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NaBloPoMo Day 4: Pen vs Processor
When you are writing, do you prefer to use a pen or a computer?
I am absolutely in love with pen-and-paper writing, and always will be. I have 3 notebooks I currently use for writing - a personal journal I got from my grandmother and two that I use for writing fiction and occasionally blog posts when I know I won't have internet or computer access for some time.
I almost always end up writing my first drafts (and sometimes second and third) on paper. I'm not sure if students are taught how to write in a way that makes drafts and corrections easier anymore, now that word processors are so ubiquitous, but I was taught to skip every other line when writing so that there would be plenty of free space for corrections or notes. So, I end up going through a lot of pages even for relatively short pieces. I feel a little guilty about using up so much paper, though I do make an effort to buy notebooks made out of recycled product whenever possible.
On that note...in college, somebody gave me a banana leaf & bamboo paper notebook...it looked awesome, but actually writing on it was rather problematic. After filling it up I didn't feel the need to replace it.
I didn't get a computer for personal use until college, and I think that might have had an impact on how I approach composition today. I have the worst time trying to write initial drafts on the computer - I need a written copy to work off of. I also find something really intimidating about a big empty screen or entry box, while a blank piece of paper just seems to invite me to fill it up with words. Granted, those words and sentences are often borderline incoherent, but then, that's how most initial drafts turn out, right? :p
The other perk I find with pen-and-paper is the lack of internet and other computer related distractions. I know there are lots of programs out there now for writers to block internet access while writing, and programs that restrict a person's ability to access non-writing related programs until they hit a certain quota. When I write on paper, I have fewer problems resisting distractions, since they aren't as easily accessible.
That being said, I do find I become more drowsy while writing on paper...usually because I am in a very comfortable chair, couch or bed while doing so. Heh.
That's all for today~ I think tomorrow I'm going to dork out hardcore and post a lot of video game related stuff which I HOPE will be a little more interesting than reading about power outages and pens & notebooks. :p
I am absolutely in love with pen-and-paper writing, and always will be. I have 3 notebooks I currently use for writing - a personal journal I got from my grandmother and two that I use for writing fiction and occasionally blog posts when I know I won't have internet or computer access for some time.
I almost always end up writing my first drafts (and sometimes second and third) on paper. I'm not sure if students are taught how to write in a way that makes drafts and corrections easier anymore, now that word processors are so ubiquitous, but I was taught to skip every other line when writing so that there would be plenty of free space for corrections or notes. So, I end up going through a lot of pages even for relatively short pieces. I feel a little guilty about using up so much paper, though I do make an effort to buy notebooks made out of recycled product whenever possible.
On that note...in college, somebody gave me a banana leaf & bamboo paper notebook...it looked awesome, but actually writing on it was rather problematic. After filling it up I didn't feel the need to replace it.
I didn't get a computer for personal use until college, and I think that might have had an impact on how I approach composition today. I have the worst time trying to write initial drafts on the computer - I need a written copy to work off of. I also find something really intimidating about a big empty screen or entry box, while a blank piece of paper just seems to invite me to fill it up with words. Granted, those words and sentences are often borderline incoherent, but then, that's how most initial drafts turn out, right? :p
The other perk I find with pen-and-paper is the lack of internet and other computer related distractions. I know there are lots of programs out there now for writers to block internet access while writing, and programs that restrict a person's ability to access non-writing related programs until they hit a certain quota. When I write on paper, I have fewer problems resisting distractions, since they aren't as easily accessible.
That being said, I do find I become more drowsy while writing on paper...usually because I am in a very comfortable chair, couch or bed while doing so. Heh.
That's all for today~ I think tomorrow I'm going to dork out hardcore and post a lot of video game related stuff which I HOPE will be a little more interesting than reading about power outages and pens & notebooks. :p
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And I really love being able to look at what I've written by hand months or even years later and remember things not by the words, but by how the writing and even the paper looks...there's no way a computer can mimic that kind of literal 'reading between the lines' aspect. I'm not worried that I'll lose that experience, but I am sad that there may be people out there who have, or don't know that it's there. :(