Imagine being arrested for an innocent online search. Sometimes, I wonder if that’s what will happen to me. I often find myself searching for some really oddball stuff. It makes me the target of advertising for products I will never buy. It also makes me want to constantly delete my browser search history in case I go missing and my friends and family look there for clues, only to begin questioning my life choices. Yes, this is the life of a writer and editor.
I found this question, “What was the last thing you searched for online?” as one of the daily writing prompts, and I was compelled to answer it. Here’s why.
- A coworker was searching for eye protection, such as safety glasses, when her keywords (eye protection? eye glasses? something to do with eyes?) landed her on a porn site and her computer was stuck there until the tech people reset her computer.
- I was editing a book about atrocities committed during a political regime when I became curious about the correct terminology to use and began to Google search different types of guns and bullets. Then I wondered what my search history implied when seen out of context.
- I have scanned through webpages for products to do research for clients. Then I realized how interconnected my world was when I started to see ads for these products on my social media. All my social media.
- I’ve noticed I do frequent searches for popular boy names and girl names. It probably looks like I’m thinking of naming a baby I’ll have one of these days. I guess you could say I have a lot of “children.” They are all names chosen for story characters and characters for client scenarios.
My conclusion: My search history is for many unrelated and unusual topics, such as how to fix issues for products I don’t own or how to dye blond hair I don’t have. Indeed, being an editor and writer has made me curious about a multitude of unusual things.
What’s the last thing you searched for online?
Vanya Wryter Consulting Services 
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