Being Jo March

I have been pampered-I have grown up in the computer era.I remember the days of beep-beep-bob-beeeep-eeeeeee-beep dial up connections (that some friends in more rural areas of Montana still have to use). I remember when ICQ was the cool thing. I had computer classes in elementary school. I have always been comfortable on the computer.

My first book was written by hand-though, since I was seven, that hardly counts. Since then all my long-form fiction has been written directly on a computer. It is convenient, but what does it do to my writing?

When writing by hand, I find my self thinking more before I put words on paper. My prose is better in the first draft than it is when I just let myself go with the computer. Also, I have a tendency to go back and edit what I have written before I write more (which is not a problem except for when, you know, I edit the first half of a novel six times, but never write the second half). I don’t do this when I write by hand-all the pen scribbles irritate me. I get the whole first draft done before I edit.

Of course, all of this is in theory. The only book I have actually written by hand was the one when I was seven. Everything else was done on a computer. But when the plot for Jack the Reaper consumed me, I got the urge to do things longhand again. So, bring on the hand cramps-Jack will be done the old way.

The longhand experiment is going well so far. Wish me luck with the rest!

(Shout out to Jessica P. for the Jo March reference. In her words: “You go, Jo March!”)