Please welcome Misha Gerrick with:
Five Reasons to Write by Hand
If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you probably know I draft
my stories by hand. Most of you probably wondered why, though. So I thought it would make a good topic for me to
write about here.
Without further ado, here are my five reasons for writing by hand:
1) If you over-edit (in other words, edit so much in the quest for
perfection that you take the soul out of your writing), hand drafting makes you
stop. You can’t hit the delete button if it’s written in pen. I suppose you can
go back and edit old-school, but it’ll be a lot more tricky than hitting
delete.
2) If you write by hand, it’s pretty much a fact that you have to rewrite the whole thing. You
have to get the story to the internet, don’t you? Why is this a good thing, you
might ask? Well. If you know you have to rewrite regardless of quality, it
means that you have nothing to lose by taking risks and pushing yourself to
extremes. Which means that things will happen in your writing that you would
never have dared before. Especially when you’re an over-editor.
3) Writing by hand connects to a different part of your brain compared
to typing. I’ve found that this part of my brain better connects to my
creativity, which is like bonus points to point #2.
4) Maybe it’s the fact that hand writing forces me to slow down, or
maybe it’s #3 doing its work, but writing by hand connects me to the story
more. It also helps me to see how the scenes I’m writing add to the larger
whole. So… I get fewer writer’s blocks and blank-page jitters.
5) It’s easy. If I’m writing on my computer and I want to go somewhere
to write, I have to lug my laptop along. And consequently worry about it every
time I’m not using it. When I’m hand writing a draft, it’s as easy as dropping
a notebook and pen into my handbag. No one will want a notebook with my
terrible handwriting in it.
I have a lot more reasons, but since the series is called Five Reasons
to… I’ll stick to these.
Do you write drafts by hand?
About the Author
Misha Gerrick lives near Cape Town, South Africa, and can usually be found staring at her surroundings while figuring out her next book.
If you’d like to see what Misha’s up to at the moment, you can find her on these social networks:
Tumblr | Twitter | Google Plus | Writing Blog
About Misha's latest Book
“First, do no harm.” Blake Ryan swore that oath to become a doctor. Ironic, given that he spent most of his thousand year life sucking souls out of other immortals.
Things are different now. Using regular shots of morphine to keep his inner monster at bay, Ryan has led a quiet life since the Second World War. His thrills now come from saving lives, not taking them.
Until a plane crash brings Aleria into his hospital. Her life is vibrant. Crack to predators like him. She’s the exact sort of person they would hunt, and thanks to a severe case of amnesia, she’s all but defenseless.
Leaving Aleria vulnerable isn’t an option, but protecting her means unleashing his own inner monster. Which is a problem, because his inner monster wants her dead most of all.
Things are different now. Using regular shots of morphine to keep his inner monster at bay, Ryan has led a quiet life since the Second World War. His thrills now come from saving lives, not taking them.
Until a plane crash brings Aleria into his hospital. Her life is vibrant. Crack to predators like him. She’s the exact sort of person they would hunt, and thanks to a severe case of amnesia, she’s all but defenseless.
Leaving Aleria vulnerable isn’t an option, but protecting her means unleashing his own inner monster. Which is a problem, because his inner monster wants her dead most of all.
Amazon US | Amazon Universal | Apple | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads
61 comments:
I used to write by hand. I take notes by hand and if I'm writing poetry, I usually employ a pen or pencil, but after DECADES of practice, I find I'm more effective writing via an electronic device. (Because I type SOOOO much faster than I hand write.) Still, I walked into a stationary story the other day and pretty much fell apart. One of my favorite places on earth.
I usually start out drafting by hand - notes, scribbles, paragraphs, a few pages. After that, though, my handwriting gets so bad that I can no longer read it. That's when it's time to move to the laptop.
I do love the ease of writing by hand in terms of moving about and just taking a notebook and a few pens with you. :)
All good reasons. The over-editing is a really good one that I hadn't taken into consideration.
I have written a few short stories by hand, but I've found that my hand cramps too much if I'm writing for a long time. If you want to do minor edits when you write by hand, you could get an erasable pen. I have the Pilot Frixion erasable pens, and they really do erase. (I swear as much as I promote those pens, the company should pay me. LOL!) I think your #5 is one of the best reasons to write by hand because you can write anywhere. :)
Yes. This. All of it. I love writing by hand, for all these reasons, and probably all the ones Misha didn't have space for! :-)
Hi Tyrean!
Great list! Back when I used to write novels, I'd hand-write 'em all the time. (Sometimes even the second and third drafts!) Writing by hand is much healthier for the eyes, too. No computer strain! XD
I have heard of people who hand-write, but I don't think I could. I write too messy and like to edit as I go. But I can see the benefits of writing by hand.
I'm also much faster typing. Almost double as fast. Still worth it to me, though. And I LOVE stationary shops. My ultimate splurge when I celebrate publishing or something is a nice note-book to write in. Hard cover, heavy paper, the works. :-D
That used to happen to me too, but then I got a fountain pen that just glides over the paper and that worked wonders.
Thanks! Over-editing was the big reason why I decided to do it. :-D
I've used erasable pens (Frixion pens are awesome), but I've found that for me the point is not to stop and erase anything. So usually I strike through and move on.
Nowadays I have a fountain pen that I use only to write. It's perfect for long writing sessions and doesn't tire out my hand.
Hehehehe we should start a hand drafting club. ;-)
Agreed. Handwriting is better on the eyes.
I have a terrible hand, but at least I can read what I've written. No one else can, so it's kind of a security bonus because I don't like people reading what I've drafted until after at least one editing pass. :-D
Thanks for hosting me, Tyrean! X
I used to until I participated in my first NaNo. Now I'm wired to type instead. I do put together outlines on paper though. And I am just as slow writing as I am typing.
NaNo does tempt me to go over to typing, but then I remember how many more blocks I get when typing rough drafts.
I could never handle writing things by hand because I can't hold a pen or pencil properly. I have a death grip that quickly leads to carpal tunnel syndrome. Plus my thoughts tend to come faster than I can write and I like keeping up with them. I do agree hand-writing would help me with my over-editing problems, but I'll have to find another way.
Awesome reading this post by Misha! Congrats Misha on Endless!
So cool that you write by hand:) I usually only do that for travel journals and whatnot, but I can see the benefits as it forces you to do things the right way:)
I love stationery stores, too. And, I have a hard time passing up school supply sales of notebooks. :)
I'll have to get one of those pens . . . except I'm a leftie and sometimes the smooth pens are the ones that I rub out with my hand as I write.
Hi Annalisa and Misha!
And yes, hand-drafting can be fun. :)
I love that . . a security bonus. My handwriting would definitely work that way.
Thanks for coming by and visiting, Misha!!! :)
I'm a death grip writer, too, but I still get a few things on the page that way.
Thanks for stopping by, Tamara!
Thanks for stopping by, Romance Reader!
I only write certain things by hand, too, but I can definitely see the benefits.
I agree with you. I have to write the first draft by hand. There's something about typing it and seeing it on the screen that makes me think it needs to be right the first time. (Maybe a holdover from the days of typewriters where Whiteout was your only solution.) On paper, I can just scribble away, and I feel more creative.
I don't even think I could write a whole blog post by hand.. first my brain is so much faster than my writing and second with computers my handwriting has become illegible.
Kudos to you though, that's dedication... I also see how you can connect with the story better xox
I actually met with a woman who teaches writing workshops to kids. She makes them write by hand because she says when you write that way, it uses a part of your brain that typing doesn't...and your work is better for it.
Great tips. I do both but generally start by mind dumping on the laptop. Super post. Thanks.
I'm a huge fan of hand written! Whenever I am blocked, it's a fresh notebook that is the most inspiring.
Writing by hand connects to a different part of your brain compared to typing, as you say. This is correct. There's a correlation that happens as you put your thoughts onto the page. When I think of my over-editing, hand writing may be a good idea.:-)
I used to write by hand earlier, not anymore. I have written 2 MG books by hand. Nowadays its directly on the computer. I still write by hand, but its the shorter pieces.
I love to mix it up when I'm writing. A lot times my ideas go down by hand and I edit a lot by hand. Misha's right about her reasons to hand write.
I always write my manuscripts by hand. I find it so much easier to keep the flow going and correct things as I re-read them. I do at least three edits before I type a mnauscript into the computer.
I rarely write by hand, except once when my computer died!!! But I might jot down a thing or two by hand.
I used to write by hand a bit, but my handwriting is just so godawful, and it takes me forever. I'm way faster and way more coherent with a keyboard.
Write or Die might work for you, then. :-)
Thanks Nas. :-)
I wouldn't say "right way", but it's a good way to try at least once. :-)
Me too. For me, it's the ease of reaching the delete button that gets me.
Although I've unlearned using it while drafting to a large extent.
I enjoy it, which also helps with the dedication aspect. ;-)
I definitely found that.
Typing is different.
I've been able to replicate the same thing when typing stories, but found that unless I regularly rough draft by hand, the ability goes away. So it's probably something I'd never forgo entirely.
Thanks Nicola! Glad you enjoyed it. :-)
I find that too. ^_^
Hand writing has definitely gone a long way to curing my over-editing ways. ^_^
It's a lot faster this way, I suppose. :-)
Mixing things up is a great way to shake loose some ideas. :-)
Interesting that you do edits before typing the manuscript over. I chose to just do a planned rewrite in lieu of major revisions.
Although that doesn't always work.
Right now, I'm rewriting a rewrite because my first plan didn't work as expected. But this specific book is a pain in my neck.
Hahahaha kudos that you found a way to keep writing even without your computer. :-D
Hehehehe glad to know I'm not the only one with terrible handwriting. Mine is something close to a fly walking over an inkpad before running over a page. I can still read it, though, which is more than my grandmother can say. She can't even, unless she remembers what she wrote. :-D
Interesting. I don't write by hand, though I've done it before, and it does work better for some sorts of stories. I do a book's second edit by hand, printing it out and reading it on the paper page, making notes in pen. Everything reads differently off the screen, and I catch a lot of things to fix with that method.
I do that to, when I'm proofreading. :-)
I write some scene outlines by hand and all my character profiles. I did write my first two books by hand. It's scientifically proven that writing by hand is good for your brain.
Yes it is. ^_^
This is such great advice!!! I always use the darn laptop, but on the occasions I use pen and paper, it really does make a difference and I don't know why I stop o_O lol. It really does connect a different part of the brain & I feel so much better. Again, why do I stop? Ugh, I have to write more like Misha! :)
S.K. Anthony: Are Audiobooks Really Outselling Print Books?
No I don't write my draft by hand because I can't read and if its a lot I have wasted my time. I do sometimes write scenes by hand but immediate put them on the computer otherwise again I will lose a lot because I cannot remember what what wrote since I can't read it. LOL> Good post
Juneta @ Writer's Gambit
I used to write by hand but it took so long to type the manuscripts that my productivity (which isn't very good) was even more abysmal. Now I do all my first drafting on my iPad with Hanx Writer.
Excellent post and Misha has persuaded me. I'm definitely going to do more writing by hand. I think it's a great idea.
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