Terribly Analog was my first thought, but then, over the years, I’ve been fascinated with all the analog tools. I finally gave up my last typewriter, a manual, a portable manual that was in mint condition, as I can’t work with a real typewriter.
Lord knows, I’ve tried.
Keyboard? Fine. Word processor, as a tool? Yes, no problem. The permanency of a typewriter and the noise, the rhythm, the pace is all comforting and attractive, but what it amounts to? I can’t work like that at all.
I tried electric typewriters, too, again, not “feeling it” as there’s still the change, what I do recall was the first time I wrote a story on a real word processor, the endless roll of paper, the story unfolding as I typed — on the keyboard — not hitting the return each line.
So that article is interesting, as in, a good idea, but I know it won’t work for me. I used to toy with little notebooks, paper collections, and there are still, two MoleSkin brand books underneath my monitor, one notebook is full, and the other is half-full, with sketches, notes, ideas, and rambling bits.
I can hardly read my own handwriting. I’ve got one client, a writer, and her postal address to me makes my penmanship — mine sucks — look like fine calligraphy.
The problem with my own penmanship is that I do it all with a keyboard. Virtual, on an iPhone or iPad, maybe a real keyboard with the iPad, and laptops, desktops, and so forth. Not unusual, just no pen or pencil.
The idea of a notebook is very appealing to me, and to this day, in all my gear, I make sure I have a source of paper and writing tools, just to be safe. But no, I don’t really, can’t, won’t see that as a useful tool, not much, not anymore.
But it is a cool idea, if a tad pricey.
