The Forgotten Art of Longhand
I probably haven't written the old fashioned way - with pen and paper - in seven years, easily. Probably a little longer, though. I've scribbled notes and scraps of dialogue here and there, yet even the bulk of my outlines have been done on the computer, especially since I broke my right index finger in a very bad way in '06. Didn't think holding a pen would be comfortable for long stretches anymore.
Determined to get the words flowing again, I got out the old typewriter, which hasn't been used in fifteen years, and for very good reason. Then yesterday I went back to basics. Notebook and pen. And wrote at least 1,500 words of draft - only had to stop due to me being entirely limp, as it was 4 a.m. That was about my average back in the day, when I actually wrote a 400-ish page manuscript in about a year. My poor abused finger didn't hurt a bit, I thoroughly enjoyed the old familiar feel of writer's cramp, and felt insanely good afterwards. Like I used to after writing :)
Admittedly, my handwriting has deteriorated shamefully, but what the deuce is it to me? It feels amazing!
Determined to get the words flowing again, I got out the old typewriter, which hasn't been used in fifteen years, and for very good reason. Then yesterday I went back to basics. Notebook and pen. And wrote at least 1,500 words of draft - only had to stop due to me being entirely limp, as it was 4 a.m. That was about my average back in the day, when I actually wrote a 400-ish page manuscript in about a year. My poor abused finger didn't hurt a bit, I thoroughly enjoyed the old familiar feel of writer's cramp, and felt insanely good afterwards. Like I used to after writing :)
Admittedly, my handwriting has deteriorated shamefully, but what the deuce is it to me? It feels amazing!