Kevin's Watch

For all the writers out there, be it fiction, poetry, or just daily ramblings in a journal or diary, what do you write in? Any specific type of journal, regular notebook paper, does it matter, do you need a fancy journal, or is it just the act of writing?

I have a specific type of journal I've been using for years, and its always suited my purposes? Cheers.

I basically record ideas in it as I find that having it down in paper gives it a different 'perspective' or outlook than having it in my head; later when I peruse it, I can decide how bad the idea is.

I write in my livejournal--random crap, mostly.

For my serious stuff--my novel--I write on my laptop--and then I post it up on the Nano thread at IBDoF, where my critics/fans tear it apart for me.

Then I put it back together again.

I find it nearly impossible to write more than the most rudimentary notes in long hand nowadays. I just can't write FAST enough, you see, to keep up with my thoughts.

BTW--Michael.

It is sooo good to see you.

I tend to just write stuff down in Wordpad on my computer - not that I ever write much, or keep what I write - but I occasionally use paper. I recently bought an A4 notebook to write in, but haven't really used it for anything other than that 'madness' piece I posted.
With the new notepad, I threw (my already dismal) handwriting away entirely in an attempt to get things down on paper as quickly as I could, so I wasn't thinking so far ahead of my writing that I got lost.

Write 90% of my stuff in Microsoft Works, of all things. Just used to it. When something hits me and I'm not around my computer, I'll usually scribble it on the nearest piece of paper. Once, I couldn't find paper, so I wrote on the wall. heh

*taps forehead*
If it gets lost, it probably wasn't worth keeping. If it's good, it usually gets better (as opposed to the static nature of writing it down).

I find it interesting how writing by hand is slowly going extinct, I mean when is the last time you really wrote a long hand letter to a friend. Some people keep it up, but its going out of style, with the advent of technology and e-mail and internet. Ah well. I enjoy the process and act of writing by hand in a journal on paper, feels good to have that kind of touch with something, a connection to something older and more physical than just typing stuff up. Cheers.

I agree, Fizban . . . but who has the time? I can write a pretty decent Chancery Italic hand for short passages, but after a few minutes my fingers begin to get tired and crabbed, and it shows. Whereas I can type for hours without any fatigue at all, and much faster than I could write script.

I understand that people talk about who has the time but if you think about all the things you do in the day, how much televisoin do you watch, or spend time doing this random thing or that, you can always make time for the things that matter, and for me writing at the end of the day make a difference, I feel better, but to each their own, cheers.

ChoChiyo wrote:I just can't write FAST enough, you see, to keep up with my thoughts.

Ditto.

Sylvanus wrote:If it gets lost, it probably wasn't worth keeping.

Ditto again. I learnt that from SRD: "I don't write ideas down as soon as I have them; if I can forget an idea, it wasn't worth remembering" (to paraphrase). It was primarily that comment that got me writing in the first place - I had a concept that had been sitting in my head for months, maybe years.

A few other things about my writing habits:

I find that the quality of what I write varies/is relative to what I'm writing on and where I'm writing it at. I find that things I write on paper are usually more inspired than something typed. I also find that my best thoughts/ideas are produced whilst pacing/walking (either outside or in the house).

To those of you who haven't: try taking a notebook and writing in places you're not used to, such as the outside, at school, etc. You might be surprised by what you produce. Just a suggestion.

To clarify: I usually hate writing by hand, BUT, when it strikes me, I can comfortably write 2-4 pages worth of material on paper. I write very fast (to the point that it's illegible), but, ironically, I actually slow down whilst penning a story. I think I write slower because it gives my thoughts time to cool off, so they'll have a chance to become a bit more complex/convoluted--or simpler/stripped down, if they require it.

One last thing: as far as big stories go, I find that I write better when I've already fully formed the story in my head, even if that takes years. The more I've constructed it, torn it down, rebuilt it, etc., the more complete/less scattered it will be when it comes out, when at last I pen it. Of course, there are very successful writers who "fly blind" (Tolkien flew completely blind; purportedly, when Strider appeared at the inn in Bree, he was as much a surprise to Tolkien as he was to Frodo).

Lord Foul wrote:...
To those of you who haven't: try taking a notebook and writing in places you're not used to, such as the outside, at school, etc. You might be surprised by what you produce. Just a suggestion....

I am never seen anywhere without a spiral notebook.

I intend to be buried with a blank spiral note book and two pens.

ChoChiyo wrote: I am never seen anywhere without a spiral notebook.

I intend to be buried with a blank spiral note book and two pens.

LOL! Intending to continue your journal in the afterlife?

I have a small collection of notebooks, in varying stages of decay, accumulated since my junior high school days. I enjoy the act of writing on paper (as long I'm using a smooth-flowing pen--important detail!), and I do take some pride in my penmanship. What baffled me in my high school days was why it seemed such a difficult thing for many of my classmates to write neatly. I thought: Hmm, didn't we all deal with this proper writing and spelling stuff back in elementary school? What's going on?

Anyway, I'll probably continue to write, even as I'm more frequently typing away on my computer these days. I blame the Watch for that.

Lord Foul wrote: I also find that my best thoughts/ideas are produced whilst pacing/walking (either outside or in the house).

Same. Also, when I am in the shower or on public transport.

I find when I write poetry, I am most inspired when I'm out sitting in public someplace. Outdoors at a cafe or having coffee on some steps, just me and the journal, the best of writing and inspiration, cheers.

Some other people and I used to write several long page letters to each other on a regular basis. Now we all email each other. Its just so much more...convenient.

I loooove writing by hand. The computer is only for school assignments!

Nothing better than new pens and a fresh piece of paper! Ahhhh... *swoon*

I get hand cramps all the time though... I hold my pens stupidly, but I just can't do it correctly. My writing bump is on my ring finger, not the middle finger, like normal people. My middle finger goes on top of the pen and the sides of my index and ring fingers go on the sides of the pen. When that cramps up I move the pen so it's between my first two fingers until that cramps up and I go back. Perhaps that explains my handwriting

If I don't put things in a random notebook, just Microsoft Word works for me.

The Leper Fairy wrote:Nothing better than new pens and a fresh piece of paper! Ahhhh... *swoon*

Dear lady, if I were to dress myself in paper and have pens attached to me, would you find me irresistable?