Fun fact about me: Whenever I have something really difficult to write (for example, the first draft of an introduction), I always write it out by hand in a notebook, ideally with a nice pen. I have done this ever since I can remember despite not really understanding why I do it. Shouldn't it be easier to write first drafts on a computer so that it's so much easier to rewrite? It turns out that there is scientific evidence supporting my "seemingly irrational" style.
Read this article showing that old-school writing tools (like pen and paper) increase creativity, concentration, etc.!
Why? "The reason these writers choose old-school tools is that when it comes to writing, computers are too efficient and make changing things too easy, and this ease can slow things down. Writing by hand allows writers who pen their drafts to proceed in a linear fashion rather than continually being tempted to rearrange words on the screen before they know precisely where the story is going."
I like to write by hand because it feels..less official. I can write anything in my notebook. I will have to rewrite anyway on the computer. I have no idea if this makes sense, but I will stick to it. Another perk: turning off your computer means no interruptions from email and twitter, etc.!
Read the entire article for more science and more famous people who like to write things by hand (like J.K. Rowling and Stephen King).
But my favorite advice from the article on how to write: “one word after another.” Love it!
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