Sometimes I find it hard to pick which to write with: pen/paper or a computer. Ultimately, everything ends up in the computer. It has to be typed up. I can't imagine having to write a book on a typewriter.
Believe it or not, I do remember using a typewriter. When I was in elementary school and wanted my homework to look nice, I typed it up. The funny thing is that it was on colored paper, because for some reason, that was the only blank paper we'd have. And I wasn't a good typist, so I'd use the correction key and have little white-out spots where I made mistakes. Still, it was better than my handwriting - which I always seemed to get bad grades on back then.
Now, I bounce between typing my laptop or writing in my notebooks. Yes, that's notebooks - plural. I keep two of them.
I quickly realized that I needed to keep something on my nightstand, so when I had ideas I had some place to write them down on. It didn't take me long to get into the habit of writing every night before I went to sleep in that notebook. Sometimes, it would be pages. Sometimes, it would be a paragraph or two. Often, it was a continuation of a scene that I was working on in my computer, but not always. In the morning, I would take my notebook with me to my computer and type it in. The only time I wrote in that notebook would be at night.
Last night, I used up the last page in it. It's weird because it's its own sense of accomplishment. I don't ever remember the last time I used up an entire notebook - even in school. I would start a notebook, but never have the need to use every page (front and back). Well, I think once in math class in high school, I might have done that. But, through all the years of college - undergrad and grad - I never have. When I think about it, why would I? Back then, classes would be 10 weeks or 15 weeks long, then a new one would start. This would mean a new notebook. Or, to be honest, I'd lose one and have to get a new one. It was never all that important for me to hang on to one specific one so I could see my progress. Now, it was. Tonight, I'll start a new notebook and I'm looking forward to it.
My second notebook I carry around with me, all the time. It's smaller than your standard piece of paper - ie, not 8.5" x 11". But not quite half that size. It fits easily in my purse - granted I don't carry around small tiny purses. I keep various notes on my characters and their backgrounds in it. It's my reference. It's where I jot down the flashes of ideas or feelings I get about an upcoming scene. Just lke my feeling of accomplishment when I finished my nighttime notebook, I had a similar thing happen with my daytime notebook. My daytime book has different colored sections. When I completed one colored section and started the next one, I was proud. Again, I couldn't really remember the last time I had done that - except that same high school math class.
Last school year, some of my students asked me to come to one of their games in the gym. I went. I had fun watching them and I wanted to remember cetain things about the experience of sitting in the stands. I took out my notebook and started jotting down some things. Things I didn't want to forget. After that, I made sure I had it with me wherever I went. When I go out to dinner, I have it out. I'll write when we're waiting for a table or for our food. You never know when inspiration will hit.
At home, my laptop is always within reach - although, I have drawn the line at bringing it into the bedroom with me. So, I'll type directly in it. It's nice to do that. To be able to hit the backspace key to delete dialogue that doesn't work or edit a scene quickly is nice. Especially, when you compare it to physically writing it in a notebook and you have to cross out the words. It's also a heck of a lot easier to insert text anywhere. When you do that in a notebook, there's lots of arrows and symbols you have to use. Well, I do.
My writing, more specifically, my writing in notebooks have sparked an interest in colored pens. I don't like to write in black or blue ink. There's something formal or standard about it. It doesn't feel creative. Now, I wouldn't sign a letter of recommendation for a student or a grant with anything but one of those colors. However, for my writing I'll use bright, fun colors. For instance? Well, my daytime notebook has a turquoise, bright green and bright red (not the kind you would correct papers in) attached to it in the spiral binding. In my nighttime notebook, I use bright orange and mellow green pens. I like to alternate between the colors when I write. So, one day it's orange, the next is green. Besides labelling the date on the top of each new entry, it's easier to see the new thoughts because the colors change. That's my logic at least. So, with the back to school sales, I got carried away getting new colors of ballpoint pens. But, to my surprise, I've used up a few pens already. I've never done that - even in school - used up all the ink in a pen.
So, do I have a preference between pen/paper and a computer to write? Depends. Sometimes. But, overall? No. I can write just as easily with either. I'm just happy to write.
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