Notebooks and Computers

[Silva]

Do you like writing in notebooks or computers? Or does it simply depend on where you are and what you have access to?

I like both. There's something immensely satisfying about filling up a notebook page, and also something fun in clicking on the 'word count' button.

[embonpoint]

I feel like I don't do enough writing to even be able to answer this >< but I can't really decide. I prefer a computer because it's quicker, easier and easier to edit things. At the same time, though, it's FULL of distractions; my solitaire skills are very, very well-exercised.
Writing in a notebook is nice because there are fewer distractions, but because it's slower to write than type, I find myself losing thoughts because I have to write. I also worry because I hate wasting paper (and I feel like a lot of what I write is waste!).

[invision]

I prefer computers. I have Dysgraphia, and I can't write much with that with a normal writing utensil (to the extent where I had to buy a netbook to take notes in school).

Thank God for my netbook. It's so portable that I can write pretty much anywhere if I need to.

James

[Dodger Thirteen]

Notebooks for notes, laptops for writing. Normally I use loose leaf paper, though, as it makes it easier when I skip class to fill in the note gap(s).

[tastyink]

When I'm writing a paper and for some classes I use my computer. For classes with less notes and just for myself, I use a notebook.

[Katherine]

When I'm creative writing, it's whatever I have available, but when it's for class, I can't stand to have notes on a computer. I need to write it down to process it.

[mrodigga]

I take notes on paper during classes so I don't have to risk the safety of my computer by bringing it everywhere (plus the information sticks better that way), but for everything else, I type. In terms of the satisfaction of looking over what I've written, hand-written work definitely has a higher level of satisfaction-per-word-written, but I can type a lot faster than I can write, so that compensates for the lower SPWW. It's also just easier to edit and correct things that I have typed because of all of the conveniences of word processors (I'm useless without spell-check).

But most of all, for me, there's something just oh so satisfying about typing. I can't quite put my ten-fingers on it, but I just love typing as a means for any kind of writing. Writing, on the other hand, is tedious to me, and I don't enjoy it nearly as much. I can type almost as fast as I can think when I really get enthusiastic about something, but my writing hand struggles to keep up with the really rapid pace of my thoughts. And that's not because I'm a slow writer; it's just not physically possible for me to write as fast as I think without it becoming sloppy beyond legibility, so my thoughts need to queue up and wait, and I get impatient with that, as well as worried that I'll forget what I was going to write.

Hell, I'll resort to typing as early as the outline phase of writing, because it's easier for me to work with my ideas when I can visualize them and play with them in a tangible format, rather than as abstract ideas in my head. And while I could write them out and play with them that way, putting them in a Word document just makes all the playing-around easier. I can use copy and paste to move entire segments of my ideas (completely re-ordering things is not uncommon for me while writing papers), and it saves time in transitioning my quotes to my paper, because I'll play around with those in addition to descriptions of my ideas, so I write them in, too.

[cyanea]

I like to take notes by hand. I feel like I remember more when I have to write it out, and I love the feeling of a mechanical pencil on paper.

I can't do creative writing on paper though. My mind runs too fast for my flowery handwriting to keep up. I can't write on my desktop at home either (I'm a gamer), so I generally take my laptop somewhere or use the computer lab.

[onlyaworkingtitle]

I live on my computer.

No joke. See how many posts I've made here in the last couple days?

Ah, the miracles of unemployment and far too much free time...

Anywho, to answer the actual question, I do just about all my writing on my beloved desktop.

[Silva]

Jun 1, 2011 23:10:29 GMT -5 onlyaworkingtitle said:

I live on my computer.

No joke. See how many posts I've made here in the last couple days?

I'm only about 13 posts behind you, and I spend hours reading this forum, roleplaying, chatting on MSN and YIM, and typing. We both live on the computer apparently.

[onlyaworkingtitle]

Jun 1, 2011 23:13:14 GMT -5 Silva said:

Jun 1, 2011 23:10:29 GMT -5 onlyaworkingtitle said:

I live on my computer.

No joke. See how many posts I've made here in the last couple days?

I'm only about 13 posts behind you, and I spend hours reading this forum, roleplaying, chatting on MSN and YIM, and typing. We both live on the computer apparently.

Computers are wonderful creatures. Does yours have a name? Mine is William Grosvenor IV, Esq. ("Esquire" for short.) (Yes, the fourth. It's a family name.)

[Silva]

YES! Mine is named Oscar after Oscar Wilde. I just acquired him.

[leonwingstein]

I have an issue. During NaNoWriMo (national novel writing month), I write my novels longhand, and HATE typing them afterward. I'm all for typing first drafts, but not writing and then typing. It should be one or the other.

[Olive]

I always take notebooks to class, even though the university provides laptops to all of the students. Some profs still have anti-tech policies in the classroom, so I just stick to spiral bound.
And, of course, there's my composition book that gets dragged everywhere for the random bursts of writing. But if I'm actually sitting down to write anything, I'll go for the laptop.

I really like the sound of keys being typed on. I've written about it several times, actually. I think that says something.

[Silva]

Jun 2, 2011 12:50:42 GMT -5 leonwingstein said:

I have an issue. During NaNoWriMo (national novel writing month), I write my novels longhand, and HATE typing them afterward. I'm all for typing first drafts, but not writing and then typing. It should be one or the other.

Hmm... interesting perspective.

I find that while it can be annoying to type up stuff you've written, sometimes it's a matter of sheer convenience. The laptop isn't there, but the idea and/or the mood is/are, so you write on paper.

Pretty much what Olive said in terms of having/not having a laptop on you.