10 Comments

I agree. And writing with pen and paper is even more directly linear and forward moving!

Expand full comment

This modern world is robbing me of my time. My complete reliance of being on my phone through all times of day is robbing me of hearing my own thoughts. So much of my time is consuming others content as it is increasing accessible to do so.

Expand full comment

I feel this too. I've failed to find enough stillness recently — something I'm focusing on.

Expand full comment

Yes!! I’ve been waiting for this essay for a while 😆 you captured it beautifully.

“Every keystroke is conception, every space a wall between two families, every period the end of a generation, every paragraph an epoch, and this page… eternity.”

Plus, I love this idea of writing as manual labor and music. Ah, the magic of taking an intellectual craft and making it physical.

Expand full comment

Thank you, Grace! Yeah, it's been a long time coming. After I told you I was going to get a typewriter, I spent weeks researching and shopping on eBay. No buyer's remorse whatsoever

Expand full comment

Enjoyed this essay. In response to the question- I don’t use alarm clocks or alarms on on my phone. No alarm clocks for the toddlers either. I like the challenge of going analog especially in the summer.

Expand full comment

Thanks for reading! That resonates. I use my watch as an alarm and leave my phone out of reach at night.

Expand full comment

Does this process include digitizing for safety?

I remember talking once to someone who lost a complete manuscript to a house fire.

So I backup like a fiend!

Expand full comment

Hey Joyce, yes, I'll scan any pages that I want to protect. Also, I'm only using my typewriter for drafting essays and for journalling. If I were writing a book manuscript, I'd probably do that on a computer.

Expand full comment

Don’t know if you have seen the studies (I can send them) about the importance of handwritten notes vs. typed as related to cognitive recognition and memory?

I started recording (microrecording) in my late undergrad work, and used the recording to fill in the blanks.

I think I mentioned my deeply-increased progress and performance then.

I have used it ever since.

Never would have accomplished what I have done.

And meeting you added to my sense of achievement.

🤗🥳

Expand full comment