+Ferg Hyde was kind enough to point me in its direction, and I can't thank him enough because it really got me thinking. Most writers today are hitting the keyboard with all the love they've got, but once upon a time all writers completed their manuscripts by hand.
Is writing by hand becoming a modern day fetish?!
What is the benefit of keeping a journal/notebook/scratchpad?
I think there are many!
Firstly, if like me you are a fetishist of stationery, you will be able to pick up your trusty pen and release the inner artist! Writing by hand is far, far more intimate, in thought and in deed. It is an entirely different experience to sitting in front of a screen and tapping away. Personally, I find writing by hand allows me to tap into areas of thought and emotion I just can't muster when typing. There is a natural closeness, a personal and familiar feeling that is evoked. It allows for the transfer of one's innermost desires, private thoughts and feelings directly to the page.
One of the most wonderful aspects of writing by hand is the vulnerability of it. It is an intimate act, between your mind and the paper, the pen being the conduit of your expression. (The verb "intimate" means to state or make known) As you are writing on paper, you do not have the option of backspace or delete! The vulnerability comes from choosing your words carefully, pausing to find the precise, detailed, physical representation of your thoughts.There is far more pressure applied to the writer when a pen is in hand!
Another aspect of the intimacy of writing by hand is the fragility of it. Quite simply, there is only one copy. No backup, no saved file, no re-printing. A notebook is easily damaged, but that only makes it all the more precious in my mind. I carry mine lovingly, and look after it with care. Woe betide anyone who even thinks of touching it. They might just lose a hand! Looking into my notebook would be like trying to sneak a peek at my soul, something reserved for only those closest to me.
One of the more beautiful aspects of writing by hand is the artistry of it. Many people have the most beautiful penmanship, an exquisite release of the inner artist.Writers are creative souls, it makes sense to allow this side to come out from time to time. To relish the complete experience of taking pen in hand. Think of the smell of ink on fine paper, the sound of the pen as it scrawls over the page, the sound of the pages as you turn them, the feel of the paper under your fingertips. The physicality of this intimate side of writing feeds the creative mind and heart of a writer.
An interesting part of writing by hand is pacing. Most of us can type faster than we can write. Writing by hand offers an alternative measure to pace your writing, particularly if it is a difficult area you are working on, without the distractions to be found when writing on a computer!
Lastly, it is a seductive pleasure! When was the last time you sat down somewhere, anywhere and wrote? Really wrote. Be it under a tree on a beautiful summer day, or in a coffee shop on a rainy afternoon, or even in your favourite lounging chair with you cat on your lap, writing by hand in such a manner is a wonderful way to get in touch with the seductive side of self disclosure. It allows a cognitive release and an intellectual intimacy that is a powerful tool when writing.
Writing by hand offers the mind a chance to truly express itself. Too often it is forgotten that writing is a craft, an art unto itself. I'm not suggesting that you all rush out and buy up enormous notepads to write your next novel, but every now and then, do take the time to get inky!
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