I don't know why exactly, but I've been doing a lot of writing by hand before returning to my computer and typing it up. I get that it's adding an extra step, but it sort of feels right at the moment. This is not something I've usually done, and I'm not really sure why I'm doing it now. Is there any benefit to this? I really don't know. Are there any other writers out there picking up a pen? If so, why do you do it?
I just read in today's paper that Stephen King is still writing in longhand with a fountain pen. Whatever works for you. I find that when I'm writing songs or poetry, the first draft is almost always in longhand, since I'm away from my computer and jotting down stuff as it comes to me. But prose works better on the keyboard... in fact, I'm one of those people who found word processors to be liberating. My first computer, a Kaypro, was what I needed to get words flowing, despite the klunky keyboard and the intricacies of WordStar. (I've always hated that term "word processor," though. It sounds like I'm chopping, dicing, and pureeing the language. I prefer Arthur C. Clarke's suggestione: "word loom.")
It may be an extra step, yes, but if it works for you right now, then why not? Perhaps it is something that gives you a good vibe, good for your mental health, or cathartic? Look at it this way, your signature for book signings will be exemplary.
I handwrite first because of a few reasons. I can get my thoughts down better if I physically write them. It's incredibly cathartic, as mentioned above. And the main reason is so I always have a hard copy of my original draft. I'm not the best at technology and one year, I deleted the entire first book of my series on accident. I've since rewritten the entire thing, but that moment when I realized what I'd done is one I'll never forget.
This is a really good reason. I currently have everything on my computers and on some USB sticks. All in my home. There was a fire in an adjacent apartment in my house once (did not spread, was contained), so I have become pretty paranoid about keeping all my writing in the same place. Thinking about getting a post box or something, as I do not trust the cloud.
