Pen & Paper VS Keyboard and Word Processing Software

Discussion in 'Writing Software and Hardware' started by ELeFloch, May 10, 2017.

  1. dragonflare137

    dragonflare137 Member

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    When I write, I usually do it completely with pen and paper. It's easier on eyes for one, but it has a few more perks that have actually gotten me to write more then I did before. I can bring my notebook with me anywhere. Class, church, a restaurant you name it. My computer however is bothersome to carry around everywhere, and there are some places where it can be considered inappropriate to bring (A.K.A Class). Also there is just something satisfying about writing on a piece of paper.

    It also gives me the liberty to do something when I get bored, or get writers block. Whenever that happens I just switch to my computer, if I'm near it, and I start to type it all out. This also gives me the chance to review everything that I had previously written, and make some firsthand edits. But that's just how I feel about things, and it works for me.
     
  2. X Equestris

    X Equestris Contributor Contributor

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    Between my handwriting becoming indecipherable in some parts, my hand cramping after writing with pen/pencil for too long, and the ease with which mistakes can be fixed on Word, I stick to writing on computer for flash fiction and longer. Poems are basically the only things I write with pen these days.
     
  3. GlitterRain7

    GlitterRain7 Galaxy Girl Contributor

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    My preference, typing. I can delete messed up sentences and what not easily and cleanly, and it autocorrects or spellchecks for me (depending on the device I'm using). My #1 device for working on my writing is my phone, because I can write at the spur of the moment and it's always with me.
     
  4. Laurus

    Laurus Disappointed Idealist Contributor

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    I bought a mechanical keyboard specifically for writing, so if I'm home, then I'm writing with that. If I'm out and have time to kill, I always have a pen and some scrap paper on hand. If I somehow end up out and about without a pen or paper, I'll use gmail drafts as a note taking program. It works better than any other note taking app and I still can't get over it.
     
  5. S A Lee

    S A Lee Contributor Contributor

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    I find I get distracted with my computer, either via video games, forums or YouTube. So first drafts and background are done by pen and paper, but fine tuning is part of the transfer to digital formats.
     
  6. CoffeeBoy

    CoffeeBoy Member

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    I'll always prefer the pen and paper over technology, why? because I simply enjoy it more. I love the feeling of a pen (especially a fountain pen) scribbling against a paper, the ideas and words seem to pour out of my brain onto the paper. With the keyboard I always have to reread it over for typos, and I always manage to find one! Not that I don't like writing on the keyboard, I enjoy it very much. But nothing can replace the pen & paper combination for me.
    Another reason I prefer the pen and paper because well, first it's in my writing, so of course I'll like it and second, it is almost an instant source of pouring down and jotting out your ideas upon. Now before any of you bring cell phones and tablets into this conversation, I've tried them both, and I disliked them. They are not meant for jotting down creative literacy ideas. So I prefer the pen and paper, but I use technology to my advantage too every now and then, which is quite often ^^
     
  7. ChaosReigns

    ChaosReigns Ov The Left Hand Path Contributor

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    To me, the answer is never clear, as there are some reasons why I use each of these options, so I'll break my thoughts down into something more comprehensible.

    1) the piece I'm writing: some of what I write flows better using a computer, others, pen and paper work just fine, it's down to how I can process the idea. And ideas worth my time will end up on the computer in some form or another (mostly when I need to be able to start sharing the idea with others to get it past the awful first stage. I wish my tumble dryer would stop beeping, I'm try a think

    2) the situation I'm in: it could be I'm out and want to have some access to what I'm writing as it may be I've got some time to be able to write (I do have a tablet, which I'm currently using to reply to this on, but it doesn't feel the same writing on a tablet to writing on paper/on a computer, I prefer a proper keyboard) in which case pen and paper is ideal for me I'll get a scruffy notebook, write the last couple of sentences of what I'd typed down and ping from there

    3) my mood: it could be I want to work on a typed project but CBA to sit at a computer to do so, I'll maybe look at what I last wrote and go from there, if it's the other way, I'd go and start reworking the early parts of written pieces that I'd previously typed up (or type up what I'd written)

    I'll leave this here for the time being, if I think of anything else I'll share it

     

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