Pen or Keyboard?
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I chose both. With this current WIP, I notice that my creative juices flowed better when I wrote in longhand; I can also bring along a pen and a notebook anywhere (can't afford a laptop or a PDA). I also did character bios in longhand.
After that, it's all keyboard. But I kept the first draft because I've actually referred to it a few times (and to the character bios). Instead of using Word, which I absolutely, positively hate (I have to use it at work, unfortunately; at home, I use Open Office), I use another program called Write It Now, where I can set up chapters quite easily, as well as keep track of other things.
Probably silly of me not to just transfer it to a regular word processor, but I want my fiction writing/typing to feel special, unlike the mundane stuff I do at my day job.
~Nancy
After that, it's all keyboard. But I kept the first draft because I've actually referred to it a few times (and to the character bios). Instead of using Word, which I absolutely, positively hate (I have to use it at work, unfortunately; at home, I use Open Office), I use another program called Write It Now, where I can set up chapters quite easily, as well as keep track of other things.
Probably silly of me not to just transfer it to a regular word processor, but I want my fiction writing/typing to feel special, unlike the mundane stuff I do at my day job.
~Nancy
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When I started writing, I wrote longhand because pen and paper were very portable compared to the 50 lb. behemouth "portable" manual typewriter we owned at the time.
In college they forced us to use the puter despite my objections that "word processing" was the same as "food processing." Took no skill, the machine did all the work (ok, I was young and intimidated by computers).
However, once I got into it I found it wasn't so bad and over the years I've moved from longhand to the puter, mainly because over the years my penmenship has gotten so attrocious I can't even read what I wrote 5 minutes after I wrote it.
The only problem I have with the puter is I find I don't "edit" like I used to. I used to write in longhand, transer to paper. Edit the paper, retype it and in the process of retyping it, often go off in a completely new direction. I find I don't have those spontaneous rewrites anymore with a puter. Once it's saved, all edits are extremely minor since I don't have to retype the whole thing. I don't know if that's good or bad.
In college they forced us to use the puter despite my objections that "word processing" was the same as "food processing." Took no skill, the machine did all the work (ok, I was young and intimidated by computers).
However, once I got into it I found it wasn't so bad and over the years I've moved from longhand to the puter, mainly because over the years my penmenship has gotten so attrocious I can't even read what I wrote 5 minutes after I wrote it.
The only problem I have with the puter is I find I don't "edit" like I used to. I used to write in longhand, transer to paper. Edit the paper, retype it and in the process of retyping it, often go off in a completely new direction. I find I don't have those spontaneous rewrites anymore with a puter. Once it's saved, all edits are extremely minor since I don't have to retype the whole thing. I don't know if that's good or bad.
I've got a good laptop that I trundle around with me, but I still have a collection of nice pens and a great deal of paper, and they make me happy. I chose both, because I go back and forth. Honestly, just give me chalk and a sidewalk and I'll write a story. I'm hardwired to tell 'em, no matter how I have to write it.
JerseyGirl1962 said:
do you have a link to this Write It Now program. I like to check out new pograms when i see em
I usually write on the computer but I think writing this new novel, I will have to do it in a notebook then transfer to computer.
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I always get more done with a pen, but then it takes up too much time to transfer it. I'm trying to kill the habit except in cases where it's impossible not to use pen and ink.
I always use a keyboard when i'm writing my novels. However i use a pen and paper when i create my character profiles. Usually sitting in my office, feet up on the desk, coffee to my left and some soft music playing in the background. After my characters have a bit of meat to them, its onto the computer to bring them to life.
I picked "mostly w/ a keyboard," which is true. But I never write w/ pen. I'm more of a pencil girl
I write mostly with a pen, then transfer it to the computer. For one thing, I can get more comfortable, and the writing just seems to flow much more quickly for me!! As much as I love computers, after some of the mishaps that I've had concerning my writing and computers.........well, I like writing it out in longhand first. I trust it a little more! I'm also a lover of handwriting (probably comes from my love of history and genealogy!!) and I guess I just feel like handwriting has become "endangered" with all of the technology that we have now. I'm also addicted to great writing pens!!! So for me, writing it out with pen and paper is always my first choice!!!
My first drafts are almost always written longhand. Then I type it in, revising on the screen as I go. From there, I do some revising via computer, but often print out what I have and revise longhand. It depends how deep the revisions are. Minor tweaks I do on the computer, consulting the hard copy. Major revisions are more likely done longhand.
Why? I think better with a paper and pen, and I find it easier to flip between the pages to see what I've already written, which helps with continuity. That, and I simply have a thing for pens and a blank sheet of paper--I love the physical sensation of words flowing from pen to paper.
Why? I think better with a paper and pen, and I find it easier to flip between the pages to see what I've already written, which helps with continuity. That, and I simply have a thing for pens and a blank sheet of paper--I love the physical sensation of words flowing from pen to paper.
I chose "mostly keyboard" because that's where I do the meat of my work. I do quick notes or snippets of chapters with pencil and paper, and sometimes I do short stories or essays longhand, but when I sit down to do serious writing, it's at the computer.
Lately, I have developed the technique of starting a project with a pen / pencil and once I get a little ways along I will recopy and complete the project by keyboard. Therefor, I voted "Both".
I find I like to scribble with pen and paper when I'm starting a new writing session, most of the time. But after a while I get to a point where it feels like I'm banging up against a wall and the words won't come out anymore. I have to stop at that point, go to the computer, and type from the beginning of what I was scribbling, just so I can continue past the point where I felt forced to stop. Sounds weird, but it works for me. : )
As a kid, and even in my teens, I always wrote by hand. But now just the thought of having nothing but pen and paper gives me writer's block! This is partly because I have either severe carpal tunnel syndrome, or some form of early arthritis (not sure which, as I haven't been officially diagnosed) but writing by hand is now physically painful for me. I can only do so for very short spurts at a time.
I love the freedom that the keyboard allows me, and the ease with which I can edit (another liberating factor) and, besides, there's just something about the immediate satisfaction of being able to see your work in print form, before your very eyes.
I am very much aware that Shakespeare, Milton, Keats, etc etc created great art with pens and quills, but as one of my favorite arguments goes, the only reason those guys didn't use computers was because they didn't have them!
We do, and I'm grateful for it.
I love the freedom that the keyboard allows me, and the ease with which I can edit (another liberating factor) and, besides, there's just something about the immediate satisfaction of being able to see your work in print form, before your very eyes.
I am very much aware that Shakespeare, Milton, Keats, etc etc created great art with pens and quills, but as one of my favorite arguments goes, the only reason those guys didn't use computers was because they didn't have them!
We do, and I'm grateful for it.
My only real gripe about the computer is that you have to wait several minutes in some cases for the machine to boot up. If I have an inspiration now, I want to put it in tangible form now. The waiting for the computer to boot up does not help that at all for me.
Other than that, I love using the keyboard. I can type some words in, in less time than it takes me to write out one letter of one word with a pen. That helps me immensely, because it allows my writing to keep some amount of pace with my thinking. That's always a plus for me.
Other than that, I love using the keyboard. I can type some words in, in less time than it takes me to write out one letter of one word with a pen. That helps me immensely, because it allows my writing to keep some amount of pace with my thinking. That's always a plus for me.
Keyboard. My hand cramps up after a page or so of longhand, and I can't write as fast as I think. I do make occasional long hand notes when I cannot get to a computer but I don't really like transcribing them.
I didn't even like my typewrite that much until they invented whiteout. I hate corrections too.
I didn't even like my typewrite that much until they invented whiteout. I hate corrections too.
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