Writing Longhand
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
One thing that always gets me out of any writing-related issue is temporarily writing longhand. There's something about getting out a notebook and pen or pencil that helps me see my project in a totally different way. I especially like writing longhand when I'm at the start of a book or when I've hit any sort of snag along the way. Plus, it's handy to write on the go that way.
Here are a few areas where I might write longhand and how specifically it helps me out:
Brainstorming: For me, this is the area where longhand writing works best. Maybe it's seeing ideas scratched out and others written down in their place. Maybe it's as simple as the pen or pencil scratching across a piece of paper. Maybe it just harkens me back to the days of being a kid and coming up with stories. Regardless, I've found it's a really useful way to come up with story ideas and characters. I also think I sometimes approach elements of a story more thoughtfully when writing longhand because it's a slower process than typing.
Outlining: I use an outline template for my books, so maybe this works better for me than it might for others. Outlining is definitely not one of my favorite writing-related activities. When I feel like I'm hitting a wall, I print out the outline template and write in it longhand…almost like filling out the blanks. So, for instance, I fill out the victim, how he was murdered, when the body was found and who found it, a description of the victim, etc. It can make the task seem a lot less onerous.
Drafting a Manuscript: I'm not as fond of writing longhand when it comes to my manuscript. That's mostly because it takes me twice the time . . . half to write a scene and half to type it into the final document. If I do write longhand for the manuscript, I try not to get too far ahead that way without typing the longhand text into the document. I will say it can really help if I get stuck while writing. But making simple longhand lists of possible directions to take a scene or a character works just as well without making me feel as if I'm getting behind.
Do you ever write longhand? How does it help you out? What parts of the writing process do you use it for?
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