I wrote a little bit on my personal blog about how, when the lights went out, I had to pull out a notebook and write things out longhand.
“I also picked up a notebook and started writing Grim’s second book…LONGHAND.
I finished the first page and my hand cramped.
I was telling this to Cold Soldier via IM yesterday and he commented that it was so SLOW to hand write. I looked over at my collection of blank notebooks and journals – I have a plastic tub and a chair FULL of all different kinds, and a filing cabinet drawer full of all kinds of pens. I realized that maybe, just maybe, I don’t need to collect all these damn notebooks anymore.
As I wrote, I noticed that this was a real, honest to God, first draft. When I write on the computer, I self-edit. Then before I post I always read things through. Then after I post I read it through again. So I think I do three drafts before walking away.
When I used to write longhand, I would finish in the middle of a sentence or a scene, close the book and leave. The next day, I’d re-read what I wrote, with minimal corrections, and continue. A lot of the story I had in my head. I knew the main characters well. Sometimes I remembered the side characters, but not always. Usually by the time I transcribed the story, it was changed considerably.”
I think that I will type it up at some point. But I look at it, as it is right now, and see that it’s a horrible first draft. I can see myself meander, searching for what the characters want to say, just bouncing things off, waiting, waiting to find out what’s going to happen next. The scene, when I write longhand, may come fully-formed like Athena from my head, but there’s the setup and conclusion to still do.
This guy – a crime writer – also knows that it’s faster to type. Most guys seem to think so, too. I’m with that. Is it better to write on the screen or should I continue with the longhand part? It’s a novelty at the moment. It forces me to not go on the computer, to actually –dedicate– that time and space to writing directly. Not researching, not checking email or chatting, but writing.
Boy, does my hand hurt, though.