Pen and paper has always been more honest to me. I longhand nearly everything. There is something about physically writing that opens a writer up more.
If I’m out hiking and inspiration strikes I don’t have to bring along some soul sucking electronic device to capture the thought. A small pad of paper is all I need. Sure I love that I can connect with others through the internet using various mediums, but sometimes you have to disconnect in order to create your own stories.
I do struggle with being wasteful so I ignore margins on notebook paper, abbreviate, and fill the pages entirely. Typing it all up is then a breeze because I have pretty much memorized my work, and I get to edit while I type making the transition easier. It helps to work out all of those issues that I hear writer talking about but don’t really experience. I don’t sit in front of a blank screen waiting to type, nor do I get distracted by social media or any other sites. The story comes out faster, with more integrity.
Of course my hands suffer a bit. But that’s what yoga and stretching is for. That and I pace myself. It also helps that I’m ambidextrous. When my right hand gets tired, I switch to my left. Sometimes a story gains more depth or creativity that way. It doesn’t always. I just finished the first part of my space opera, which is now looking to be a trilogy and it refused to let me switch hands.
My plan is to write a few stories in between with my left to even things out and then get back to this series. As spring and summer hit I won’t be as apt to write so I’m doing what I can now.
Jessica Marie Baumgartner 
Wow. I can’t remember the last time I wrote a story longhand. It’s been all computer driven since I got my first apple in jr high in the 80’s.
I wish I could just type but my stories have more heart when I start on paper.
Awesome that you’re ambidextrous, jessicamarie-what a blessing for a writer.
I find that typing wakens my subconscious muse more than pen and paper, though. This may be because my handwriting is illegible-I can barely read what I wrote!
See you later!
I wish I could be creative while typing first. haha Sometimes physically writing just feels like extra work. Keep at it!
🙂
It’s sure an interesting way of doing things. In classes I always find it easier to write on paper, but I’m such a slow writer (on screen or off it) as I have to have that constant ability to edit my work. In fact that’s both a bonus and a big problem of mine.
How are you with drafts? Do you re-write drafts on paper too? Or just the initial draft?
I hear that a lot from longhanders. I try not to edit as I go because it really slows me down too, sure I might scratch out a word here and there but for the most part I just let the words flow and worry about editing when I type up the next draft. It works for me but every process is different.