

So, apparently Google Documents will let you edit a document with peers (as editors or observers) that you invite, and you can open a chat room that contains yourself and all the peers.

In other words, Google Docs works as a LifeStream for writers, with chat. Basically, you can watch a writer write as he writes, and if you want to ask a question or say something, you can. Writers can collaborate on a single piece at one time if the host gives the other person permission to edit the document. Or, two people can examine a document together and critique it. All that's necessary is that the writer either make his documents public, or that he distributes the URL of his Docs session to those that he wants to sit in.

Of course, with the LiveStream application, it's bad because it could be distracting to the writer, but a bit of discretion on the part of both writer and viewers can prevent it from getting too bad. And if all else fails, you can just disable the chat.

So far, it's helped me, at least. I always think I am ridiculously slow at writing, but I recently viewed a session of an author whose works I don't care for too much, but whom I respect a good bit. He's met with some success, and he writes at about the same pace that I do, so that makes me feel a bit better.

Interesting ideas. Maybe I'll try it out one day. I doubt anyone's too interested in seeing me write, but if there's ever much of a demand for it, I wouldn't mind. I'd be extremely self-conscious, though.