Finding The Write Tools

The way the words exit your mind can have an impact on your writing, both in productivity and quality.  Computers, typewriters, spiral notebooks, loose-leaf paper, voice recognition programs, and leather bound books can please or upset a writer.  Some will only write on one of these items.  If they publish a book, the method used can become superstition.  The nit picking I do here is to aid the feeling the method provides.  The happier you feel when writing, the better the work.

Computers are not the best form of writing for me.  I only use them if there is no paper around or the ideas are flowing.  I have been known to compose 1,000 fresh words an hour on a computer.  I took typing in high school, so my speed is more than those who have not learned finger placement.  If this is your preferred method, I suggest a typing class at a local college.  A community center may offer it.  The better you type, the less errors you have to edit out and the faster the words flow.

A voice recognition program is a nice way to write.  You can sit back and make certain the computer recognizes your words correctly.  The programs are now advanced enough to remove errors.  The first voice recognition program I purchased took over a month for me to find all the words it would not recognize and sit with the tools menu repeating the words over and over again until it learned the word.  Plus, some words are not in the program.  Explicatives must be manually entered and repeated.  Some names and locations face the same fate.  Also, if your characters are using a local dialect, you may have to program in the entire pronunciation and spelling your intending to use, which can take valuable time.  However, it's very beneficial when I’m driving and want to work.  I can put the microphone on, set the laptop on the seat next to me, plug it into an adapter, and make some progress.  I also strap a digital recorder to my sun visor because I may not remember a sentence if the program interprets it wrong as an 18-wheeler roars by.  The point is to NOT LOOK AT THE SCREEN WHILE DRIVING.  Set it up and have the tape rolling before you put the vehicle into drive.  Editing the result can be time consuming, though.  It all depends how strong the writing itch is before I use this.  Some times, I forgo the program and just use my digital recorder.  I type up my progress later.

Typewriters hold less appeal for me.  They’re heavy, clunky, and most models make the desk shake, which put me off.  The ribbon is pricey, too.  If you can’t afford printer ink, you just save copies elsewhere and wait until you have the money.  If you don’t have the money for a typewriter ribbon, well, you can’t write on it and have to find another method.  I reiterate – if it makes the words flow, use it.

Notebooks are a preferred choice for me.  I feel better using them.  I find I write more and for a longer period of time.  However, the work will need to find its way to a word processor at some point or another.  An agent or book publisher will not accept a handwritten anything.  If you are submitting hand written manuscripts and query letters, now you know the main reason you're being rejected.  If you have a limited income, borrow the library’s computers.  A small jump drive is a lot cheaper than a computer and well worth the money if you want to see your book published.  Typewriters are cheap at garage sales.  I picked one up with a storage bag of ribbon for three bucks.  Since it’s no longer a model in production, I can’t use it once those ribbons are done, but at that price it’s worth it.

The appeal of the leather bound book or journal is evident.  It smells nice.  It fits well in the hand.  It connects us with the classical authors who did not have the electrical and mechanical options we have available to us today.  However, it’s not very often I find a good leather bound book for a reasonable price that I like.  The price can go up considerably.  Again, you’ll have to take time to type it.  Unlike a notebook or loose leaf, you will have trouble with the integrity of the binding once you start tearing out your mistakes.

In the end, the best method is the one that produces the most results.  Try them all and pick the best one.

The next tool to consider that many don’t is the pen or pencil used.  This is not only for the writers who love to use paper first.  Even if you type that first draft and edit it a hundred times straight on the computer, you have to print it and check over it before submitting.  What if you find an error or a detail you forgot to add?  It’s best to take a pen and edit the work off the screen.  The words look a little different there.

Ballpoint pens are cheap and prolific.  I can’t write with them unless the idea is really flowing.  Gel pens are a little more expensive, but the ink flows onto the paper better.  My personal preference is an extra fine point fountain pen with refillable cartridge.  It flows the best.  However, the show stops when the ink runs out and if you don’t have another standing by ready for action, you can lose the mojo.  They are also pricey if you want a good one.  A calligraphy pen has a nice flow as well.  A pal of mine prefers to write with markers.  It’s messy, but it works.  Pencils aren’t a favorite of many writers because it can be easily erased, but some love the smell of the wood and the sound of the lead scratching against the paper.

The tip of the pen can affect the feeling of writing with it as well.  While my preference is extra fine, I can deal with fine tip.  Try different sizes until you find one that makes you want to keep it forever.