Squiggles
I’ve not written a word of fiction on any digital device since early December last year. Doesn’t that sound like a long time ago, eh? Just over a month is nothing, really. There was a time when I didn’t write at all, and not so long ago, at that. But, you see, I have been writing. I’ve just done it the old-fashioned way.
My writing has been completely analog. I’ve got a nice leather journal with interchangeable notebooks. It’s from Paper Republic, and quite delightful.
I’ve tricked myself into producing more words per day before. It usually involves multiple projects, something that might or might not be your thing, and several types of input. A computer, an iPad, a typewriter (yes, really), and, obviously, writing by hand. In this case, picking up the leather journal was less about tricking the mind — I’m not writing anything else presently — and more about breaking free for a bit. The story is a fairy tale aimed at children, but hopefully interesting enough for the parent that reads it out loud as well. I’m enjoying writing it, and I’m a third in, just about. The next step is to decipher my squiggles and type it up, digitally, obviously, before I start on the middle part of the story.
At times when a computer (of any kind) might feel like work, or associated with work, it can be good to break away and use something else. It’s worked well enough for me, although I don’t seem to be able to relax my wrist enough anymore. Anything longer than ten pages becomes uncomfortable, something I can’t recall being the case a decade ago. It’ll come back to me, I’m sure.
And yes, I can read my squiggles, although sometimes barely. From comments on Twitter, I get the feeling that’s not the case for everybody. But hey, practice makes perfect, and all that jazz, right?