once again, a bona fide home run of an essay, one which i can relate to in so many ways. my preferred writing methodology has always been the paper and favorite Bic, in lieu of the fact that i have always had an aversion to typewriters. I have always wished i had inherited my mother's acumen around a typewriter (she could type 90 wpm no sweat) and always said THE typewriter to use was the IBM Selectric with that little ball of letters and characters that bounced around creating words on the paper strapped to a motionless carriage. I now se a computer (begrudgingly), and friends say i would beso much happier with a mac laptop. i'm not so sure; it's still a computer, and i have a jaundiced view of them since my grad school days (it's explained more in my memoir). i loved the story telling saga of the "accident" which occurred with the demise of ur trusty tool of transcription (with the priceless autocorrect and spellcheck miracles included. long story shortened: i loved ur article; perhaps one of ur best; keep'm coming, girl.
Chuck, I had a Selectric in collage. I swear I had it in this house at one time, and I think my ex got rid of it in one of his basement cleaning sprees. God, it was a jewel. I loved that thing! I also had one at my last job, as a church secretary, and used it for special correspondence and baptismal certificates, etc. I also understand your begrudging relationship to the keyboards. It's good to know what we like and what we don't. Many ways to get there :) We just have to do the work! Thanks for your kind words and I am pleased you enjoyed this essay!
I love this!! I try not to think too hard about how dependent I am on this little Macbook - who is getting a bit elderly (fear not, I'm a pathologically compulsive backer-upper!)
I have an ancient Underwood that my hubby bought me for Christmas many years ago. Alas, it doesn't work well -- something wrong with the winding mechanism for the ribbon so I have to hold one spool as I type -- but the few things I've tapped out on it feel imbued with a particular kind of magic. So it's mostly decorative at this point, a quiet reminder of what I'm meant to be doing in this little room. But now you've got me thinking about finding a typewriter I can actually use....:)
I love how you wrote that things that you have typed on it feel imbued with a bit of magic. I know what you mean by this! It is also very hard to get a typewriter fixed these days. A dying art. I hope you do find one, Melanie. It is a joy!
Loving this article - brought back memories of the 1960's and high school typing class (which just about everyone took) - the wonderful noise the typewriters made in unison, the folding manuals, and the exercises. I have often thought of buying vintage bright colored one just for fun!
I really think you should! I am so surprised your brother didn't have one in his collection. You could type haiku on watercolour paper and then paint around it 😍
I think I really will look for a vintage typewriter!! Thanks for the excellent idea that !! I will begin the search (like to find a 50's or 60's one in cobalt turquoise!!! 😁
I remember my typing days. I did have a relationship with my typewriter. It was my best assistant. It caused me to sit up to a table and pay attention, to focus, generally to finish college papers, and letters that required a more formal presentation. I recall feeling great satisfaction, rolling those pages out of the typewriter when completed. Occasionally, typing my poems or small writing notes on the typewriter, after written drafts. And I’ve no idea where this typewriter is today.
Your relationship with your typewriter is envious. I’ve always loved photos of writers so naturally perched over theirs, especially love E.B. White’s. I imagine the work, the satisfaction and the more natural pace.
Still, I prefer my pen and am not sure I would use the typewriter. The iPad on my desk serves me well for now, until I drop it! Yikes, time to back it up and print some stuff. Thank you, for a reminder, our creative work needs to be released (or saved) from the Cloud…wherever that is!
I prefer my pen first and foremost, also. But eventually a second draft needs to be typed. And then it needs to be on my computer. A process through many evolutions. ;) Although I did write my story The Miracle of Thankful Tailor completely on my typewriter, and I feel it is my very best story. Who knows if that is why. I love E.B. White's, too. What an image. Thanks so much, Judy xo
When I retired as copy chief from The Wm. Hengerer Co. many years back, they gifted me my big, old black Royal typewriter that sits on my roll-top desk in my study today. I haven't used her much, but she still feels like an old friend... and I never had to back her up.
I hate the sound of a typewriter clattering, clicking, and pinging so can’t imagine actually working on one again. No, not again. I always write my first drafts by hand and only reluctantly sit down to commit them to print when it’s absolutely necessary. So I have never actually “written” on one. The need to break every single word down into letters that require me to pay attention to where my fingers go on the keys is annoying as hell. This despite the fact that I am a quick and accurate typist. I always feel like a part of my brain power needs to be allocated to typing and spelling, whereas writing just flows out of me through the pen and onto paper.
I loved reading about how returning to a manual typewriter has been so rewarding for you and look forward to hearing more. It would be interesting to compare a draft written by hand, a draft written on the manual typewriter, and one written on the computer (with spell heck and AI turned off). I wonder if the three would feel and/or read differently.
You made me laugh. Love your honesty! I almost always write first drafts of anything by hand, second draft is created while typing it, longer works go right into a word processor (although I have a few longer short stories that were typed), but for poems I always used my typewriter once the words are more settled. And still I can go through many typed drafts before I allow it to be done. I LOVE the sound of the typewriter. Thanks, Jena!
once again, a bona fide home run of an essay, one which i can relate to in so many ways. my preferred writing methodology has always been the paper and favorite Bic, in lieu of the fact that i have always had an aversion to typewriters. I have always wished i had inherited my mother's acumen around a typewriter (she could type 90 wpm no sweat) and always said THE typewriter to use was the IBM Selectric with that little ball of letters and characters that bounced around creating words on the paper strapped to a motionless carriage. I now se a computer (begrudgingly), and friends say i would beso much happier with a mac laptop. i'm not so sure; it's still a computer, and i have a jaundiced view of them since my grad school days (it's explained more in my memoir). i loved the story telling saga of the "accident" which occurred with the demise of ur trusty tool of transcription (with the priceless autocorrect and spellcheck miracles included. long story shortened: i loved ur article; perhaps one of ur best; keep'm coming, girl.
Chuck, I had a Selectric in collage. I swear I had it in this house at one time, and I think my ex got rid of it in one of his basement cleaning sprees. God, it was a jewel. I loved that thing! I also had one at my last job, as a church secretary, and used it for special correspondence and baptismal certificates, etc. I also understand your begrudging relationship to the keyboards. It's good to know what we like and what we don't. Many ways to get there :) We just have to do the work! Thanks for your kind words and I am pleased you enjoyed this essay!
I love this!! I try not to think too hard about how dependent I am on this little Macbook - who is getting a bit elderly (fear not, I'm a pathologically compulsive backer-upper!)
I have an ancient Underwood that my hubby bought me for Christmas many years ago. Alas, it doesn't work well -- something wrong with the winding mechanism for the ribbon so I have to hold one spool as I type -- but the few things I've tapped out on it feel imbued with a particular kind of magic. So it's mostly decorative at this point, a quiet reminder of what I'm meant to be doing in this little room. But now you've got me thinking about finding a typewriter I can actually use....:)
I love how you wrote that things that you have typed on it feel imbued with a bit of magic. I know what you mean by this! It is also very hard to get a typewriter fixed these days. A dying art. I hope you do find one, Melanie. It is a joy!
Loving this article - brought back memories of the 1960's and high school typing class (which just about everyone took) - the wonderful noise the typewriters made in unison, the folding manuals, and the exercises. I have often thought of buying vintage bright colored one just for fun!
I really think you should! I am so surprised your brother didn't have one in his collection. You could type haiku on watercolour paper and then paint around it 😍
I think I really will look for a vintage typewriter!! Thanks for the excellent idea that !! I will begin the search (like to find a 50's or 60's one in cobalt turquoise!!! 😁
I remember my typing days. I did have a relationship with my typewriter. It was my best assistant. It caused me to sit up to a table and pay attention, to focus, generally to finish college papers, and letters that required a more formal presentation. I recall feeling great satisfaction, rolling those pages out of the typewriter when completed. Occasionally, typing my poems or small writing notes on the typewriter, after written drafts. And I’ve no idea where this typewriter is today.
Your relationship with your typewriter is envious. I’ve always loved photos of writers so naturally perched over theirs, especially love E.B. White’s. I imagine the work, the satisfaction and the more natural pace.
Still, I prefer my pen and am not sure I would use the typewriter. The iPad on my desk serves me well for now, until I drop it! Yikes, time to back it up and print some stuff. Thank you, for a reminder, our creative work needs to be released (or saved) from the Cloud…wherever that is!
I prefer my pen first and foremost, also. But eventually a second draft needs to be typed. And then it needs to be on my computer. A process through many evolutions. ;) Although I did write my story The Miracle of Thankful Tailor completely on my typewriter, and I feel it is my very best story. Who knows if that is why. I love E.B. White's, too. What an image. Thanks so much, Judy xo
When I retired as copy chief from The Wm. Hengerer Co. many years back, they gifted me my big, old black Royal typewriter that sits on my roll-top desk in my study today. I haven't used her much, but she still feels like an old friend... and I never had to back her up.
You should use her more! Even to write a letter, or a grocery list. It is so relaxing, calming. I bet she is beautiful! Thanks, Debbie.
LOVE!
I hate the sound of a typewriter clattering, clicking, and pinging so can’t imagine actually working on one again. No, not again. I always write my first drafts by hand and only reluctantly sit down to commit them to print when it’s absolutely necessary. So I have never actually “written” on one. The need to break every single word down into letters that require me to pay attention to where my fingers go on the keys is annoying as hell. This despite the fact that I am a quick and accurate typist. I always feel like a part of my brain power needs to be allocated to typing and spelling, whereas writing just flows out of me through the pen and onto paper.
I loved reading about how returning to a manual typewriter has been so rewarding for you and look forward to hearing more. It would be interesting to compare a draft written by hand, a draft written on the manual typewriter, and one written on the computer (with spell heck and AI turned off). I wonder if the three would feel and/or read differently.
You made me laugh. Love your honesty! I almost always write first drafts of anything by hand, second draft is created while typing it, longer works go right into a word processor (although I have a few longer short stories that were typed), but for poems I always used my typewriter once the words are more settled. And still I can go through many typed drafts before I allow it to be done. I LOVE the sound of the typewriter. Thanks, Jena!