Thread: Are Paper and Pencil Obsolete?

When I think of writers years ago I think of them as hard working, creative minds with a fountain pen in one hand unleashing their thoughts onto a piece of paper. Although is this the case anymore? When I write I am always typing away on my laptop. The only time I use my pen and notebook is when I am writing down ideas when I do not have access to my electronics.
Is this true for all of you as well? With the development of technology the original portrayal of a writer has vanished and transformed into modern-day substitutes. I just wanted to know if anyone has abandoned the use of pen and paper like I have. I honestly wish I would get back to my old ways because I like the feeling of writing, and inspiration seems to occur more often that way.

-Logan

I do use my cell phone most of the time. But the pen and paper is smoother somehow, and has more of my creative juices flowing.

Originally Posted by candid petunia

I do use my cell phone most of the time. But the pen and paper is smoother somehow, and has more of my creative juices flowing.

Exactly! I can't quite put my finger on it, but physically writing brings so much more thoughts and inspiration.

-Logan

There is a topic about this already:

http://www.writingforums.com/writers...t-fashion.html

Originally Posted by candid petunia

I do use my cell phone most of the time. But the pen and paper is smoother somehow, and has more of my creative juices flowing.

I couldn't agree more. I always write my drafts and outlines on paper first.

I have written whole chapters for my current projects on paper with pen in hand. Sometimes I am just not near my computer and I always carry pen and paper with me everywhere. It is a habit I learned long ago as a writer. Nothing is more frustrating than having an idea, planning on jotting it down later, only to have it flutter away and be forgotten.

No.

For my current project, I finally broke down and bought a small notebook that I carry with me at all times so I can write down notes, but other than personal letters, no I don't put pen to paper much anymore.

Some writers take advantage of the latest technologies -- others don't. Mark Twain submitted one the first typed manuscripts to a publisher in the 1870's -- so I think your fountain pen thing is a little off. People tend to want to use whatever will make them more efficient. But you use whatever works for you. How it's done isn't important -- just the results.

I totally agree with this POV.

No, you can still see kids drawing

Thanks,
Writers Blog

I haven't written anything with a pencil on paper for several years now. The only time I actually write things down is when I'm making a list for the market, or writing a check, and both of those times, I use a pen

I type a whole lot faster than I can write. So, for the ideas that fly through my head, I find it much easier to use a keyboard to get everything down quickly. 'Stream of consciousness' and all that jazz. I actually feel more creative when I type verses writing.

I do have one quirky thing though. When I was growing up, the typewriter was the tool most writers used. There's something about the nostalgic sounds of the keys 'clicking' away and the 'ding' the carriage makes when the return key is pressed, that enhances my enjoyment of writing. So, I downloaded a program that makes my Mac sound like a typewriter while I'm 'writing'. I forgot to turn that program off once, so when I started typing in Starbucks, several confused faces turned my way to see where the typing sounds were coming from. Twas a bit embarrassing to say the least.

I agree with Joseph B when he said to "use whatever works for you." If writing with a pen or pencil sparks your passion and creativity, then by all means write by hand.

Script Girrl

I had a story idea that just wouldn't wait.
I wrote by hand 9 pages of the beginning of a story. My hand hurt no one could read it but me(even I had trouble reading it.)
I found MS word 2004 program at goodwill, copied the nine pages into my old laptop and tripled the number of pages I had by the next day. I work alot faster with computers(even old ones, windows 2000) everyone can read what I wrote and I didn't have the pain in my hand.

Of course I went to "special ed" classes just because of my handwriting in elementary school.
I think no matter how easy to read your written word is, I think all publishers require typed manuscripts, so if it has to be that way in the end, why bother with the pen?

I'd rather write everything out by hand and then re type it as I'm revising. I just have always loved the idea of having something tangible on paper. Plus, I've lost unsaved work just enough times to make me paranoid about it. Not to mention that this laptop I'm using at the moment is getting old and the connection to the monitor is not so great any more. I have to open it at wider than a 90 degree angle for the picture to work when turning it on. So I just don't trust it enough to exclusively keep my work inside it.

I'll be the last person on the planet to own a Kindle. I just love to hold a book in my hands and turn the pages. I love to buy notebooks and scribble inside of them. And I like to sketch ideas of what my character looks like in the margins sometimes, too.