Pros and Cons of Writing Longhand

It’s 2018. It seems kind of crazy that anyone would choose to write by hand, not on a computer.

And yet…here I am.

And I’m not the only one! I can think of two others off the top of my head who do the same thing!

And I say it’s a choice, but…I’ve tried. The only things I can write on my computer are blog posts and things like that. Fiction? Nah! I just…can’t do it.

Pro: I FEEL MORE CONNECTED TO THE STORY

This is HUGE. In fact, it might be what keeps me from writing when I’m at my computer. Something about the amount of time it takes, the feeling of actually making something, not just watching it appear on the screen, makes me feel a lot closer to my story. If you write longhand, you probably know what I mean—and if you don’t, it probably sounds like I’m crazy. :D

Con: IT TAKES FOREVER

It feels like forever, at least. I wrote for about 40 minutes this morning and managed…well, I’m not sure how many words, because I didn’t count. But I’d guess it was around 500 words. I type **goes and takes typing test** about 90 words a minute—yes, accurately. And my mind definitely works quicker than that.

Pro: IT ELIMINATES DISTRACTIONS

Not having the Internet at my fingertips is huge. I’m not constantly refreshing Twitter, checking YouTube, and scrolling through Pinterest. I’m writing! True, I often am using YouTube to listen to some tunes…but sometimes I’m using something else and can turn off the Internet entirely. This is such a big deal to me that, even if I didn’t “have to” write longhand, I might choose to.

Con: IT’S MESSY

It doesn’t have to be. And I actually like to keep things organized. But I’m covered in ink stains, and so are my blankets and clothes. At least ink smells good?
Oh. And let’s not get started on my handwriting. It isn’t awful. I like it, sometimes. But if I’ve been writing for a while, or have a wonky pen, or am sitting at a weird angle (which I always am! I hunch over my paper like you wouldn’t believe!), the legibility of my handwriting suffers.

Pro: I CAN USE UP MY NOTEBOOK STASH

I have quite the stash of notebooks, and I’m often gifted with more. (YAY!!! KEEP THEM COMING!) Now, I’m fairly picky about what I’ll write a manuscript in, I’ve found…but when I journal, it’s in a physical journal, too, despite all of the apps out there I could be using.

“Con”: I HAVE A HOARD OF NOTEBOOKS

I don’t have a problem. You do. :D

Pro: I CAN’T SECOND-GUESS MYSELF SO MUCH

I write in pen…I kind of hate pencils. Yeah, there are the kinds you can erase, and I definitely scratch out words here and there. But editing as I go isn’t nearly as easy on paper. If I were on the computer, it’s just the backspace key! Who knows what I might be throwing away otherwise?

Con: IT ISN’T AS EASY TO KEEP TRACK OF MY PROGRESS

In some cases, this is okay. Writing quickly or slowly isn’t the point. In fact, my daily writing goals aren’t word count, but the amount of time I’ve spent writing. Still, it’d be nice to be able to see that word count without needing to type it all up.