The Pen Is Mightier Than the Keyboard…

Writing Rough Drafts by Hand

As you are in the process of writing a story’s more complicated scenes, you may find it advantageous to write your first draft the old-fashioned way. Why would someone do this, in the information age, when it is so easy to find information and share information?

Perhaps that alone is a reason in itself. Sometimes, when we are challenged to write a difficult scene, particularly a scene that takes us out of our comfort zone–we still have one, even if we strive to hide it from our audience–the allure of distractions can halt progress significantly.

On the other hand, the very fact that it may take longer to put pen to paper might be advantageous.Over my twenty years as a writer, I have seen a tremendous benefit to scribbling as a way to establish a free flow of thought. I have kept many journals, and I still do so, in spite of my tremendous affection for my laptop. (Seriously, those who know this writer best are fully aware that prying my keyboard from my fingers can be as dangerous as taking food from a crocodile’s mouth.)

There is, of course, no arguing that the human mind is infinitely superior to a computer. Even a keyboard can slow down the process of sharing information. But, when it comes to writing in a winsome manner, there is something to be said for the slow, gradual, reflective process of hand-written work. Over five millenniums of storytellers and poets have benefited from a slow, deliberate approach. Isn’t it worth considering what this approach can do for you?

You may have heard stories of brilliant writers who wrote a rough draft on a series of napkins or post-its. These writers are not crazed. They’ve simply seen the benefit of slowing down. And what’s the worst that can happen? A bit of ink on your face when you clear that ketchup smear with the wrong napkin?

Besides, this way, knowing full well that you may have written something ghastly, you can easily crumple it up or burn it and not feel the lazy inclination to keep words in your story simply because they are already there.

Food for thought: what other advantages come from writing your first draft by hand?