Handwriting Novels - Is It "Okay" to Still Do It?

Image by Bright Meadow via Flickr

Of course it is, but not everyone rolls that way. I can almost hear the massive sigh of relief, as I'm sure most of you who work much better with writing on a computer are tired of longhand writers telling you that you're doing it wrong simply because it isn't their way. I've said it once and I'll say it again: Everyone has a different way. Anyone who thinks that there is only one way to write can kindly STFU.

Not to say that there aren't people out there who will throw a tantrum over how they think a computer is the only way to write, too, as if Nathaniel Hawthorne just sat down at his desk and fired up his good 'ol HP Pavilion to write The Scarlet Letter. Like I said in my Unlucky Things about the Internet post, there are insane fanatics and haters for nearly everything. I also remember saying that there really aren't any formulas for writing a good story. It's okay if you haven't let that sink in yet, because I'm certain I'll say it again many, many times.

I'm posting about this because the other day I had a shocking and slightly frustrating revelation: my work comes out much better when it's all handwritten than when I type it up on the computer. The only problem is that it's incredibly slow, and my thoughts move incredibly fast. In hindsight, this just may be why my work hadn't read very well when word processed, but hindsight is, after all, 20/20. I'm happy that I can stop worrying about my terrible, terrible prose now and start to focus on actually getting the story onto the page.

I implore everyone out there who hasn't already to try out both. Heck, I'd suggest even taking a whack at using a typewriter if you can get your hands on one. Write the same scene using a different method every time, and then read back over them to see which one just...you know, sounds and feels better.

The worst that could happen is your finding out that a much slower method, like handwriting, is your best bet.

But what if you discover just that? Perish the thought! Right?

Well, not exactly. It happens more often than you think. You'd be surprised how many writers out there nowadays still actually handwrite the first drafts of their novels, even in an age when computers are, let's face it, much faster (but not necessarily more creative). So what if you discover that this tried and true method is best for you? How do you cope with the hand cramps? The agonizingly slow speed at which the page is filling up?

Well, that's all up to you.

I've thought all of this through since I decided to handwrite my first draft. Today I went out between classes and picked up an enormous notebook, the largest one that I could find at Wal Mart. Yes, Wal Mart. No, it isn't one of these, but I'm perfectly happy with my spiral bound ghetto setup. Besides, the one I bought has eight more pages, so there.

Sometimes going out and buying something new is just what I need to motivate me to do something. I'm just impractical like that, and if you are too, go for it.

I know the thought of writing an entire draft in longhand sounds agonizing, but it really isn't as bad as it seems. I've tried handwriting for the past few days, and actually come to hate typing it up on the computer. Seriously, this blog post has been killing me. I suggest getting a pen that glides very well over the paper and only keep it neat enough for you to read, that way you can get it down as fast as a first draft is normally written. It's just the first draft, after all. Who else but you needs to see it until it's the second draft, anyway? Once you've transferred it to the computer, fixing the little mistakes you see here and there, it may as well be considered ready for a beta reader or two.

And as for the hand cramps that you're bound to get, believe it or not, water may be just what you need. Staying hydrated is given as a fix for nearly everything, though, so I also advocate taking breaks to stretch. Your fingers. I guess...flex them or something.

I know my chances of findindg another teen writer who uses pen and paper are slim to nil, but I've always been forced to deal with my abnormalities in strides. Why should this specific abnormality be any different?