I've always said I can't write by hand anymore. I need to sit in front of a computer to have the ideas flow. Unfortunately its also way too easy to get distracted when sitting in front of the computer - ooh look, an email, while I'm at it I'll check Facebook etc etc ;)
On Tuesday I took my little netbook with me to write with while I sat in the car and waited for B's drama class to finish. Its been so long since I've used it though that the battery was flat. So I was forced to *gasp* write by hand in my 'handy dandy notebook'. I got about 300 words written in 30 minutes - a bit slower than on the computer but with the added advantage of silencing my inner editor. Its hard to make too many changes while you're writing by hand, so I was just writing. I typed it up last night and made some changes as I was typing - first polish.
So I tried it again last night - put the computer aside and pulled out the pen and paper, then typed it up. Again, it worked pretty well. I think I might be on to something here... It also has the added advantage that you can whip out a notebook & pen pretty much anywhere and not get a second look, but pulling out a computer just looks pretentious :)
3 comments:
Gasp ... a pen and notebook! What's the world coming to?!
Sounds like a good result.
I've been using exercise books for years, and the occasional stylish journal. Recently I thought about getting a netbook or laptop for writing in bed, the car, library ... anywhere quieter than my beloved but shared living room computer. I would deliberately not connect the internet for the reason you mentioned, self-sabotage by distraction!
But there's a queue of things I want to spend that money on (presuming I had that amount, ha ha). Plus, a pen is like an extension of my brain, helps me think. I decided to stick to notebooks for now too ... with my stack of red 10 cent books from Officeworks, I'm prepared anytime.
I'd never think you were pretentious (would see industrious, purposeful) but I know what you mean :)
That's how I seem to write best too...somehow the delete button on the computer is a little too convenient and I end up deleting everything I write...while with pen and paper, it seems such a waste to tear the pages up. Plus, the same issues with email and checking up on yahoo groups :)
I used to write longhand. Of late I use either a digital pen, or my laptop. Occasionally I write on paper, but that's just an idea, and a paragraph here and there. I'm a bit of do all lately. lol...
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