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Just curious, since I have a history of offensive writings being gobbled by the computer. Of course, if this is an act of the Oversoul, trying to circumvent it by writing longhand would just result in maple syrup being spilled on my novel or my office burning up.
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About half of my novel is in longhand...I end up writing in class a lot, but i can't concentrate onthe class AND writing if i bring my laptop to class, so I carry a notebook with me.
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Computer availability is a pretty big issue around here. I do have a little laptop, but the idea of interspersed bits of the book being scattered between Windows 95 and Mac OSX isn't very attractive. Of course, it would actually go with my story concept, which involves people corresponding across a relativistic time gap.
Posts: 334 | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
I like the feeling of writing something out long hand as opposed to typing it. I can type faster than I can write, which at times is a bonus, but there are definatly times that I like writing it out, espeically if I am starting a story.
Posts: 142 | Registered: Jan 2003
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posted
I will occasionally write out bits in long hand when I'm starting out on a piece -- I tend to be looser and more flowy that way, and I don't self-critique as much. I also do most of my idea generating/ fleashing out by hand.
But I do write other stuff regularly, in a spiral notebook. Its convenient to take notes or ideas or quick bits of things before classes (college student). Its also alot easier, and I find its more direct than writing into a computer, its easier to just "Get it out" on paper.
I would say save novels for the computer, where you can edit etc easier, but if you feel you are getting stuck pull out paper and a pen (no pencil, dont be afraid of mistakes) and just start writing. It can really help loosen you up.
I am an author in evolution and quite new at the art. I find that my ideas pop up and I am completely frantic about getting them out of my brain and on something, so rather than booting up the PC, I reach for a post-it. Then when I sit down to make sentences (hopefully grammatically correct sentences) I transcribe from the post-it. My laptop ends up with all these post-it's stuck to the surface.
P.S. If burning a CD of your data/story is too painful, you can try a service like www.xdrive.com to secure your data in a second location other than your harddrive. Alternatively many email providers also bundle a web address with email service free of charge. You can save a Word doc as HTML file, then post your story on their webserver for duplicate copy. Unfortunately anything you store in this fashion is open to the entire worldwide internet community and theoretically somebody could steal your story. If you don't advertise that you do this (i.e. send somebody the URL to your site) highly unlikely you will have a problem.
[This message has been edited by revmachine21 (edited September 08, 2003).]
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Thanks for the ideas. I do think I'm still in the doodling phase. It looks like I may have a bit of research to do. It seems less of a pain than the alternative universe approach. But maybe not.
Posts: 334 | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
I usually start writing in longhand until whatever I'm working on gets moving. Then I have to switch to the computer so that I can keep up with my brain. If I run into a block, sometimes I go back to longhand.
Just a bit of trivia: I do know that there are successful writers out there who do write their novels longhand. One in particular is Harry Turtledove. (Source: his wife, Laura Frankos, in a panel discussion two or three years ago at LosCon.)
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I've been doing a kind of techno-geeky variation on longhand. I've got a Palm and write sections of my novel in Grafitti on the subway. Seems strangely ironic and fitting...
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Does anyone here use typewriters anymore? I have this electronic typewriter sitting in my closet that I like to clack away at when the computer's in use, or down, or when I'm far, far away from it. Yes, it's loud, and sometimes irritating when mistakes aren't completely erased, but still, I like my typewriter. I also like to write longhand on pages I've typed, when the clackity-clack-clack drives housemates to near murder-suicide. But that's something else, isn't it?
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I used to live far out in the woods, where the power always went out first and was restored last. The best stuff I've ever written (I think) was done by candlelight, in longhand, with the woodstove radiating heat and absolutely no sounds around me but the logs burning inside of it. Too, there are moments when putting a pen to paper really get my creative juices going more than when I just sit in front of a blank screen. But my mind *always* goes faster than my hand...
Posts: 87 | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
In direct contrast to my devotion to my PDA I collect manual typewriters. I love the mechanisms and the clackity-clack. My hands are just too wimpy to type for long.
There is something to be said for being forced to slow down and think while writing.
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I really, really wish I could find myself a good portable manual typewriter. I just really hate being held hostage to PG&E. And maybe it would get my hands and fingers back into shape.
Posts: 50 | Registered: Feb 2003
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posted
Because I do not have the ability to write "longhand" for more than a couple of paragraphs before experiencing severe cramping in my hand, it is nearly impossible for me to write more than a page of contiguous narrative.
Most of my handwriting is in very cryptic shorthand, which I have never been unable to read, even when I cannot understand the intent. I believe that some other persons may have occasionally been able to decipher some of my writing, but cannot remember too many specific instances.
Sometimes I make sketches of maps or characters by hand, but that's about it.
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I take notes in longhand, and I occassionally write entire story bits out in a notebook while sitting at Starbucks, but my real writing happens at the computer.
As I originally learned to type on manual typewriter and still prefer that old-fashioned "feel", I set my computer to create digital "typing" sounds with every keystroke. It encourages me as I write -- even if what I am producing is jibberish, it sure sounds like I am productive!
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I used to love my manual typewriter but I had to leave it behind in a move once. I have an electronic and a casiowriter with a sheaf of thermal paper. I recall this clipping some English prof at the U of Ut had about a fantasy diesel powered typewriter. I still hit the keys really hard, according to my mom.
Posts: 334 | Registered: Sep 2003
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