I write everywhere- on my laptop, the desktop computer, and in just about every notebook I've ever owned, no matter their original purpose. My memory of what I've written is mapped to where I'd written it, too, though that method is not fool-proof. There are times I'll forget I've written something down in one notebook, have stored the notebook away in a box for months or years, and find it later. It's like reacquainting myself with a long-lost friend Also, writing longhand seems to read better than writing straight onto a .doc. When I transcribe things from paper to my computer, sometimes it changes the way I see what I'v written and changes my feelings about it. Generally I prefer longhand on unlined paper with a Bic brand pen. But when I'm in a frezied mood, I use my computer. I type faster than I can write, and most often my writing is not clear or legible and takes some time to decipher.
Hi, I don't think I can write longhand any longer. My fingers have forgotten how to connect up the cursive, so what comes out are messy chicken scratchings that vaguely resemble letters. And I used to have quite a nice cursive. But that's what fifteen or twenty years of typing will do to you. Cheers, Greg.
I always use pen and paper when I'm brainstorming or if I'm stuck on something; my brain just seems to prefer it and I do like scribbling things out and drawing arrows all over the place. Even at work, if I have a complex letter or report to write I will jot down a brief draft on paper before typing. For me it isn't really a case of listing the pros and cons of paper vs computer and going with the best, it's just what I'm most comfortable with.
It's more of a connection to my feelings, more natural for me. When I hand-write the words make their way out but when I type, my mind just doesn't seem to get what I'm supposed to be doing.
Besides the aesthetic joy of looking at my own handwriting, I like that all my mistakes are left on the page, all my editing notation stays on the page and I can see how I arrived at the final version. Feels alot like showing my work, and I think its important to have those mistakes to look back on. Also I sit at a computer all day long, talking and typing and staring into a monitor. It's a great change of pace to get out some paper and draw letters all over it in contemplative silence. I haven't begun to consider the effort it will take to type it out in its entirety until just now ...
It's okay, Cursive, it's okay. Advice: Try not to edit while you are typing it because you'll change the story. Type it in as you wrote it then edit. It's safer that way.
I understand that. I usually type into Google Docs - it keeps all previous versions, and I too like to browse through them and see the changes.
Check out this short film.... http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=8491988 Pay attention to the part where he talks about writing on a computer versus writing on a typewriter (which would be liken to writing longhand for this discussion). He says "A typewriter is a writing machine and a computer is an editing machine. The books that come out of a typewriter are very different than the books that come out of a computer. The process changes the product because you have a chance to make things perfect as you go along with a computer. And there's a real loss of innocence, I think. 'Jake' wrote itself in six months. With a computer I would've taken two years to write 'Jake' because I would've been making it right as I went along and sucking the life out of it, too." Pretty neat and pretty inspiring little film.
This! And the converse: Many people can type much faster than they can actually think. The rush of not-quite-right words and half-formed sentences this process results in can produce some utterly atrocious prose. Laughably bad prose. Sure, people say they can fix it in editing, but how many really do? It would involve rewriting almost everything, in some cases. Writing in longhand slows you down and forces on you the time it takes to get things right.
I only ever use comp, I wish i could use a pen but my hand writing is terrible, even i would have trouble following my story if i did ^^
I like the feel of pen on a large stack of paper. Plus, it forces me to not be OCD about editing, as once it's there, it's there. btw, is it pretentious of me to write a mock front cover with the title and "by: my name" and stick it in the clear frontal page slip of my three-ringed binder where I'm putting the story?
Nah, whatever keeps you inspired. You'd probably be better off putting that effort into your writing instead, bt that's your choice. Just don't include it with your submissions. Keep it a guilty, secret pleasure.
I get cramps typing as well. I type over 90 words per minute. I prefer writing long hand for first drafts or for any journalng. I've been writing long before computers were a main household item.
I use both. Firstly, paper is just about the most secure method of saving. I recently lost all of my work due to a computer failure and simultaneous breakdown of my usb backup whereas paper such as the dead sea scrolls still exists. I use a notebook on the train or anywhere, but also sometimes type something into my phone as a note for later. I regularly print all my work out, I definitely recommend it.
...and many many more scrolls don't. Paper can be destroyed easily too - fire, water, an unwitting relative throwing away "old rubbish", ... so you'll still need backups. Keeping both paper and electronic form is probably the safest.
Do any of you ever hand write your stories first or at least parts of them? And if you do where do you write them and how.
I do a lot of my writing by hand. I love to work that way. I wrote a little essay about why writing by hand is best and I've posted it on this forum two or three times, so I won't repeat it here - you can search for it if you want. The gist of it was that if you write by hand, you are forced to type it into a computer at some point, so you're compelled to do a revision right there. Also, if you keep portable notebooks around, you can write anywhere, under any circumstances. Besides, I like the look of my own handwriting, when I'm doing it well. When I'm writing by hand, I get to appreciate the beauty of my sentences on more than one level: first, because the words are beautiful, and second, because the handwriting is beautiful. I know that doesn't translate to the reader, because the publisher controls the font, but it helps give me a little extra satisfaction, and a little extra impetus to keep writing.
I tend to do a lot of my writing by hand, right now it's mostly because I don't have a computer to work with and I'm borrowing my Mom's. Otherwise, I find that writing by hand lets me focus more on my writing, and less on everything else. I don't feel the constant urge to stop, reread, and edit, like I do on the computer. I just write and don't stop until my hand hurts so bad I can't hold a pencil/pen. Which actually isn't very long considering my hand starts hurting after 10 minutes.
It's pretty much the only reason I get any writing done. My computer is full of mislabeled, random documents brimming with plot ideas and little snippets to the point it's overwhelming. Grabbing a notebook and writing it on paper helps me form a cohesive body while adding things that never occurred to me before. By the time I complete a chapter I just feel proud of myself. Puts things into perspective.
I have bad hand writing because of chronic pain and from lack of practice. I tend to stick to the keyboard as hand writing seems to make it act up more than typing. There are times when I do write by hand. If I'm away from a computer and I suddenly get inspired or if I'm taking notes. I do have notebooks laying around everywhere. I love notebooks, really I do, but I'm more of a typing type of person.
I prefer hand writing my novels, it allows me to feel like I am actually there in the story. When I type I feel less connected to the story to get that same feeling.
