When I try to write it out in a notebook first, it is always much slower for me.. like the slower hand movements and trying to keep the writing legible distracts me from my creativity. I can type at 60-70 wpm though, so typing is a much faster way for me to get the thoughts down as fast as I can, as they play out in my head. It allows for much more natural progression through the story, rather than running it all in slow-mo. Last time I wrote something up with the notepad rather than on the computer, I found a huge gap in the story. like, someone asked a question, and the person who answered wasn't even giving an answer, they answered a totally different question.. and I was left trying to figure out what happened in the middle! I didn't even notice it when I typed it up, it all sounded right at the time, so had to figure it all out again a week or two later when I had already moved much further on in the story. But yes, I have found a laptop the perfect solution for me - even though seeing an empty notepad inspires me to the point that I simply want to collect them, even having no idea what to write in them.
I always write in longhand and then type it all out later. I find I am more creative when I write it out. This process just works best for me. I am not the best typest, so it takes some time. That is why I always set aside time in the evening to type whatever I have written.
I hate writing long hand. Not just because I cant read my handwriting most of the time. But also because I don't feel as creative and that I can't express myself as I wish. I had handwritten a few chapters long hand in school and when I went to type it I found that I could describe and add way more to it then I thought. Also typing it out was just painful.
It's probably way too expensive, but a better dictating program is Dragon Naturally Speaking. You read lots of passages of writing to train it to your voice, so it makes as few mistakes as possible.
I love writing longhand beacause it has a certain sensuality, as in the smell of paper and the lines of the letters. Plus you get an intresting visual result on the page, seeing the actual effort in all the crossing out and drawing. Longhand is good for journals and thoughts. Having said that, I mostly type on my pc these days, strictly for practical reasons (saving time, etc). It has it's own distinct charm. Typing is good for essays and longer pieces of writing. Conclusion: I can do both, depending on my mood or circumstances. I guess I should feel happy!
Same as most folks above, I like the longhand version of writing a story. It gives me more time to think, whereas when using a pc... I feel so rushed into it. But PCs are valuable objects in the process of writing, and resorting to them are inevitable... so, what I do, is write a chapter in longhand, then type it - gives me a chance to edit on the way - and so on... Hope this helps Good luck and keep it up
I used to type long hand, but I agree, it does get tiring.I also tend to lose papers and notebooks easier than files.
I like to write long handed myself. Its easier for me that way, my ideas seem to flow smoothly. If I try to type a story out of thin air, my mind is as blank as the computer screen. Writing it comes more natural. Typing the whole thing afterwards is a pain, but its worth it once you finish! I think of it as a long boring chore that feels so worth it in the end. Besides once I start typing it I can easily spot my errors and fix them.
I used to like writing longhand, but in 8th grade I figured out that writing a lot by hand is a pain. My hand cramps up really fast if I write by hand for too long, the pencil hurts my hand, graphite smears and makes my hand dirty, yeah.... So I just started typing anything I felt like writing, whether it was a fanfic or one of my original stories. Although sometimes I might write stuff out by hand. Like maybe some little chapter parts that come to me or, in the case of my Demon Story, I'll write out an outline so that I can have it with my all the time.
My penmenship is lousy, and I'm like Kirvee in that if I write for too long, my hand starts to cramp up on me. I like to use the computer b/c I can organize it and find things quicker.
I don't know why anyone would choose to write in longhand when they have a computer available, but that's just me. I want to get my story out quickly and not spend time writing it on paper and then typing it all up. I guess you'd get really intimate with your story with all the extra work, though!
I think it just comes down to what the author is comfortable with. Apparently some best-sellers are started with long-hand. I seem to recall hearing that the first Harry Potter book was partially written on a napkin with pen.....
im quicker at writing as im quite a slow typer. usually i write it on paper if i know it's going to be a long project but if i feel i can write it quite quickly i will write it on the computer. or if the project is very important to me.
Hi, I write all my work on page before I type a word, even with simple things such as Uni assignments and the like. Just my personal style, as I find it hard to sit down at a keyboard and spew words out, I rather scratch them out on hard copy. I think it's just comes down to personal preference.
I hate writing longhand. My hand can't keep up with my brain. Thankfully I type much faster than I can write longhand. I almost feel like it cripples me. I only jot down notes, ideas, etc. longhand if I'm away from home and have to.
Yeah, I tried doing this with a short story once and hated it - writing it out longhand and then typing it out. And I type pretty fast. Right now, I'm working on my first novel, and what has been working so far is me writing out a summary of each chapter (longhand) before I actually type it out. Just a paragraph or so. I include the major scenes, and any pertinent thing that I know I definitely want in there. And then I start typing. It gives me direction, so I'm not just staring at the screen (for very long). Like Cogito said, whatever works for you. But I have heard of others doing what you did and having very similar (in fact identical) problems. However, if you write faster than you type, than what you're doing is probably the easiest route. This way, you can edit and change things as you type (at least that's what I did with my short story).
I did. the hand written ended up being just a first draft. I changed a lot in the type up. It worked. good way to draft
Which do you prefer? I'm struggling with the beginning of my story, and I don't know whether or not I want to type it out or write it. Whenever I try to type, I get distracted by the internet. Whenever I write it out longhand, I get hand cramps. Which is better/more effective?
I use both at the start of a story sometimes I think better with pen and paper - however when I am in flow there is no comparison for me I type much faster.
I used to allways write with a pencil or a pen but these days I find it much easier to use a word programme. It is much easier to delete and edit stuff. And I find it works well for me.
i do both... neither is 'better/more effective' for everyone... you must go by whichever way works best for you... that said, one benefit to writing out your work first is that it automatically gets a first proofread and edit as you type it up...
Hand cramps are a beautiful thing. Personally, I'll write out any freewriting and practice that I do, and type out any other work that I produce. That's for fiction anyway. Depending on my mood, I may write out poetry and edit it on a computer later, but I'll always type out plays and screenwrites; all those stage directions can distract me from the ideas I'm trying to get across, so I gotta' get 'em out faster than my hand can produce.
