There was a bit of a fuss over it a few years back. You can find mention of it in the Wikipedia article on Wordstar.[0] Robert J. Sawyer maintains a page on using Wordstar on modern computers.[1]
Authors have been seeking ways to avoid distractions for decades, and it goes well beyond pervasive connectivity. Sometimes the very features that aid them in their work can also hinder them. For example: computers vastly simplify the editing process, yet one of the earliest pieces of advice I saw was to turn off the computer monitor while writing in order to avoid editing prematurely.
I believe the [citation needed] was intended to humorously question specifically whether Martin is in fact still making progress on those books, not to question that he uses an archaic setup.
Ah. That joke completely went over my head since my knowledge of Martin pretty much amounts to him being the author of Game of Thrones and his use of Wordstar.
> one of the earliest pieces of advice I saw was to turn off the computer monitor while writing in order to avoid editing prematurely
I do this by closing my eyes while writing. Makes the writing more descriptive and easier to imagine big scenes with a lot of color and vibrance. Using the 10 finger writing system, I am really fast doing this.
Oh my goodness- yes. I have to shut my eyes and just write. I come back and edit later. It works, and also keeps me 100% distraction free if that's what's needed.
Authors have been seeking ways to avoid distractions for decades, and it goes well beyond pervasive connectivity. Sometimes the very features that aid them in their work can also hinder them. For example: computers vastly simplify the editing process, yet one of the earliest pieces of advice I saw was to turn off the computer monitor while writing in order to avoid editing prematurely.
[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WordStar#Notable_users [1] https://www.sfwriter.com/ws-vdos.htm